Parents Questions to ask

[Mamabear123]

Hello all. I'm a lurker and decided to come out of hiding to ask a question and participate in all the interesting discussions.
My DD turned 7 last month and just finished her first year of level 3 (well has states next month, but finished the regular season). From reading this forum, I have come to the realization that our gym is an Xcel gym. The Xcel program has a ton of girls on each team and has the most seasoned coaches. The Xcel girls do really well individually and as a team. The gym has levels 3-8 and Xcel Bronze (Jr. and Sr.) through Diamond. We have 8 girls on our level 3 team and the girls abilities range significantly. This season is the first head coaching job for our coach. Some girls metaled quite a bit and some girls metaled once throughout the season. We received little to no information before the season started about what to expect at meets, medals, and goals. As a team, we didn't do very well and only placed for team once. I have no idea if my DD met, exceeded or fell below expectations because we receive absolutely no feedback. The coach informed us that they advance the girls as a team. So, although some of our girls would be ready for level 4, they have to repeat another year of level 3 because the whole team isn't ready. Annoying, but whateves.

Now, our coach has recently decided to have individual meetings with the parents and I have no idea what kinds of questions to ask. Please help me think of questions to ask, as this may be the last chance I get to talk to her one on one.

 

[txgymfan]

Welcome to CB. Gymnastics is an individual sport. It's concerning that the whole team is being held back because some are not ready to move on. Good coaches can and do vary progressions and train multiple levels together. I would ask if she will be training level 4 with progressions toward higher skills. If they already have Level 4-8 gymnasts., I don't understand why they would hold the team back.

 

[Mamabear123]

Welcome to CB. Gymnastics is an individual sport. It's concerning that the whole team is being held back because some are not ready to move on. Good coaches can and do vary progressions and train multiple levels together. I would ask if she will be training level 4 with progressions toward higher skills. If they already have Level 4-8 gymnasts., I don't understand why they would hold the team back.

She explained that they would be working on level 4 skills, but still compete level 3. Some of the girls are still struggling with level 3 skills, but she is now trying to teach them level 4. She said that all the coaches move with their team. I guess that works for their Xcel teams because girls are able to compete with the skills that they are strong at, but it holds the JO girls back because the skill sets vary so much. I'm such a fish out of water with this whole team thing. I wish I found this board before the season started. What do you think I should ask the coach?

 

[SMH]

How did your daughter do this season? I'd also be concerned that the gymnasts have to 'move as a group'- they compete as individuals, and although team awards are nice, the focus should be on what is best for each kid as an individual.

I'd ask what benefit there is (for your gymnast specifically) in repeating level 3.

My gymmie (also a 7 yr old level 3) will *probably* be repeating level 3, unless she manages to nail her kip in the next week or so. She is SO close. I'd prefer to have her move to level 4, but, this gym has a process, the coaches
are all excellent and have produced some great gymnasts so I'm putting my faith in their process.

It is cool that they are meeting with you each individually- I was just saying the other day that I wished gymnastics had conferences like school does. Meet scores can only tell me so much (just like grades).

Good luck!

 

[raenndrops]

1. If my daughter is ready to move up to level 4, why not just let her switch to the next group up? (Why make everyone repeat?)
2. Will there be any new Level 3s added this year? If so, will they have a different coach? If they will, why can't those that need to repeat just work with that group?

 

[Mamabear123]

How did your daughter do this season? I'd also be concerned that the gymnasts have to 'move as a group'- they compete as individuals, and although team awards are nice, the focus should be on what is best for each kid as an individual.

I'd ask what benefit there is (for your gymnast specifically) in repeating level 3.

My gymmie (also a 7 yr old level 3) will *probably* be repeating level 3, unless she manages to nail her kip in the next week or so. She is SO close. I'd prefer to have her move to level 4, but, this gym has a process, the coaches
are all excellent and have produced some great gymnasts so I'm putting my faith in their process.

It is cool that they are meeting with you each individually- I was just saying the other day that I wished gymnastics had conferences like school does. Meet scores can only tell me so much (just like grades).

Good luck!

She did well this season. There is a clear divide on our team, 4 girls totaled about 4-6 metals for the season and 4 girls got about 20-24 total metals. My DD got 21. The smaller meets, DD, would finish 1st or 2nd AA and the bigger invitationals, we were thankful for the 6+ placements. LOL.

I really like the question about what the benefit would be for DD repeating level 3. My daughter is also VERY close to getting her kip. Her coach tells me all the time that she thinks DD will have it soon. My DD plus, 2 other girls are close to getting their kip.

I love the fact that they are doing parent conferences and I'm going to tell the gym that I think they should do them more often so that we know how our kid is as a gymnasts.

