4 year olds being invited on "team" NEW to sport, need help please =)

[taylee]

Ideally the OP could put the girls in a preteam program at a gym that starts competition at level 5 or one of the higher xcel's, but if the gyms within a practical driving distance start at 2 or 3, it's understandable that compromises might be made for the family.

I am a wee confused =) From what I understood the lady who explained the team/pre-team said my girls would need to be on team b/c they were already learning pullovers (I think that was it)...I was kind of thinking pre-team sounded better, only 2x a week and cheaper but she was pretty adament they need to be on team...pre-team was for a lil older girls who didn't quite have what it took to be on team and they were working towards that...does that make sense =)? Now after hearing more about the concerns with some of the skills required (kickovers etc.. w/back problem possibilities) in some of the lower levels I am not sure I want them competing in the lower levels...sooo confusing, WHY do they require possibly dangerous skills to compete at these levels?
Thanks for all input =)

 

[lhmom]

My DD joined a pre-team at 41/2. At her gym, pre-team usually lasts 2 years and the girls begin competing level 4. Pre-team is seen as a time to work on strength and getting the correct form instead of throwing in alot of skills done incorrectly. Competing level 4 at her gym is seen as getting experience. I know that her coaches have seen the lower levels as a waste of time (in their opinion). Honestly, I had no problem with that becuase I have always felt that her coaches have her long term progress in mind by stressing strength and correct form over getting a skill quickly.

 

[Natasha]

Are there any advanced developmental classes at your gym that would be an option? Although my youngest dd is older, I totally understand where you are coming from with the girls being too advanced for pre-team, but you aren't interested in them competing yet. My youngest dd is 7 and really wants to do team. For a variety of reasons, I am not wanting her to do competitions this year. Skill wise, she is beyond the pre-team girls and the bronze training team, so the only place for her to fit in is with the girls that would be training to compete L4, but will compete bronze if not ready. Since I want to hold off on competitions for another year and do not want the 6 hour a week commitment (I want her to be free to try other things this year and yes, I secretly hope she may find other interests that aren't so completely life consuming!), we have her in a Level 4 developmental class. She just had her first L4 class last week and currently there are only 2 girls in the class. She absolutely loved it! It is taught by a team coach, so I know she is getting quality instruction, but the focus is completely on fun and getting skills rather than learning routines.

 

[cbone]

taylee, do your girls WANT to compete? After a little "meet" at my daughter's rec class a couple of months into our gym journey, she got a medal. When my wife and I congratulated her on her medal she had sort of an irritated expression on her face and said, "Everyone got a medal. I want to see if my gymnastics is better than other girls'" That statement got us prepared to move on to team when the invite came about a month later.

It is a huge commitment, but if your girls and the rest of the family are prepared for it, there's no sport I've seen as rewarding. If competition is not on their minds yet, there are plenty of less intense ways to enjoy gymnastics. Make sure your family needs determine their track, not just their potential.

 

[taylee]

Are there any advanced developmental classes at your gym that would be an option? Although my youngest dd is older, I totally understand where you are coming from with the girls being too advanced for pre-team, but you aren't interested in them competing yet. My youngest dd is 7 and really wants to do team. For a variety of reasons, I am not wanting her to do competitions this year. Skill wise, she is beyond the pre-team girls and the bronze training team, so the only place for her to fit in is with the girls that would be training to compete L4, but will compete bronze if not ready. Since I want to hold off on competitions for another year and do not want the 6 hour a week commitment (I want her to be free to try other things this year and yes, I secretly hope she may find other interests that aren't so completely life consuming!), we have her in a Level 4 developmental class. She just had her first L4 class last week and currently there are only 2 girls in the class. She absolutely loved it! It is taught by a team coach, so I know she is getting quality instruction, but the focus is completely on fun and getting skills rather than learning routines.

Good question, I am not even sure...again we are so new there. From the class schedule it is hard to tell. They just finished their first 10 sessions and we left for the summer to go to Montana! I am trying to take them out here just for fun and to keep up with it since they SO enjoy it!

 

[taylee]

taylee, do your girls WANT to compete? After a little "meet" at my daughter's rec class a couple of months into our gym journey, she got a medal. When my wife and I congratulated her on her medal she had sort of an irritated expression on her face and said, "Everyone got a medal. I want to see if my gymnastics is better than other girls'" That statement got us prepared to move on to team when the invite came about a month later.

It is a huge commitment, but if your girls and the rest of the family are prepared for it, there's no sport I've seen as rewarding. If competition is not on their minds yet, there are plenty of less intense ways to enjoy gymnastics. Make sure your family needs determine their track, not just their potential.

I honestly have no idea they even realize that is an option possibly...haven't talked to them about it. I am not sure I want them "winning" and "losing" yet especially being twins.... I am all for competition and understand as they get older it is important, but I would rather everyone get a medal at 4 or 5 =) I think level 2 and 3 isn't a winning/losing level yet, or is it??

 

[Natasha]

Our state does not allow placement awards at L2 and L3. But other states may be different. In our state they get event ribbons based on score and a medal based on AA score. I completely agree with no winning/losing at age 4 and 5.

