WAG solid 34 scorer - will it come in time?

[tortuga]

DD10 is finishing her Lvl4 season. She started gym at 7 and was quickly moved to preteam and team, last year was a fun Lvl3 season. She's always +/- a 34.5AA scorer -- but never via the same events, one meet she will podium bars, next beam, next vault... meaning if she could pull it all together and be consistent at the level she's capable in each event, we'd be seeing 37+AA. But one meet she will miss her squat on, or not hold her handstands, or have sloppy footwork... She will probably be advanced as she has all the skills for Lvl5. As a parent, it is frustrating to see as she HAS the skills and can score well, just seems to not have all skills/events together on a given day. She is anxious about it, but doesn't like to talk about failures (who does!!); we're working on her viewing them as challenges, not failures.

Given that she's only got three years of training under her belt, will some consistency come with time? Any thought on how to help her better see her status?

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Based on my limited experience with level 4 (about 1/3 of the way through our season) this is the way it is for a lot of girls. And yes it gets better with time. And then my guess is it starts again at the next level.

As far as what will help, it really is conditioning, practice, time and patience.

Level 4 is a new reality for a lot of gymmies, even strong ones. And yes there are always a few who just soar no matter what.

 

[needcoffee]

This is so my DD. Solid 34-35 scorer. She has placed on floor at every comp, vault and bars are hit and miss, and she has more chance of sprouting wings and flying than placing on beam.

I don't know if consistency will ever come. Believe it or not, her beam at practice is actually nice. She just can't pull it together for comps. I quickly learned that as long as her floor goes well, she is happy.

 

[munchkin3]

Start getting her to think of optional skills......level 3/4/5 is almost the end of a big book! Then is OPTIONALS!!!! Exciting!
I had my daughter thinking of floor music forever.
I don't think she can remember a single score from L4 or L5 now.

 

[cadybearsmommy]

I think they tend to improve a lot as they grow older/mature and get used to competing. I'm sure for the first year or two, the nerves are in full effects at meets. My dd was a 34ish scorer her first year. She went to 36-38 last year! Now, some of that was a gym switch which improved her form a lot but I think some of it was maturity as well. The nerves still kick in for her sometimes but she has been able to maintain a decent AA even on off days (usually beam wobbles or falls) just from being mostly consistent on everything else. I think a lot of girls do better when they hit optionals as well!

 

[bookworm]

Don't worry about scores in compulsories....my multi year level 10 ( now competing D1 in college) daughter never scored higher than a 33 in any compulsory level, and it didn't keep her from doing quite well as an optional....level 4 isn't a deal breaker so just let her be, it'll come in time...

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Don't worry about scores in compulsories....my multi year level 10 ( now competing D1 in college) daughter never scored higher than a 33 in any compulsory level, and it didn't keep her from doing quite well as an optional....level 4 isn't a deal breaker so just let her be, it'll come in time...

I know this on many levels (as in my head). But hearing it from a BTDT, cool beans.

Had the same conversation with Moms at our gym today who are still somewhat in shock with the difference between last year and this year.

And I am like you understand its so not about the scores. And is not about one week or even a L4 season at this point. A bobbled event is going to happen. Its an event in what in theory is a bunch of years.............................................

 

[gymmomx2]

Don't worry about scores in compulsories....my multi year level 10 ( now competing D1 in college) daughter never scored higher than a 33 in any compulsory level, and it didn't keep her from doing quite well as an optional....level 4 isn't a deal breaker so just let her be, it'll come in time...

Just curious if she was being fast tracked through the compulsory levels....this is the daughter who could have (did?) go elite?

 

[bookworm]

Just curious if she was being fast tracked through the compulsory levels....this is the daughter who could have (did?) go elite?

When we switched gyms, she was fast tracked through 5-7, so yes, but then she did a successful season of level 8 and pretty much won every meet she was in that year, then moved up to 9 and then 10 ( for many years) ....and yes, she did a stint in elite ( and hated it, from an athlete's perspective)

 

[NutterButter]

As a parent, it is frustrating to see as she HAS the skills and can score well, just seems to not have all skills/events together on a given day. She is anxious about it, but doesn't like to talk about failures (who does!!); we're working on her viewing them as challenges, not failures.

Given that she's only got three years of training under her belt, will some consistency come with time? Any thought on how to help her better see her status?

Maybe a different outlook all together will help your DD put things in perspective. My DD is similar to yours. She hasn't broken into the 36.0 club in JO. AA score average as a L4 was mid-high 34 and for L5 she was mid 35. She is frequently in the top 5 for 3 out of 4 events and often on the podium for one event - always different combo of events. However, I have never once wondered if it will "come together in time" or questioned her consistency. Nor have I ever been frustrated that she isn't living up to some potential just because she has scored low to mid-9's at some point on every event. The word "failure" has never entered my mind...even the word "challenge" to me implies negativity (think of what happens when a challenge is not met, it's well....a failure?). Your DD may be anxious in part because she senses your frustration.

