Parents Advice - competition

[Ex member]

My dd as been asked to take part in a competition near the end of the year (her first), she is reluctant to do it and the gym needs an answer in 2 weeks. The competition is for cheerleading. My dd will be 7 just before the comp. I don't want to ake her do something she doesn't want to do, but the comp is a long way off and she could change her mind and want to go.

My dd is still in rec gym as I chickened out talking to the coach about her moving out of that group.

 

[EastCoastGymMom]

Maybe this will force the decision between cheearleading and gymnastics! Is your dd hesitant because she doesn't like performing in front of people or because she's not into cheerleading anymore? If she's hesitant about performing in front of people, then maybe she's not ready for team gymnastics yet (unless there's a developmental/preteam option for her). If she just doesn't like cheerleading, then maybe this can be the opening you need to talk to the coaches. Tell them dd has decided she prefers gymnastics and would like to focus her energy there instead of cheer, and is there an option for her to move into the developmental/preteam class. The worst they can say is "no!" It's not like they will be mad at you or dd! And if she's not ready for the other class, then maybe they can give you advice about what she can work on to move into the team track. If they are asking her to be in a cheer competition, then they must think she has some talent!

 

[Ex member]

Dd is not worried about performing in front of other people and is quite happy to get up and do things while others are watching,during her last rec session they all had to take turns and do a headstand in front of the rest with legs straight, dd was the only one who could do it, they all gave her a clap including the young coach - this didn't phase her at all,

I had another chat with her and she said that she didn't really like being lifted in the air and balancing on other girls hands. Maybe it's an age thing, she likes everything else, even the conditioning. During her cheerleading session today dd done a bridge kickover on the floor twice by herself.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

Dd is not worried about performing in front of other people and is quite happy to get up and do things while others are watching,during her last rec session they all had to take turns and do a headstand in front of the rest with legs straight, dd was the only one who could do it, they all gave her a clap including the young coach - this didn't phase her at all,

I had another chat with her and she said that she didn't really like being lifted in the air and balancing on other girls hands. Maybe it's an age thing, she likes everything else, even the conditioning. During her cheerleading session today dd done a bridge kickover on the floor twice by herself.

i'm with your daughter.

 

[cbifoja]

I'm with Dunno.

My friends who have cheer kids always like to talk about how cheer is the most dangerous sport....almost as if it gives it some sort of credibility as a "real" sport. It is all I can do to bite my tongue and not say something snarky like the reason it is so dangerous is because you have coaches who don't know how to properly spot and don't put adequate safety equipment in place.

 

[gymgal]

i'm with your daughter.

Ditto dunno.

I would not force this on her in hopes that she changes her mind as the time gets closer. Her concern is a valid one.

 

[gymmomtoo]

I'm with her too--give me gymnastics where you only depend on your own skills, rather than cheer where you're depending on others too. Your daughter has valid concerns--I wouldn't push her either.

 

[iwannacoach]

Resistance is the seed of rebellion.........

 

[Ex member]

Maybe this will force the decision between cheearleading and gymnastics! Is your dd hesitant because she doesn't like performing in front of people or because she's not into cheerleading anymore? If she's hesitant about performing in front of people, then maybe she's not ready for team gymnastics yet (unless there's a developmental/preteam option for her). If she just doesn't like cheerleading, then maybe this can be the opening you need to talk to the coaches.If they are asking her to be in a cheer competition, then they must think she has some talent!

The cheerleading coach doesn't teach gymnastics, I don't know why dd was picked to move from rec cheerleading, I remember dd telling me last year ( end part of the year) that she was moving to a different cheerleading group after Christmas, I asked her cheerleading coach about this and was told that she was not moving to a different group and probably won't for some time if ever, then a few weeks after Christmas break dd was asked to move up, this was the same time some girls from rec gymnastics were moved to a new development group ( dd wasn't asked)

if she decided that cheerleading isn't for her would I have any leverage of asking if dd could try a development gymnastics group as she is now doing more conditioning in cheerleading and it would be a waste to just do rec gymnastics - she just does warm up exercises in rec group, I have noticed improvements in her flexibility and strength since doing the conditioning. I am in the thinking that if they wanted her in development gymnastics then they would have asked, I doubt her being in cheerleading squad would have stopped them would it?

