introducing myself

[~JEM~]

Hi my name is Jem and I'm 19 and from Melbourne Australia. I competed as a gymnast for 13years, reaching state level 10 (in the Australian system) and then retiring. I have been coaching gymnastics for about 4years now at Chamford gymnastics, and this year took up a second coaching position at Brighton Rec gymnastics. I currently coach a development team of 5yr olds, a level 1B/2B, level 3C and level 4. The system is very different here in Australia with A, B and C divisions (A being elite, B national, and C state), not sure if many of you know the system. I love all my gymnasts and I am obsessed with gymnastics, spending 6days a week coaching aswell as studying at university etc.
I hope to talk to you all about gymnastics!

Bye for now, Jem xoxo

 

[9bob8]

hi i am from Melbourne Australia to. i am from hoppers croosing where u from

 

[~JEM~]

East Malvern... do u do gymnastics at Hoppers Crossing? I took my kids out there last year for a comp.
I'm from Chamford gymnastics

 

[9bob8]

yes i do i may of seen u

 

[Carmansunshine]

Welcome. I find it very informative here. I like to learn all the ways different gyms ad countries do things. I am from New Jersey in the US. Your beginer levels go all the way to nationals? Is that what a 1B is? The most common beginer level is NJ is level 4 and we only compete to states. As you hit the higher levels the go to regionals and nationals.

 

[Ingymmom]

Hi Jem & welcome.... So nice to have another coach. I know nothing about the australian system, but hope to expand my knowledge beyond the US - even though I am still a little confused about our system here LOL. Anyway, I am mom to a wonderful 14 yr old son, a super 12 yr old son (who is going on 5 ) and my darling 5 yr old daughter. Loved reading your finishing advice in another post. Great advice!!!

 

[xstitchcarina]

A big welcome to you here. I am sure you will like this place.

I have no idea how your system works either, but I think it is similar to the Dutch. At least the divisions part. Will try to explain our system in a seperate post.

 

[~JEM~]

Welcome. I find it very informative here. I like to learn all the ways different gyms ad countries do things. I am from New Jersey in the US. Your beginer levels go all the way to nationals? Is that what a 1B is? The most common beginer level is NJ is level 4 and we only compete to states. As you hit the higher levels the go to regionals and nationals.

No beginner levels dont go to nationals... level 1-3 are seperated into A B C divisions.
C is sort of a WAG rec stream as in they cant train over 12hrs all the way to level 10 and have their own state championships each yr but cant compete outside the state at nationals or anything, only in state. C kids do competitions and stuff but aren't gymnastically talented as such, talented kids move into B or A stream. For example 1C does 3hrs a week, 1B does 5hrs a week and 1A does unlimited hours but usually around 12hrs a week. C kids wont ever do anything harder than a backhandspring on beam, layout full on floor all the way through to level 10 if that makes sense.
'A stream' is elite here, it is seperate from all other levels and is only run at a few clubs. our elite system goes 1A, 2A, 3A international 5, 6 ,8, 10, junior international, senior international. If you dont go through A stream from 7yrs old or younger you cant really be an elite, so very different to your system i think. So here you can/ are considered an elite from say age 5 once you start 1A.

Now for B stream. B stream is basically your levels program where kids can go to nationals in levels stream. here you can go to nationals at level 7. our 1Bs/ 2Bs are between 6 and 8 and r working backhandsprings, front tucks of floor. handstands, presses etc on beam that sort of stuff. By 3B they are kipping, walkovering on beam, round off handsprings and saults etc. then they go to wat we call national level 4 training about 16hrs a week. and the C division goes to state level 4 and trains between 4 and 10hrs a week and doing much simpler skills (for example instead of kip they glide swing, instead of r/off backhandpsring their floor requirement is only a round off etc)

hope this clarifies it

 

[Carmansunshine]

WOW that is alot different. Doesn't seem to leave much room for late bloomers or girls who want to start the sport at a later age to be elite, or am I confused? Most of the team girls at my dd's gym are 8,9,&10 yrsold competing our level 4 which is a floor routine with robhs as out hardest skill and a glide to chin up pullover for bars. They don't work presses on beam only floor.

 

[Ingymmom]

this explains why those aus videos of those little cuties say they are on an elite system...

 

[~JEM~]

WOW that is alot different. Doesn't seem to leave much room for late bloomers or girls who want to start the sport at a later age to be elite, or am I confused? Most of the team girls at my dd's gym are 8,9,&10 yrsold competing our level 4 which is a floor routine with robhs as out hardest skill and a glide to chin up pullover for bars. They don't work presses on beam only floor.

you're not confused you are very correct haha. older kids starting the sport cant really be elite. they usually take the kids into elite no later than 7 or 8 years old, after that its basically too late. older girls starting can do state or national but if ur daughter isnt selected into elite by 8 she isnt able to do it basically. elite testing and selection is very strict too, the kids are 5 at 1A but they only can do 1A after thourough strength, flex bone density and size tests etc. I have 1Bs who are better than the 1As but are said to not have the potential to be elite (for example are too tall by 6yrs old so cant be elite etc), which is unfair as in the american system most of these 1B kids could be future elites.