 

[Mamabear123]

1. If my daughter is ready to move up to level 4, why not just let her switch to the next group up? (Why make everyone repeat?)
2. Will there be any new Level 3s added this year? If so, will they have a different coach? If they will, why can't those that need to repeat just work with that group?

I have asked if they will add more level 3 girls and she says that she has no idea and "they" haven't mentioned it to her yet. I think that because she is such a new coach, she has no say in how anything works. I will ask again at the meeting just in case she has new information.
I talked to the level 4 coach a few weeks ago in passing and she said that she will now be the coach of level 5 because her team would be going to level 5. So I'm wondering if they just won't have a level 4 next year? I have no idea and I think this rule is foolish.

I also talked to a level 4 mom and she said that her DD was on level 3 two years ago, and after the season, they moved the whole team to silver. After that season on silver, some girls stayed on silver and some got moved to level 4. So weird.

 

[raenndrops]

I have asked if they will add more level 3 girls and she says that she has no idea and "they" haven't mentioned it to her yet. I think that because she is such a new coach, she has no say in how anything works. I will ask again at the meeting just in case she has new information.
I talked to the level 4 coach a few weeks ago in passing and she said that she will now be the coach of level 5 because her team would be going to level 5. So I'm wondering if they just won't have a level 4 next year? I have no idea and I think this rule is foolish.

I also talked to a level 4 mom and she said that her DD was on level 3 two years ago, and after the season, they moved the whole team to silver. After that season on silver, some girls stayed on silver and some got moved to level 4. So weird.

Actually, Silver is a good "transition" between L3 and L4, if one is needed. They go over the vault table, but with repulsion to flatback that L3 has.
They can do a kip and jump to high bar, but it is not required. Those that have L4 skills can do them, but those struggling can still do L3 skills until they are ready to do L4 skills.

 

[mommyof1]

There can be value in repeating L3 while uptraining L4, if that's what the individual kid needs (most on my daughter's team did this because they were not ready for L4 at the end of their first L3 season and it has worked out great for them). I would ask whether your daughter is ready for L4, if not then why not, and if so why she can't move up. I would also ask whether there will be an L4 team next year.

The policy that has coaches move up with their teams is odd. I would imagine that a good L3 coach and a good L7 coach are not necessarily the same thing. Kids also have different learning styles and personalities, so exposure to a variety of coaching styles over the years seems like it would be a good thing.

 

[gymbeam]

She did well this season. There is a clear divide on our team, 4 girls totaled about 4-6 metals for the season and 4 girls got about 20-24 total metals. My DD got 21. The smaller meets, DD, would finish 1st or 2nd AA and the bigger invitationals, we were thankful for the 6+ placements. LOL.

I really like the question about what the benefit would be for DD repeating level 3. My daughter is also VERY close to getting her kip. Her coach tells me all the time that she thinks DD will have it soon. My DD plus, 2 other girls are close to getting their kip.

I love the fact that they are doing parent conferences and I'm going to tell the gym that I think they should do them more often so that we know how our kid is as a gymnasts.

Medals don't necessarily tell the whole picture. Our old gym always went to meets that were known to have less competitive gyms there. Nothing wrong with that if your intention is to have a less intense program, but just wanted to point out that 1st place at one meet could be last at another depending on who is there. If you guys aren't going to tough meets, then the medals may not indicate mastery.

Scores will tell you much more than medals (and even that has some inconsistency, but definitely a better indicator than number of medals.)

If they insist on repeating, ask if there will be an opportunity later to score out of 4 and move to 5 within in one season if they are able to get those skills sooner than 2 years from now.

I'd also ask if they will continue moving everyone as a herd or if this only their method for levels 3/4.

As what the normal progression has been for other athletes and where they anticipate your daughter and her group will be in 2, 4, 6 years.

 

[sce]

She did well this season. There is a clear divide on our team, 4 girls totaled about 4-6 metals for the season and 4 girls got about 20-24 total metals. My DD got 21. The smaller meets, DD, would finish 1st or 2nd AA and the bigger invitationals, we were thankful for the 6+ placements. LOL.

I really like the question about what the benefit would be for DD repeating level 3. My daughter is also VERY close to getting her kip. Her coach tells me all the time that she thinks DD will have it soon. My DD plus, 2 other girls are close to getting their kip.

I love the fact that they are doing parent conferences and I'm going to tell the gym that I think they should do them more often so that we know how our kid is as a gymnasts.

I really don't think a girl that is proficient at level 3 should repeat. Larger than that is the concern of the philosophy of moving up as a group. Gymnastics is way to individual for that.

 

[Mamabear123]

Actually, Silver is a good "transition" between L3 and L4, if one is needed. They go over the vault table, but with repulsion to flatback that L3 has.
They can do a kip and jump to high bar, but it is not required. Those that have L4 skills can do them, but those struggling can still do L3 skills until they are ready to do L4 skills.

