Parents Meet report and a beam question

[motigymnasticsmom]

Not too bad

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[gymboymom]

YOu are gonna laugh, but here is our beam story. My DD is scared to death of the beam. SHe has a love/hate relationship with it She wants to love it but is just plain scared. She copes with the fear and has come a long way, but here is the level 4 story...

She was shaky and nervous, even though she could do the skills. Couldn't score or stay on the beam because of her nerves, plain and simple. The week before states we had a relationship therapy session between her and her little floor beam at home. No joke, this is how it went.. I told DD she was about to become best friends with the beam. She had to tell it how she felt and when it didn't answer her back (feeling ridiculous the whole time) I told her that it was because it a good listener, like any good friend should be. I told her it would never move, always staying steady for her. It would never tell anyone how scared she really was. All she had to do was depend on her beam to be there for her and it would happen, she had to trust her friend, the beam. WE got silly and made her hug her beam and draw it a picture.

She won 3trd in state on beam that weekend.

It is still scary, but she remembers that goofy moment and it helps her thorugh the scary stuff. She still gets nervous, but she always places on beam (even though she is slower to get her skills due to her fear). She just started working BHS back layout on beam, and she is still scared...but she has made friends with the beam for life.

Too funny!! I think I will have to do something like this for the mushroom for ds someday. But I think you need to actually be able to DO something on the equipment first, lol!

I watched your dd's beam routine, and my opinion doesn't mean much since I have a ds, except from watching kids videos. I thought she looked pretty good. My thought was confidence, form, and height on elements (jumps, leap, handstand).

 

[Quadqueen]

She's very cute! I don't know what the requirements are, but I'm guessing the big deductions are coming from the leap, tuck jump and handstand.

 

[IreneKa]

Thanks! I guess we should buy that beam after all, so she could work on her jumps, leaps and handstands at home.

 

[AmandaLynn]

Our bronzes don't have nearly as many elements in their routines. What region are you in?

that said, the big wobble after the handstand and the tuck jump are probably the biggest culprits, along with the leap. The tuck jump not only lacked amplitude, but also probably got some pretty big deductions on body position, if they even gave her credit for a tuck, as opposed to a straight jump.

 

[IreneKa]

Our bronzes don't have nearly as many elements in their routines. What region are you in?

that said, the big wobble after the handstand and the tuck jump are probably the biggest culprits, along with the leap. The tuck jump not only lacked amplitude, but also probably got some pretty big deductions on body position, if they even gave her credit for a tuck, as opposed to a straight jump.

I see what you mean about a tuck. Thank you.

We are in region 6.

 

[JMACAZ]

My DD also Bronze has a similar routine. Made me smile. She was probably deducted for the handstand (does not need to be vertical but close) tuck jump-was not tucked (my DD also had a hard time with it-Coach took it out for State) and the leap-back leg needs to be higher. All in all a solid routine-just needs some practice We will working on similar things this summer.

 

[motigymnasticsmom]

I let my bronze dd watch the video. Shes beam queen, Lol. She said her hands were not by her ears. Her hands were too close and low on her turn. She didnt do tuck jump high enough as well as her leap. She should keep her body tight during routine.



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[level9mom]

We have the pink one. I think it's about 8 inches off the floor. It's been a solid beam.


Every awful story begins with "we were on beam and..."

 

[IreneKa]

Thanks everyone for your inputs. Lots to work on! LOL
I'm meeting with HC tonight about switching to JO for the next season. If they do let her switch, then I'm definitely buying that beam and having DD practice it all summer long, because I'm sure JO judges will eat her alive with routine like this.

 

[JMACAZ]

Let us know how your talk goes with your HC. My DD and I are making a similar decision in the next 2 weeks.

 

[IreneKa]

Let us know how your talk goes with your HC. My DD and I are making a similar decision in the next 2 weeks.

Well, it's a no for us. Just as I expected, she is too old (DD is 8), they usually start on the team when they are 5 or 6, he has very high standards, it's a whole different level of gymnastics, and he doesn't see it in her, etc. etc.
Or well, we can stick with xcel, or look into other gyms.

 

[MaryA]

If your daughter wants to take it to a higher level, I would look into other gyms. The idea that 8 is "too old" to do level 3 or preteam or whatever is rediculous, and I hate the thought of allowing someone to dictate to my daughter what she does or doesn't "have in her."

 

[AmandaLynn]

8 is still very young, and some kids lack concentration, discipline (not like bad behavior discipline, but more the "being able to take corrections to their skills and apply them, being able to work without coach being on them all.the.time." Etc. types). I have seen many kids that I didn't think "had it" at ages 6-8 really surprise me and turn out to be pretty solid gymnasts as they grew and understood what their bodies were doing a bit more.

If she has been tagged as an "xcel kid" and your gym has absolutely zero mobility between the programs, then I would look elsewhere. I just can't understand why gyms would operate this way. Did you ask if it was a "never" or if it was a "not right now"?

 

[txgymfan]

Please look for a new gym. Some Olympians started at 8 and he has such standards she cant join pretam at 8? Really? Is he that good at predicting the future? I hope there are other gyms near you.

 

[Ingwe]

I agree with the other posters who said you should find a new gym.

My daughter didn't even take her 1st REC class until she was 8 years old. Now nearly 6 years later she just finished her Level 9 season.

Your daughter is definitely not too old!!

 

[IreneKa]

If she has been tagged as an "xcel kid" and your gym has absolutely zero mobility between the programs, then I would look elsewhere. I just can't understand why gyms would operate this way. Did you ask if it was a "never" or if it was a "not right now"?

He tried to break it to me gently, so he said "she is not ready" and "I'll be watching her", but from everything else he said it sounded more like "never".
They do have a pretty strong JO team, their girls and teams always placing high. So, I guess he doesn't want to spoil the statistics by taking someone who is not that strong in his opinion.

 

[MeetDirector]

IreneKa -

Like the other posters have said - look for another gym and do it quickly. The coach that has labeled your dd as a non-JO gymnast has his head where the sun doesn't shine. There is no way that 8 is too old to begin the JO path; mine competed her first Lvl 5 meet at 8 and is now 16 and just finished her first Lvl 9 season.

Good Luck

 

[CreateMagic]

The good news is, there are only about a billion good gyms in the area. If you do decide to switch there are many options!

 

[JMACAZ]

I would have to agree with the other comments. I did want to ask what your daughter wants? Is she happy in XCel or does she want to move to JO?? My DD just turned 9 and we were given the option of XCel Silver or JO L3. It makes me sad that a HC would not even consider a trial period. I think I would also look into other gyms.