Parents YWCA

[NY Dad]

Hi,

I recently moved my daughter from a rec class at one gym to a level 2 at YWCA. I did this for a few reasons:

• I didn’t know they intended to move her up at her previous gym. I had asked and wasn’t given an answer about her status and I needed to make a commitment at the YWCA
  
• My understanding is that at the other gym level 2 and 3 have the same coach which is great but when there’s a meet/event the coach goes with the level 3 to the meet and the level 2’s are coached by an older student and not a real coach (I haven’t verified this but this was the impression I got). (At the YWCA I don't think it's the same coach)
  
• The level 2-3 coach at the old gym as about to go on maternity leave and I wasn’t given any info about what the plans were.

I’ve recently read on this website that the WMCA doesn’t have as much of a focus on gymnastics as a non WMCA gym. Does this apply to WYCA too? (There’s not much info here about YWCA) At level 2 both the old gym and the YWCA have 4 hours per week (2 hours twice a week).

Either way we've committed through the end of the school year. At this point I’m not going to move her before school is over. I am saving about 1/3 the cost so I could supplement her with private lessons. So far she just had one class and my DD said they just did conditioning the whole class. They were apparently told that they would be sore after the class but my DD just wanted to do more gymnastics.

NY Dad

 

[munchkin3]

Welcome! Gymnastics is crazy!
Whats your question....or is this a statement?

 

[GymDad9.9]

Not sure you have your W's and Y's jumbled. Nevertheless, if the Level 2s and Level 3s are competing at the same meet they usually do not compete at the same time. But don't hold me to that.

 

[MeetDirector]

NY Dad -

To be completely honest with you, at Level 2 it really doesn't matter where the gymnastics is done, just that they are getting some training in the fundamentals while having F-U-N. As you begin the journey into the formal parts of the USAG compulsory program (Level 4 and beyond), I would want my dd at a formal gymnastics-specific training facility. This is not a knock on YMCA/YWCA, just a statement of fact as to the focus of the particular entity; a gymnastics training facility is focused on training gymnastics while a YMCA/YWCA is focused on providing recreational opportunities to the community at large.

Brutal honesty warning. Based on your previous posts, I think you really need to step back and adjust your expectations of a Level 2 program. If the YMCA/YWCA is a formal USAG chartered organization, then they will be following the USAG guidelines for the early compulsory levels. A level 2 program is introductory and is to focus on the basics. Your rationale for leaving the previous gym may have been based on a misunderstanding of the goal of Level 2. Frankly, whether a level 2 or 3 coach attends a meet with another team (because they are that team's coach too) or even goes on maternity leave is not something that I would have ever decided to change gyms over.

Good Luck.

 

[mommyof1]

Conditioning and body shapes should be the focus in preteam/Level 2.

At meets you never know who will coach your child. The meet organizers will often split up teams without giving the coaches any input into which kids are in which "squad." At one meet last year my daughter's L3 team was split into four squads, one on each event during the same session. They only have three coaches, so a coach from another level came along to coach the fourth group.

 

[profmom]

If you want your DD in a program that will maximize her ability to fulfill her potential in the sport, look for one with a relatively large, healthy, successful, AND HAPPY population of upper level (JO L9/L10) gymnasts. A few different kinds of roads can lead to that place (i.e., one involving moving quickly through compulsories with little focus on perfecting the routines and almost all time spent on skill acquisition versus another involving development through full mastery of each compulsory level and achievement of high scores before moving up), but none require a lot of anxiety about what happens when they are just starting out.

 

[munchkin3]

My kids were part of the Y for many many years......loved their program to death.......but one day, they outgrew it.....[emoji20]

 

[Natasha]

The most important thing at level 2 is that your daughter is enjoying it and having fun. Aside from ensuring that it is a safe environment (not trying to do skills they are not in any way ready to do and has safe equipment) there really should not be any stress over the other stuff. Make sure she is in a positive environment with positive coaching and continuing to love the sport. She will never become a high level gymnast if she doesn't continue to love it. Competitions at this level is just getting used to the format of competing, waiting their turn, supporting teammates, learning how to memorize a routine, etc.... They should be able to do this regardless of who is coaching them at the meet.

 

[LindyHopper]

I don't know how things are done in NY, but in our state, Level 2 gymnasts go to FUN meets (if they go to meets at all). They don't even get scores. It's all about having fun while learning the meet etiquette, getting used to the pressure, and understanding what it means to be judged.

I encourage you to look up some L2 (after 2013) videos on YouTube. Understand that your daughter's routines aren't terribly exciting to watch (except for the fact that it is her doing them) at this level.

As long as she's happy, building good foundational skills and shapes, and having fun, at this level, she's probably fine where she is--no additional lessons private or otherwise needed.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Fellow NYer here. And for the record, there really isn't much "coaching" at meets. At that point its a formality and spotting if necessary. We have 4 main coaches and 2 assistants. For training they have their areas of expertise, I wouldn't want the bars coach training most of floor and vice versa. And, they are all qualified to deal with warm ups, drills and meets (only one I would want spotting bars at the upper levels).

Its level 2, its supposed to be fun and and about getting used to a meet experience. My personal favorite of those days was holding my breath hoping all our kids remembered to present for the judges and remembered their routines.

That and my daughter going off the rails at one meet and winging her own vault during warm ups. The judge telling the coach umm if she does that I am going to have to give her a 0 and the coaching saying. Ummm she is 6, do what you have to do.

