Parents Move Ups

[NY Dad]

How do gyms normally inform kids of move-ups? My dd JO2 (they don’t compete until Level 3) told me that at the end of gym today the coach gave the “good” girls a piece of paper (she did not get one). She claims to not know what it was for but she was sad to not get one.

She’s definitely has had fear issues (particularly on bars) since she broke her elbow in Jan. I posted about a comment the coach made to my DW a few weeks ago when she picked up my DD he said that my DD was “lazy” on bars. When I had emailed to try to understand and explain that I thought it was fear he emailed me back and said that I shouldn’t worry about it.

A week later my dw told me that the coach made another comment about her not taking it seriously. I called him. Initially he denied that it was fear but when I pressed him on it he said that the sport is fear and they have to get over it and gave me a few examples of girls on the team having fears and getting over them.

Sorry, a little rant in there, but is this how kids are normally informed (or not informed)?

 

[dancingimmie]

Hmmmm... at our gym they don't decide until after summer training. They send an email to the parents when it's time to either pick music or learn your compulsory routines. A lot can happen during the summer.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

You don't know what was on the paper.....so you don't know it was move ups.

As far as how we are informed.
At our gym end of season, you are current level trading next level. So 4/5, 5/6, 6/7 and so on..

Uptraining kicks up in June. Levels are decided based on skills around mid to end of August. Parents and kids are notified of levels.

They would never Ever be decided in May, as there is all summer including weeks of camp yet to train. And our mock meet isn't until the end of Sept. 1st official meet not until October. And we are in NY. That is pretty much when our season begins.

If you want to know what the paper is you should ask.

 

[LindyHopper]

When Short Stack was L2, the head of our Developmental team (levels 1-3 And Xcel bronze) gave each girl an envelope at the end of practice after giving them very clear directions that the envelopes were NOT to be opened until they were in their cars, or preferably at home.

Everyone received an envelope. The letter inside stated what level the gymnast was placed in for the next season, as well as which training group (the team was large and had 3 different practice groups) she was placed in with the summer schedule for said training group.

Last year, Head Coach simply emailed the parents of each gymnast to inform what level for that season.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Also as lindyhopper said. No matter what level a kid is, if they do it via paper to kids, all the kids should get a paper, with the level they are. It's information, even if you are staying the same you need to know.

 

[mls529]

At our gym, the new team girls are notified this week - first week of May. If you are on pre-team, it is not guaranteed that you are offered a team spot. You may be asked to Xcel, or to stay in pre-team for another year, etc.

Like others have said, for current team girls, you won't know placements until August. However, if you are receiving an invite to team, you then plan to train with the team over the summer and compete level 3 in the fall, this is the time they would be notified. If I remember correctly from a few years ago, I think only those invited to team received an envelope. Not saying that is the best way to do it, but that is how I have seen it done. I would personally reach out to the coach and find out for sure. I am sorry if this is the case. Best of luck to your little gymmie.

 

[duyetanh]

Our gym doesn't notify parents/gymnasts until the bitter end, lol. This said, most know before the gauntlet falls, with the exception of those girls on the bubble....typically those who are end up meeting with both coach and parent to discuss what the coach feels is the best for the child. I am saying this kindly...with the fears that she is experiencing, and with what she has gone through, it is probably not a bad thing if she ends up having to wait to compete. Fear is a powerful catalyst to this sport, and (NOT said snarky at all!) if she is experiencing fear at such a low level, even though the fear is valid, it would be VERY good to master the fears before moving on. Because it only gets worse from here. Worse as in the stress, skills, and fear go up imho about 10 notches per level. Ok, maybe even more notches once optionals bless your happy home. Again not said snarky, but oh how I long for the days when our whole family absolutely hated the mill circle. Now all I do is pray that she stays healthy, please God.

Do you have a meeting with the coach at some point in the year to discuss move ups? Do you have any idea how notifications happen? What was on those papers could have been completely random....or not. If you would like to know what is going on, from the sounds of things you will need to actually schedule a sit down meeting face to face. Unfortunately, this sport is not like swimming where he who touches the wall first wins. It is political, judgmental, and sometimes down and outright unfair. And that can be at both practices AND at meets. You cannot control it, but you can make sure your child is at a gym that works the best for her personally. NO gym is perfect. And no parent or child is either. The trick is finding a gym that works the best for your child, and the most important thing is to put your trust in the coach/es who work with your child to do right by your child. If you are unable to do that, then a meeting is in order, or a move is in order. A very wise coach told me recently: "No gym is perfect for every kid, but every gym is perfect for a few kids." Try and take a deep breath and look at the smaller picture. She is back in the gym. She has recovered from a pretty serious injury. Focus on the positive-I think there is a lot of it there. And have your daughter tell you one good thing that happened at gym each night, and then simply praise her for it, without asking questions. Good luck!

