WAG Optional floor routine dilemma:(

[Amber]

So I need some opinions. My 9 yr old DD is competing 7 this year. Last year, she had a cute floor routine for Level6/Gold. At the end of August, HC gave us the option of keeping last years floor routine, and just upgrading the tumbling, or picking new music and learning a new routine. My DD chose to keep her music and routine. It was cute but not too little kid cutesy, and it really fit her personality. It also scored well.
I find out yesterday that several parts of her routine have been changed...for the worse. She had several really nice dance moves changed to something weird and awkward. I asked DD why HC did this, and she said because 2 other girls now have the same cute moves. These other 2 girls have brand new routines.
I feel like my DD should be allowed to keep the moves in. The moves go with the Spanish feel of her music. Now her routine looks strange. I feel like the option of keeping The SAME routine was not honored.
What would you do? I am going to approach HC about this. She gave DD this option to keep same routine right in front of me. I strongly feel like my DD has priority over these moves. Had I known her routine would have been picked apart and changed, I would've had her choose new music! She competes in 1.5 months.

 

[raenndrops]

I agree that you should talk to HC... the option was to upgrade the TUMBLING... so, by changing the dance moves, they are not following through.

 

[profmom]

I'd just caution that if you're going to talk to the head coach, don't go in with guns blazing. There may be multiple reasons for changing the dance moves, some of which may be in your daughter's best interests.

 

[Amber]

Prof mom, the reason why she wanted to keep the routine is because it scored 9.3+. So only a few tumbling parts needed to be upgraded. If it's not broke, why fix it?
But, "guns blazing" doesn't work with any coach! I'll have to approach carefully.

 

[profmom]

One reason might be to introduce more sophisticated dance skills for the floor routine down the road. One of DD's teammates is dealing with that this season. It doesn't look good now headed into L8, but once she cleans it up, I think it will set her up nicely for a really sharp second year of L8 or L9 routine next year.

 

[Amber]

I would agree with that, if the dance moves were more sophisticated. They look like something a 10 year old thought up

 

[Muddlethru]

Does your daughter like the changes? If not, I would speak with the head coach. It is your daughter's routine and would request the routine stay in tack to maintain the integrity/flow of the routine.

When a choreographer choreographs too many routines at a gym, they all start looking the same. Each choreographer has a set style, moves they like and just a vocabulary of moves in general. It is best to limit the number of routines choreographed.

 

[raenndrops]

Does your daughter like the changes? If not, I would speak with the head coach. It is your daughter's routine and would request the routine stay in tack to maintain the integrity/flow of the routine.

When a choreographer choreographs too many routines at a gym, they all start looking the same. Each choreographer has a set style, moves they like and just a vocabulary of moves in general. It is best to limit the number of routines choreographed.

Our Middle School team had this problem... one of our coaches that was heading off to college choreographed (or had significant input) in 14/22 routines... Xcel Platinum rules with High School Bonus rules.
In watching the routines, I could identify routines she choreographed in the first 15 seconds.

I agree that the integrity of the routine should be maintained

 

[Amber]

My DD doesn't like the changes. The moves that were replaced were her "signature" moves and last year, no one else had them.

 

[Mrs. Puma]

Not to change the subject, but when you say "level6/gold" does that mean she did both USAG and USAIGC? I heard it was not an option to do both anymore? Just curious. And I agree that going in with guns blazing is always a bad idea, but handled professionally, you have every right to at least inquire about it. Good luck!

 

[MILgymFAM]

Not to change the subject, but when you say "level6/gold" does that mean she did both USAG and USAIGC? I heard it was not an option to do both anymore? Just curious. And I agree that going in with guns blazing is always a bad idea, but handled professionally, you have every right to at least inquire about it. Good luck!

Last season at DDs gym there were 5 girls who competed JO level 6/7 and usaigc at the same time. The meet seasons were overlapped and conflicting, though. Some girls chose not to do JO states, just get mobility scores, and some did both full seasons. I didn't realize it was uncommon.

 

[Mrs. Puma]

I'm still pretty new to all this, so maybe it isn't! If I understood HC correctly, that was his plan but last month USAIGC made a new rule saying you can't do both? Again, don't quote me! I could have that wrong...

 

[MILgymFAM]

I'm still pretty new to all this, so maybe it isn't! If I understood HC correctly, that was his plan but last month USAIGC made a new rule saying you can't do both? Again, don't quote me! I could have that wrong...

