Parents 2nd L5 Meet, not so great!

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Blackie6

Proud Parent
Just call us the lil caboose of the CB board. This is one of those meets that I ask myself afterwards if being in USAG gymnastics is the right thing for my DD. We have always taken things one day at a time, knowing that the tightness on her one side may become an issue. She's having major heel pain because of the Severs' and has lost a lot of flexibility on her one side. Of course in L5 this really affects the floor routine the most. Her bent leg look is just not pleasing to the judges eye. She has always known she has to work harder than most and bars is not bad, Beam is not bad, but having hard time with vault because of pain and the floor because of the tightness. Anyway, we may finish the rest of the season and opt to change her to JOGA program. The bent leg may not be as big as a problem there, she would get her own routines, up-train bigger skills and be cut gym hours which may help the Sever's too. Oh well, we will make a decision after states in Jan...OK, onto the meet....

This past weekend we went to the IGC Camp for a Halloween Invitational. It took about 2 hrs to get there & not at all what I thought it would be like! I guess that big book that comes in the mail makes you think it is a HUGE camp, but it really isn't. I wish we had more time to walk around and investigate, but our start time was 12:20 and by the time we left after awards it was already 4:30 and we were starving! We were in one of their gyms and we had anough seats, but the L4's in the session before us were way over crowded!

Up first was bars, my DD's favorite event and honestly she is always in the 8's on this. She never sticks the squat in warm ups, but always nails it for the judges. She got a 8.35 which was the 4th highest score of all our team's 12 L5's, but the scores were really LOW this meet for all the girls in all events!

Beam next. This has been the big surprise of my DD's L5 season. Never did great on beam as a L4, but seems to really nail it as a 5 during the in-house meets and the past meet. Well, only surprise on beam at this meet was how many bobbles, wobbles and falls! We think dad being too close video taping may have knocked her off focus, she fell not once but TWICE! 7.15 score, OUCH!

Floor is next and well, the bent leg look and not reaching a full split, leaps not great, still not 100% with the music, just not very artistic here. 7.75 score

Vault I had to leave during warm-ups. I watched DD do a "superman" over the vault and onto the mats & I think I gained about 100 greay hairs! However, for the judges she does one so-so vault and the other was better only she didn't stick it. Score 7.75

31.00AA

Oh, and prior to vaulting she is crying. I think it is because of the heel, but no, it is becasue another girl on the team told her she didn't like her! This is not a girl we practice with, she is in the other L5 training group and older than my DD. Her crying "Sophie hurt my feelings" made me upset too. Of course I quickly told her to not worry about it, but I am a little PO'd about it. Not saying anything to coach because again, we are never with her, only at meets...this is probably something that hopfully will blow over.

Awards. Only went out to 6 places events/AA and about 21 girls in the 8yr old L5 group. My DD didn't place on anything at all...and cried over that too! Guess she forgot about her first yr of L4 when she never won anything! It was hard though because all the girls scores were pretty low. Our highest scores were under 35AA and of the 12 girls only 4 got anything over a 9.0 but in the 9yr old and 10 yr old groups there were less girls but the places went out to 12th for AA which was nice. It meant DD's friends who scored only a tiny bit higher than her placed and got a medal. She did get a nice goodie bag w/a t-shirt and got to pick a pumpkin from their Halloween wagon which we carved tonight.

We did have a nice dinner on the way home though, DH's favorite place, Texas Roadhouse. Food makes it all better, LOL

I guess I just feel bad for her. We knew it would be a challenge & she is still very committed to being in L5, but I wonder if this season is going to wear her heart down. We have our 1st sectional next weekend and I really don't think she will make it to that 32AA for states. She was so close at our last in-house meet (31.9 AA) a couple wks ago I thought it would be a snap, but now I am thinking any falls off beam and we are done score wise until the floor or vault or BOTH scores come up a little more.

Also went to the Ortho this week to get the heel checked. No more evidence of the fracture from December, no more cysts in her heel, doctor feels it is just the Sever's. Suggested she cut back (we do miss a practice a week), try cheerleading (YUCK!) or dance (she says NO WAY!) and keep on stretching! We feel better knowing it isn't a fracture now, but some days I don't know if I could tell the difference between a real fracture or the Sever's.

OK, done with my pity party/ whine & cheese party....chin up and wish us luck next week on the sectional!

