Can Someone Please Explain .....

[gymmomntc2e6]

Can someone please explain the need to rush young talented children through the USAG levels ?????

I am seeing all of these videos on youtube of very talented little gymnasts who are 6-8 years old and doing L7 or L8.

I understand not wanting to hold a child back but here is my thought process.

A child who is 7 or 8 this year will be 9 or 10 in the next Olympic year (2012) and ten 13 or 14 in the following (2016) which means they are not going to be eligible for either of those games. They would not be able to compete in the Olympics until the 2020 games. This would put them in the higher levels, L10 or Elite what have you for what 7 or 8 years ????

Is that not unreasonable to assume that their bodies can handle that punishment?

If the child is 10 now and would be eligible for 2016, that may be about the right timing I guess.

Maybe I just don't get it because my child is not ubertalented and not Olympic bound. Maybe I am missing part of the big picture. But it is just something that I thought about watching the videos. There are so many talented gymmies out there. If they are Olympic material but not eligible until 2020, what is the rush? Is it just to be able to say "my kid is a 7 year old L8" or whatever ?

I don't mean any offense to anyone whose child is a 7 yr old L8 or whatever. It is just a question I have.

Thanks

 

[Tumblequeensmom]

You know, I just don't get it either. In order to learn the proper form, learn the skills the correct way, etc., gymnastics training takes TIME. What's the rush??

 

[MdGymMom01]

I totally agree. I have often seen many youtube videos of young ones as well. Although some of these little gymmies are quite impressive and have gorgeous control and form for such a young age, but some of these kids I have seen should NOT even be attempting half of these higher skills because their form is very sloppy--bent legs and unpointed toes EVERYWHERE even with the basic skills. It is the videos of these kids that I seriously wonder what is their coach thinking???? The skills look "chucked" and very raw and unrefined.

I don't understand what the rush is either. I would rather have my dd go slow and perfect every skill (perfection BEFORE progression) in her level before moving up and learning the harder skills. Even if she could "throw" the harder skills, if it isn't pretty and technically correct, then she shouldn't be doing it. Gymnastics to me is about beauty, grace and looking effortless.

 

[Shelovesthebars]

I thought about that too. Let's say that my daughter competes level 5 at 7 years old. If she doesn't skip any levels or repeat any levels, she will be a level 10 for at least 6 years! Our gym however is one of those where everyone repeats levels very frequently and we have almost all of our level 10s get scholarships so they know how to pace them. Even our ubertalented girls repeat levels as a standard at our gym. I would prefer having a healthy level 10 in the long run than a 8 year old level 7 who ends up quitting due to injury or burnout!

 

[MdGymMom01]

If they are Olympic material but not eligible until 2020, what is the rush? Is it just to be able to say "my kid is a 7 year old L8" or whatever ?

Sadly, I think some parents get "too caught up" with this competitive attitude .

 

[gymjourneymom]

I don't understand it either. But I have seen this topic discussed here on CB before. Two of the responses I've read before are: to get them to the bigger skills before fear sets in & to have them get the bigger skills ASAP & "they can clean them up later".

From my experience with my DD, when fear set in she lost the "bigger" skill & most of the progressions that lead up to it...so it didn't matter if she had the bigger skill to start with or not. She still had to go back to square one & relearn it. But at least she already had the good form part down well from the start !

In the second instance I ask "When"????". When exactly do the coaches decide to stop pushing ahead & slow down to "clean it up" what they already have??? Parents may be pushing on & on for bigger skills, for whatever reason. But it's the coaches that are coaching the child! Are the coaches swayed by "pushy" parents? Don't the coaches worry about their reputation? I would think that by not correcting poor form ASAP, it's going to become a bad habit that will be VERY difficult to unteach. JMHO.

