Another Question...

[NewGymMom]

One more question (for now anyway lol) ok maybe two....Hope you're not sick of me yet.

The gym we decided to go with is having my dd start out in just a regular 1 hour weekly beginers class, based on her age (I think it is a K-2 grade class). The director of the program said once they've seen where she is at, and they feel, she'd be a good fit, they will invite her to be on one of the pre-teams/teams.

Is this how it's done? On an average how long does it take to be asked to be on one of the teams? I am in no rush, just curious, since I have no idea how any of it works.

Also are the level 4 routines the same every year or do they change each year? I do know everyone does the same thing right? I hate being clueless lol....

Thanks again!

 

[MdGymMom01]

That is pretty much how it works at our gym. The kids usually take classes and then when the coaches "spot" the talent, they invite them for the pre-team. The coaches, I am told, look for hard-working kids, kids with strength, flexibility and a good attitude. The coaches realize that gymnastics teams are long hours so the kids have to be physically, mentally and emotionally ready for this.

As for how long it takes to be asked to join a team--it all depends on the child. There is no real set time frame. Your dd sounds like she is talented and hardworking (from cheer) so that should carry over into gymnastics.

Be patient--I'm sure your dd will improve quickly and join team when she is ready.

Good luck!

 

[NewGymMom]

That is pretty much how it works at our gym. The kids usually take classes and then when the coaches "spot" the talent, they invite them for the pre-team. The coaches, I am told, look for hard-working kids, kids with strength, flexibility and a good attitude. The coaches realize that gymnastics teams are long hours so the kids have to be physically, mentally and emotionally ready for this.

As for how long it takes to be asked to join a team--it all depends on the child. There is no real set time frame. Your dd sounds like she is talented and hardworking (from cheer) so that should carry over into gymnastics.

Be patient--I'm sure your dd will improve quickly and join team when she is ready.

Good luck!

She's use to spending hours at the gym (from cheer) she was there 3-4 days a week. She's been tumbling since she was on the tiny level in cheer, so they had her try individuals, to keep her from getting bored, while waiting for more girls on her team to get their bhs so they could move up a level. (which took 2 seasons to get enough). I have no issue waiting as long as it takes lol, but dd really wants to be a part of a team, and keep asking me how it works. So atleast now I have a little more to tell her. She can drive me NUTS lol.

I have a funny story about when she started tumbling in cheer.... (thought I'd share...don't mind me...) Like I said she was on the tiny team and just turned 5 at the time. It was like their 2nd competition at a local high school. They had a few tables set up at the far end of the gym, one for t-shirts and little goodies, another to send good luck messages, and I wasn't sure what the 3rd was at the time. She had ran over with a friend to check them out and came back to the bleachers to get her little wallet out of her gym bag. I figured she saw something she wanted and was gonna get it, as her friend was heading back over to buy something. She came back with nothing, so I asked what she was doing. She looked up and smiled and told me...."I just entered the turbo tumbling competition!!" I was like "Oh???" She told me not to worry about it, it was $3 and she used her own $3 for it. I asked her what she was gonna do and she told me "you'll see!" Up until this point she was only doing carthweels and roundoffs etc...

So they did the tumbling competition at the end of the team competition before the awards. She was over there, the only little one, with a bunch of older girls. Her coaches saw her and came over to me laughing and said "that's cute....what's she gonna do?" They figured she was gonna turn a few cartwheels or something, and laughed and sat to cheer her on when it was her turn. She ended up throwing a roundoff BHS, out of nowhere, it was a bit sloppy but she did it. Her coach practically fell off the bleachers, up until then they had only done them being spotted and only standings. When they went over and asked her where on earth that came from, she told them "Just thought I'd give it a try"

 

[gym law mom]

It may seem silly to her(and you) to literally go back to the beginning. Think of this as a completely new sport. The beginner class will give them a chance to evaluate the tumbling skills she has already(and probably tweak form a little) and then start the very basics on the other 3 events. There are alot of little things to learn---how to hold your arms while walking on the beam, basic jumps on beam, how to run to vault and hurdle to use the springboard properly, really good handstand positions and just "staying tight" when doing any skill. Hopefully, they'll also work some on strength she did not get in cheer and flexibility. Talk with her instructor after a few classes to see what he/she thinks. They may want to move her quickly into a more challenging group.

Pre-team programs can be 6mos to 3 yrs(don't fall over!!). Our gym's pre-team does take about 2 years for the girls to complete and thats after some accelerated rec classes, but they are training to start competing as L5s. Take it slowly, save your pennies and keep lines of communication open in the gym.

We'll all want to hear about her progress!!!!

 

[bogwoppit]

I have to agree with Gym Law Mum (as I often do). The basic body positions and tightness are so very important when beginning gymnastics.