Oh, just wanted to add, there was one very heartbreaking mommet in our session. A girl on another team was doing her floor routine and was clearly not prepared. She did not know the floor routine and kept forgeting what skill was next. Coaches for other teams sitting at the other end of the floor were trying to tell her what to do next. It was embarrassing, and difficult to watch. It was like throwing a kid out there after letting them watch a couple routines to see what they've picked-up! Poor thing got a 5.0, which I think was pretty generous considering all she missed. Why would a team allow a child to go out there so un-prepared? Felt so sorry for her.
 
My Momma's heart is crying for you, your dd, and the poor little girl that was just thrown out there unprepared! (The little girl's story actually makes me mad! What were the coaches thinking?) :(

It is still early in the season; your dd has lots of time to improve. (My dd fell off beam 3 times and had a low score on floor at her first meet--which was level 5--, but improved a ton over just a few meets! Even though your dd has the challenge of Severs, she will get better and, more importantly, feel more confident!) I'm praying that your dd feels better about the next meet. As important, I'm praying that the teammate who said something so mean to your dd doesn't bother your dd anymore. Ugh!

Your dd obviously has a lot of courage. She will get through this, and she will learn great life lessons and be stronger because of it. I'm glad she has such a sensitive Momma. ;)
 
I think your DD rocks and has overcome so much to be in gymnastics. I think she should be where she wants to be, wherever that is. Her scores are very respectable for a first year L5 in her first meets of the season. Many of Abby's current teammates and girls from her old gym too that have no physical limitations are scoring just what your DD is scoring. Abby's old gym best bud who I think has immense potential is scoring those scores. Your DD would have gotten a 32 without the falls, which is great! She had an off beam day, it happens. ;)

I think she will just keep improving and surprise you, like she has year after year since she started gymnastics. Her physical limitations might keep her from getting super high scores on certain events, but everyone has events they don't excel on. Her Severs should ease up eventually, too, hopefully. As long as she is happy overall and wants to be where she is, I would just cheer her on, smile with her when she is happy and console her when she is sad.

Sending you a big hug. As mamas, we want to protect them so much, but sometimes they don't need it as much as we think they do. Let her choose where she wants to be. Present her with the pros and cons of USAG vs. JOGA and let her make the decision that will make her happiest. :)

As for the little girl that got a 5, how sad for her that she was put out there so unprepared. It always breaks my heart when I see that, especially if it seems to bother the child. Abby got 5s on beam, but was perfectly happy with her performance (she knew the routine).
 
I can totally empathise with you.

Firstly the scoring was clearly tough and everyone has an off meet. Dealing with team mates can be very tough and when a child is struggling with injury and other medical issues it can be very hard.

She has lots of time to get a medal this season.

When my oldest was in the last year of Provincial gym here, she didn't place at any of her meets, watched her team mates pick up the medals and ribbons and go on to Championships. She had struggled with injuries for years and could never get the hours in. Now she has moved into our lower hours, less stress programme she is so much happier. She can enjoy gym without the pressure. Though my youngest has decided that this year she really wants to do the provincial gym and it may be an ugly season for her as she is not really 100% ready, IMHO. FInding the rigth programmes can change the childs perception of succes hugely.

Somebody came last at that meet and it wasn't your DD, lots of little girls were dissapointed and I remind my girls of that when they feel sorry for themselves. It is such a challenge for the little ones to realise that everyone can't win even though they all want to.

Just to be an 8year old L5 is amazing, those are big skills and long routines, she has much to be proud of.
 
I think you're thinking way too much about one bad (not even bad-bad--just not great!) meet. Almost ALL the kids have a bad meet--and not that many have overcome the issues your DD has. You are obviously very proud of all she's done--keep up with that and keep cheering her on. Sounds to me like she has a very good chance of making State--she was only 1 point away at this meet--with two falls on beam!
 
I agree with the above. Our girls in L5 have been scoring like that as well so don't worry about it. Plenty of time left and I am sure she will come through. Battling through injury and pain is tough but in the end she can look back with pride.

Perhaps after comp season she can take a break for a few months. Maybe totally out of gym for that time and just do Phys Therapy and stretch. Might do a world of good and prepare her for another season.
 
First of all, WOW on that bars score! That is so good! If there is one area I see our L5's struggling, it is the bars. That routine is tough!! I agree with pretty much everyone else, she has time to bring her scores up and qualify for State. She is obviously a very determined girl and she really loves gym. I hope her Sever's gets feeling better soon. How hard it must be to train when you are in discomfort.

