WAG Mother of a 10 yr old Level 8....to be elite or no?

[Enjoy Watching]

Hello,

I found chalk bucket by surfing the web trying to learn more about gymnastics. I personally never did gymnastics so this is all new to me. My daughter has done gym for about two and a half years. She skipped level 4, did a year of 5, did two meets of 6 in the spring to qualify, and then did level 7 last season.

Her coaches have asked us repeatedly to consider letting her go the elite track. I believe they are great coaches (they are previous WOGA Elite Gymnasts) but just trying to sort out if it’s the right decision for our family.

My daughter truly loves gym. She lives eats and breathes gymnastics. She is currently training level 8 (has about half of the level 8 skills, and all level 9 beam skills) for next season and is 10 years old (would be 11 for next season). I am wondering though:

1. is she already too old?
2. her gym strongly encourages home school, should we do it?
Note- we cannot get a PE exemption as she still would be in elementary school.
3. How do you know if you really should do the elite path or if your child has what it takes?

Thanks for all the advice​

 

[Gymmom495]

What does your daughter want to do?? Have you asked what the commitment differences are for Elite rather than Optionals and discuss that with your daughter and your family?? If everyone is on board then I say go for it

 

[gwenmom]

I am not in your boat, but there are plenty on here who have been. What I have learned is that you have to make the decision that is right for your family. Your DD is old enough to have an opinion in the decision, with you having the final say. You would need to ask yourself several questions.

Are you willing to make the sacrificies in both time, money, travel, basically a life outside of the gym that would be required for your DD to go elite?

If your gym requires homeschool, is this something your family can swing?

Is your entire family on board with this as it is a lifestyle for the entire family? Parents? Siblings? Etc?

 

[Enjoy Watching]

My daughter is 100% on board and has been asking for about the last 9 months. She was devastated when we told her no last year. Our gym is much different than most, our level 10's train the same amount as our elites in the summer. All the girls level 8 and above will train 34 hours a week. Once school starts then it changes for the girls who do public school.

Our family is enjoying the "gym" life. I have a son who loves that he gets to travel with his sister. When we travel my husband and him watcher her meet and then leave the rest of the time to explore the city; while her and I stay to watch her team mates.

Our gym does not require home school, however they do say it's much more difficult to do "elite" if you do not. Especially given she cannot get a PE exemption yet. They also really want the more one on one time in the mornings. We would be able to do the homeschool through a program they use, they also have a teacher onesite at the gym.

I think since my husband and I have never been around gymnastics then we don’t really understand what they see. To us she just seems like all the other girls at her level (other than they have been doing gym much longer)

 

[Muddlethru]

Going the elite track is an extremely HUGE commitment for the gymnast, the family and the coaches. You cannot underestimate the sacrifices your daughter and your family will need to make. She currently lives and breathes gymnastics but things can change once she is in gymnastics a little longer. Just considering her age and level, she does seem a little behind but if she is really talented she can get caught up in no time. Many elite gymnasts have skipped both L8 and L9 and gone straight to 10. So her age and level may not be an issue. My next thought it are her coaches able to get her successfully to be an elite. When my daughter started, all her coaches told me she has the potential to go elite. They had her train TOPS and whole she qualified as a 9 and 10 to national testing, she did not make the team. I realized too through the years at her old gym that even if my daughter did indeed have the talent and drive and worked extremely hard, her coaches would not be able to get her there. Heck, they can barely get their girls to the top of their level and age group. Many inexperienced coaches see a little bit of talent and go crazy with promises and dreams. If your coaches have has success in the elite level recently then they may know what they are talking about. If they don't, it still does not mean they can't get her there. I'd just do my research thoroughly. There are sooo many things to consider.

 

[SignHere]

Her coaches obviously think she has potential.... She loves gymnastics, however, one thing my DDs coach has pointed out to me is that elite track is much different than JO track. Much higher injury rate, burn out rate, etc.

However, she's young, and level 8 . She's on track to be level 10 in 2-3 years, so 13? So, she's going to compete level 10 for 5 years? Hmmm? To what end?

So, it seems like you are well positioned to give it a try, if the entire family is on board, and if its financially feasible.

