"Perfect" Age/ Level Progression

[MdGymMom01]

Don't make me sorry I posted this.

Well, the long version is on the blog. Here’s the (sort of) short version. She did really well at L2 (Spring 2008) so her coach decided to skip L3 and train her for L4. She did that for about six months before we changed gyms to one with a daytime training program (evening practices were hard for our family then). They didn’t do L4 so they trained her for L5 instead. Their goal for her was to get to optional as soon as possible so they didn’t spend much time on the L5 routines (they really were only looking for the 31 AA). She trained for three months, got her required score during the Spring 2009 season and began training for L6.

Then we moved to TX that summer (DH got laid off of work and was finally able to find a job in TX). The gym in TX thought she was making good progress and continued her L6 training. She competed L6 in TX that fall (2009; in TX, compulsories are in the fall and optionals are in the spring). Their plan was then to have her train for a year and then compete L7 beginning in January 2011. This was a great plan but then we ended up moving back to GA right after the L6 season ended (the darned economy made gypsies out of us for awhile there).

At the gym here, the L6 team was going straight into L7, rather than spending a year training for it. Since she had done L6 in TX, they put her in that group. As a result, she had two months to train for L7 and competed it last spring (2010).

Summer is the big time for uptraining and new skills, and levels are decided based on how the new skills are coming along. In spite of a rough L7 season, and because she has all of her L8 skills, she will likely compete L8 come January. (Her head coach will make this determination but she will consider Boo’s opinion about what she wants, also.)

A combination of circumstances has pushed her quickly through the levels. Luckily, she’s a pretty fast learner and has been able to hold her own through it all. Truthfully, I can’t wait to see how she does now that she has finally had more than a couple of months to prepare.

Thanks Shawn!! Since most gyms start competing at Level 4, the jump Boo made from Level 2 to 5 really isn't that drastic if you think about it. And then the rest is just a combo of different gym moves you made and gym training styles/philosophies.

I've heard that Texas is a very intense state for gymnastics (everything is bigger in Texas lol). Did you find that training and competiting in Tx was a lot different and more intense then in Ga? Is it really as intense as they say? Just curious. I have only lived in Md my whole life so that's all I know.

 

[Billy]

I've heard that Texas is a very intense state for gymnastics (everything is bigger in Texas lol). Did you find that training and competiting in Tx was a lot different and more intense then in Ga? Is it really as intense as they say? Just curious. I have only lived in Md my whole life so that's all I know.

Gym in TX is a whole different animal. There are so many girls that they have about three different "levels" of championships. Girls have to qualify to districts (although most have no problem with that). There are six districts in the state. Then, at the district championships, they qualify to North or South States (three districts in each). Then, from North or South States, the top 10 girls in each age division move on to the State Meet. Boo placed 7th on bars and 8th on beam at South States but was 12th all-around (2nd alternate) so she didn't go to States.

I think the training was more intense but the gym did a great job of keeping it fun for the girls. The HC used to chase them down the vault runway yelling that his grandmother could run faster than they were. LOL Speaking of that HC, we saw him at the Cover Girl Classic in Chicago. He remembered us and was kind enough to spend a few minutes sharing hugs and how-are-yous while his elite girl was preparing to warm up bars. He told us Boo is welcome back in his gym anytime (always nice to hear something like that. ) I was thrilled to get to come home to GA but we really hated leaving that gym.

 

[gymjourneymom]

Thank you Shawn for sharing the story of your DD's journey in the sport! She certainly is a hard worker & a quick learner! Glad you've been able to put down some roots & be stay settled for a while. Good luck this season!

 

[Billy]

Thank you Shawn for sharing the story of your DD's journey in the sport! She certainly is a hard worker & a quick learner! Glad you've been able to put down some roots & be stay settled for a while. Good luck this season!

Thank you!

 

[gymnut1]

I'm sure there are some gyms that do this, but most of the gyms in my area and state go through the JO system. They usually will have the girls who are L10's compete up through the state meet and then not go to regionals. I'll use WOGA for an example since they are a well known gym. I'm having a hard time remembering an elite they had that didn't go through the JO system. Of their bigger names I can tell you for certain Bross did JO. Nastia did Level 9 and then missed most or all of her L10 season because of injury. She did elite the next year. Recently Kocian skipped from 8 to elite. Leduc did all of the levels, though she was at another gym before that. Again I really can't think of one of their elites who didn't do JO.

