Parents To kip or not to kip. . .

[Amanda]

My daughter has state coming up in the next week or so where she will be competing Level 3. She has pretty recently gotten her kip without grips (got it first with grips). I think it's pretty decent but not perfect by any means- and she still misses it completely some of the time. Coach wants her to compete it at states for the experience. I think she/he already has Level 4 in mind and says she/he is not concerned about scores. There is a very good chance she will score lower with the kip and there is a decent chance she will miss it altogether (in which she case, she will score much lower!) She's pretty nervous about it but also wants to please the coach- and I know she would be proud to do it at state. But she DOES care about scores and already feels the pressure of state- she definitely has anxiety before meets. I would prefer she just hold off doing it at state and then focus on it for Level 4. But should I just bite my tongue and let her work it out with the coach? Or help her talk to the coach? Or? I know in the long run, it probably doesn't matter much either way.

 

[e'smum]

not.
my dd got hers before lvl 3 states and she was only allowed to compete it if she had it down perfect. she did not even though after she got it, she got it.
she will be doing kips for the rest of her gymnastics career. why not give her the best chance to do well at states?

 

[Flyaway]

I don't think forcing her to do something she doesn't have 100% and is anxious about at a "high stakes" meet (I know, I know, level 3... but still, it's high stakes in her mind) is good experience. Like e'smum said above, she'll be doing kips foreeeeeeeever, no need to cause her unnecessary angst now. Let her enjoy a great end to her level 3 season and rest in the comfort that she already has her kip, well before level 4 starts. Lots of girls don't have that luxury.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

not.
my dd got hers before lvl 3 states and she was only allowed to compete it if she had it down perfect. she did not even though after she got it, she got it.
she will be doing kips for the rest of her gymnastics career. why not give her the best chance to do well at states?

It’s L3.

Really when she is 25 it won’t matter.

And that said. After L3 it’s all kips all the time.

Our gym was the opposite. After our L3s did States they did their optional season either Xcel or IGC. Us parents were annoyed they weren’t going to the high bar. Kids said coach wanted to them to score well. I got on the crazy bus for a week and came to leave it conclusion. I looked at all the othe moms and said why are we getting crazy. It’s 4 meets and then high bar forever. I got off the bus.

 

[Amanda]

I don't think forcing her to do something she doesn't have 100% and is anxious about at a "high stakes" meet (I know, I know, level 3... but still, it's high stakes in her mind) is good experience. Like e'smum said above, she'll be doing kips foreeeeeeeever, no need to cause her unnecessary angst now. Let her enjoy a great end to her level 3 season and rest in the comfort that she already has her kip, well before level 4 starts. Lots of girls don't have that luxury.

I agree! And I wish she could just be happy she got her kip! I guess I'm just struggling with whether this is worth talking to her coach about. . .

 

[Amanda]

It’s L3.

Really when she is 25 it won’t matter.

And that said. After L3 it’s all kips all the time.

Our gym was the opposite. After our L3s did States they did their optional season either Xcel or IGC. Us parents were annoyed they weren’t going to the high bar. Kids said coach wanted to them to score well. I got on the crazy bus for a week and came to leave it conclusion. I looked at all the othe moms and said why are we getting crazy. It’s 4 meets and then high bar forever. I got off the bus.

Yes. I do fear that I am approaching crazy on this one. On the other hand, she FEELS pressure so deeply- and that's when she has the hardest time with gymnastics. I know it comes with the territory- and there is bound to be loads more if she sticks with it. I just wonder if this pressure is necessary.

 

[Amanda]

not.
my dd got hers before lvl 3 states and she was only allowed to compete it if she had it down perfect. she did not even though after she got it, she got it.
she will be doing kips for the rest of her gymnastics career. why not give her the best chance to do well at states?

Yes- her's is definitely not perfect! And I think it definitely lowers the odds of doing well at state. Just have to decide how big of a deal it is. I've tried to stay out of things as much as possible. But I want her to feel good about her accomplishments- not be stressing about something that is not necessary!

 

[Deleted member 18037]

For the record we never saw any kids do kips at level 3 not even at States.

 

[Really]

This seems to be pretty clearly a coaching decision to me. Your responsibility as a parent is to tell the coach that your child seems to be experiencing anxiety around having to do her kip at this meet because of her current inconsistency with it at the moment. Let the coach take it from there, whether it be to work on building consistency in the skill or taking the skill out for the meet. If you can't trust your coaches to make this decision, it may be time to find another coach.

That being said, you're right. Whether or not your child competes a kip for L3 states probably doesn't matter in big picture. My personal preference is to tell my kid that meets in general are an opportunity to celebrate how hard she and her teammates have worked and how much they've grown since the start of the season. My only expectation of her during meets is that she cheer her teammates on and applaud their accomplishments. That being said, she competed her kip as a L3 and never experienced any stress/angst around that skill (or any other, for that matter). Don't know if my "whatever!" attitude helped, but she's done well (between 2nd and 6th in her age group for the past 2 years of competition) and enjoys the process of training much more than the meets.

