For Parents new years eve birthday (British Gymnastics)

[gymmum1978]

So my daughters birthday is 31/12/2011, so she should be competing level 4 compulsory elite(British Gymnastics) but its too much for her (due to when the clubs new elite squad started), but she is capable of elite level 5. I just cannot get over how unfair it is that other little girls only a 3 weeks older will get the opportunity to go down the elite pathway and it is more of less ruled out for my daughter at the age of 8. So next year if she was to compete in age, (her club will only allow kids to compete in age) she would have quite a lot of ground to make up to cover two levels worth in one year, has anyone kids done this or should we just settle for national pathway?

 

[Jenny]

So my daughters birthday is 31/12/2011, so she should be competing level 4 compulsory elite(British Gymnastics) but its too much for her (due to when the clubs new elite squad started), but she is capable of elite level 5. I just cannot get over how unfair it is that other little girls only a 3 weeks older will get the opportunity to go down the elite pathway and it is more of less ruled out for my daughter at the age of 8. So next year if she was to compete in age, (her club will only allow kids to compete in age) she would have quite a lot of ground to make up to cover two levels worth in one year, has anyone kids done this or should we just settle for national pathway?

Find another club that will go a year out of age with her. It is only unfair because your club decided to only do in age. It isn't worth the fuss and the stress to get her to catch up if she isn't there already. All she misses is the first year of Espoirs at the British. The system allows it and it makes sense for such a late birthday.

 

[Faith]

What Jenny said.

Also bear in mind they don't need to pass comp 4 to progress. She can go straight to comp 3 next year if that is a possibility. You'd be surprised how fast some kids can progress if their basic shapes and strength and conditioning programmes are right..

Sound like you need to sit down with a coach. What happens if she isn't ready for compulsory 4 this year, does she get moved to grades or will she be kept in the elite group in the hope she manages comp 3 next year. And again if she doesn't hit comp 3, what then?

Are there still "resits" later in the year she could do? I'm out of touch and my memory is shot so I can't remember if that's just for comp 2?

If they are as inflexible as they sound- what happens if a kid picks up an injury? Is that them off compulsories for good if they miss the comp? TBh if that's the case you're probably best off out of there if they don't treat kids as individuals with their own pathways.

I'd also have a nosey and see what other kids have done within your club- results are easy to find these days and it'll give you an idea of whether kids ever move from alternative pathways, how many kids are dropped etc. Also look how many of the older ones are injured...

 

[gymmum1978]

Thanks very much for the advice, she loves her club and would never want to leave. I think I will just have a chat with her coach after grades, she'll be doing grade 5 soon. They are a new club and have never had a gymnast go down the compulsory route before so it's all new to them. I think she said that she was going to try and get the two 2011 girls ready for elite pathway during the summer, but the other 2011 kid is a Jan birthday so would have more skills that my daughter. I just wish she'd be born 1 day later lol.

 

[Jenny]

Thanks very much for the advice, she loves her club and would never want to leave. I think I will just have a chat with her coach after grades, she'll be doing grade 5 soon. They are a new club and have never had a gymnast go down the compulsory route before so it's all new to them. I think she said that she was going to try and get the two 2011 girls ready for elite pathway during the summer, but the other 2011 kid is a Jan birthday so would have more skills that my daughter. I just wish she'd be born 1 day later lol.

If your club is new to compulsory grades they really aught to consider out of age as well as in age. It is silly to have such a rigid rule.
I agree with what Faith has said too.

 

[Annikins]

I feel like I could have written most of your post! The major difference being that our club is going to let my daughter try and do it one year out of age if she is ready by then, and we really appreciate that flexibility. It is so frustrating for them to be born at the wrong end of the year!

Doing them out of age has disadvantages for sure compared to in age, but still definitely better than not doing them at all.

It would worry me that the club was that inflexible though, as others have said. It's common to get an injury here and there, or just a single skill that takes a bit longer to get. A growth spurt - any number of things would mean more flexibility from the club might be needed in the future, so that would worry me a bit. Good luck!