Parents Can you give me some info on Level 2?

[ellabella]

I'm sure your DD will love L2 and do great! You'll have many great memories from watching her.

We tried a gym that competes L3, but are back at one that doesn't compete until L5. My DD is almost 4. We chose not to go to that gym because I didn't want her to compete.

To the dad that regrets not having his DD compete L3, she may be better off. In my experience of watching girls come up through the levels (husband is a coach), it doesn't matter where you start. It will have nothing to do with her being successful in gymnastics. Having waited may be to her advantage. A lot of the little ones who are 8 like your DD and have competed for 4 years are burnt out by age 8. Competing and training routines gets tedious and burns out kids. Not all of them, but a great majority. That is why we decided to not have our DD compete so young. I'd rather her have fun and come to the gym without worrying about competing. I also think 4 is too young to make such a committment. Just another opinion.

 

[Billy]

I looked at your channel and showed little DD what to expect. She was amazed and excited that she will be able to do all that Your DD sound very much like mine, especially my younger two. I will come to watch L4 practice and see DD3 be doing giants on strap bar! I was a wreck LOL. DD4 and DD3 are almost like the followers of DD 1 and 2. They love it when they get told how to do a harder skill at home by their big sisters. DD4 and 3 really look up to DD1 and 2 in gymnastics. DD3 will go on bragging, " my sisters are level 6 and 7!" and all her L4 friends will be in shock. When is your DD's first meet?

I know what you mean about watching them do bigger skills. DD was on the strap bar at practice yesterday. She though she was going to get to try giants but the coach was just working on getting her tap swings higher. I think he might have had her go over if her swings had been that high but she's not quite there yet.

I'm not sure when her first meet will be. She just joined this team last week and they put her training level 5 (she was doing level 4). Their meet season starts in January but I'm not sure she'll be ready by then. It may be asking too much to learn all the routines and be competition ready in two months. But, her coach thinks she'll be ready to compete during this spring season. DD is adding a fourth day of practice beginning in December (she wanted to do that and asked the coach if it was okay) so the extra time should work in her favor. Right now they're just watching to see how quickly she picks things up and we'll go from there.

 

[GymnasticsMom]

I know what you mean about watching them do bigger skills. DD was on the strap bar at practice yesterday. She though she was going to get to try giants but the coach was just working on getting her tap swings higher. I think he might have had her go over if her swings had been that high but she's not quite there yet.

I'm not sure when her first meet will be. She just joined this team last week and they put her training level 5 (she was doing level 4). Their meet season starts in January but I'm not sure she'll be ready by then. It may be asking too much to learn all the routines and be competition ready in two months. But, her coach thinks she'll be ready to compete during this spring season. DD is adding a fourth day of practice beginning in December (she wanted to do that and asked the coach if it was okay) so the extra time should work in her favor. Right now they're just watching to see how quickly she picks things up and we'll go from there.

I wish her luck with learning the routines. I can't even begin to tell you how many books, youtube videos, etc there are to teach her the basics of the routines. DD4 has memorized the whole level 4 routine because of DD3. DD3 was never intended to do giants, but our gym is the type to move people along. Tucks and layouts are done in L5 sometimes. My daughters love it though, especially DD2 and 3 because they are always wanting to try every new skill they can (with coach's help of course)

 

[Billy]

I wish her luck with learning the routines. I can't even begin to tell you how many books, youtube videos, etc there are to teach her the basics of the routines. DD4 has memorized the whole level 4 routine because of DD3. DD3 was never intended to do giants, but our gym is the type to move people along. Tucks and layouts are done in L5 sometimes. My daughters love it though, especially DD2 and 3 because they are always wanting to try every new skill they can (with coach's help of course)

That's great! I still can't believe you can handle four daughters all in gymnastics. It's all I can do to keep up with one!

DD's gym also uptrains a lot. She's already doing back tucks on the tumble track and having fun with those. But, she did fall on one last week and got a nasty cut on the top of her head. Of course, it bled a tremendous amount and freaked everybody out. But, she's fine now and back to doing tucks. Crazy stuff.

 

[GymnasticsMom]

That's great! I still can't believe you can handle four daughters all in gymnastics. It's all I can do to keep up with one!

DD's gym also uptrains a lot. She's already doing back tucks on the tumble track and having fun with those. But, she did fall on one last week and got a nasty cut on the top of her head. Of course, it bled a tremendous amount and freaked everybody out. But, she's fine now and back to doing tucks. Crazy stuff.

Tell me about it! I had no intention to put them into gymnastics. DD1 actually wanted to do it first, then the others just came along. We are on a family plan so that saved us! Ouch, that must of scared her to death! I can't believe how strong your DD is so go up there the next week and do tucks again! How old is your DD? 7?

 

[Billy]

Yes, she turned 7 last month. She actually got out and worked on back tucks on our trampoline at home the next day. The day after that was back to practice as usual. I must say, her coach did a great job with it. He put her back on the tumble track immediately, to make sure she didn't have a chance to really get afraid.

 

[GymnasticsMom]

There was a girl on the team and she was doing a front tuck on the trampoline at our gym. She bounced forward and landed off the tramp smashing her shoulder. It was horrible! She was in hysterics and ice everywhere. She had to do it again the next day (her shoulder was fine.) She was scared but did it. Your DD probably was relieved when she landed her tuck!
By the way, Happy birthday to her!

 

[Billy]

There was a girl on the team and she was doing a front tuck on the trampoline at our gym. She bounced forward and landed off the tramp smashing her shoulder. It was horrible! She was in hysterics and ice everywhere. She had to do it again the next day (her shoulder was fine.) She was scared but did it. Your DD probably was relieved when she landed her tuck!
By the way, Happy birthday to her!

Thanks! I'll pass that along to her. And good luck to your girls. I'm sure they'll do great!

 

[MdGymMom01]

To the dad that regrets not having his DD compete L3, she may be better off. In my experience of watching girls come up through the levels (husband is a coach), it doesn't matter where you start. It will have nothing to do with her being successful in gymnastics. Having waited may be to her advantage. A lot of the little ones who are 8 like your DD and have competed for 4 years are burnt out by age 8. Competing and training routines gets tedious and burns out kids. Not all of them, but a great majority. That is why we decided to not have our DD compete so young. I'd rather her have fun and come to the gym without worrying about competing. I also think 4 is too young to make such a committment. Just another opinion.

I agree with Ellabella also. My dd started gymnastics somewhat late--she started this past April when she was 9. She moved up pretty quickly and is competing at level 4 right now. She has had 3 years of cheerleading experience, but I quickly learned that the two sports are VERY different both in execution and training!! I think the age maturation of being 9 helps dd with learning the routines and skills. It also helps that the other 6 girls on her team are all right around the same age and maturity level. My dd does like to "watch the older girls" and she does try to immitate some of the skills as well. Coach usually lets the kids "up train" a few skills once they have mastered the required skills. The kids LOVE this!!

My dd has always been a natural flipper--she has very keen air awareness and knows where she is in the air when trying front tucks and pikes with a twist into the pit...

The kids will definitely tell you when they are ready to "compete". Some kids just love to show off to a crowd and are not phased one bit by "judges" and "pressure". I am sure your dd will do awesome at Level 2 and learn so much and have sooo much fun!!!!

Good luck and enjoy!!!!!!!!!!