Anon Dd wants to join team but wasn't invited--what to do?

[Anonymous (7365)]

Update: I heard back from the "new" gym within the day! They are going to evaluate her for team in a couple of weeks!
I'm still not super hopeful she'll make the cut, as they didn't give me any information about their team options other than to say they'll evaluate her. But I'm just grateful they are giving her a chance even when she's never set foot in their gym!

 

[ReluctantGymMom]

I will say also--its not always about the kid's talents or abilities in making the team. When I'm recommending or pulling a kid from a class, I'm looking for strength and flexibility, yes. But way more than that, I am specifically looking for kids who are strongly self-driven to improve the boring, not tell me something is boring. Its the kid who will work on straightening that leg, pointing that toe, finding that hollow position over and over. Who wants to do that boring drill 5 more times because its not perfect yet. The one who never complains that something is "too easy" or "boring"

There's also the parent factor. I have not recommended kids to team due to parents being rude and disrespectful to staff or after watching questionable interactions with their kids. Remember, team kids practice many more hours a week than the one hour a week rec kid. Gyms absolutely consider the dynamics of the families they are adding to the program! Not saying, or even implying, this is you (and with the info that the gym you're at doesn't seem to have a well-developed team program-- if they close for the entire summer, that's not common--), but just info for families that may also be reading this.

When I worked front desk, I def warned the coaches about kids coming to try out who had rude or difficult parents. It’s 100% part of selection, and we had to kick out a super talented little girl whose mom was just crazy. They tried to go to a well known elite gym, that contacted our gym about why she “left” and based on the answer, they declined to let the girl try out.

I wouldn’t worry too much about the crying, even at our old gym there were always a few criers but as long as they got things done and didn’t distract everyone, it didn’t bother the coaches. Little kids especially can be super emotional

 

[Anonymous (7365)]

Update: Dd didn't make the team at the "new" gym. They said she needs more practice and would probably be ready for team in another year. Totally understandable. They don't have a pre-team option for girls who are older than 6.

I am bummed for Dd. She continues to innocently talk about joining a team. I worry she will be too much older than the other girls in the beginner competitive levels next year.

 

[Anonymous (cee4)]

I’m sorry to hear that. It varies from gym to gym, but our gym has girls stay in pre-team for 1-2 years before they have the opportunity to go to Level 3, and some years pre-team is full so girls sit at the developmental level waiting for an opportunity to open up.

Last year girls competed Level 3 who were barely 6 all the way up to turning 10 during mid-season. This is a pretty small team at a gym that is regularly on devo camp/junior elite/Olympic hopeful/college recruiting lists.

I don’t want to give you false hope but also don’t want you to think that “pre-team by 6 or else” is the universal standard.

 

[Coach Kate]

Update: Dd didn't make the team at the "new" gym. They said she needs more practice and would probably be ready for team in another year. Totally understandable. They don't have a pre-team option for girls who are older than 6.

I am bummed for Dd. She continues to innocently talk about joining a team. I worry she will be too much older than the other girls in the beginner competitive levels next year.

Just encourage her to keep at it and that everyone goes at their own pace. There are age groups at meets for a reason! And with hard work, it is possible she will end up starting at a slightly higher level - like 3 instead of 2 or silver instead of bronze. Also, at our gym, we recently had 14 and 15 year olds make team for the first time right alongside 7 year olds (all silver, we don't do bronze or dp) so as long as she's happy and having fun, it truly is all good.

 

[Anonymous (8041)]

If I'm following correctly, she's 7 now and is being told she'll be ready for team when she's 8, which is not that old for starting team (unless team is L2, in which case 8 is a bit on the old side.) So I would think of this year as a sort of pre-team and have her do 2-3 days/week at the new gym. I agree with what others have said, that if a gym closes for the summer they probably are not that serious about team. Good luck!

 

[Anonymous (43ca)]

Are there any other gyms in the area? If there are, I would encourage you to keep looking, there is always someone who will give her a chance. If these are the only two options, that would explain why they are so picky about whom they invite to team, there are probably too many kids and not enough coaches. In this case have her take 2-3 classes a week, and encourage her to work hard. Hopefully next year she will be ready.

 

[Anonymous (c013)]

My daughter was nine when she joined pre-team! She's generally in the older age groups at meets, but there were a few compulsory meets where there were girls much older than her (like high school aged). I know there's the push-push-rush-rush thing in gymnastics, but not every gym is like that. If she loves it, I say keep at it and try again next year!