 

[Gymdad2]

NY Dad,

As the parent of a gymnast who began rec at age 4 and is now retired after a Division 1 gymnastics career, let me add my 2 cents worth. The advice you have received above is exactly right. Find the right gym as Profmom says and let the coaches teach your dd to be strong and healthy, to have confidence and coordination and to learn gymnastics skills. Your job is to be her number one cheerleader, to support her dreams and to pay the bills (and there will be plenty of those). Also, I would not recommend private lessons at this level. It is a marathon. Best of luck to you and our daughter.

 

[raenndrops]

Your YWCA, if it is the one I found online is a USAG club... And even hosts a meet. She will be fine for now.

As for YMCA gymnastics programs, they vary. Some have competitive teams thru L10 (and compete against "clubs" in USAG sanctioned meets. These YMCAs obviously take gymnastics seriously. That is the high end. Even teams that stop with Level 9 have been known to send gymnasts to college with gymnastics scholarships.
On the lower end are the YMCA programs that only have very low level rec programs (but there are also "club" type gymnastics centers that do not compete.

Basically, please do not let "'club' snobbery" influence your opinion of something that gives a lot of gymnasts the opportunity to compete in gymnastics at as high a level as they can (and on a National stage from lower levels).

 

[munchkin3]

The Y is a great intro to the sport, they can teach good foundations and you can bypass some of the craziness....
Enjoy these years, and don't rush her.....she will advance at her own pace.....her happiness IN gymnastics is the most important thing.....
Avoid privates, asking her about practice and comparing her to other kids.......(there is always someone 'better' thank your kid)

 

[GymDad9.9]

The Y is a great intro to the sport, they can teach good foundations and you can bypass some of the craziness....
Enjoy these years, and don't rush her.....she will advance at her own pace.....her happiness IN gymnastics is the most important thing.....
Avoid privates, asking her about practice and comparing her to other kids.......(there is always someone 'better' thank your kid)

No craziness at the Y? Why?

 

[raenndrops]

No craziness at the Y? Why?

If you are competing at a YMCA that does no to very few "Club" meets, there is no reason for drama and craziness…
Besides, the CGMs tend to switch to a club (or quit gym altogether) fairly quickly. The YMCA is all about Honesty, Caring, Respect, Responsibility, and Service.

My Y is a low hours team, but we still have girls through Level 8. They don't move up as fast as they might with higher hours, but they have the opportunity to work hard and have fun and be competitive.
We only compete in our YMCA District (and Nationals). All the teams get to know each other. If a team has only one girl in a session, girls from other teams will do her team cheer with her
Parents from most of the teams are very supportive of all the gymnasts (except for their DD's "arch-nemesis" - lol, but even then, it is a funny thing).
I have parents from other teams that seek me out to sit by me at meets or make sure to say hi
We had one meet where THE coach from another team was late due to weather and an accident on the highway that had traffic at a standstill. Our coach helped out with warming their (small team) girls up on vault.
At another meet, 2 events were in one room and the other 2 events were in another room. We had 2 coaches, so it should have been fine, but they split our girls up into 3 groups one session. When we had to move the first group to the other room, the head coach of another team said she would stay with them and warm them up on beam.

 

[CTMOM]

We belong to a YMCA program. They are all different. Ours is very competitive and we also compete USAG (and do well!). We love it. We have several private local gyms that I have looked at, but prefer our gym. Were in NY? There is a NY YMCA that actually attends our meets.

 

[munchkin3]

No craziness at the Y? Why?

LESS Craziness at the Y.......IMO it's because the Y is a community/youth program center with many activities. Many times, kids just take a class or try it out along with ballet and swimming. By the time they are actually doing gymnastics and maybe competing, the parents are not that aware what's out there In Gymnastics. This is a good thing.

In private gyms parents are more 'invested' with high costs and commitment which can ramp up the crazy factor. I found it appalling to hear L2 parents of 5yo talking about homeschooling and drilling 'commitment' to their babies.

The Y is a great way to see if your DD likes it and has the talent both mentally, and physically to handle gymnastics. You will know at some point, but don't rush it. Let her learn to love the sport first.

Just remember, the crazy factor is a very real and 'infecting' thing. We all have been through it, and many have burnt their kids out. Just remember, this is a kids sport, kids sport.......not Olympics, or college. That comes from the kid, not parent.....all you need to worry about it fun.

 

[AgingHippie]

Everyone else has given you really good advice. I just wanted to emphasize that privates at L2 is really not the way to go.

 

[raenndrops]

LESS Craziness at the Y.......IMO it's because the Y is a community/youth program center with many activities. Many times, kids just take a class or try it out along with ballet and swimming. By the time they are actually doing gymnastics and maybe competing, the parents are not that aware what's out there In Gymnastics. This is a good thing.

In private gyms parents are more 'invested' with high costs and commitment which can ramp up the crazy factor. I found it appalling to hear L2 parents of 5yo talking about homeschooling and drilling 'commitment' to their babies.

The Y is a great way to see if your DD likes it and has the talent both mentally, and physically to handle gymnastics. You will know at some point, but don't rush it. Let her learn to love the sport first.

Just remember, the crazy factor is a very real and 'infecting' thing. We all have been through it, and many have burnt their kids out. Just remember, this is a kids sport, kids sport.......not Olympics, or college. That comes from the kid, not parent.....all you need to worry about it fun.

OP is not at a YMCA… he is at a YWCA - and they only compete USAG Club meets, so it is a little different.

 

[duyetanh]

Everyone else has given you really good advice. I just wanted to emphasize that privates at L2 is really not the way to go.

This