Opinions on if I should attend this camp please?

[GymDot2x]

So, I've been doing gymnastics for about a year, and I LOVE it. But I want to compete next year, so I'll need some more skills over the summer. I found this camp that goes for 7 weeks, is 3 days a week, 1 1/2 hours a day. I thought this was perfect, and it was only $35/week! However, I went on Monday, all excited, only to find the next oldest girl was going into 4th or 5th grade. (I'm going into 10th) The description said it was for all ages and levels, yet no other older girls went. While yes, I'm doing beginner things still, I already started doing my front handspring vault into the pit at my own gym, practicing back handsprings, etc. They had me doing squat ons, and the most advanced thing I did on floor was a round-off. I just felt really discouraged after the first day, and decided not to do the rest of the camp. However, I feel like I'm quitting. Like, just because I had a bad first day, I'm giving up. I was totally looking forward to this, and now I'm not even doing it. Should I really quit, or give it another try? I realize its the first day and they're trying to see where we are, but I've had experience with that gym, plus people have said things about it, and they're just not the most helpful or attentive coaches.

In place if this, though, I decided on taking classes at my own gym because its closer, I'm familiar with it, and I love it there. Would taking one 2 hour gymnastics class, one 1 hour tumbling class, and maybe a couple half hour privates get me some new skills this summer? Oh, and going to open gym occasionally. However, you're not allowed on bars :| Or vault (obviously).

I just need some more opinions to make me feel better about my decision. Just let me know what you think I should do. Sorry this is so long, but thanks

 

[jenniffir]

i think that you should have stuck with the camp, there you could have talked to the coaches running the activities and scheduling and explained that you would like a challenge. Where there other girls that were at your level or higher? Could you still go to another week of the camp?

One last thing; Age does not matter, hold your head high. You do gymnastics for the love of the sport, if you feel wird that you are the oldest try and hanging out with young girls try to be more of a leader to them. I am the oldest at my gym by a few months so its not bad for me but when i am with younger girls and "the others" (which is my workout group comprised of optionals) are missing i try to show the younger girls what they could be doing if they keep going in gymnastics. If its just an age thing forget about it and just enjoy the camp.

 

[GymDot2x]

Thanks. I could still do it, I haven't totally decided. I'm not at all bothered by the age thing; I'm oldest in my own class I take during the year by about 3 or 4 years. Its the fact that its technically for all ages and levels, and really, only total beginners joined, hence their really young age. In correspondence to that, the coaches split us up in two groups. Even though I was in the "advanced" group, they still have to accomodate for everybody, you know? So, they had everybody doing the same thing, which was really simple. The kids in my group, who are more advanced than the others, couldn't even do a cartwheel or handstand. Since some kids couldn't do simple things, they couldn't move on. :| So, we were stuck doing the basics. I just feel that if I stick with it, I won't get any new skills if we're constantly trying to master the simple things. I would definitely do it if at least a couple girls could do the basics, but nobody can. That's why I'm really torn. :/

 

[Aussie_coach]

Alarm bells go off when you see that the camp is only 1 1/2 hours each day. In gymnastics this means beginner level and young kids. If the camp was for higher level kids you would expect a lot longer training sessions.

 

[10.0]

Honestly I would have stuck with the plan at your regular gym. It sounds like you would get more out of it and more time. Using the money for a couple of privates to help you get the skills you are struggling with to be able to compete sounds like a good idea. Anyways whatever you decide good luck and make the best out of it!

 

[cher062]

how many girls were at your skill level? Age doesn't matter really especially if you started late you would expect there to be younger kids there.

I would discuss it with your coach as well and see what they think and maybe they could also talk to the camp folks and give some direction for you. I think either the camp or your own gym would work if what is being done is what you want to accomplish. Remember too that getting the basics mastered is important too even at the upper levels. My DD who is currently training for L8 at her gym they spend at least 30 min of every practice working on basics to make sure they look good. If they aren't good it doesn't matter what other skills you want or can do. You need a good foundation of basics to get the big stuff later.

Good luck.

 

[GymDot2x]

Thanks everybody. And no, there were no other girls at my level. :| That's the thing. If I'm the only one doing more advanved things, they can't really do much about it if nobody else is.
Also, the camp said it was beginner-elite training (obviously no elites would attend, but I figured that meant there would be more than the beginner levels) but its JUST total beginner, probably about level 1-2. I don't have very high skills, just like level 3-4, but still. If I want to move on, I don't want to go backwards. You know? I feel like if there was at least one or two other girls who could easily do the basics, it would be different because they would have us doing different things. But as it is, I don't see any of the people in the class moving on any time soon. The coach had to spot their cartwheels. That being said, they really need to work on the basics to move on to even hurdle round-offs, or handstands onto the vault. I still enjoy practing the really easy stuff for a little while to polish it off, but I don't want to spend the ENTIRE practice on it. So, I still don't know what I'm doing to do. :|

 

[gym law mom]

I would suggest talking with the coach thats in charge of the camp and discuss if you will benefit from this. Don't walk away until you have more information.
Why can't you get the training you need at your own gym?

 

[gymnastgets10]

Have you already paid for this week? If so, I would go to the remaining practice(s) this week and try to work something out with your coaches. If you haven't paid, then the decision is harder, but I think it boils down to where you would progress more; at your usual gym or at this camp, and it seems to me you would progress more at your gym. Hope this helps!

 

[GymDot2x]

@gym law mom: My gym doesn't have any week long camps just for gymnastics. The only camps they have are things like backhandsprings, cheerleading, etc. No gymnastics camps, only weekly classes that go for only 7 weeks.

@gymnastgets10: Well, I didn't pay for the rest, so it is a little more difficult, haha. :| I think I am going to stick with the classes at my own gym, even though they don't have any camps I can do.