Parents anyone else get stress about choosing the size for competition leos

[tarheel618]

At our gym, the girls have to try on the sizers and then the parent has to sign off on the size of the leos. The girls were the leos for two years. I'm always fearful that I am going to order too small or too big. I have two girls in this sport and it can be a costly mistake on my part.

I know that they should look form fitting but I don't want to only get one season out of them either.

Any tips on picking the right size? Do you pick one with a little room to grow? Or do you choose the correct size for now and suck it up and buy a new one next year if the child has a growth spurt?

I think it's the long sleeves that makes the big difference in picking out the size of the leo

 

[Becauseisaid]

Oh I so feel your pain. And we never seem to get leos to try on - we have to take measurements. Since no girl fits into the measurement guide - instant stress that you're picking the correct size.

I try to pick the closest fit to my DD's girth measurement without going small. Girls WILL grow. Universal law states that they'll grow the month after you buy them new clothes. What 'cha gonna do? The thing is...the leotard needs to fit during competition. Can't have your girl picking a wedge or flashing the judges.

I say pick what fits the closest and then hope that if you have to get another size next year, you are able to buy a used one from a teammate.

 

[tarheel618]

Last time 2 years ago. I got my youngest a child L and my oldest a AXS. They can still fit in those leos now and that is what is causing me the stress. My youngest tried my oldest AXS and it looks good except in the arms ( a little to long). My oldest is my stress this year as I really expect a growth spurt this year (she just turned 12). I had her try the AS and I think it will give her some room to grow. Her old AXS looks really good but if she grows just a little I feel I'll be buying a new leo mid season.

Very few things stress me out but this for some reason does.

 

[sevenatenine2]

Are they the same level/Leo?

 

[tarheel618]

Same level- level 5

Workout leos mostly child large without sleeves.

Oldest is 12 and youngest is 8. They are a little different in size. My oldest is very small for her age. Usually they have been 1 size different in comp leos. First competition purchase a CMed and CLarge. Last time (2 yrs ago) CL and AXS. Now its time again and I think Im going with AXS and AS. I had my 8 year old try on her sisters old comp leo that was a size AXS and it looks good with a little room to grow. Her old comp CL leo is very form fitting and she complains its tight in the shoulders. The 12 year old can still fit in the AXS but I am afraid of a big growth spurt during the next two years. So Im ordering an AS.

The new leos will have mesh sleeves and that makes me nervous if the sleeves need altered

 

[htimcj]

I am stressing about that too! At $275 for the leo I REALLY don't want to have to buy another leo! And she is between sizes! I think I will end up with getting the CL since it fits her waist/chest the best. The next size up is several inches too big. Good thing we are going 3/4 sleeves this time around!

 

[Iwannabemargo]

thats why I love that our leos are velour, grows with the child

 

[tooootsie]

Am I the only one at a gym that rents the warm ups and leos?

 

[raenndrops]

Last season, we switched to Alpha Factor Leotards and all we had was the size chart. HC measured all the girls (so measurements were consistent across all gymnasts)... then she circled where they fell in each measurement... then, the parent got the option to weigh in on the size decision.
YG was in the CME, INT, and CL range in the different measurements. I asked her which SHE would prefer and pointed out that her old GK was a CM and we had to literally peel it off of her the last time she wore it. She chose the CL. Luckily, it still fits her (she has a meet on Friday).
For OG, she was in the AXS, ASM, and AME range... I gave her the same chance to choose and she chose the ASM (because her AM workout leos still had growing room and she was afraid it would be loose). Of course, she grew even before they came... I never did get around to ordering a larger size and now I am holding off in case she quits. She can squeeze into it one more time on Thursday and pass it down to little sister .

 

[tarheel618]

That would be nice to rent the leos and warmups. I won't be so stressed about size. Curious as to how much your rental fee is per season?

I am still second guessing myself on the sizes I choose. I think it would be easier if their old comp leos just didn't fit as I am ordering the next size up from what I ordered last time. I really hate the sizers as I don't think they give an accurate idea of what the new leos will fit like because the material is different. Has anyone had success altering mesh sleeves? That is where I think the next size up will be noticed the most.

 

[tooootsie]

$85 for both. I think its a great deal

 

[tarheel618]

That is a great deal. Wish we did that much better than purchasing and stressing about sizes LOL

 

[tooootsie]

Some parents at our gym would rather buy the leos... I am poor so renting works for me!

 

[MILgymFAM]

I never really got the stress. My two DDs are 30 lbs and 6.5 inches apart and wear the same leos. I could see the problem with long sleeve ones, but all the leos they wear are tank style, even DD's competition leo. Maybe our materials are more stretchy than usual??

 

[tarheel618]

Some parents at our gym would rather buy the leos... I am poor so renting works for me!

I think being involved in this sport makes you poor or it did in our case. I often wonder if other sports are as expensive as this one?

I never really got the stress. My two DDs are 30 lbs and 6.5 inches apart and wear the same leos. I could see the problem with long sleeve ones, but all the leos they wear are tank style, even DD's competition leo. Maybe our materials are more stretchy than usual??

My girls were the same size in workout leos CL (for us it is the long sleeves) My oldest can't get my youngest CL comp leo on because of the sleeves. Like I said earlier, I wish the sizers were exactly the same material and sleeves as the new leo and then I wouldn't be so iffy on what to order

 

[meganliz77]

Our HC does all the sizing and ordering, we simply write the check... Lol

 

[tooootsie]

I think being involved in this sport makes you poor or it did in our case. I often wonder if other sports are as expensive as this one?

I think it is the sport..... I know we spend thousands per year. I remember when i was a kid I played softball. My Mom told me they paid $150 per season for it, I only played one season per year.. that is less then what we pay a month for tuition.. LOL

 

[Faith]

Leo's stretch though? Even if you get form fitting now you should still get a couple of years surely? I bought my DD leo's when she started team age 7 and she still fits into all of them now, age 9.5.

Our gym was really strict on fit. You weren't allowed too big even for training- no wrinkles or gapes. Our comp leo's were a size smaller than I would have bought, but they did last 2 years still. DD's friend has the same size as DD, and she's still competing in it two years later, and she's a year older and a foot taller…

The only time I ever asked for a size up was when they gave me a GK leo, and the tight comp fit meant it was see through on the bum. I told them she'd wear their size in a different leo, or the bigger size in that leo.

ETA I have to agree with HC though, hate wrinkly leo's at comps!

 

[Faith]

I think being involved in this sport makes you poor or it did in our case. I often wonder if other sports are as expensive as this one?

Yep, the sport DD is in is just as expensive . Slightly more so as there aren't the rec kids to subsidise the team, and they don't get the funding, grants and council run facility that some gymnastics clubs do.

 

[stillgotmyleotard]

Comp leos are skin-tight at my girl's gym. I was slightly concerned at the size they had me order as it has no room whatsoever. I'll not be feeding her properly until they change the design.*

* I hope I don't need to clarify that this is a joke.