 

[Ingwe]

Interesting, I am having an issue with my DD. She is really upset that she is going to have to repeat L7. She was a good solid L7 last year but does not have her L8 vault, so therefore she will do L7 again. She keeps saying that she doesn't want to be an 11yr L7 and that it's too old. As if there is some sort of stigma attached to that. I believe she gets that from the Youtube videos and in general, the gym world. It makes me want to scream.
I told her there isn't a rush and asked why she would want to potentially spend 4-5 years in L10. You'll just get burned out.
I then said to her the phrase that she hates to hear, "enjoy the moment and stop wishing your life away"
I think she is finally getting that its okay to go slow.

My issue with the little ones being pushed through the levels is I can't even tell you how many times I've seen videos where they were clearly not proficient in their current level and barely scraping by, but somehow they get moved to the next level. I don't understand what the coaches are thinking. Eventually all those weaknesses, bad form, etc are going to catch up with them.
I get sick of the well, my kid is an 8 yr old L8 and she is going to be Elite. That's great, but she might want to fix those frog legs in her cast handstands and get those layouts more that 2 feet off the ground.

 

[Tumblequeensmom]

She keeps saying that she doesn't want to be an 11yr L7 and that it's too old.

Morgansmom... tell your daughter that MY DD will be a SIXTEEN year old L7!!!

 

[Ingwe]

Morgansmom... tell your daughter that MY DD will be a SIXTEEN year old L7!!!

Thanks She is a silly girl and I have no idea where she gets some of her ideas from.

 

[gymnut1]

Morgans mum - your dd has nice form and skills. You can tell her to enjoy kicking butt at level 7 this year

 

[Ingwe]

Morgans mum - your dd has nice form and skills. You can tell her to enjoy kicking butt at level 7 this year

Thanks I will be sure to tell her that.

 

[lilgymmie7]

There sure are a lot of threads here today that I am relating to so much! My DD was 5 years old when they moved her to level 5. I did not fit anywhere in the equation prior to the coaches telling me because I rarely talked gym to them. I never want to be labeled a pushy parent, so I always leave the gymnastics to the coaches and owner of DD's gym. Well, I was shocked when this happened. However, it was validation that she had some talent.
This past season, she competed level 5 through the GIJO program. I also saw how they weren't very concerned with DD's form other than that she had the skill to compete the apparatus. She didn't do bars because she wasn't quite reaching the high bar when she had to catch it. She had the skills on each bar, but her bars coach didn't want to push it and have her fall and get scared. My DH wasn't at all with that. He thought they should at least spot her @ the meets. I had to constantly give him insight as to why they do what they do with her.
This past summer and currently, I noticed how much they are helping her with her form breaks. I know she will do far better this season as a level 5 than in the past season. I am not concerned with her moving up until she can do well at her current level. There is no doubt in my mind that she has a lot of talent, but what is important is that she ROCKS every level and looks awesome at competition. I will always be her biggest cheerleader, so I know I will cheer her regardless.
I don't think that DD's gym is concerned with quickly moving girls up. And they certainly don't listen to "pushy" parents! There are some, but thankfully not many at DD's gym. They are also known for producing high level gymnasts. In our area, it is the gym that most girls move to from other gyms when they reach the optional levels. So they have to know what they are doing!

 

[gymjoy]

Sadly, I think some parents get "too caught up" with this competitive attitude .

So do a lot of coaches...unfortunately.

I have stopped trying to understand this. It is a waste of energy. People are going to do what they want to do. If their child survives and makes it - great. But most of them won't - that is the reality of it. Focus on your kid, and get them to focus on their goals, not watch the latest "it" youtube gymnast.

 

[bookworm]

My daughter was one of those who moved right through the levels and was Level 10 at 10 years old but it wasn't because we pushed her, it was because she continued to master the skills needed for the next level and just moved on. I didn't think she should be held back just because of her age (it actually never came up) so she just moved along in the levels. So I don't know if it's always a "push" to move them through the levels or just genuine progress that you are seeing.

 

[Tumblequeensmom]

Bookworm... you said it yourself in your own post. She had "mastered the skills needed for the next level and just moved on." There is nothing to be argued against in that statement.

