Parents Skills test question

[cocoamommy]

My daughter is in level 1 gymnastics and tonight her coach gave her class a skills test. She needed to score an 80% in order to go to the next level. After class each child came out with a paper that each skill was checked off or circled if they needed work. Well hers had 6 circled out of 39. At the bottom the coach wrote "needs more work on level 1" so I took that as she didn't pass onto the next level. When I got home and added up the score she got an 85%, so that would mean she would pass, but it wasn't marked as passed. Should I say something?


My daughter is very close on getting a couple things that were maked as needed work, and I'm sure if she was placed with the level 2's she would get it. I just don't want to seem like a pushy parent that's trying to get her kid moved up if she isn't ready, but I watched the level 2 class and there are things they can't do that was on the list of things they tested my daughter for. I also hate to see my daughter have to stay another year in level 1 just because she hasn't mastered 6 out of the 39 things on the list. Advice?

 

[Gymmom495]

I would mention it, it wouldn't hurt. You know your daughter better than anyone and if only a few things were marked spending a whole year repeating the same level may cause her to become bored with her training. She should always feel that she's being challenged even if its a little bit. You could bring it up by saying something like..."I wasn't sure what you guys meant about the scoring and the levels so I just wanted to make sure" then have them go over the paper with you.


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[gymdog]

Most likely one of more of the 6 things circled were "major" elements that are necessary to pass the level.

 

[kandkfunk]

I would also ask for clarification. There is nothing wrong with respectful and open communucation.

My only word of caution is to take a look at the missing skills and make sure they aren't all from the same event. For example, my daughter was always able to pass the skills testing for moveup with better than the minimum score, which I think was also 80%. However, she was consistently missing bar skills. By the time she reached team, she had earned her spot, but was very behind in bars. I prefer a testing method that requires a certain number of skills be obtained from each event. Was you DD missing skills from one event or were they missing from several different events?

Good luck!

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[cocoamommy]

Thanks everyone for the advice. She only missed 1 skill on vault, 2 on beam, none on trampoline, one on the bars...which was the pull over, and she's almost got that, then 2 on the floor...one is cartwheel, which she's almost got. She can do it, the form just needs to be better. Like Gymmom said, I'm just afraid if they retain her in level 1 for another year she'll get bored and want to quit. I did watch the level 2 class and atleast half of them don't have their pull over or a perfect cartwheel, so that's where I was confused.

I guess I'll mention it and see what her coach says.

 

[gymdog]

Yeah, there's really no way 90% of gyms will move up a kid up without a pullover and a cartwheel. They won't be able to keep up with the next class. Those are the most major elements obtained in the level you describe. The curriculum for the next level is going to assume they are proficient at those skills, not that they "almost have them." In other words, she isn't going to get a cartwheel in level 2 because they don't do drills for cartwheel...they do drills for roundoff. She'll just get more confused. I'd trust the coach on this one.

 

[Gymmommy71]

Pullover and cartwheel - yeah, major skills. If she doesn't have them she should stay in the basic class. Chin ups and leg lifts will help w/ the pullover. Cartwheel just takes practice.

 

[cocoamommy]

Thanks everyone. I just called the gym and they said the only thing holding her back is her pull over, so I guess we'll just work on that and the cartwheel.

 

[gymdog]

That's good because improving her strength should help the pullover and she can safely do that at home. Wheelbarrow walks around the yard or house will improve arm and core strength and would be fun to do together

 

[Gymmom495]

Since you said she is so close to getting the skills she is missing, I would talk to the coaches about how they feel of moving her up to L2 once she masters those skills say in the next few months. That way she's not locked into repeating an entire year at the same level. I agree the cartwheel and pullover are very important basic foundation skills that must be mastered before moving on but like I said before you don't want her getting bored either if she happens to get these skills and masters them soon. Just something to think about bringing up to her coaching staff if you feel comfortable talking to them.


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