 

[Muddlethru]

Going the elite track is an extremely HUGE commitment for the gymnast, the family and the coaches. You cannot underestimate the sacrifices your daughter and your family will need to make. She currently lives and breathes gymnastics but things can change once she is in gymnastics a little longer. Just considering her age and level, she does seem a little behind but if she is really talented she can get caught up in no time. Many elite gymnasts have skipped both L8 and L9 and gone straight to 10. So her age and level may not be an issue. My next thought it are her coaches able to get her successfully to be an elite. When my daughter started, all her coaches told me she has the potential to go elite. They had her train TOPS and whole she qualified as a 9 and 10 to national testing, she did not make the team. I realized too through the years at her old gym that even if my daughter did indeed have the talent and drive and worked extremely hard, her coaches would not be able to get her there. Heck, they can barely get their girls to the top of their level and age group. Many inexperienced coaches see a little bit of talent and go crazy with promises and dreams. If your coaches have has success in the elite level recently then they may know what they are talking about. If they don't, it still does not mean they can't get her there. I'd just do my research thoroughly. There are sooo many things to consider.

 

[Enjoy Watching]

Her coaches defiantly have the ability. We currently have several Elite girls in our gym and we have many other girls on the elite track who will test next spring at WOGA Classic.

They have stated they would really like for her to try to do level 8 and 9 this coming up season. To myself this seems crazy but I will say they have gotten many girls to the elite level and have a very successful program.

However I do agree with what you are saying in regards to once she has done gym longer. Most all the girls who have gone elite started when they were 4 or 5 years old (in our gym anyways). My daughter has not done gym that long so I think that’s what worries me a bit.

However you bring up a good point, it she reaches level 10 by 6[SUP]th[/SUP] grade then what? Does she just do level 10 for 6 years? I never thought about it that way. As for the commitment, other than homeschool at our gym if you are level 8 and above you train pretty much the same hours as elites. The only difference is some of the skills you learn, i.e. she is working higher level release moves on the bars vs some of the girls at her level are not as an example.

 

[gymmomtotwo]

I'd let her go for it. You don't even have to move or change gyms. Many gymnast would love to be in that situation. If you are ready to commit and she is, go for it. She's had quite a run for only being in gymnastics for two years. Sounds very talented. If your coaches say she's ready and they have successfully trained other elites, you should listen to them. She can always go back to JO if it doesn't work out. You don't want her saying what if 10 years from now.

 

[GymBeeMom]

I say, let her try and don't look back. Nothing ventured... Let us know how she does!

 

[Muddlethru]

My second post was suppose to address the OP's second post since I think our posts crossed. Nonetheless, it sounds like the coaches may be experienced in the elite track. I'd give the elite track a shot. Why not? Looks like everyone is on board. I think to be an elite, you'd want to be in L10 or trying to qualify for elite by 13. So I'd get started sooner than later.

 

[BlairBob]

Crossposting is not cool. So I was gonna merge those posts but now each thread has some posts that would make it messy.

10 years old is a bit old. Maybe she could do HOPES, and that's a very maybe.

She still has 6-10 years to possibly make the National Team. I'm not sure she could make it as a junior but possibly as a senior.

Go for it.

 

[iwannacoach]

There's a few reasons why you don't need to worry about her age and ability. First would be her coaches asking her to go the elite track, but that's only if they know what they're doing. Knowing they came out of the WOGA program is a pretty good start, as is looking at kids they've worked with in the elite track for the past two or three years. The other factor is the short period of time it took her to go from a new beginner to level 8. That's certainly nothing to sneeze at.

About the only other worries are how the sport fits the rest of the family, and do you want the next 8-ish years to feel like your running a small "gymnastics business" out of your kitchen, because it can get like that at times. I suppose the other consideration would be your child's resolve to be an elite. She probably has no clue about what the "elite life" is all about, because you pretty much have to go through it to get what it's like, but don't let that stop you.

If she really wants to go elite but isn't allowed to, and someday wins at Junior nationals, it's possible you'll break the poor darling's heart, and she'll just stop investing her time and energy onto *anything* because she'll remember that wanting, working, sacrificing, and all, are not enough to get the outcome, or even a chance at the outcome she's dreamed about.