I feel bad about the comment made to her by a teammate, during competition! That is unacceptable! Not everyone is going to be bf's, but when it comes down to competition, they are all on the same team and need to be taught how to support and cheer for one another. Leave the personal stuff behind. I know you don't want to make a big deal of it, but the gym needs to know. They are learning new skills to make them a better gymnast, they need to learn skills that make them a better teammate too!

Hang in there and celebrate the small things, they all add up!!
 
I'm sorry to hear that scores at this meet were not what you expected. We had a little of that during our first meet of the year, too, and I've already been worrying about AA scores and getting a high enough score to move up to the next level. It's so hard not to worry about them and so hard to see them not score the way you are expecting. It's also hard when you have the physical issues to take under consideration...and have a little extra to overcome. My younger DD also has some physical limitations and it's really hard to watch her struggle with form when the poor thing is just not built straight!:)

Having said all that, I really think that as a new 8 yr old L5 she is scoring well. And I also think that those scores are going to go up. All it takes is one meet for everything to click and then that score is going to go way up!

Keeping my fingers crossed for a GREAT meet next time out and that she gets her qualifying score!
 
We were at the IGC meet as well! Level 4 session right before you.
I thought the scores were pretty low overall as well. I'm pretty sure she'll be able to get her 32.00AA next weekend. They get better with each competition!!!

My daughter had ok scores (did manage to get her first 9 on bars :)) but got a very low vault score for her for really no apparent reason..:mad:

Good luck to her in sectionals! we have them next wknd too!
 
:grouphug: Group cyber hug(including the poor little girl you mentioned). There will be meets like this...and ones that are worse:( and ones that are better:) and ones that are much better:D! Hang in there! Keep DD stretching as the MD said and just take it one day at a time. She is a wonderful gymnast:D!
 
Hi. I'm not a frequent poster on CB, but read a lot here and smile often as I go, "I know how he/she feels!" As a mom of a DD who wasn't the best compulsory gymnast (she's now optional level), we've been there and I empathize completely.

In the end, the craziness of the sport needs to be surpassed by your DD's love and passion for what she's doing, in order to make it all "worth" it.

Bottom line, make sure your DD LOVES this - it is a lot of time for her and your family to commit, and it only increases as you move up levels. But I can tell you that there is nothing better than seeing DD's face when she has overcome challenges, learned new skills, gained confidence - that's what this should be about.

Chin up, ignore the mean girls (and that mom should be made aware of her DD's words - not cool) and finish the season with one goal - to improve and ENJOY it.

Forget about scores - really. (Trust me, I know it's hard to do!) Good luck with the rest of your season!
 
First let me just say that your dd is a true competitor! Seriously, after dealing with this Severs with Emma, I know first hand how much it really hurts them. And, to have had a fracture on top of that....WOW! She really did an awesome job! This sport is difficult enough when the girls are healthy! Having heels that are killing you, well that is a whole other thing! CONGRATS!!! She will have that 32 before you know it. It is so hard to see these girls train and devote so much of their young lives to this sport only to go to these meets and not be rewarded in a tangible way. Oh, and mean girl......seriously, she needs to be reprimanded by her coach and parents! That is sooo not acceptable! Who raises these kids? GRRRRRRRRRRR Big hugs to you and your dd! I hope her heels feel better real soon. Emma's are at the tolerable stage. She is great about stretching and iceing. She does wear the cheetahs when it gets bad, but she does not tumble in them. The higher heeled shoes also have helped! Good Luck!
 
Oh, We have been there. As a mom you feel so much for what your kids go through, and gymnastics is so tough on them sometimes. Nothing like falling in love with a sport that tortures you - ugh.
Tell her to just keep plugging away. My dd was not a great compulsory gymnast (she once scored a 5.5 on bars at level 6!). But she kept going and has become a great optional gymnast. When the times are hard she thinks back on what she's made it through already. It helps her refocus.
As for the mean girl - done that too. It makes me so mad. So very mad.
Talk to the coach so that he/she can watch out for it at the next meet.

Sever stinks. Stretch and ice. Stretch and ice. Stretch and ice.

Good luck and have fun!!
 
So far both of your DD's meets have been in PA, so you really don't have a good "read" on how she would have fared in-state, so you never know what she can pull off at Sectionals. (BTW, we got the Rettigs sight).

Hugs to you and DD, I felt so bad reading about the girl who said something mean to her. Why are kids so cruel?

