Parents Any advice appreciated! (competitive pathways)

[Gymnast2017]

Don't leave it too long to accept the place in the other squad though as it seems that mid range squad places are hard to come by in your area.

Well done to your daughter for a successful squad trial.

Thank you! Getting to even talk to her current gym is so difficult, but I’ll give it a go tonight… fees are due so fingers crossed they’ll actually get back to me.

 

[Gymnast2017]

Hi everyone! Even more advice needed please! Her initial club have now offered her a place in their Floor and Vault squad, saying that when the children progress they will then compete bars and beam too… does this sound like mainly novice competitions? I’m now so stuck on what to do, with the clearly lesser club offering 8 hours and an assumption to compete her first grade next year. I can’t tell if the club she’s in now are just shoving her in their floor and vault squad to stop me from leaving, with no real intentions… or if this is a pathway to compete grades? I have emailed to ask of course, but considering how poor the communication has been I think it will be a while before I get a reply. I saw last night they have a small group of gymnasts practicing the old grade 6 bars routine, which looks to already be at absolute perfection… surely she’d be put into that group if they were really interested? This process is so unbelievably frustrating!

 

[rd7]

Yes the floor and vault squad will be a lower level of competition, we call it Gymnastics For All in my region and it will be difficult, not impossible, but difficult to keep up with the gymnasts already training 4 pieces of apparatus to the level required for the grades pathway.

It really depends on what your daughter wants, there is no right or wrong answer to this. If she just wants to compete, wouldn't miss bars and beam too much and doesn't mind which pathway then stay put. If she has her heart set on artistic gymnastics and the grades pathway give the other gym a go.

 

[Gymnast2017]

Yes the floor and vault squad will be a lower level of competition, we call it Gymnastics For All in my region and it will be difficult, not impossible, but difficult to keep up with the gymnasts already training 4 pieces of apparatus to the level required for the grades pathway.

It really depends on what your daughter wants, there is no right or wrong answer to this. If she just wants to compete, wouldn't miss bars and beam too much and doesn't mind which pathway then stay put. If she has her heart set on artistic gymnastics and the grades pathway give the other gym a go.

You have been so very helpful, thank you!

I did think this would be the case, and would make sense considering her age. They have said they’d still train bars and beam but would mainly focus on F&V as that’s what they’re competing. It’s also way less hours.

My daughter was very excited to hear she’d get her own beam routine and floor routine to music. So it would seem a shame to not have her do that.

It seems she’s not good enough for this clubs grades squad, as they only do compulsory/national. But the other club was very keen as she’ll probably do relatively well at the regional level. I’ll leave it to her, she’ll not want to leave the club because she loves it, but I think if she doesn’t the love for gym will fade.

 

[rd7]

It is hard to leave a club that you love but the new club does sound like a good opportunity for her, good luck with it all.