 

[SMH]

We currently have 2 kids that kip for their level 3 bar routine. They both have very nice strong kips, and have been scoring well. There are a few other kids who have their kips, my kiddo included, but at this point it’s not ‘competition ready’ and their coach doesn’t want them to compete it unless it’s not going to be an extra frustration for them. Talk to your kiddos coach for sure and share how she is feeling. Really there is no good reason to compete with a kip at your last meet as a level 3, unless the kid really wants to.

 

[gymnastmom05]

My DD had her kip by level 3 state meet. Our gym typically brings in a judge to give feedback right before states. Judge watched and said her kip was good, but she would score better not having it. While Level 3 isn't the biggest thing ever, it's important to them. They've spent all year training. Our gym has been doing more of trying skills during meets but not "high risk" meets. (Do your back handspring on beam at level 5 when you've already met the requirements for state - and then decide which is better, the back walkover or handspring). While winning shouldn't be the absolute goal, I also don't agree that you should sacrifice a placement at a state meet. No elite athlete is going to be impressed with a level 3 placement but your child might. Who knows, maybe this ends up being the end of her gymnastics road (I hope not, but we can't predict anything in life). I will say, my DD scored a 1st place on an event at a huge meet as a level 3. Not just her age group, but out of all 72 girls. I was proud, I'm still proud. She rocked it that day. My point is, yes, it's not the biggest deal in the world and we shouldn't focus on placement, scores, etc BUT we also shouldn't act like it doesn't matter. High school football championships don't matter compared to college and then NFL but they mean something to those athletes, coaches, parents and schools. Why shouldn't we give the same respect to compulsory gymnasts? I don't think it's crazy to talk to the coach if your child truly has anxiety about it (now, if it's just you and you wish they weren't doing it, I would back off and let it be). Maybe coach doesn't realize or maybe coach has some reasoning behind it. Now that I think about it, my DD came home and told me she was doing giants on her bar routine at the state meet (she was a Level 6 and not a requirement). She hadn't competed them all season. I asked her coach and he told me she was and the reasoning why. She competed it, did her giant (yay!) but fell on her dismount (bummer) BUT she was proud, I was proud and somehow she still managed to place with the fall.

 

[John]

Mixed feelings here. The coach has his/her reasons, you should ask to hear them.

As for a child being proud, we as parents can help steer them and lead them. In other words yes having a good placement at Level 3 states is something to be proud of, but being the only Level 3 to do a kip at states is also something to be proud of. One of these is easier to accomplish than the other, the question is which one will make DD feel better?

 

[mommyof1]

If she has a choice, I'd say no way unless the kip is very reliable with straight arms. In our state, the kip is seen at least a few times per session at L3 states and most of the top bar routines have a gorgeous kip and are practically perfect in every other way. Nobody competes an unreliable or bent-armed kip at states. There is no need to add the pressure of competing a kip for the first time, let alone one that isn't reliably well executed, at states. That seems more likely to destroy a kid's confidence than to build it.

My daughter's L3 coaches never demanded that a kid compete a kip, no matter how good it was. If they thought a kid was ready to compete a kip, they would authorize it but let the child make the final decision herself.

 

[Amanda]

Thanks for the input everyone! I have tried to create the opportunity for her to have a good conversation with the coach and hoping they will come to a good decision for her.

 

[Amanda]

No kip- scored in top 3 of her age group (which is a less competitive one), and got her highest score of the season. I think it was a good decision for her at the time. Coach was great about it. Thanks again!

 

[Flyaway]

No kip- scored in top 3 of her age group (which is a less competitive one), and got her highest score of the season. I think it was a good decision for her at the time. Coach was great about it. Thanks again!

It sounds like it worked out in her favor and she had a great State experience! Congrats to her!

 

[Amanda]

It sounds like it worked out in her favor and she had a great State experience! Congrats to her!

Thank you! We were proud of her!

 

[mobeans]

Our gym works on kips all L3 season so throughout the season girls are starting to compete them and by state about half are comp-ready. However, our coaches only allow it if it's almost perfect so I would be hesitant about doing it at state if she is not 100% consistent with it. Why risk it? Yes, in the grand scheme of things it's "just" level 3 state, but for a level 3 gymnast, it's huge! No need to feel anxious and worried about it til it's necessary. The day after state she can be kipping

 

[Pineapple_Lump]

No need to feel anxious and worried about it til it's necessary. The day after state she can be kipping

Im sure the op's child is fine as states was a few weeks ago based on their follow up post a few before yours

 

[Mamabear123]

I know OP's DD has already had her states meet. But just wanted to say, my DD has had three level 3 meets so far this season. First 2 meets, she competed glide pull over, third meet she competed kip. Third meet was her lowest bar score out of all 3 meets WITH the kip. Sounds like the coaches made a good call for your DD at states. Congrats!