 

[SMH]

Our gym does it right after new level 3 tryouts (which are this week). They receive an evaluation paper in their folder by the front desk. Honestly I wish they would email them- if they are not going to tell the kids themselves, at least let them have the chance to get the news in private- especially if they are not moving up and others are. Finding out your not moving up in the middle of the gym and friends who may be moving up is kind of harsh (for the little ones especially).

 

[amiandjim]

Our girls all get letters that they are told not to open until they get home....made for a long 50 minute commute for DD!!

 

[SMH]

Wanted to add that for kids from pre team to team they do tryouts, each kid has a number, then the kids who made it has their number posted to a Facebook post that night. So each kid only knows their number and their team status.

 

[jillc]

My daughters pre-team group were given placements in April about what group they would start training with in the summer (JO, XCEL, or pre-team). Parents were notified via email with follow up discussions if necessary.

I appreciate that this went through the parents and not through papers sent with the kids!!!

I don't know how timing works with levels placements once you are on team.

 

[gymbeam]

I think ours all find out in different ways. If its clear at the end of meet season that someone is going to need to repeat they go ahead and move them. If its compularies, they do skills tests at a certain date before the next season begins. optionals i think is more fluid and you just keep trying for that next level and then you're placed where appropriate when time to compete. last year was the first time they did letters, but they weren't concrete either- they stated where your athlete was and their "anticipated" level for the next season, but each girl sort of gets confirmation individually when appropriate.

 

[kayjaybe]

Invitations to team happen once per year in the spring with a letter mailed home. Movement between levels once on the team usually happen in the fall, to give girls as much chance as possible to move up. However, some girls will move mid-season. What is tough is registering girls in enough time for invitationals. Sometimes the coaches have to make their best guess as to where a girl is going to be level-wise earlier than they would like, otherwise they can't get them on meet rosters.

 

[Carly]

The girls who are already on team find out at the end of August if they are moving to the next level. If a girl is not moving or is being recommended to switch to Xcel, the coaches will meet with the parents to discuss it before the girls who are moving up are told. The girls who are moving up are told by the HC at practice.
For pre-team, the girls that are not moving to team get phone calls. For the girls that are moving to team, letters get sent home in early-mid June and arrive after the others get their phone call. They start team practice in July.

 

[mom2newgymnast]

At dd's gym, they schedule a meeting with each parent to discuss the placement for the next season. It's usually in May. June 1st is the deadline for when we have to sign all of the paperwork, the new hours start and the bill increases.

 

[Mamabear123]

When my DD was selected from team through the rec program, some girls in the class received an envelope and some girls received a sheet of paper. The envelope had the invitation to team and the piece of paper stated what rec class the child would be in the following season. Not giving every child (especially at these young ages) is just thoughtless.

 

[momstrong]

'Tis the season, I guess! I picked up my preteam dd and her classmate last night and as they were putting their shoes on (it's cubbies in the main gym) they both had really big eyes. Additionally, I wanted to ask their coach a question, but couldnt' because she was talking to another parent and I overheard some of it, "we are recommending.... she has tight hips.... if she continues to do other outside sports it will be hard..." I'm not sure what all that was, but pretty sure it wasn't her invite to level 3 team this summer. I did not feel like I should have heard this conversation, even if it was only parts of it.

Then the girls got in the car saying they saw the head compulsory coach give other classmate a paper and they were sure it was her team invite, but all they saw was "ACCELERATED" in big letters. (I am pretty sure this means continuing in preteam this summer - the online shedule has 4 levels of accelerated listed as prep for team/competitive. I told them, they only need to worry about themselves and do their best and we should hopefully know more next week! So... I guess this is the season for such things!

Our gym competes level 3-5 in the fall and optionals in the spring.

 

[Flyaway]

At our gym the girls don't know for sure what level they are competing until they are taught routines. Most people speculate based on summer training groups, but it's still very much up in the air until the very end. And then there's no official notification. Just one day my dd came home and told me she learned the level 4 beam routine. That's how we found out.

 

[gymmomx2]

I find it odd that things are said or letters given to the kids. Much prefer the way it is handled at our gym where training and competition levels are shared with parents first. We find out training groups in May, everyone up trains all summer and competition levels are decided sometime in the fall when they have to register for competitions.

 

[Committed]

At DDs gym, all kids are given information in their "mailbox." It'll be a slip of paper saying what level they will be competing. It's about this time for compulsory. The same thing happens with group/schedule changes.