I must admit it is hard watching her do gymnastics and see her doing so well, most of the time better then others in her rec class but still getting passed over, I am trying to stay detached from it all and just watch dd have fun, but its not easy knowing that with more structured classes she could do so much better, her rec classes are grouped by age and not ability.

these are her skills - most of the achieved in cheer development classes :
Floor
Backward Roll
Forward Roll ( without head touching floor)
Cartwheel ( needs improvement)
Headstand with straight legs
Bridge
Bridge kickover on floor (first time today twice)
Bridge kickover on wedge bblock
front splits ( not pretty)
kick up to handstand ( can't hold it upright yet)
Straddle and lean forward and get her head on the floor

Bars
Parrot
thing where she leans over the bar the comes back up to a parrot hold
Straddle hold
Tuck hold
She can't do a chin up yet on her own or a pull up ( are they the same), she can do them with a little support, she has a chin up bar so she can practice them when she wants to (only just got it)

 

[Iwannabemargo]

It depend what her gym requires for the higher levels. Dd's old gym tested the the girls fitness termly and you couldn't move up of you wern't fit enough. They required several chins win 60 seconds (can't remember but for the lowest level I'm sure it was at least 10), hanging leg holds, sit ups, pressups etc. Her new gym has not fitness requirement.

 

[OzZee]

If she doesn't like cheer then she doesn't like cheer. Two of my kids did acro for awhile and one loved being a top, the other didn't really. It's something that takes a certain personality (my dd who loved it also loves any extreme sport, wants to skydive, bungee jump etc) and if you are scared of it at the basics then it's probably not for you.

Def go and speak to the artistic coaches. They can only say no. Who knows, maybe they think she prefers cheer, maybe they think she's not ready, maybe she was just overlooked.
Explain that she has been doing both classes, what cheer has offered her, that she doesn't really like the being a top side of cheer but is loving the conditioning etc of the higher level class, that she would like to pursue artistic to a higher level and that you/she wonders if the coaches think that is a possibility and what the progressions could/would be.
If you are not sure who to speak to then ask her rec coach who would be the best person to ask.

My youngest does two sports and when we were offered a higher stream in one I spoke to the head coach at the other as to what she thought would be the best path for my dd, she acknowledged that it was a great opportunity for dd and understood if we took it but also outlined future possible plans (she is young so we are only talking potential) and where they saw her going.

Coaches don't have a crystal ball telling them what the individual kids hopes are and if they know then they can better assess them.
No one will think badly of you for asking. Maybe yes they haven't moved her up as they don't think she is ready and they will say that, but maybe they haven't moved her up because of cheer or for some other reason.

Good luck.

 

[EastCoastGymMom]

You really need to just talk to the gymnastics coach! Even if your dd is not ready to move up to the developmental gymnastics class right now, you can find out more information! It's not as if you are demanding she gets moved up right away! Just tell them dd is interested in eventually moving into the developmental class for gymnastics and are there things she can work on to make that happen. I do think some kids are passed over for one reason or another - either the coaches think they aren't interested or that they prefer another sport. You could also ask them to evaluate her for the development class, that way they could really see her skills rather than just watching her amongst a larger group.

 

[Gymmommy71]

My DD tried cheer for a couple years when she was younger...she loved the routines and tumbling but really worried about people dropping her. She was a great flyer (she is tiny and has very flexible legs and good balance) and rarely was dropped/fell, but even seeing other girls fall at competitions or practices would set off her fear to the point that she would be nervous and stressed. I'd ask her why aren't you affraid of the beam and the bars, and climbing the high ropes at gym, cause those seem just as scary? She said to me "the beam isn't going to drop me mom - it's only me when I'm when I am up on the gym things". Her explanation actually made perfect sense to me , and after 2 years she stopped doing cheerleading. Sometimes she will look over at the cheer girls rehearsing while she's at gym and I will see her doing flyer leg hold routines and fake twist downs while she's waiting in line, so I wonder if she's thinking about trying it again now that she's older - but I'm not going to bring it up .

Re: cheer vs. gym - cheer tumbling can be very scary to watch...they don't focus on perfect form and technique like they do in gymnastics. They will have skills, yes, but you can definitely tell the difference between a cheer tumbler and a gymnast. Cheer, however, is great for girls w/ gymnastics skills who like to perform and work as a team. Gymnastics is much more individual. Kids do get hurt *much* more in cheer though...especially in the higher levels. There are formal statistics on this, and just what I've seen in real life from being around both things I feel this is true.

I'd say if your daughter wants to move towards developmental team in gymnastics, you should tell them she has interest and ask what they want to see from the girls before they invite them in. That way they will know you are interested and they should start paying attention to her in class. Plus you'll know what she needs to focus on. She sounds good on floor, but I'd suspect they'd want more on bars than what you're listing. My DD's gym wanted a pullover w/ the bar pretty far over their head and multiple chin ups (can't remember how many, but enough that most kids couldn't do them w/o working at them for a while)...many kids had back hip circles too before they got moved. Also, some gyms are picky about flexibility, so if you're DD doesn't have all her splits (middle, left and right) she should work on those too.