 

[Anonymous (7365)]

I’m sorry to hear that. It varies from gym to gym, but our gym has girls stay in pre-team for 1-2 years before they have the opportunity to go to Level 3, and some years pre-team is full so girls sit at the developmental level waiting for an opportunity to open up.

Last year girls competed Level 3 who were barely 6 all the way up to turning 10 during mid-season. This is a pretty small team at a gym that is regularly on devo camp/junior elite/Olympic hopeful/college recruiting lists.

I don’t want to give you false hope but also don’t want you to think that “pre-team by 6 or else” is the universal standard.

Thank you!
That's comforting to hear there is a large age range at some gyms.

 

[Anonymous (7365)]

Just encourage her to keep at it and that everyone goes at their own pace. There are age groups at meets for a reason! And with hard work, it is possible she will end up starting at a slightly higher level - like 3 instead of 2 or silver instead of bronze. Also, at our gym, we recently had 14 and 15 year olds make team for the first time right alongside 7 year olds (all silver, we don't do bronze or dp) so as long as she's happy and having fun, it truly is all good.

There are age groups at meets? I had no idea! That does make me feel better. Dd is the type to notice if she is significantly older than the other girls (and I worry she'd feel out of place because of it).
She is having fun at the rec classes, thankfully. But she still asks about joining a team every time she goes. Today she asked me if her class was a team class. Last time she apparently announced to her class that she was going to join the team but the team was full. That's not entirely false, but she omitted an important detail: the team was 'filled' with gymnasts who are better than her lol. Perhaps I need to be more blunt with her about it, but I worry about destroying her confidence and spirit.

 

[Anonymous (7365)]

If I'm following correctly, she's 7 now and is being told she'll be ready for team when she's 8, which is not that old for starting team (unless team is L2, in which case 8 is a bit on the old side.) So I would think of this year as a sort of pre-team and have her do 2-3 days/week at the new gym. I agree with what others have said, that if a gym closes for the summer they probably are not that serious about team. Good luck!

I think the 'new' gym starts team at L2 if not L1. I actually thought 7 was on the young side to join team until I started looking into it. Now I feel like she missed the boat. I regret not keeping her in gymnastics 1x per week while she was trying other sports for six months. I think she lost a lot of flexibility during that time. Oh well, live and learn!
Thank you!

 

[Anonymous (7365)]

Are there any other gyms in the area? If there are, I would encourage you to keep looking, there is always someone who will give her a chance. If these are the only two options, that would explain why they are so picky about whom they invite to team, there are probably too many kids and not enough coaches. In this case have her take 2-3 classes a week, and encourage her to work hard. Hopefully next year she will be ready.

That's a great point! It is just these two. And the new gym isn't super close--45min. The old gym only has one certified coach.

 

[Anonymous (7365)]

My daughter was nine when she joined pre-team! She's generally in the older age groups at meets, but there were a few compulsory meets where there were girls much older than her (like high school aged). I know there's the push-push-rush-rush thing in gymnastics, but not every gym is like that. If she loves it, I say keep at it and try again next year!

That's good to hear there are others who join when they aren't <7--thank you for the encouragement!

 

[Anonymous (a0d6)]

If I'm following correctly, she's 7 now and is being told she'll be ready for team when she's 8, which is not that old for starting team (unless team is L2, in which case 8 is a bit on the old side.) So I would think of this year as a sort of pre-team and have her do 2-3 days/week at the new gym. I agree with what others have said, that if a gym closes for the summer they probably are not that serious about team. Good luck!

Our doesn't have rec classes or team in the month of July ever. We do offer rec camp 2 separate weeks for 2 hours a day for 5 days. The team gymnasts are invited to come to be "junior camp counselors" and help with the rec camps.
This year, the last team practice before break was 6/22 and rec classes went thru 6/26 (to make up for no practice on Memorial Day).
We won't start back to regular practice until 8/7. There may or may not be a team camp offering or 2 in the 2 weeks prior to 8/7, but nothing has been announced yet.

 

[Anonymous (9fd0)]

My daughter was 7 when she started gymnastics and was 9 at her first L3 meet. There were girls younger and older than her in her level at the gym. She was usually in the middle or one group above the middle of the age groups at meets until the last couple years since she just finished her senior year of high school.