Parents DD Not on Team

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J

jellybean

My ten year old dd has skills of level 5. The coaches will not let her on team. Team starts at level 2. She has been there for 3 years, which is all years the gym has been open ( started in 2012) Girls are ages 7-15. Its not like her form is bad, its great, shes strong & VERY flexible. We have talked to one of the head coaches at the gym and it was a clear no to team. The team coach has watched her practice, and said she has talent. She has friends on team and she can't be with them. She is stuck in classes, and is the best in her old class by far. ( shes going into a different class at same gym) Please help!!!
 
There is literally one other gym near us and she tried a camp there, but HATES it. Pit goes in her eyes, aand the beams are metal with padding & she was complaining how her feet hurt. One gym is about 25-30 mins away looks good but only vault is into pit. - Level 2&3 teams have height limit, but she basically just said its invite only.
 
Did they say why?

Yes well level 2&3 (lowest team level) has a height limit. I talked to a head coach at the end of a practice and she just said some stuff about the practices, but her reason was " It is invite only" So no not really.
 
Are the coaches the owners ? Could you meet with the owners?

Well the co-owner of the gym is 1 of 3 team coaches. DD has been with the gym for almost 4 years. The owner is a man and really just works behind the desk.
 
A freaking height limit. Making my head spin like the Exorcist.

You really need a different gym.

PS no one actually needs to do Level 2 or 3. Starting at 4 would be just fine.

So essentially your money is OK for rec but not team. If I thought my kid really should be and wanted to be on team, I would find a gym to make that happen.
 
I would consider setting up a meeting with the owner and explain the situation. If he is not open to the idea, take your money elsewhere.

A freaking height limit. Making my head spin like the Exorcist.

You really need a different gym.

PS no one actually needs to do Level 2 or 3. Starting at 4 would be just fine.

So essentially your money is OK for rec but not team. If I thought my kid really should be and wanted to be on team, I would find a gym to make that happen.

To both of you, like i said earlier only one other gym is near us and my DD went to try it as a 1 week camp. She absolutely HATED it. Any other gyms are 30 mins away. One we thought about but we saw pictures of it there is no vault. Our one meeting has been unsuccessful.
 
If she really wants to do team, and the gym has said no, I would seriously consider the 30 minute plus drives to other gyms. I know for many people that would be extremely difficult, so if it doesn't work for you,just disregard the advice. The ship has sailed at your current gym. After 4 years there, not giving you a reason why she has been passed over is really poor customer service, and I would take my money elsewhere. They have every right to set whatever parameters they have, but you( and your DD) are owed the courtesy of an explanation. They haven't even tried to help your DD figure out what she would need to do to be considered.

If you can make a 30 minute drive, and on this board many people do, I would find another gym with less secretive try out procedures. I am surprised with Level 5 skills that there is even a Rec class available that teaches those skills. Anyone at about Level 3 is pushed to either preteam or Xcel teams. You need a new gym.
 
I'm sorry the help offered was not the help you wanted. I'm sorry you think 30 mins is too far. Our gym takes 40 mins at 5 in the evening.

I am also perplexed how a gym with team could not have a vault. Perhaps the pictures just didn't show a vault. Really it takes more then pictures to investigate a gym possibility (for me any how)

It seems you are either stuck on rec or need to go further then you planned.

This is just for me, but a gym that basically blew me off saying its invite only would not be getting my hard earned money. I prefer a gym that communicates better when I write a check.

On another note, kids don't like change. And its not like she is currently working out with friends.

It seems you all need to decide what works for you. Close gym, rec level. Or find another gym, meet new kids and coaches along with travel further.

Good luck on whatever you decide.
 
Bottom line. If current gym says no, there is not one thing you can do about it, even if it does seem stupid. I think a height limit is quite stupid, personally.
If you want her to be on a team, she is going to have to go to another gym. No matter the drive or any other issue.
If going to another gym isn't an option, then she isn't going to be on the team.
Our drive is 40 minutes one way on a very good day.
 
Have you tried to ask them what your dd should work in improving in order to make team? I would ask for that and then ask them to meet with you every three months or so to evaluate her progress. If they say no to that then you know it is not going to happen at this gym.

