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My daughter (8yrs) will be competing this Autumn at Regional Level 5 (I think that's the right terminology?!). The rest of the squad her age are competing level 6 again - I can see that my daughter is very able (flexible, strong, determined and focused) but compared to other older squad members (some by 2 years) who are also doing level 5 she does not have the skills they have - she's just starting to learn moves they have already perfected - I trust the coaches completely just trying to prepare my daughter that this competition is going to be tough and very different to her last competition. I suppose what I'm asking is why is she being kept 'in age' when the competition seems beyond her reach (hands up I no nothing about gymnastics so probably can't see what they see!)? Although she's very strong and naturally flexible she's also of average height so gymnastics will be time limited - it's supposed to be a fun hobby - am I just being over protective (probably!)?
 
My daughter (8yrs) will be competing this Autumn at Regional Level 5 (I think that's the right terminology?!). The rest of the squad her age are competing level 6 again - I can see that my daughter is very able (flexible, strong, determined and focused) but compared to other older squad members (some by 2 years) who are also doing level 5 she does not have the skills they have - she's just starting to learn moves they have already perfected - I trust the coaches completely just trying to prepare my daughter that this competition is going to be tough and very different to her last competition. I suppose what I'm asking is why is she being kept 'in age' when the competition seems beyond her reach (hands up I no nothing about gymnastics so probably can't see what they see!)? Although she's very strong and naturally flexible she's also of average height so gymnastics will be time limited - it's supposed to be a fun hobby - am I just being over protective (probably!)?
I would just trust the coaches, sometimes a girl can have more moves but not that well and be messy and score worse than a girl who has less advanced moves but who is very clean. Do you know when she’s competing level 5 if she will be competing against all level 5’s or just the level 5’s in her age group?
Why does being average height mean that gymnastics will be time limited?
 
I would just trust the coaches, sometimes a girl can have more moves but not that well and be messy and score worse than a girl who has less advanced moves but who is very clean. Do you know when she’s competing level 5 if she will be competing against all level 5’s or just the level 5’s in her age group?
Why does being average height mean that gymnastics will be time limited?


I'm not sure if she's competing against girls her age - I just know she has the same time slot as the older girls - I can check with her coach tomorrow - I didn't consider that there might be different sub categories

I've been told that her height will be a problem in the future - a lot of other squad girls are short for their age - but this information has come from other parents who comment on her height - she's the tallest in her age group (though average height outside of Gym) - it hasn't been a problem so far.

Is there a benefit to staying 'in age'? She has loved learning new moves like the older girls and comes out of gym buzzing - talking 100mph! She just managed her first 2 giants on the wooden bar and flick on high beam without a mat (again I think that's the right terminology!) - just don't want to dampen her enthusiasm but from what I understand it's just the nature of gymnastics - it'll be whether she can hold her nerve and not give up when she suffers the inevitable knocks at the next competition if she's competing against older girls.
 
In my dd region they compete the level against others the same age group but often all the level 5’s will have the same time slot. I’m impressed you know what level she will be competing and time slots already we don’t get that information and decisions aren’t made until much nearer the time.
Every gym and coach has different philosophies about ‘in age’ or not.

Just because she’s taller than the others now doesn’t mean she will always be but I wouldn’t say height will rule her out of gymnastics in the future, there may be things that are harder for a taller gymnast but not impossible, I personally think what age you hit puberty and how fast and much your body changes during puberty can have a greater effect than height so please don’t think she will be ruled out just due to height regardless of what another parent has said.
Part of gymnastics is learning to have a bad competition, not medal and how you pick your self up ready for next time. It’s a hard lesson but it happens to everyone.
 
You say the others are doing level 6 again does that mean your DD has also done level 6 last year? If so then perhaps your DD scored high enough to make it so she has to do the next level? In our region you can only redo a level if you didn't score high enough to "pass" on to the next level. The score needed to be forced to move up a level is 44 in our county/region.
 
You say the others are doing level 6 again does that mean your DD has also done level 6 last year? If so then perhaps your DD scored high enough to make it so she has to do the next level? In our region you can only redo a level if you didn't score high enough to "pass" on to the next level. The score needed to be forced to move up a level is 44 in our county/region.
That would make sense - she got 44.5 at level 6 - she placed 17th (2 falls on beam) - but the others were all less than 44. Thank you
 

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