Parents Advice needed on new skills

[beaches]

Hi
Need some advice from this group regarding my daughter's new skills. She is currently in level 8 and is still learning the skills for this level. I feel strongly that she should have mastered the skill (or at a minimum been able to complete each event) before meet season started. As a result, she scratches events or scores poorly because she just doesn't have enough training to complete that particular skill set. Anyone here have any advice on the matter? Thank you

 

[Cheryl]

Most kids don’t start the year with all the skills. They work on them at practice still but they aren’t meet ready yet, but they probably will be by seasons end. As long as your kid keeps working on the ones she had trouble with she should make progress.
My kid is in 9, but he missed a lot of practice in summer and again last month due to injury, so he was definitely not at peak in his first meet, but in his second meet, he was able to add 2 new skills and medaled on 2 events. At the beginning of the season, we talked about scratching him on one event, but basically he just did his routine from last year, and while his score wasn’t great, it wasn’t a disaster, and he finished mid tier in that event. So as long as she keeps working the skills, she should be fine.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

It really depends on the child, the gym and the skills.

Mine started the season missing skills on floor and beam.And without a giant on bars. She now has the giant. She is also not landing her tsuk consistently. And to keep her back would not be a good fit for her being with her teammates is just as important, if not more so.

She likes medals, who doesn’t. But it’s not how she defines herself or success. I know from the look on her face after her events if she is happy with her performance or not. Before she even knows the score. And long before if she is placing or not.

She hasn’t scratched anything. If she does her routines solid with only missing elements she scores in the low 8s on beam. Mid to high 8s in floor. She has placements at all her meets so far. She will have all her floor skills by states. And will be consistently landing her tsuk (just in the last couple of weeks).

Im not at all optimistic about her series on beam but she could surprise me.

For my kid this is better then keeping her in L7.

 

[mom2newgymnast]

I'm not sure what advice to offer, but I will say that that is not how it works at dd's gym. With the possibly exception of level 10, if they do not have all the skills required for the level, they would not be competing that level. Occasionally they make an exception, such as if someone is coming back from an injury. In that case they may let them compete a routine with a lower start value or scratch for safety, but it's definitely an exception and not the rule. I agree that it really depends on the gym though..

 

[gymgal]

This is a difference in philosophies. Unless there is a change in ownership or HC, it likely won't change, though if your dd feels the same as you, there is no harm in talking with the coach about having her compete 7 again to give her time to master her L8 skills. Aside from that, you may want to look into a gym with the same philosophy as yours.

 

[Really]

Hi
Need some advice from this group regarding my daughter's new skills. She is currently in level 8 and is still learning the skills for this level. I feel strongly that she should have mastered the skill (or at a minimum been able to complete each event) before meet season started. As a result, she scratches events or scores poorly because she just doesn't have enough training to complete that particular skill set. Anyone here have any advice on the matter? Thank you

In the end, more important than how YOU feel about the issue is how your DD feels about it. Is it more important to her to be in L8 with peers, or just for the sake of advancing a level and challenging herself with new routine requirements, or would she prioritize podium placements and skill mastery? Talk to your kid about it. That's where I would start, even before checking out other gyms.

 

[beaches]

Thanks to all for the advice!