Someone here on the CB once described meets as being the celebration of all the hard work/training that happens during the year. This really resonates with me and frames my expectations for meets. It's a celebration to wear the sparkly comp leo and sharp looking warm up and add some glitter to the pony tail. It's an honor to go out on the competition floor, salute the judges and perform a routine. Sometimes the routine goes as planned and the score and resulting placement reflects the effort. More often what happens though is that the score is just part of the day. The joy of hitting a bar routine that has been problematic all week is the real story as is cheering on a team mate who had a major milestone (note - scores not important in either). This isn't to say that it's all rainbows and unicorns at every meet for DD. Disappointment happens. But often the things that DD is most proud of are things that aren't directly related to scores or placement. If DD were to quit gym tomorrow, my hope is that she would not dwell on never hitting that 36.0 all around score. There is so much more to the sport than scores.

 

[GymMom726]

I find this thread very intersting. My daughter scores mid to low 36s consistently. She won floor and bars at statemeet and came 3rd in the AA for state. She is a level 4 as well. At our gym they dont move you a level unless you hit 37. Its extremely frustrating. I am not sure if your situation would be just as frustrating or nerve racking. Sometimes i feel like the whole sport of gymnastics is either frustrating or nerve racking......no inbetween! Good luck!

 

[gymmomx2]

I find this thread very intersting. My daughter scores mid to low 36s consistently. She won floor and bars at statemeet and came 3rd in the AA for state. She is a level 4 as well. At our gym they dont move you a level unless you hit 37. Its extremely frustrating. I am not sure if your situation would be just as frustrating or nerve racking. Sometimes i feel like the whole sport of gymnastics is either frustrating or nerve racking......no inbetween! Good luck!

Requiring a gymnast to repeat when they placed 3rd AA at States is ridiculous! I am sorry you are in this position

 

[2G1B]

Requiring a gymnast to repeat when they placed 3rd AA at States is ridiculous! I am sorry you are in this position

As is requiring a 37 to move up!!!

 

[balancedmom]

My DD has never been a high scorer-- finally got the 36 in L6 (after lots of 34s in compulsories), and now she is back to struggling a bit. I have to remind myself that as long as she loves it, it is ok. I also have to remind myself that not every gymnast is a super star-- they all cant be.

 

[duyetanh]

I find this thread very intersting. My daughter scores mid to low 36s consistently. She won floor and bars at statemeet and came 3rd in the AA for state. She is a level 4 as well. At our gym they dont move you a level unless you hit 37. Its extremely frustrating. I am not sure if your situation would be just as frustrating or nerve racking. Sometimes i feel like the whole sport of gymnastics is either frustrating or nerve racking......no inbetween! Good luck!

If our gym didn't move my DD until she hit 37, she would probably be a level 2 until she was 18....

 

[JessSyd]

Requiring a gymnast to repeat when they placed 3rd AA at States is ridiculous! I am sorry you are in this position

I agree. I do not know what the rules are under Australia's new system, but I know for sure that up until last year the rules were that if you came first, second or third AA at States, you could only compete States the following year in a higher level.

 

[cbifoja]

If our gym didn't move my DD until she hit 37, she would probably be a level 2 until she was 18....

Mine too. She never would have made it out of compulsories!!! She is good for mid36s but she's never seen a 37.

 

[Natasha]

My dd did not score a 37 until the end of her L8 season. She is now working on L10.

 

[tortuga]

She came home from practice last night all aglow. After dinner she says, "I have gymnastics in my life and a really great family. My life is really fantastic!"

Yep! Can't beat that positive self talk!!

 

[hearts_and_stars]

I don't think anyone has mentioned this yet, so I'll add my $.02 (for what it's worth)....DD has been a MUCH better optionals gymnast than she ever was in compulsories. I imagine this is true for a lot of gymnasts, as DD's head coach's goal is to get girls through compulsories and into optionals as fast as possible. To that end, he stresses placement more than scores. Scores are just numbers that don't mean much as they are usually the whim of the judges (as long as scoring is consistent throughout the meet, it's no big deal). He has an idea of what scores will place in each age division, but he focuses on basics, drills, shapes, extension, etc--all the stuff that can nickel and dime a gymmie to death in a meet. Since he came to the gym, DD's scores 1) went from mid-35s to high to mid-38s and 2) got more consistent as she became a more consistent gymnast.

I would have your DD focus on where she places on each event and set goals based on that. If she placed 7th on bars, maybe set a goal of placing 5th. This takes the focus off the raw scores and shows her that regardless of the number, she is improving. Once DD started doing this, she all of a sudden became a podium kid.