If you go to watch a meet, you will see many girls "do" the same routine, but the ones that win, that stand out, are the ones who have perfects lines and such tight bodies. When you see them you just know they will win.

All that to say, I think your daughter sounds very talented, I am sure she will pick up skills quickly, but form is so much more important than big tricks at this young age. It may be hard for her to go backwards for a bit, but the payoff is worth it.

 

[MdGymMom01]

A fresh start to get a fresh perspective

It may seem silly to her(and you) to literally go back to the beginning. Think of this as a completely new sport. The beginner class will give them a chance to evaluate the tumbling skills she has already(and probably tweak form a little) and then start the very basics on the other 3 events. There are alot of little things to learn---how to hold your arms while walking on the beam, basic jumps on beam, how to run to vault and hurdle to use the springboard properly, really good handstand positions and just "staying tight" when doing any skill. Hopefully, they'll also work some on strength she did not get in cheer and flexibility. Talk with her instructor after a few classes to see what he/she thinks. They may want to move her quickly into a more challenging group.

Pre-team programs can be 6mos to 3 yrs(don't fall over!!). Our gym's pre-team does take about 2 years for the girls to complete and thats after some accelerated rec classes, but they are training to start competing as L5s. Take it slowly, save your pennies and keep lines of communication open in the gym.

We'll all want to hear about her progress!!!!

NewGymMom--That story is sooo cute!!! Bless her heart! She sounds like a very determined little girl! Good for her!

Regarding Gym Law Mom's post--Thinking of it as a completely new sport--that is what we did when we decided to switch to gymnastics. DD was having some issues with her BHS in cheer and knew that she needed to pretty much "start over" with it. It was a good thing, though, because gymnastics is so different then cheer. It is a completely different sport, and even the tumbling is different. By starting from square one, you don't have expectations and you tend not to compare what was done in cheerleading. There is so much to learn and although it may seem basic and boring at times, it is so essential and important to learn these beginner skills. In gymnastics, you learn to appreciate the tiny details that make it such a beautiful and artistic sport.

DD is very happy and staying challenged and having fun.

Feel free to ask me anything on your gymnastics journey--it sounds like our dd's are at the same starting place!

K

 

[Tumblequeensmom]

I agree w/what everyone has said here. The current compulsory routines are good through 2013. Women's compulsories change every 7 years. Of course they make "tweak" certain things during that time period. For example: lengthen the time for the beam routine, etc. Real simple things.

-Lynn

 

[flippymonkeysmom]

I agree with gymlawmom as well. There are so many things to remember - when to hollow, when to arch, legs straight, toes pointed, shoulder down, arms back, pretty fingers, etc. It sounds like she is a very quick learner, so hopefully she will move up pretty quickly - but just remind her that skipping the fundamentals would have a negative impact on her entire gymnastics career.

 

[NewGymMom]

THANK YOU very much for all your posts!

She is SO excited about starting She finished up her last gymnastics class at the dance studio tonight. The coach there said she has already noticed a big difference in her form from just the 6 weeks she was there. So she's on her way.

She was very excited tonight. She threw her round off back handspring tuck, and she had a great set, didn't throw her head back and was nice and high off the ground (the highest I've ever seen it) and landed it beautifully, no spot and on just a regular panel mat. (no spring floors there) You guys are very right....correcting the form she had from cheer made all the difference in the world!!

THANKS again!

 

[flippymonkeysmom]

That is awesome - she must be very excited. Sounds like she is picking things up quickly - let us know how she progresses

 

[NewGymMom]

She definitely was.....infact this is the exact face I got, the 1st time she did it and landed it :eye-popping:, which was good, cause this was the other reason we took a break from cheer.

Like MdGymMom01 has said before in previous posts, they definitely push in cheer to get the bigger skills fast. She had just gotten her ro bhs tuck on the floor the night before, when they had her throwing it over and over again on the floor, without "messing up", telling her the quicker she got it down, she could start learning a layout and doing full drills. Now she was on a mini level 2 team, so the most they could do in their routines was a bhs, and it took 2 years to get a handful of girls to get their bhs to compete level 2. So realistically, just think how long it would be before she would ever use a layout and a full in competition (which is level 4), she wouldn't even be able to use her tuck til level 3. I mean she could have in individuals, but still what is the rush?

She kept throwing her head back, and after about 30 times, got so frustrated, she ran out of the gym in tears and didn't want to finish the class (which is totally not in her nature at all) so I knew it was time to take a break, before she did get burned out, and starting disliking it.

But anyway, a few weeks, of just taking the time, to learn what she was suppose to be doing and how to fix the mistakes and there it was. So, like I said before, you guys are right, its definitely important.

and thanks, I will certainly keep everyone posted!