That would make sense- no gyms at all where we live now compete usaigc, so we are all the way out of that loop. Just out of curiousity, did your HC give the reasoning? Seems overly controlling to not allow them to compete both, if they wish... I find it all fascinating!

 

[Mrs. Puma]

He said the USAIGC people told him it was one or the other. He said they passed a rule last month? It kind of makes sense. If the whole point of IGC is to not put a ton of hours in, kids who are practicing twice as many hours because they're doing USAG also shouldn't be able to compete in IGC meets. (IMO) It's a moot point for us since my DD is putting in a lot and would do more if she could.

 

[gasrgoose]

Default to your coaches judgement! If you can't trust the coaches then find a gym where you can. You should not be involved in deciding the elements of her floor routine, dance or tumbling.

At what I consider a "real gym" with 'real coaches" going into a meeting with the mind set you've mentioned here will get you booted.

 

[Amber]

Default to your coaches judgement! If you can't trust the coaches then find a gym where you can. You should not be involved in deciding the elements of her floor routine, dance or tumbling.

At what I consider a "real gym" with 'real coaches" going into a meeting with the mind set you've mentioned here will get you booted.

The coaches judgement seems to change daily. I would just like what DD was promised. To keep her old routine (which was choreographed and scored well). Why would following through on what the HC promised to me and DD directly qualify for "being booted"?

I really don't think this is outrageous at all. If HC didn't want DD to repeat a well planned, well scoring routine, then she shouldn't have given us that option!

 

[Amber]

Not to change the subject, but when you say "level6/gold" does that mean she did both USAG and USAIGC? I heard it was not an option to do both anymore? Just curious. And I agree that going in with guns blazing is always a bad idea, but handled professionally, you have every right to at least inquire about it. Good luck!

To solve the mystery, DD did level 4 and Excel Gold last year, and Level 6 in the summer. Her Excel Gold and Level 6 routines were the same, except for higher cast on bars (she did clear hips/ flyaway).

 

[cbifoja]

Default to your coaches judgement! If you can't trust the coaches then find a gym where you can. You should not be involved in deciding the elements of her floor routine, dance or tumbling.

At what I consider a "real gym" with 'real coaches" going into a meeting with the mind set you've mentioned here will get you booted.

This post makes me very sad for some parents. I wouldn't WANT my child at a gym who devalues parents so much and would actually kick a family out because they had genuine questions and concerns.

I mean, if you can't talk to your DD's coach about your concerns, why the hell should you give me thousands of dollars every year????

So glad that DD's coach is secure in both her authority and her knowledge to be able to handle questions from parents.

 

[cbifoja]

Sorry, just re-read my post...why should you give THEM thousands of dollars? Although if you'd rather give ME thousands of dollars, I'll send you my address. Can't coach though.

 

[gasrgoose]

This post makes me very sad for some parents. I wouldn't WANT my child at a gym who devalues parents so much and would actually kick a family out because they had genuine questions and concerns.

I mean, if you can't talk to your DD's coach about your concerns, why the hell should you give me thousands of dollars every year????

So glad that DD's coach is secure in both her authority and her knowledge to be able to handle questions from parents.

I understand what you are saying. I also wouldn't send my kid to a gym where I couldn't talk with a coach. But talking to a coach is very different from trying to dictate what's in a routine. The reason I pay thousands of dollars is so the coach (with their expertise and experience) can let my kid flourish in the sport they love. Not for them to take orders from me. That's what I mean by trusting your coach and being at a real gym with real coaches. It's possible the coach has made a bad decision that will negatively effect the routines scores. BUT it's more likely that the parent doesn't understand the development of the sport and what is required for each level and the progression the kid is making. And the reality is that a coach doesn't have enough time to explain every decision they make to each parent who thinks they know better. Sure maybe they could find time to explain this particular situation, but then they've opened the door for the parent to question again, and again, and again. That is why I said find a gym where you trust the coaches and TRUST the coach. I'm guessing this kid is fairly talented being a 9 year old level 7. But no matter how much her mom loves her and how much she wants her routines to be perfect, the kid won't be successful without a dedicated coach who knows what the heck they are doing. And if they know what they are doing and have a plan then they probably will react negatively to a parent trying to tell them how to make the kid successful. It is in the coaches best interest to have the kid successful, that's how gyms attract new business. The assumption the mom here is making is that the coach either doesn't care if the kid is successful or doesn't know how to make her successful. Both of those would be received negatively by a coach worth having.