Cait's TOPs Testing Results

[iggy1988]

Don't you hate it when you type a long thought out post and then hit some key stroke that erases everything and then you don't have the desire to type the whole thing over again...

That being said, here is the reader's digest version of the last few days....

In Disney World since Thursday
Got results on Friday
She did not make the team, the cutoff score went up by 5 points.... Huge jump
Told Cait on Sunday after her dance performance at Downtown Disney
Pretty upset orginally but bounced back quickly. Disney can do that to a kid
Knows what she needs to do for next year. Starts her TOPs training next Monday for next year
Got faster, stronger and gained tons of confidence.. Those are good things, right?

She is looking forward to meet season which starts for her on Oct 24th. She was calling all her friends on Sat afternoon to get meet results. Our gym's first meet was this past weekend... She is ready to compete

We all wanted to thank everyone for their words of encouragement and well wishes. It meant a lot to us and we so enjoy our CB community

We have put her name on the waiting list and we will send her if they get down to her. We believe the experience will be invaluable no matter how she gets back. She was glowing when we were down there. She loved that environment.

Sorry we didn't post sooner but obviously we wanted to tell Cait the news first...

Thanks everyone,

Sean, Jen and Cait...

 

[NotAMom]

We believe the experience will be invaluable no matter how she gets back.

Ain't no one is going to argue with that!!!

 

[bogwoppit]

Great post, and I'd love to see that Disney dance.

You know that the journey is often more important than the destination in gymnastics, all they have learned, seen and felt will be so important.

 

[gym mom]

Sorry to here that Cait did not make team.Sounds like she's handling it well Disney brightens everyones spirit!!Looking forward to here about her meets .

 

[cathiann]

Bummer she didn't make it, but sounds like she has a great attitude!

 

[taximom]

Sorry to hear Cait didn't make the cut this year. Thanks for keeping us updated. Your extended CB family has been cheering her on. As Hannah Montana says "It's the climb!". Cait will havbe gained so much from this whole process I can't wait to see what the next year brings for her!

 

[nettyinpa]

Sean ~ Thank you for letting us know! I guess if you're going to get unhappy news, Disney is the place for it! It just makes everything better, doesn't it? Good for her for handling it so well and looking forward to next year already!

 

[gymjourneymom]

Sorry to hear Cait didn't make it this year. She has a great attitude & great support system & tons of talent. By next year she have that much more experience...watch out! She'll be a force to be reckoned with! Enjoy her competition season...she's going to clean up!!!!

 

[canadiangymmom]

You must be so proud of what Cait put into this endeavor. She's a fighter for sure. To come so close against such fierce competition. I'm glad to hear that you've got her on the waiting list in case an opening becomes available. I have a policy never to close doors on possible opportunities.

She is going to be fabulous this season, in gymnastics and all other pursuits. Let her know that Bean and I have been pulling for her, and aren't ready to stop just yet We're also proud of your little girl.

 

[gymmomntc2e6]

Sorry to hear that Cait didn't make the cut.

Tell her her CB fans would put her on their A team any day of hue week !!

((((hugs))))

 

[NOG]

Tough break...the points jump, but what a fabulous experience for Cait! I'm glad that she enjoyed it and I love her attitude! I look forward to hearing how her meet season goes. I'm sure she'll do phenomenal!

 

[UnoMas]

oh man so sorry to hear that she missed it! Sounds like things were extra tough this year...I am really hoping that she might get the chance to go off of the wait list...you never know right?

But, yeah, what a place to get disappointing news. Disney cures all ills!

I hope that this experience just gives her that much more spark for the meet season and for next years TOPS stuff.

Congrats to her for making it so far...as we all know...even getting there is HUGE!

 

[iggy1988]

Great post, and I'd love to see that Disney dance.

Let me see what I can do about that. It won't be hard to figure out which one was Cait by the end of the video...

Sean

 

[bookworm]

i wouldn't feel so bad about not making it..it looks like they only took 11 eleven year olds for A team and the #s for the B team look way down too. And as long as she had fun doing it...

 

[Emma's mom]

That is tough, but what a great mature way she handled it! She sounds like an awesome girl and a great gymnast! Congrats!

 

[mariposa]

Sorry I haven't posted to this (or anything else for a few days, have had a headache and stress and just couldn't type things out).

Anyway, sorry that Cait didn't make a team, but it is still amazing just to have been invited to Houston and just that experience is awesome. Glad she handled it well and has her goals for next year. Thank goodness for Disney, huh? I am sure that helped a little.

Can't wait to hear all about her meet! And would love to see their Disney performances.

 

[thnkGd4kds]

Thanks, all! The support we receive here is wonderful! (Notice that I said "receive" instead of "received." This gymnastics thing is a journey, as many of you pointed out, and it's not over yet! ) Really, Cait was thrilled just to be at Karolyi's. Any benefit gained happened before testing, during testing, and in her future gymnastics; camp would've just been a bonus (an expensive one for B, too--whew). While she wanted to make one of the teams, I just look at the overall experience and say that it was incredible no matter what. To think that she gained all of that strength, skills, and, best of all, confidence, knowing that she held her own. Hurray for her, and hurray for all of you for being so great!

 

[flippersmom]

DD doesn't do tops, but a few in her gym have expressed interest. I am curious, do you need to pay for regional testing, and if you make national testing, do you have to pay your own way? I know if you make "A" it is paid for, but what about before that?

Just wondering if these parent know how expensive it is, since they already complain about meet fees and monthly fees.

 

[iggy1988]

DD doesn't do tops, but a few in her gym have expressed interest. I am curious, do you need to pay for regional testing, and if you make national testing, do you have to pay your own way? I know if you make "A" it is paid for, but what about before that?

Just wondering if these parent know how expensive it is, since they already complain about meet fees and monthly fees.

TOPs is not cheap, that is for sure. Here is what we pay for at our gym. I don't know about other gyms..

• extra 1.5 hours a week of just TOPs - 30-40.00 per month (normal practice incorporates TOPs as well)
• 50.00 for regional testing - test and coaches fees
• National Testing - this is where gyms really differ I think... We paid for airfare, hotel, rental car, clothes to match the other teammates, 20-30 private lessons, coach's airfare, time, food, hotel and rental car.
• If she ends up getting a "B" team invite, we will have to pay for airfare for Cait and coach and camp fees. We will not go with her so we save some money that way...

Overall it can be pretty expensive but we would not trade it in for anything. Cait absolutely loves it but I do know that not everybody on this board agrees with TOPs so it is really a matter of preference. Thanks,

Sean