As for the girl who forgot her routine, I've seen it happen and it is painful to watch, but may not be the coaches' fault. Sometimes they just blank. We have 2 8 yr olds on our L4 that experienced it at last weekend's meet, and also one the first meet.
 
I think it is tough to go from 2nd year level 4 to a 1st year level 5. I am sure I will find this out in the next couple of meets when my daughter competes. I think her bar score was really good. I know we are in Pa and I think some of the meets are just judged super tough. Your daughter is really young for level 5 and I would just give it time. My daughter would get really upset in her 1st year competing but she kept persisting and she is still hanging in there. I would not rush into pulling her out of USAG as long as she is happy. The worst thing that could happen is that she repeats level 5 and she would still be a young level 5. I am sure it happens at every gym where girls say mean stuff to each other but during a meet. I would personally address this with the girl herself and then if it continues maybe address it with her parents before you involve the coaches. I just think coaches and gym owners have enough to deal with and it is one childs word over another but that is just my opinion. Wishing your daughter luck and hoping she makes it to states. Boy your state season is really short that definitely makes it tougher we have till April for sectionals.
 
Your DD did an amazing job. Keep on encouraging her. My DD was the one of only 2 girls on her team last year that did not make States. She was sad, but quickly recovered and asked if she could go to cheer her teammates on. She went to the meet and had a great time. She did say a few times, "I wish I were down there.". But, it was more her passion to compete than sadness that she hadn't qualified.

Her coach invited her to sit with her team during awards and she had a great time.

Give her time to process this meet. She may surprise you. She sounds like an extraordinary little girl.
 
Blackie - hang in there. I think your punkin did a fine job. Like a previous poster said a 31 with a couple falls? she can get that 32 she so desires!

I think back 5 or so years ago when Beetle was a Compulsory gymnast and we were thrilled when she got her first 31... Which was at the end of her L5 season btw. She just didn't "Get" compulsory gymnastics.. she didn't understand why she could only move her arm this way or hold this pose for only so long.. it just wasn't her style. She was never about Perfectly straight legs... She liked doing the skills and getting new ones. Luckily we are at a gym that doesnt focus on L5 - 6.. We have a stronger optional program.. Once Beetle hit L7 and got her own routines, it all came together..

Posters on this board have said, it isnt the L5's that get 36's that become the L8's who get 37's... I know it is hard to tell an 8 year old that but you are doing a good job. Focusing on the good things in the meet and then moving on..

Hang in there!
 
I really don't understand why a gym or coach would allow a girl to go out there so unprepared. Shame on that gym! They are just setting this little girl up for failure and disappointment.

Congrats to your DD. She has endured alot to be where she is! I think she is awesome no matter where she places!! It takes sooooo much courage just to get out there!! Good for her!! Hopefully the Severs will go away and not be an issue for her anymore!!
 
Hugs to both you and dd----hang in there. My gymmie scored right around a 31 AA her 2nd meet as a L5 and we were thrilled---1st meet was like a 28AA(?). She just kept plugging away and got more confidence and ended up in the high 35s at state which put her in the top 10 and she won bars.

Just remember this is a tougher level and many will come and go. If dd loves the sport then you'll find a way to make it work for her whether its JOGA or USAG.

Let the scores go and just watch improvement in her routines---they will come. My gymmie was never a great one on floor and she had no physical limitations. She could tumble like crazy, but the compulsory dance requirements either bored her or she chose to ignore them(ok not completely) and her scores reflected it.

Too bad about the "mean" girl. There will always be at least 1. Last night my gymmie was upset about a team friend who made fun of her/snapped at her-----middle school girls can be tough to deal with too!

I feel very bad for the poor girl who ended up with a 5.0 on floor. Hopefully her situation changes for the better.

I still remember your post of dd's 1st ever meet that talked about her giggling as she did her bar routine. Remind her of that. Sometimes we all just need a good "giggle."
 
Posters on this board have said, it isnt the L5's that get 36's that become the L8's who get 37's... I know it is hard to tell an 8 year old that but you are doing a good job. Focusing on the good things in the meet and then moving on..

How true!!! My oldest DD was a 9 yr old Jr. Level 5- had an awesome season, finished 5th or 6th AA at States (out of some 50+ kids) and tied for 3rd on beam. Fast forward 3.5 yrs and she is now a 2nd yr Level 8 about to quit :(

On the other hand, Little Monkey did (I should say struggled thru) TWO years of Level 5 (7 and 8 yrs old) and is now having one of her best starts as L6.
 

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