I hate to say it but gymnastics is not the issues when it comes to school.. Lets be honest, how many of the kids that had less gym use that extra time to study? If not forced to do so? Not many, if any.... Just because they are in their room does it mean they are studying? Or just cause they are doing their Homework does that mean they are learning and understanding the information.. NO!
Studying, grades, focus etc.. is based on SOOO many factors that it be grossly inaccurate to say that there is a specific correlation between time invested in gymnastics (or anything else, that is taken seriously) and academic performance.
I personally do believe that gymnastics and any other early specialization sport (a sport that from early one lots of time is need to be invested in for the purpose of this discussion, swimming being another), can teach kids how to time manage, focus and concentrate of specific tasks. Aside from that i cannot say, because!... learning like anything else works on (
warning!! science talk coming up) dopamine reward system. Basically it works something like this (to my understanding), if i study extra 10hrs a week (instead of 10 hrs of gym) what do i see as the reward. and how effective was that studying (was it focused and deliberate? or just doing homework) .? Nothing, because your ability to receive a reward for time invested is not going to come until you have a test, which means you basically know that there is no much point in putting in a huge deal of time now, but rather wait till its closer (yes, procrastination is being developed with this). Of course no everyone will do this, this is speaking in generalizations. So not only are you actually not being productive with your time, but you are developing poor habbits
With gymnastics training you work at something, and you are rewarded immediately with a boost of adrenaline, praise, etc.. for good work. (this man explains it MUCH better, hopefully well enough to make the connection that i am trying to make
Dopamine Jackpot! Sapolsky on the Science of Pleasure - YouTube)
Along with this comes others factors, subject matter (if you do not enjoy the subject you will not work at to any serious degree, i have never met anyone who hates doing or learning about something they have no interest in, but they work on it as hard as anything else), teaching tools, teachers (This is sooo key, if you have a crappy teacher who cannot make you see why you would want to learn this, or cause you to be passionate about the topics its a lost cause), home environment, school environment etc..
Basically what i am saying is, instead of being concerned with, to much gym will take time away from study, i would look at how to optimize the time being used in studying, and what is being studied, and help your child develop some way of rewarding themselves for good work. Example, finish homework (well), with time to spare to do some extra revision and study = computer time, playstation time, time with friends, whatever (but $$ is not a good idea, even though that is how the world works)
I guess in closing, do no worry about their gymnastics getting in the way..The best this is to hold kids to high standard, and provide ways for them to achieve this, but not by finding ways of how to cut corners.
Just my scrabbled thoughts on this.
Personally i have athletes (range from 7-17) who range in academic ability, from level 6- 10 they all training 16+hr a week, and those that train more, are usually the brighter academically even if not the better gymnasts. Academics is not just time? do no fool yourself in thinking that... Time will not make you brighter or help you learn... it only is a sign of potential to do so..
