WAG Is it usual in the US to learn these skills as a beginner.

[profmom]

Oh yeah - she has a pike tsuk - that she sat down twice and still scored an 8 something? She doesn't "have" the skill and the weak judging just promotes the notion that she "has" it.

The first vault was a tuck that she sat. Ugly, but sometimes that happens. The second vault -- the pike -- scared the crap out of me. If DD had done that in practice, into the pit not even onto a mat, she'd have been on the trampoline doing double back timers for a while and then doing timers into the pit for several more turns. I agree that the judging here is a big part of the problem! I remember a few years ago being at an optional session (USAG) where some girls were doing scary bars and getting 5s.

 

[Somekiwichic]

I'm a bit confused, do gymnasts always get scored like that in AAU? Is AAU similar to Excel? I tried to watch the level 8 video but it said it was unavailable.

I'm amazed that parents (especially gym owners who I guess would have some Gymnastics knowledge?) would allow there child to compete when they clearly aren't ready. I got such a fright watching that 3 year olds backhand spring that I spilled half my cup of coffee on myself.

The two year old on rings was just as bad, it was so high up and he's so teeny tiny. I thought she would have been spotting him a lot heavier, if he fell I don't know if she would have had time to catch him.

 

[2G1B]

My daughters competed AAU 2 and 3 last year and no, it was not judged at.all like that. I have heard that as you move up AAU judges more easily; but that was just crazy!

 

[mouey77]

In our region, it's quite common to have 6 and 7 year old level 4s since most gyms around here do not compete at all until level 4. Kids spend time in preteam prepping for level 4 rather than spending two years competing levels 2 and 3. My DD turned 6 right before her first level 4 meet last season. She struggled a bit at first, but was doing great by the end of the season. At every meet last season, the 2 biggest age groups for level 4 were the seven year olds, and the 9 year olds. At about half of our meets, there were enough 6 year olds for them to have their own age category (otherwise it was 7 and under).

I'm sure it differs by region. I know competing the lower levels is popular in other states.

This post again reinforces my confusion about how all of this works. We do not have many gyms to choose from around here so I'll just post a separate question about this...

 

[wallflower]

This post again reinforces my confusion about how all of this works. We do not have many gyms to choose from around here so I'll just post a separate question about this...

I think the important thing to remember is that it doesn't matter what other regions, states, gyms do. If your DD is learning gymnastics and progressing it doesn't matter what the call her or label her. It doesn't even matter what level she competes. If she is in a USAG gym all the girls will end up in the same place eventually. It doesn't matter what path they take.

 

[mouey77]

I think the important thing to remember is that it doesn't matter what other regions, states, gyms do. If your DD is learning gymnastics and progressing it doesn't matter what the call her or label her. It doesn't even matter what level she competes. If she is in a USAG gym all the girls will end up in the same place eventually. It doesn't matter what path they take.

OK, and she is definitely making amazing progress just in the short time they put her on the team. I just figured that at the pace the gym appears to move girls that she would be high school before level 7 or 8 when many of the parents on the boards have young kids at these levels. If she continues to stick with this...