MAG Boys' states thread!

[skschlag]

Our boys are doing so great!

Trapar - they went back and lowered the score to qualify, which got one more of out guys in. Apparently there was an issue with the floor scoring and all kids not getting credit for bonuses.....

Sent from my SPH-M950 using ChalkBucket mobile app

 

[profmom]

That is so weird, skschlag. But I'm glad they let some more kids in. And doubly glad for D!!

 

[skschlag]

I uploaded video from his meet. If you want to see and need the link, PM me

 

[trapar]

Our boys are doing so great!

Trapar - they went back and lowered the score to qualify, which got one more of out guys in. Apparently there was an issue with the floor scoring and all kids not getting credit for bonuses.....

Sent from my SPH-M950 using ChalkBucket mobile app

That's good that they changed it. I think it was 2 years ago when ds was a level 5, there was a big mistake with the pommel judge who wasn't scoring everyone the same way and they had to change a bunch of scores at the end which helped some boys get to regionals. I think it's great that they will listen when they are called out and fix the problem.

 

[skschlag]

I agree. They also looked across the region. I guess the problem of low scores was everywhere. I am glad they were willing to look at it!

 

[J&A's mom]

My son and his team had a great meet today!! First for team and first for him allaround and three events! The icing on the cake was that his last move was something he has been cheating all year, and he finally did a great one!! WooHoo!!

 

[skschlag]

WOO HOO! Way to go!!!! What a great day for him

 

[MyBoysFlip]

Great job! We are at the hotel ready for our 8 am report time tomorrow.

 

[skschlag]

Good luck tomorrow!!!

 

[torna72]

Hi All,

I have been reading this site for some time, but have just registered and could not quite figure out how it really works. I guess i should have started a new thread with my question, but I don't know how, please apologize for me for introsuing on this thread.

I have a 9-year old who just finished his first competitive season on Level 4 with an all-around state win and three event golds. He loves gymnastics. Started with a team of 6 boys and a young, energetic coach, a former gymnast in December of 2011. By September the program grew to 12-14 kids and they got a benevolent, dedicated assistant coach. Halfway into the competitive season the young head coach was fired - lot of gossip and stories. All along there were bad feelings between head coach and gym owner and questions about the latter's commitment to the boys' program which was brand new.

With competitive season over, we have a big decision to make. Shall we leave our 9 year old in this program with the benevolent coach whose capabilities seem to be below that of the fired head coach? In the meantime, the fired coach is starting up a new team at another gym: shall we move there, the coach is good, but what if he cannot stick around long there, either? And start again with a brand new program which may or may not be fully supported by the owner/management? Or shall we take our son to one of the more established and soid programs? There are two around, one is an hour drive, the other maybe 40 minutes. Both are solid programs, but my son is resistant to the idea: he wants to stay around with his old teammates, some of whom will stay behind at the old gym, while others will go to the fired head coach's new gym. Also the old head coach is suggesting that we should try to push my son up to level 6 by next season. What shuld we do? What counts the most? A good, ambitious, but potentially controversial coach? A solid program where kids are not exposed to stress, constant change? The well-known tesmmates? We don't know how far he will go with gymnastics, of course, and have no expectations for him. For now he loves it and just picks up skills overnight and never tires practising, working. We just don't know what the best decision would be.

Thank you for reading through my lengthy post.

 

[skschlag]

I really don't have much of an answer for you. I think you have to go with your intuition on this one. Skipping a level isn't that uncommon, especially with older boys. As for moving gyms or not, that is a tough one. SOunds like things are quite chaotic at the gym you are at. I have been at a gym where there was little commitment from the owners, and taht, to me, would be a red flag. That boy's program has died and come back about 4 times, and is now no longer in existence. That would be my only concern with any of the programs initially.

DO you know what the problems were with the head coach that left? WHat concerns do you ahve about his current coach? And are you willign to drive those long distances multiple days a week? I guess those would be the questions i would be asking myself.

 

[torna72]

Thank you for your response.