I'm just stressing this point because I don't want parents to think their kids have no chance for elite if they do JO. It's just not the truth. A good gymnast is a good gymnast no matter which path they take.

I totally agree. I would think all elite gymnasts did JO - I was just pointing out that not all go throught the levels all the way to 10 as you have indeed pointed out about the Woga girls. I think the JO levels are a great way to make a good gymnast.

 

[Tumblequeensmom]

Thanks Shawn. I honestly don't know any gyms in my state that actually compete L2, and very few compete L3. most begin at L4 and some don't even compete until "real" gymnastics at Level 5. Don't flame me, I am quoting one of the owners of a gym who doesn't believe in competing L4!!! So I agree w/MdMom re: the fast move up from L2 to 5. I think maybe all the gym moves, different coaches, etc. have maybe hindered her development in her form. It will be really good to see her in competition now that she's been in one place for a while! Good luck w/her competition season!

 

[Billy]

Thanks Shawn. I honestly don't know any gyms in my state that actually compete L2, and very few compete L3. most begin at L4 and some don't even compete until "real" gymnastics at Level 5. Don't flame me, I am quoting one of the owners of a gym who doesn't believe in competing L4!!! So I agree w/MdMom re: the fast move up from L2 to 5. I think maybe all the gym moves, different coaches, etc. have maybe hindered her development in her form. It will be really good to see her in competition now that she's been in one place for a while! Good luck w/her competition season!

Thanks. I don't know if any gyms in our state so USAG L2. What Boo did was AAU, which is actually pretty big here. When she competed at L2 state, there were 136 L2 gymnasts!

 

[gymmomntc2e6]

Thanks for posting Boo's story Shawn. I hope that she is able to continue to love gymnastics as she reaches for her goal of elite. One baby step @ a time. It must have been hard for her to have to change gyms so many times. Hopefully she has found a place where she can be comfortable and have lots of fun so that she may flourish.

 

[juliesdd]

skip[ping levels

Quote:
Originally Posted by juliesdd
Everyone has their own opinions at what ages the gymnast should be at different levels. My daughter is an elite/hopes at 12. She has been at that level for 2 seasons. She did level 4 for two years at ages 6 and 7. She has progressed through every level without skipping a level. I feel strongly thats why she is where she is . I have witness many gymnast my daughter's age that skipped level 6 and some even level 5. I would think about 85% to 90% of those kids have quit the sport before turning 12. There is no rush to get to elite, just let your daughter go level by level and if she is really good, she will get to elite.. Even if she just does level 10, that is a great feat too. Level 10's will get college scholarships too. Every child has her own time frame and they must move on at their own speed in this sport.




I was wondering the same thing. How did she get from a 7 year old level 4 to a 12 year old pre-elite without skipping? That means she did six levels in less than five years. Even less than that if she's been a pre-elite for two years. She sounds like a talented kiddo. What was her progression like?

When my daughter competed level 7 she won the states all around and that ended in January. She went on to do level 8 after that in January through May when states were. Thats where two levels in one year came into affect. Every state has different times that their levels compete. Itschange again where I live. Levelss 4-6 are in the winter followed by levels 7-10 in the spring

 

[2020hopeful]

Thank you sooooo much for this! This makes me feel much better about DD's training. While she is already training L8, these are exactly the skills that she is working on perfecting. It's nice to know she's on the right track working the important stuff.

It's funny you mention about the kip and the cast always being together. DD was having trouble making her handstands and the coach explained to me that the problem wasn't the cast or the handstand but rather it was her kip. She wasn't "finishing" the kip before she'd try to go into the handstand, which resulted in her pushing away from the bar. She was also bending her arms trying to "muscle up" into the handstand, which wasn't working. Once she learned to do her kip "with really straight arms" (as she explained to me) and finish it, she was able to hit the handstands almost every time. So interesting to learn about how these skills all work in tandem and lead one into the next.

Which is why we need correct basics to begin with!

This is why it is important to perfect Level 5 skills before a gymnast (elite bound or not) starts to learn Level 8 skills

 

[Shelovesthebars]

We wouldn't teach algebra to a child still learning their times tables, would we? Basics in gymnastics are everything!

