Parents Frustration with Xcel

[Aussie_coach]

Not always. When you see a kid with amazing results repeating, it isn't always due to sandbagging. There can be several factors playing towards level move up or repeating.

Level 3-4 it can easily be skill related. I have seen countless kids who are amazing and flawless at the lower levels but struggle to move up, because of other issues. Some kids are perfectionists, and they can do the lower level routines to the smallest detail but have a lot of fear issues and once they start doing things a little scarier they get stuck. You can have an amazing level 3 gymnasts who just can't kip, or are petrified to jump to high bar, so level 4 is out.

It could also be financial, maybe the gym requires a lot more fees at level 4 and the family just aren't in a position to afford it this year. It could be an hours thing, certain hours are asked for at level 4 and the family just can't do it at this stage due to other commitments.

 

[raenndrops]

And I would also say for the 38+ repeater, that her gym is being unfair to her by making her repeat when she is repeating after averaging 38+ the previous season. It's unfair to hold her back when she should probably have been a L4 this season (only reason I could see to hold her back would be if she didn't have a kip)

So it's unfair from so many perspectives. It just stinks.

Maybe she couldn't get the DFK (your possibility) or beam cartwheel?
Maybe she didnt AVERAGE 38+ and States was her highest ever by a lot?
Maybe she had an injury in the off season and wasn't ready for L4 in time?
Maybe her parents werent ready for the increase in hours / $$$ for L4?
Maybe she took time off over the summer and her gym doesn't let them move up if they dont make it to x% of hours?
Maybe floor is her strongest event and bars are her weak event?
Maybe she can't manage to get over the vault table?

So many possibilities... but it still seems unfair to those competing against her

 

[3rd_time_around]

Maybe she couldn't get the DFK (your possibility) or beam cartwheel?
Maybe she didnt AVERAGE 38+ and States was her highest ever by a lot?
Maybe she had an injury in the off season and wasn't ready for L4 in time?
Maybe her parents werent ready for the increase in hours / $$$ for L4?
Maybe she took time off over the summer and her gym doesn't let them move up if they dont make it to x% of hours?
Maybe floor is her strongest event and bars are her weak event?
Maybe she can't manage to get over the vault table?

So many possibilities... but it still seems unfair to those competing against her

When my daughter competed level 10, I remember at the state meet when they were presenting awards that someone pointed out to me this as she pointed to the girls in the 1 - 6 spots:
"Training elite, training elite, HOPES qualified, HOPES qualified, training elite, former elite...."

 

[amiandjim]

When my daughter competed level 10, I remember at the state meet when they were presenting awards that someone pointed out to me this as she pointed to the girls in the 1 - 6 spots:
"Training elite, training elite, HOPES qualified, HOPES qualified, training elite, former elite...."

So essentially, that’s the opposite of the “maybe she didn’t get her kip?” “Maybe she was injured” excuse. We have seen the same here at the lower levels! A gym in our state had 3 TOPS diamond team members competing level TWO last year!! So silly!!

 

[Pineapple_Lump]

We had a meet earlier this year where a level 3 got a 9.9 on Floor. I was was impressed but investigated a little deeper on my meet scores...same kid scored a 38+ at level 3 state the year before...why is a kid who is scoring a 38+ at state repeating a level?

Okay I was being nosy... Did this happen to be Texas - because I see a few kids who fit this description - all from Texas where the state meet is end of 2017 and it seems there is a trend for compulsory gymnasts to still compete some of the invitational competitions in early 2018. I can't find an example that the kid scored a 38 at states, repeated and then a full 12 months later got a huge floor score.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

And round we go. There are many valid reasons a kid will repeat and score well. And sandbagging happens it’s not one or the other.

At a recent meet. Our girls were all on the podium. And then the high hour home school gym finished their events. One age group bye bye medals. Just they way it goes.

Our older girls in L6 and L7 routinely finish top of the podium with lower scores then our younger girls just by virtue of age groups. The high hour gymmies are typically younger.

It is the nature of sports.

 

[MuggleMom]

I didnt meant to start a whole sandbagging conversation, I will say with this gym I do think that was the case--many of their girls were scoring in this range and 2nd or 3rd year at this level. The girl consistently scored in the 38s last year this is her third year at the level. I am surprised if she is that good at the events she would struggle in three years to get the level 4 skills but I could be wrong. As a parent I would be frustrated and wonder if they were uptraining enough but its not my gym and maybe they know something I don't! I think we all do tend to make assumptions about fairness and I do struggle to stay in my lane as it were. That's why I save the crazy for here and not with DD Generally speaking though I dont think this is specific to gymnastics in any sport you have parents and teams seeking an competitive advantage and others that may take different approaches.

 

[Flippin'A]

I used to get very frustrated with gyms that had hard and fast rules like not competing level 5 (now 4) if you don't have a cartwheel on the beam. It doesn't sound like too much has changed. If you're scoring 38s in level 3 and you have everything else, why not just let the kid go for it? A cartwheel is not dangerous to attempt, and it could click at any moment, even in the middle of competition. A kip I understand a little bit better because you need two and it would completely derail a bar routine not to have one, but I would so much rather just let the kid try if it's a cartwheel issue than leaving them stuck and bored doing nearly perfect level 3 routines for an extra year. I understand that these are gyms who only want kids to compete at a level where they're on top of the podium, but seriously. What is that teaching the gymnast? That competing is only worth it if you're going to win? Not everything has to be there on day one. Give the kids a chance to grow throughout the season.

 

[Aussie_coach]

Level 3-4 is a big jump, in many ways.

The most common skill yiu do tend to see kids get stuck on is the kip. But kids can get stuck on the squat on, the cartwheel on beam, the vault over the table etc.