I would also go for an evaluate at the gym that is farther. I travel 45 minutes each way to my dd's gym because I know it is the best place for her.
 
Gyms do all sorts of stupid (IMO) things to make team more selective. Age limits, height limits, body type restrictions. It goes on, and it's maddening. You can't change their policies, though, and it does seem that your DD will not suddenly become team material in their eyes. Even getting an answer as to why from their cagey behinds won't change that.

I know you say your DD hated the other gym she tried for summer camp. What about it did she dislike, and is their camp indicative of the actual gym experience there? Was it the facility, the coach, the other girls, the hours, the intensity? Summer camp can be pretty different from team practices. Also, sometimes girls will dislike new gyms at first just because they are really different than what they are used to, but after settling in they will end up loving the changes.

Where I live basically everyone drives at least thirty minutes for gym (even for rec), and some much farther than that. If you want your DD to have a shot a team you may need to broaden the acceptable commute. As for her rec classes, I second the kudos to that rec program. My YDD was turned away from a rec program once because her skill set was too high. It's been our experience that rec programs don't advance to team level skills, so things like flyaways and BWO on beam would never have been taught to my DDs in a rec class. At least she is apparently getting solidly progressive training.

Also, you say she has all the L5 skills. Is that on every event? Some gyms will base levels or team invites on one event. My YDD had much more than all the requirements to be invited to team on three events, but just couldn't get the requirements on bars- she never got an invite. My ODD could just barely make the minimum requirements for all four events and was put straight to team.
 
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Gyms do all sorts of stupid (IMO) things to make team more selective. Age limits, height limits, body type restrictions. It goes on, and it's maddening. You can't change their policies, though, and it does seem that your DD will not suddenly become team material in their eyes. Even getting an answer as to why from their cagey behinds won't change that.

I know you say your DD hated the other gym she tried for summer camp. What about it did she dislike, and is their camp indicative of the actual gym experience there? Was it the facility, the coach, the other girls, the hours, the intensity? Summer camp can be pretty different from team practices. Also, sometimes girls will dislike new gyms at first just because they are really different than what they are used to, but after settling in they will end up loving the changes.

Where I live basically everyone drives at least thirty minutes for gym (even for rec), and some much farther than that. If you want your DD to have a shot a team you may need to broaden the acceptable commute. As for her rec classes, I second the kudos to that rec program. My YDD was turned away from a rec program once because her skill set was too high. It's been our experience that rec programs don't advance to team level skills, so things like flyaways and BWO on beam would never have been taught to my DDs in a rec class. At least she is apparently getting solidly progressive training.

Also, you say she has all the L5 skills. Is that on every event? Some gyms will base levels or team invites on one event. My YDD had much more than all the requirements to be invited to team on three events, but just couldn't get the requirements on bars- she never got an invite. My ODD could just barely make the minimum requirements for all four events and was put straight to team.

The facility. In a earlier reply i stated her "reviews." We literally watch level 5 routines once a week, there are 2-3 ( one skill is on off) moves for the routines. All events combined.
 
If you want your DD to have a shot at team, you need to find another gym that will consider her. We can't provide you with the magic words that will make your current gym put her on their team. Also, making it on to team is not always exclusively about skills. I agree with the consensus -- set up a meeting with whoever makes decisions about team if you like, in order to get a more definitive explanation, but it sounds like it's not going to work at this gym.
 
Chiming in here as another mom who makes a 30-45 minute drive to gym. Maybe I am more used to it because I have boys and those team programs are fewer and farther between than girls' programs, but I would make the drive to at least see the farther gym in person. If they have a competitive team, they have to have a vault.
 
So it sounds like the reason is that she doesn't meet the criteria for L2/L3. I'm assuming that there is no pathway for someone to bypass those levels and start at L4. That's really unfortunate. Based on what you've shared and the length of time your DD has been there, it doesn't sound like they will change their mind. I would ask for one last meeting and ask point blank if she will ever be considered (ie, find out if the team door is sealed shut) and then move on.

I would have her try the other gym that she didn't like. A camp experience can be quite different from the team experience. And if that doesn't work, you may have to decide if you are committed enough for a longer drive.
 

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