 

[Billy]

We wouldn't teach algebra to a child still learning their times tables, would we?

Why not? That's exactly what I've done. 3rd grade, learning multiplication and the opportunity to teach some very basic algebra came up (x+50=180). I decided to teach DD the algebraic way of solving the problem rather than the going-around-your-elbow-to-get-to-your-a&& way of doing it. (The book wanted her to start guessing random numbers until she found one that worked. Why??? It was very easy to teach her how to simply solve the problem rather than guess at it.)

 

[NGL780309]

DD's in kinder and they are doing problems like that already. x + 5 = 7. i taught her to subtract 7-5 and there was her answer. She found that easier than how the book was teaching it.

 

[gymjourneymom]

Being good at math is wonderful! But I'm sorry it's not really applicable to this thread. The fact of the matter is, that the basics of gymnastics must be mastered before moving on, or it will just end up being a major problem for the gymnast later down the road. Sorry I don't have a more clever way to the put it...it's just the honest to goodness truth. There's no way to rush the process of learning gymnastics, no easy or quick way to the top... if you skimp on the basics it WILL come back to bite you later. Best to learn skills PROPERLY & with GOOD FORM before moving on. Some girls WILL master these basics faster then others. But I don't care if they are 6yrs old or 16yrs they should be working towards developing proper technique. And perfection shouldn't be rushed!!! I know THAT from drinking a lot of wine. JMHO.

 

[MdGymMom01]

Being good at math is wonderful! But I'm sorry it's not really applicable to this thread. The fact of the matter is, that the basics of gymnastics must be mastered before moving on, or it will just end up being a major problem for the gymnast later down the road. Sorry I don't have a more clever way to the put it...it's just the honest to goodness truth. There's no way to rush the process of learning gymnastics, no easy or quick way to the top... if you skimp on the basics it WILL come back to bite you later. Best to learn skills PROPERLY & with GOOD FORM before moving on. Some girls WILL master these basics faster then others. But I don't care if they are 6yrs old or 16yrs they should be working towards developing proper technique. And perfection shouldn't be rushed!!! I know THAT from drinking a lot of wine. JMHO.

This is so true GJM!!! Unfortunately, there is no "short cut" in gymnastics when getting to the higher levels. I know I have said this before but "Perfection before Progression", is very applicable to gymnastics. And what I love about gymnastics is the beauty of the skills and routines. I would much rather see a technically perfect and beautiful Level 5 gymnast, then see a level 7 or 8 gymnast constantly "chucking" skills with bent legs, flexed feet and bad form all over the place. JMHO.

 

[gymjourneymom]

This is so true GJM!!! Unfortunately, there is no "short cut" in gymnastics when getting to the higher levels. I know I have said this before but "Perfection before Progression", is very applicable to gymnastics. And what I love about gymnastics is the beauty of the skills and routines. I would much rather see a technically perfect and beautiful Level 5 gymnast, then see a level 7 or 8 gymnast constantly "chucking" skills with bent legs, flexed feet and bad form all over the place. JMHO.

I'm in total agreement with you on this MGM!!! Beautiful form IS beautiful form & it shows no matter what the age or level. Proper technique & form is what gives the skills their artistry & makes this sport beautiful & amazing to watch! When you see the complusory routines done by someone with the whole package(skills,form & proper technique) they can look like optional routines...like they were choreographed just for that gymnast!!! It is a beautiful sight to behold!

 

[jdf]

This thread is great- and who knows, Boo may make it all the way. Good luck to her! For all of our children, good luck and may they all attain their dreams!

 

[Gymdad2]

It really is a marathon. Trust me - been there for a lot of years and have seen many many sprinters, but they are all gone now. Of all the pre-team that start together 12 years ago (20 maybe?), only 2 made it all the way. DD is a sr in high school (L10) and one other who graduated last year (also L10) and is now doing D2 NCAA. Slow and Steady wins this race every time.

 

[gymnut1]

It really is a marathon. Trust me - been there for a lot of years and have seen many many sprinters, but they are all gone now. Of all the pre-team that start together 12 years ago (20 maybe?), only 2 made it all the way. DD is a sr in high school (L10) and one other who graduated last year (also L10) and is now doing D2 NCAA. Slow and Steady wins this race every time.

brilliant There is hope for my dd yet!