Also, the advice of making sure that your family needs determine their track, not just their potential is great advice. Keep in mind that if you start them on team this year at 3x a week, at age 5 it can increase again, and each year after that. So, if you are hesitant, there is no harm done in waiting to accept the team invitation and giving yourself more time to investigate all options (at this gym and any others) and let your dd's continue to have fun in classes. As another poster said, once you start down that team track, if they love it, there is no turning back. Age 5 would still be plenty young to start team if you put it off a while.

 

[taylee]

I am glad we were leaving for the summer to have some time to think it over and now I am thrilled to have found this board. When they did their make-up class and the other instructor saw them I think he didnt even want them to finish out their 10 sessions in the class they were in, I think he wanted them immediately...thankfully (sort of) we were leaving I think the next week.
Yes time commitment is an issue too b/c my son who is 7 is VERY involved in a lot of sports as well and other things too. However, I do want to do what is best for them too, so much to think about! I believe they were wanting them 3x/week for an hour and half per class.

 

[Moxiegrl83]

Wow, you just said exactly how my little one got on pre-team. The only difference is she's 5. It almost sounds like your gym has a pre-pre-team, does that make sense? Our girls go MWF for 2 hours. They start competing L3, but in FL you can compete L2, I don't think a lot of gyms do though (?) My DD can do the skills you've mentioned, and like your girls picked it up really fast. I think it helped her cousin who she adores is 10 and a L5. So she's seen a ton of gymnastics, meets, etc the last 3 years. I don't know what's the norm, since most of my gymnastics the last 3 years have been second hand from my sister and niece, but I've seen many places about kids too young doing certain skills. I've never seen them teaching our littlest gym members those skills.

 

[cbone]

I guess the first step is finding out which levels compete in your state. In my state, they do not sanction Levels 1 and 2. They sanction Level 3, but do not have Level 3 team champions at states (though every other meet did have team champions). Every other level is fully competed.

It sounds to me like a year to a year and a half of the rec classes (or pre-team) followed by pre-team (or team without competing) followed by Level 4 when they're seven might fit best. It's great to have you here. Keep us posted on the girls' progress. The great thing for you is that your girls are starting before the clock has started ticking. Eight-year-olds starting out feel behind. Four-year-olds starting out can take a couple of years and still be in no rush. I look forward to hearing great things in the future.

 

[wgagym]

The biggest thing is what your kiddos want to do. Sometimes coaches get over excited about naturally talented kids( I am a coach, so I can say that. I do not think there is any reason to compete and train like like that until level 4 and if your kiddos are talented like it sounds like they are there will still be a team spot ready for them when they are 6 or 7. At 4, almost 5, you just want them to be having fun with it. You could maybe put them in 2 classes a week but you do not want them burning out because they got pushed to hard to fast when they were little. Good Luck with your decision!

 

[Moxiegrl83]

Have you watched the "team" they want to put your DD's on? There is no way a 4/5 yr old could keep up with our competition team training. Is it common to have a team before pre-team?

 

[cbone]

There is no way a 4/5 yr old could keep up with our competition team training.

My daughter was 5 when she started and went rep for rep with the older girls at her new gym, which is widely considered the best in our area. It's not the size if the dog in the fight...

 

[Moxiegrl83]

That's pretty impressive....but it's definitely not the norm for 4/5 yr olds to walk into a gym and a month later be able to condition and train with a team (not pre-team) right? If it is I'm definitely in the wrong gym.

 

[taylee]

Have you watched the "team" they want to put your DD's on? There is no way a 4/5 yr old could keep up with our competition team training. Is it common to have a team before pre-team?

No I haven't....they were asked and then the one coach said she would talk to me at the end of their sessions more about it...but then they did a make up in a little higher level class and that was when about half way through the class the coach (a different one) came out and asked about team....but at that point we were leaving the following week for the summer for 6 weeks, so I didn't give it too much thought....now I have a lot of questions I didn't have before I left!

 

[taylee]

Or I guess I should say they asked me....not the girls The girls I don't think had a clue what team even was

 

[gymnut1]

My daughter was 5 when she started and went rep for rep with the older girls at her new gym, which is widely considered the best in our area. It's not the size if the dog in the fight...

It is not the number of reps that is important but more the quality of correct shape and form in each rep so that the muscles being conditioned are actually the ones you are intending.

That's pretty impressive....but it's definitely not the norm for 4/5 yr olds to walk into a gym and a month later be able to condition and train with a team (not pre-team) right? If it is I'm definitely in the wrong gym.

No it isn't usual but some children are naturally very strong and determined.

 

[cbone]

It is not the number of reps that is important but more the quality of correct shape and form in each rep so that the muscles being conditioned are actually the ones you are intending.

"Rep for rep" was figurative. Did you really think I was being literal? My point was that my daughter kept up with the other members of the team when she started at 5. I point that out because some young kids can do high level gymnastics. taylee's twins obviously have good genetics based on her account of her and her husband's college athletic careers. Their coach wanted them on the team based on his/her evaluation of the girls' skills. taylee's decision is whether or not her family wants to do this not if the girls can. I think questioning if her kids can do it or the quality of the team adds nothing to the conversation. Just my $0.02.

 

[Moxiegrl83]

OP: You know your kids and what's going to be too much, too fast for them. And I am sincerely sorry if you thought I was questioning your kids ability or your teams quality. Being I know neither that would be pretty silly of me.

 

[gymnut1]

Im sorry please point out where I did this? Perhaps you misread my sentence. I said. No it isn't usual but some children are naturally very strong and determined.