No big deal if she decides to drop back to the JO program, it certainly wouldn't be the first time a kid's dropped back and enjoyed the sport.

 

[gymdog]

Sounds to me like you're in for "elite training" but not for homeschool right now. I would just be honest with the coaches that you have this limitation and do they think they can work around it, suggesting that when she is middle and high school the options could change. It sounds to me like it is possible, they would just prefer the homeschool schedule. That seems like your main reservation though.

 

[JessLW]

As others pointed out, you don't have to switch gyms or move across the country, you have good capable coaches (are they supportive? Does your DD love them?) your lifestyle is gymnastics friendly, and your DD is already doing a fairly high amount of hours and skipping levels etc., so I'd let her go all-in and try it.

However, make it clear to your DD that she can always stop at any time and go back to the JO track, that it will be her decision and your family will support her if that's her choice. There are lots of girls who do many years at L10 and she'd be in a good position for a college scholarship, so it isn't like it is elite or bust.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

Hello,

I found chalk bucket by surfing the web trying to learn more about gymnastics. I personally never did gymnastics so this is all new to me. My daughter has done gym for about two and a half years. She skipped level 4, did a year of 5, did two meets of 6 in the spring to qualify, and then did level 7 last season.

Her coaches have asked us repeatedly to consider letting her go the elite track. I believe they are great coaches (they are previous WOGA Elite Gymnasts) but just trying to sort out if it’s the right decision for our family.

My daughter truly loves gym. She lives eats and breathes gymnastics. She is currently training level 8 (has about half of the level 8 skills, and all level 9 beam skills) for next season and is 10 years old (would be 11 for next season). I am wondering though:

1. is she already too old?
2. her gym strongly encourages home school, should we do it?
Note- we cannot get a PE exemption as she still would be in elementary school.
3. How do you know if you really should do the elite path or if your child has what it takes?

Thanks for all the advice​

1. no
2. no
3. you don't. you immerse in the process. you've got approx 4 years to see where she evolves to.

there is no such thing as an elite coach. only coaches that have coached elite. i have had both men and women on National Teams. my wife and i and staff coach elite gymnasts when we have them. they are far and few between when you are raising one on your own and from within your own program. the rest of the time we are coaching kids that pick their nose and wipe it in the carpeting just like everyone else. so please, don't listen to that "we are elite coaches that coached at....etc;" it means absolutely nothing.

as far as doing elite, it is a daunting endeavor. and it will test your patience. like right now...you have 4 years before those coaches will have any indication of what they are telling you know. it's kinda dangerous to prognosticate whether someone thinks a child will be an elite athlete. too much BS wrapped up in all of that. elite comes to you, not the other way around.

 

[gymmomtotwo]

I bet some younger elites pick their nose and wipe it in the carpet too. Sorry, couldn't resist. They are just kids like everyone else.

 

[AlexsGymmyMom]

I think that she has been given an incredible opportunity! Sounds like your family is not opposed to the possibility either so why not go for it? You will never know if you don't try! Good luck and I wish the best for your gymmie!

 

[iwannacoach]

I bet some younger elites pick their nose and wipe it in the carpet too. Sorry, couldn't resist. They are just kids like everyone else.

Yeah...... but they do it with a higher level of originality, difficulty, and execute the "move" with remarkably clean lines.

 

[Enjoy Watching]

Thank you everyone for your advice. We talked with our DD last night and told her we will let her train this summer with the elite girls and evaluate in Sept to confirm if she enjoyed it. We told her that if she wants to continue down this path we will give her one full year to really go for it and then have another sit down to reconfirm she is still on board with the process. She was beyond thrilled. Our biggest goal is to make sure she understands that if she decides she wants to just go to elvel 10 we are happy either way.

I am sure it will be a long road for her but she thanked us for letting her try it.

I will say we are very lucky that we ended up at this gym. They coaches are amazing and my DD absolutely adores them. Without having this aspect I am not sure we would have been willing to give it a go. I think the goal is to have her try to test HOPES next spring is what the coaches have mentioned before. I think this will be a difficult task as bars do not come naturally for her. I wish she could just test Elite on beam and she would be ready to go J