We parents get disappointed about lots of things. I can understand when you see skills that she has acquired that are used in the next level that you might wonder why she doesn't get to go to the next level. It may be that they are not competition ready, she is not ready to combine them in a routine, she has some but not all of the required skills for the next level, or the coaches feel she needs the competition experience at 4 first .5 can be a difficult level to score well in. That could be discouraging to a child who "just barely" has the skills. I would trust the coach that they are doing the best thing. They want to show off mighty mites at competition. 8 year old level 5s look good for the gym. But a strong, good scoring 8 year old level 4 is something for the gym to be proud of too. There aren't that many of them when you go to competitions.
It's okay to be disappointed. The important thing is to keep it to yourself so you DD doesn't doubt the coaches. It is fun to stand on the podium when you are 8. She has plenty of time to progress.