That makes sense. The mom stated that they were having a coaching issue so they moved the girls to silver. She said that her daughter did really well on silver, but is now struggling on level 4. I'm thinking that while on silver, they weren't preparing the girls for level 4, as only about 4 girls moved on to level 4.
Our coach said that she wants to spend the next season working level 4 skills and even competing kip at the meets, therefore by the following season our girls will be ready for level 4. Now I'm completely ok with that and I think DD will do amazing being a second year level 3. There is one 9 year old girl on our team that is more than ready for level 4 and this is a case where their rule is unfortunate for her because she will be held back.

 

[GymDad9.9]

I would even consider moving to Excel Silver over repeating Level 3. The whole idea of repeating Level 3 is screwy, no matter how you cut it.

 

[amiandjim]

I also find the coach moving with the girls to be quite a strange system! I agree that a level 3-4 coach that is amazing may not be amazing at level 7-8.

 

[Mamabear123]

There can be value in repeating L3 while uptraining L4, if that's what the individual kid needs (most on my daughter's team did this because they were not ready for L4 at the end of their first L3 season and it has worked out great for them). I would ask whether your daughter is ready for L4, if not then why not, and if so why she can't move up. I would also ask whether there will be an L4 team next year.

The policy that has coaches move up with their teams is odd. I would imagine that a good L3 coach and a good L7 coach are not necessarily the same thing. Kids also have different learning styles and personalities, so exposure to a variety of coaching styles over the years seems like it would be a good thing.

I thought it very odd that you stay with the same coach forever. I actually didn't find this out until I talked to the level 4 coach and I mentioned that DD would be joining her some day and she was like, no, all the coaches move with their team. They keep making mention to the fact that they are trying to "build" up their JO program. I'm wondering if this will eventually change because it makes no sense. Each JO team is very small at our gym. Xcel program is huge. Bronze has about 35 girls, Silver has about 32, Gold has about 25. L3 has 8, L4 has about 6, L5 has 1, L6 has about 15.

 

[Mamabear123]

Medals don't necessarily tell the whole picture. Our old gym always went to meets that were known to have less competitive gyms there. Nothing wrong with that if your intention is to have a less intense program, but just wanted to point out that 1st place at one meet could be last at another depending on who is there. If you guys aren't going to tough meets, then the medals may not indicate mastery.

Scores will tell you much more than medals (and even that has some inconsistency, but definitely a better indicator than number of medals.)

If they insist on repeating, ask if there will be an opportunity later to score out of 4 and move to 5 within in one season if they are able to get those skills sooner than 2 years from now.

I'd also ask if they will continue moving everyone as a herd or if this only their method for levels 3/4.

As what the normal progression has been for other athletes and where they anticipate your daughter and her group will be in 2, 4, 6 years.

I completely agree. Metals definitely do not paint the whole picture. My DD was by far not the highest scoring gymnasts and she has placed lower at bigger meets with a higher score than she had at a smaller meets and placed first. She did well comparatively to her teammates.

I will ask about possibly scoring out of levels in the future and if that is something they do. I know for a fact that they move all levels as a herd. I was talking to a L6 coach one time and she was telling me about her L6 girls and how she moved them along quickly to L4 because she was intimidated by the mill circle. I actually thought this was normal until I started lurking this forum.

 

[Mamabear123]

I really don't think a girl that is proficient at level 3 should repeat. Larger than that is the concern of the philosophy of moving up as a group. Gymnastics is way to individual for that.

Moving as a group is definitely concerning, but I was unaware of that until looking at this board. I'm so new to this gymnastics world so I take everything that our gym does and says at face value.

 

[Mamabear123]

I would even consider moving to Excel Silver over repeating Level 3. The whole idea of repeating Level 3 is screwy, no matter how you cut it.

Our L3 girls actually train with some of the Silver girls a lot. The Silver team is going to Gold next season and the entire Bronze team is going to Silver.

 

[Mamabear123]

Now that i'm typing this all out, I'm wondering if our L3 is the only team repeating the level. I guess that's another question to ask.

 

[MILgymFAM]

I thought it very odd that you stay with the same coach forever. I actually didn't find this out until I talked to the level 4 coach and I mentioned that DD would be joining her some day and she was like, no, all the coaches move with their team. They keep making mention to the fact that they are trying to "build" up their JO program. I'm wondering if this will eventually change because it makes no sense. Each JO team is very small at our gym. Xcel program is huge. Bronze has about 35 girls, Silver has about 32, Gold has about 25. L3 has 8, L4 has about 6, L5 has 1, L6 has about 15.

Does the L5 girl have her own coach? If not, they're clearly willing to do mixed level training.