Not mich is known about the reasons why the old hc was fired, it mostly feels like personal and 'stylistic' differences between him and thw owner. While I personally think that he is a great coach, I am somewhat concerned that he might be a bit difficult to work with (for an owner or for other coaches). The remaining coach is nice with the kids, but I feel like he might be a good assistant coach, but not good enough for a head coach. He has been working with the prep-op team (girls).

We already drive almost 40 mins, nothing is available closer. We will try to make it work, but one hour one way seems to be a little excessive. I guess the quesion is this: what is the most imrtant at this beginning stage for a very tivated 9-year old: coach, strength of program, availability of a 'wide' team with lots of kids on all kinds of levels? I just don't know.

 

[sjm2b3]

I don't have a good answer for you, but something similar happened to us when my son was in level 4, and the majority of the team followed the previous head coach. We did not, for various reasons, but we did end up switching to a brand new gym at the start of his level 5 season. There was so much drama with the first coach leaving it was crazy--it was from all sides--parents, the old gym, etc. It was hard.

I think you have to go based on your intuition. You want a coach that is a good coach but also a good role model. Kids make new friends easily so I would put less emphasis on that--they tend to settle in quickly.

 

[MyBoysFlip]

I agree with everyone.. Do what you think is right and what is best for your family. We've gone through three coach changes in 2years and every time I get ready to make the switch to a gym twice as far away but so far after waiting a while we have not had to leave because things work out. Speaking of... He placed first on floor at state today, second on pommel, and third AA. He placed third or fourth on everything else too. WOW-for a kid who got one 10th place last year it was a huge improvement and a great day. He scored over a 62 and easily qualified for regionals and yes we are going. Unless the online tentative schedule is completely wrong and we get the late Sunday session. (Just not doable with our work schedule). He played it safe today, gave up some bonus, but hit 6/6 clean routines.

 

[skschlag]

WOO HOO! That is awesome! Way to go!!

 

[sjm2b3]

DS had his level 5 state meet yesterday! I am not sure why I was nervous about this one, because his last three meets were much bigger. He has had a really good season so I think I got nervous because when they do well, expectations get higher.....also we are part of a new team and I really wanted him to do well to make the gym look good! Anyway, he had a good meet. He had his best rings of the season (11.9, I have decided I have NO idea what they are looking for on the rings!), best high bar (11.0), a decent vault, and his normal pommel/mushroom. We have always said floor is his best event but yesterday he didn't hold his handstands, and he had too much power on his tumbling and did a funny jump and step! Parallel bars were not so good--he said he just got tired!!! He ended up with three first places, and had the silver all-around. He was really happy as he has never beaten a kid from one gym in particular, and he was just beaming up there. He was super close to all around, gives him something to work towards!

In the car he had a great attitude and said he wished he could redo parallel bars as he knew he could do better. I think he's really learning to compete and just has had an awesome year. All we have is regionals left....I have to admit I am tired--DD competed in the fall and then he is finishing now....I'm ready for summer!!!!!

 

[J&A's mom]

I loved watching practice today because the Level 4 boys were working on upgrades. (Being that they don't go to Regionals). Having a Level 5 boy, remembering that last year, brought a smile to my face.

I didn't want to start a new thread for that sentiment.

 

[MyBoysFlip]

I was thinking the same thing today as I watched our 4's starting to work kips. Then one of the mom mentioned that she did not wan to watch her son do the Level 5 stuff and I explained how J will be staying Level 5 forever because he is NOT going to vault over the table. They all laughed at me and said he was going over no problem today - he can do it but I am not going to watch!

 

[gymboymom]

I've been trying to get to practice early to watch for just that reason. My L4 boy is so excited about all the up training they have started. He practices with the L5s, So he knows their routines well and had me make a list of all the new skills he needs to be a level 5 next year.

 

[profmom]

Maybe we should start an uptraining thread! I spent a little while yesterday watching happy, happy boys who just competed L5 states learning false scissors. DS left the gym with a huge rip from training high bar flyaways. He was so pleased with himself. They had a mushroom circle contest with teams of two boys where only "perfect" circles counted, and the teams were getting 40+ circles. What a difference from a year ago!!!

It's just so cool to see the unadulterated joy they take in learning new things and proving their mastery of the old.