Anon Coaches trying to recruit my kid at camp with wild claims.

[Anonymous (fd9a)]

I recently took my 8-year-old to a weekend camp at a nationally-recognized gym located 90 minutes from our home. I had no idea what I was walking into. They spent the entire weekend trying to convince me to transfer my son to their gym! They sent coach after coach over to try every angle they could think of to convince me. They even tried to persuade my 8-year-old directly. They kept making outrageous claims about my child’s elite potential, throwing around words like “Olympics” and “scholarship”. They did this openly in front of other kids and parents, so there will be gossip about this for sure. (Cringe)

I’m not a fool and I recognize when I’m being manipulated. But I’m not going to lie, it did catch my attention when an experienced international elite coach and recent Olympic judge told me that he’s only seen a couple kids in his 30-year-career with as much potential as my kid. I told him that I was sure he was exaggerating and he said quite earnestly “No. I am serious. You never see a kid like this. You never see this!”

I would discount this entirely except that this isn’t the first time I’ve gotten similar feedback from an experienced person. Several months ago, my kid won a lesson with an Olympic gold medalist in a raffle and she kept yelling across the gym “He’s so good! He’s amazing! I tell him one time and he does it! I want to coach boys!” The Olympic judge/coach yelled almost the same words across the gym to me at the camp.

It’s hard to know what to make of all this. There is zero chance we are going to commute 3 hours per day to a gym that is notorious for bad owners, frequent coach turnover, and SafeSport violations! For the foreseeable future, he’ll stay at our local gym where he has coaches who care about him, lots of friends, and zero pressure.

I try not to think too far ahead about his future in the sport because I know it’s extremely unlikely that he’ll have the same passion at 18 that he has at 8. But I do wonder if I should be doing anything now to ensure that all the doors remain open for him for when he is older. I think he will be competing 6JE/Future Stars next season, which is the highest level he can compete at his age. That’s pretty ambitious for a kid who started gymnastics last year.

I don’t have specific questions exactly but I’d love some feedback on the general situation. It’s all so weird to me!

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

Awesome and congrats!

I think you have the right instincts and mindset, and I don't think you really need to do anything in particular at this point. If he's having fun and progressing where you are now, then there's no need to shake things up.

 

[skschlag]

How exciting! It sounds like your son is very talented.

I would say that you have the right mindset. It is so easy to hear this and push faster, but really, that can burn out a kid really quickly. As long as he has good coaching with the basics being taught well, he will be fine. You can make decisions later if things change.

Can't wait to hear how his season goes!

 

[Anonymous (1b53)]

Similar situation here, first day of gymnastics ever at a day camp and the phone call to please, please, pretty please join their club. We are now four years further into the journey and the O-word has fallen more than once. It sure is heady stuff when they mention things like Olympics, especially when it comes from a coach who has experience with getting gymnasts there. I must admit that I find it both scary and exciting. The level of commitment necessary for that kind of future definitely freaks me out. For the moment it is way too early as far as I am concerned to even consider it for more than a second, but what if it is a realistic option? No idea what to do about that (other than to keep our heads cool and to never ever mention this to our child)

 

[Anonymous (bb56)]

As long as he has good coaching with the basics being taught well, he will be fine. You can make decisions later if things change.

Totally agree with all your point except this one... and I hate to say it as a coach who loves good basics. If this kid is as talented as others are making him out to be - he is probably talented enough to overcome and correct less that ideal basics later.

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

Totally agree with all your point except this one... and I hate to say it as a coach who loves good basics. If this kid is as talented as others are making him out to be - he is probably talented enough to overcome and correct less that ideal basics later.

Hard disagree with this one.

Yes, talented kids can eventually overcome flawed basics, but you're not making either their lives or their coaches lives any easier if you assume this will happen. Always best to make sure the basics are solid

 

[Anonymous (fd9a)]

I try not to get to excited about my kid’s supposed talent. I know he’s a little freak. But once you get to the higher levels, all the kids are freaks! I don’t think he’s a freak among freaks. He’s no Simone or Fred Richard. Of course, Stephen Nedoroscik is going to the Olympics, so dreams do come true; but, realistically, my kid would be incredibly lucky to someday become an average NCAA gymnast. That would be amazing! And, if that is what he really wants, I’ll try hard to find enough money to make it possible.

But that’s not why he’s doing gymnastics. He’s doing gymnastics because he’s the human equivalent of a Border Collie and unless he is properly exercised and mentally challenged, he drives the rest of the family crazy! That’s what really matters.