 

[gymjourneymom]

My daughter was one of those who moved right through the levels and was Level 10 at 10 years old but it wasn't because we pushed her, it was because she continued to master the skills needed for the next level and just moved on. I didn't think she should be held back just because of her age (it actually never came up) so she just moved along in the levels. So I don't know if it's always a "push" to move them through the levels or just genuine progress that you are seeing.

Thanks bookworm! Your DD sounds extremely talented. Many of us have seen girls who are just progressing so well, that they are really ready to move up quickly. They are a joy to behold for sure!!! But I think what many of us are questioning here are young girls being moved through levels very quickly that HAVEN'T mastered the prior level. And display very poor form. When will they go back address form instead of just pushing ahead with new skills??? Seems to me at some point that bad form will become much too difficult to unteach??? JMHO.

 

[hawaii_gymnast]

I agree that they shouldn't be pushed and many are sloppy and have bad form. But I have seen some amazing L7/L8 gymnasts at 7 with amazing form, and it seems that they just keep progressing. These kids would probably drop out because they got bored if they were held back. I think It all depends on the kid.

Isn't it just as bad to hold a kid back that wants to and is ready to progress, then to hold them back just because of their age?

Everyone thinks of it as, why are they competing at such a high level when they are so young, but if they are ready and they want to, go ahead and let them. But if they have bad form hold them back.

 

[ek2]

I agree that they shouldn't be pushed and many are sloppy and have bad form. But I have seen some amazing L7/L8 gymnasts at 7 with amazing form, and it seems that they just keep progressing. These kids would probably drop out because they got bored if they were held back. I think It all depends on the kid.

Isn't it just as bad to hold a kid back that wants to and is ready to progress, then to hold them back just because of their age?

Everyone thinks of it as, why are they competing at such a high level when they are so young, but if they are ready and they want to, go ahead and let them. But if they have bad form hold them back.

I think you said it correctly... a gymnast is ready to progress when they have mastered the current level. Scoring well at competitions, great form... and NOT throwing skills just because they can with no regard for what it looks like.

 

[bookworm]

Thanks bookworm! Your DD sounds extremely talented. Many of us have seen girls who are just progressing so well, that they are really ready to move up quickly. They are a joy to behold for sure!!! But I think what many of us are questioning here are young girls being moved through levels very quickly that HAVEN'T mastered the prior level. And display very poor form. When will they go back address form instead of just pushing ahead with new skills??? Seems to me at some point that bad form will become much too difficult to unteach??? JMHO.

Gymjourmneymom- you are correct that when they have good form and have mastered the skills for the next level, they are ready to move up. There have been many a gymnast in my years around this sport who have (for example) "been a Level 8 for 2 years" and the parents think that just because of the number of years in a level, they should move (!!) . I have always believed that it is not safe to move to a level that you are lacking skills in and i can't see why a parent would want that for their daughter...they usually say "I don't care if she's a lousy 9, i want her moved" To watch a girl struggle at a level they had no business being moved to is heartbreaking...i can't imagine that they feel good about themselves just because they moved up. And you are also correct in the whole idea that it is difficult to unlearn bad form...but if they are in a gym that is just pushing them through regardless of form, it will never be addressed and those are the girls that you see do a front aerial on beam (oo-ah) and get a .1 in bonus but because the legs are bent and all over the place get .4 in deductions!!! And the gym and the parents are clueless as to why...

Hawaiigymnast: I think you are correct, if they are progressing and have good form, move them along regardless of age. I don't think they should be moved up just "because they want to"...they need to have the skills and the form. My daughter was always the youngest in her group but she was never a distraction; she did her work at practice and kept right up with the older girls.

 

[Mariainlv]

I wonder why what I am seeing in the gymnastics world is so different from this board? We may be moving and both gyms I visited in the immediate area we are moving told me that J would do this fall as a 5, 1 meet @ 6 and then move on to L7. That would put her as an 8 year old L7. They seem to think this is the norm? One gym has two girls that competed at the National championships (one as a senior, one as a junior) Both were level 10 by 10 and the gym owner told me that for kids with potential, thats her preference. She anticipates having 4-5 10-11 year old L10s next year..

I really don't see why people are bothered by the younger, talented athletes moving faster?