For Parents Split Season (level 6/7)

[Parrothead]

Our daughter just completed her Level 6 Season and is going to start competing Level 7 after Christmas. Our gym moves kids up in either the summer or after the compulsory season, which is now.

She did Level 5 last fall and started competing Level 6 this past January. She's only 10 and we're not trying to get her to Olympics or college necessarily... Our only goal is for her to have fun, be able to have other activities, stay healthy and be a good student.... and of course, have time to hang with ma and pa once in a while too!

Anyhow, our family schedule will only work out that she will compete 2 Level 7 meets this spring. So, this means, she will do two meets this spring, both in February. Then, she won't compete again until next January, this means 11 months without meets, I can see her losing interest in the sport without competitions for that length of time.

Our gym is pretty laid back, yet fairly successful and respected. Her coach has told us it's our choice on what we do.. If we want to compete Level 6 again for these 2 meets in spring or even skip them then we could compete Level 6 again next fall again and still do Level 7 next January. Then, she can have a more successful year in Level 6 next fall, help her team and still only be 11 years old when she does compete Level 7...

Our daughter says she's cool either way, which doesn't exactly help us make the decision... I am proud of her not being hung up on which level she is in though, that's nice to see and I credit her coaches for downplaying the whole level thing....

OK, blah blah blah, sorry but thanks for reading.... Has anyone else been in a similar situation or anyone have advice for us? Unfortunately, she's letting us decide and instead of concentrating at work, I'm thinking about this instead

 

[Momto3]

That is a hard decision. My DD was in a similar situation. Did L5 fall of 2005, L6 fall of 2006 and L7 Jan - March 2007. Competed L6/7 as an 11 y/o.

If she is motivated by competing, then I would do the spring meets. As far as which level would depend on what L7 skills she has. If at the minimum requirements, ie. no giants or no BHS on beam, etc then I would just do L6 as long as she will be able to continue focusing on her L7 skills in practice.

That being said, if you continue with competitions during the spring, I would skip the fall season to give her a rest from working routines that require more repititons of specific skills that I feel can result in more overuse injuries, primarily the low back. She could begin competition for L7 in Jan of the next year being very prepared.

 

[BlairBob]

Do the 2 L7 meets if she is ready. Most kids need 2 years in the optional levels though some can get through 7 and 8 in a year each. Have fun this spring with her own routines and focus on training for a strong 2nd year as a 7 or level 8 next year. Competition and training for meets kills skill learning training time besides getting stronger.

 

[Gymmonkeymomma]

If the coaches feel your DD is ready, I would have her compete the L7 meets and see where she stands as far as sklls....what needs improvement, etc.

 

[bogwoppit]

As for having lots of meets, my girls do 3 or 4 a year and they remain hugely interested in gym. I don't hink the number of meets is as critical as how much she is enjoying gym as a whole.

 

[jls1969]

Our gym does this as well---except we just compete 1 meet of L7 in Feb. After that the girls train for the next year to compete L8 and L9 the next meet season. My dd is so ready to ditch the compulsories...her own routines are more fun.

I do think it is okay to have a break from the meets...but maybe I will have a different opinion after this next year

I don't know what else to say other than we are in the same boat as you

 

[mariposa]

Personally, I would put the decision more in her hands. Then she doesn't later say that it wasn't her decision. She is old enough to really consider both sides and then decide what she is going to do. Help her out, maybe with a list of what each would entail, but she should be more involved in the decision. JMHO, of course.

 

[emacmommy]

I agree with bog... the number of meets shouldn't be as important to keeping her interest as progress and fun within the gym atmosphere. I like the idea of an introduction to L7 with two meets and then prepare to be a quality L7 for the entire next season. Great confidence building at a transition that sometimes can be misleadingly difficult. Optionals is great fun, but the mindset to succeed becomes much more difficult to maintain.

