my4buffaloes
Proud Parent
The past few years it seems that every single year they are making things harder for the level 9's and 10's - and then of course there is a trickle down effect for the 8's. They want harder skills, more skills, shorter pauses, now no pauses (beam), etc. If the skills aren't becoming more difficult then the judging is, so you lose either way. Why? I feel they are driving kids out of the sport because suddenly just on the cusp of moving up a level the rules are changed and they don't have what they need.
I think we all know that when kids don't get to move up (I am referring to repeating the same level more than 2 years) they tend to not want to stay in the sport. It just isn't fun to be a 3-4 year level 8 or 9 when the goal of pretty much all gymnasts in the upper levels is to make it to level 10.
I have 2 dd's who are 4 years apart. My younger dd had to do skills 1-2 levels sooner than my older dd ever had to because of the increased difficulty. The rule changes prevented my dd from making the jump from 9 to 10 once already and now it is looking like it could happen again. Maybe this is just our coaches interpretations or maybe it is a regional thing. Or maybe it is my imagination.
Am I the only one that feels it gets harder each year just to be competitive in their level - without moving up even. Why the continual push for more difficulty?
I think we all know that when kids don't get to move up (I am referring to repeating the same level more than 2 years) they tend to not want to stay in the sport. It just isn't fun to be a 3-4 year level 8 or 9 when the goal of pretty much all gymnasts in the upper levels is to make it to level 10.
I have 2 dd's who are 4 years apart. My younger dd had to do skills 1-2 levels sooner than my older dd ever had to because of the increased difficulty. The rule changes prevented my dd from making the jump from 9 to 10 once already and now it is looking like it could happen again. Maybe this is just our coaches interpretations or maybe it is a regional thing. Or maybe it is my imagination.
Am I the only one that feels it gets harder each year just to be competitive in their level - without moving up even. Why the continual push for more difficulty?