You didn't mention how successful a L6 season she had, or how prepared she was with those L7 skills. You also don't want to push her along too hard and bash the confidence if she is out there competing routines she really isn't prepared to for and be competitive with her peers (i.e. her own age group). I was worried about that with my own DD, but even though she was missing that pesky FHC she was finishing top 4 in almost every meet this year. True she probably also could've won every L3 meet she was in this year, like some of her L3 friends, had I held her back to wait for that skill too. It's kind of a balancing act of priorities.

I also agree about trying to get a little more interaction with your daughter in the decision. Don't settle with the indifference. Have her help you think it through together.

 

[Granny Smith]

Last yr, my dd finished up her Level 7 season in January 08 and didn't compete again until about 3 weeks ago in November. So she went about 10 months without competing and it wasn't a problem at all.

I find the girls who are prepared for each level (have all of their skills or most, maybe missing 1 and is really close to getting) are the girls who have fun competing that level. The girls who are missing skills and are trying to get them, to me, seem to be the ones who are stressing and doing a lot of crying out of frustration and don't seem to be having fun.

If she is ready for 7, let her do the meets and continue to train 7 and uptrain for 8.

 

[gym monkeys mom]

Is it possible if she competes level 7 she can do another State meet?? If so that would be cool. I know once she competes Level 7 she can't go back so she really needs to be the final deciding person in this not to say you can't influence her and help. Usually you as a parent have a gut feeling. I would go with that moms are usually right about things like this. I also know life is full of hard choices it is good for us to impower our kids to make these choices themselves with guidance. best of luck let us know what you decide.

 

[Granny Smith]

I'm not sure about that, you would need to check your state handbook.

Let me give an example of what can be done in NJ (this is what dd's best friend is doing right now):

She competed Level 7 for a 2nd time this Fall (Level 7 is Fall Season in NJ). After a couple of meets (an invitational that qualified her for Sectionals and a Sectional that qualified her for States) the HC said, she is definitely ready for Level 8 and switched her to Level 8 with the Level 8 team competing in a November invitational. She is doing another Level 8 invitational this weekend and another the first week in Jan. She will then go compete at Level 7 States the 2nd weekend in Jan and then right back into Level 8 for good.

How she can do this is she can compete as a Level 8 in Invitationals and go back to level 7. Once she competes in a Level 8 Sectional, she is officially an 8.

I would think that is depends on each State and how they work it, but it is possible that if those 2 meets in Feb are just Invitationals, it would not keep her from doing 6 in Fall if she wanted to for whatever reason.

Just something to look into.

Is it possible if she competes level 7 she can do another State meet?? If so that would be cool. I know once she competes Level 7 she can't go back so she really needs to be the final deciding person in this not to say you can't influence her and help. Usually you as a parent have a gut feeling. I would go with that moms are usually right about things like this. I also know life is full of hard choices it is good for us to impower our kids to make these choices themselves with guidance. best of luck let us know what you decide.

 

[kevchriswilli]

DD just turned 10 and doing a split 6/7 year. It's common at our gym. She finished level 6 states last month and has her 1st level 7 meet is Saturday. I feel you should let your daughter decide what she wants to do... if her coaches feel she is ready I would not hold her back. Level 7 is more fun with thier own music.... I'm looking forward to this season, we don't have to listen to same music over and over.... lol

 

[gym law mom]

There are several things to consider. Does she have all the skills for L7 or would it be a stressful 2 mos to get them? Does she have music and a floor routine already done or is the gym waiting for you to decide? What does she REALLY want to do? I think she has to let you know her wishes when it comes to doing a few meets as a L7 or not.

My gymmie competed fall of 05 as a L5, fall of 06 as a L6 and then Jan 08 as a L7 so she had about 13mos without a meet. Now this was a time when we were changing gyms too, but she never really seemed bored without a meet. It did seem a little weird at her 1st meet after 13mos(doing the hair, what to have in the gym bag etc), but it wasn't a disaster for her---she qualified to states.

I think you need to decide either go completely L7 now or just wait until the next L7 season. I don't know that going back and forth between L6 and 7 would help her that much.