WAG Competing at lower levels

[Dahlia]

"Most of the 3s have decent kips and double ROBH and could probably compete 4 pretty decently".

Then why don't they? Do they hold them back to perfect/win level 3??? Seems counterproductive.

There are gyms that sandbag. But, ime, it's not the norm.

There are lots of reasons girls might be competing lower then their skill set seems to be to a parent watching from the stands.

Some girls stay back because they struggled the previous season and need to build confidence. It's not just about skills. It's about setting them up mentally to succeed long term.

Some gyms that don't start competing until L3 may have a girl compete 1 year at L3 rather than going straight to 4 to gain experience.

Another reason is timing. Did they have the skill consistently before the season began? Most gyms have a cutoff. For example, levels are set as of September 1st. If you're close but not quite there on something like a consistent kip, then you stay back because it's time to learn and perfect routines. But they're is still up training going on during the season because the hope is those girls will get the skill consistently and be ready to move up for summer training after states.

It's also possible they are missing other consistent skills they need to move up whether on the same event or others.

Moving up levels as soon as barely ready is not always the best route. There are so many factors.

 

[Mish]

There are gyms that sandbag. But, ime, it's not the norm.

There are lots of reasons girls might be competing lower then their skill set seems to be to a parent watching from the stands.

Some girls stay back because they struggled the previous season and need to build confidence. It's not just about skills. It's about setting them up mentally to succeed long term.

Some gyms that don't start competing until L3 may have a girl compete 1 year at L3 rather than going straight to 4 to gain experience.

Another reason is timing. Did they have the skill consistently before the season began? Most gyms have a cutoff. For example, levels are set as of September 1st. If you're close but not quite there on something like a consistent kip, then you stay back because it's time to learn and perfect routines. But they're is still up training going on during the season because the hope is those girls will get the skill consistently and be ready to move up for summer training after states.

It's also possible they are missing other consistent skills they need to move up whether on the same event or others.

Moving up levels as soon as barely ready is not always the best route. There are so many factors.

Yes, my daughter has been in this sport for over 10 years, I understand the factors that go into moving levels . I was referring specifically to the OP and why her gym operates this way.

 

[Aussie_coach]

"Most of the 3s have decent kips and double ROBH and could probably compete 4 pretty decently".

Then why don't they? Do they hold them back to perfect/win level 3??? Seems counterproductive.

So many possible reasons.

Season timing can be one, they may have qualified for States and are working through the process. Planning to move up after States.

Consistency. Skills may be there but not hitting 9 times out of 10.

Everything may be there, as in they can do the skills but more time is needed to make them deduction free.

A skill may be missing.

They may not have the maturity to perform the dance needed, even if they have all the tumbling type skills.

 

[Mish]

So many possible reasons.

Season timing can be one, they may have qualified for States and are working through the process. Planning to move up after States.

Consistency. Skills may be there but not hitting 9 times out of 10.

Everything may be there, as in they can do the skills but more time is needed to make them deduction free.

A skill may be missing.

They may not have the maturity to perform the dance needed, even if they have all the tumbling type skills.

Again, I should have been more clear. My daughter is lv 9 and I understand the reasons for not moving up levels. My specific question to the poster was about why they would not move out of level 3 as she stated they all had the skills to "compete lv 4 pretty decently".
My daughter killed level 3 and 4 with 37s and 38s. Kids who were just "decent" back then who are still with it now ended up in the same place. I was just wondering if they hold kids back to be "perfect" at those lower levels

 

[ORgymmom]

One reason to not move athletes out of level 3 or 4 is just constraints of workout group size. In a gym pinched for space or coaching or with an unusually large year of 4s or 5s, there might be a year or two where girls who would otherwise compete as 3s or 4s stay back a level. I don’t think a gym or coach would ever say “sorry, we don’t have enough coaches or floor panels for more than 10 girls in your group”, so they might just say girls are not competition ready unless they’ve got 100% of their skills down with perfect form. I saw a situation like this when a few former fast tracked/daytime workout athletes moved to evening workouts at the start of the school year and every workout group was shuffled.

 

[RTT2]

One reason to not move athletes out of level 3 or 4 is just constraints of workout group size. In a gym pinched for space or coaching or with an unusually large year of 4s or 5s, there might be a year or two where girls who would otherwise compete as 3s or 4s stay back a level. I don’t think a gym or coach would ever say “sorry, we don’t have enough coaches or floor panels for more than 10 girls in your group”, so they might just say girls are not competition ready unless they’ve got 100% of their skills down with perfect form. I saw a situation like this when a few former fast tracked/daytime workout athletes moved to evening workouts at the start of the school year and every workout group was shuffled.

Yes, I think numbers can come into play. One year the gym may have so many strong kids at a certain level that a kid who might have moved up in a different year stays back due to training group numbers, or numbers in the compulsory group vs optional group hours.

I also think mindset comes into play sometimes- a kid who may have the skills one day (and posts videos of those skills) may not be consistent and may struggle with "losing" the skill for weeks or months at a time, or have nerves that mean they only hit the skill once a week and aren't ready to compete those skills.

 

[DataMom]

Does your gym skip test out of 5 and skip 6? A gym I know has pre-team kids do 2 and 3 skills, and then handpicks girls to “train” Level 3 that already have Level 3 skills, then uptrains seriously in 3 and 4 with the intention of going from 4 to 7.

No, typically our girls will compete 5 but skip L6. ‍ Our pre-team does L1, then we compete L2 and up. Our girls go into a L3 season with solid L3 skills (able to score 9 and up) most meets, but most don't have solid L4 skills until near the end of L3. My L3 daughter probably has all of her L4 skills except beam, and she hasn't even attempted a cartwheel there I don't think. She also went into L3 with a kip, but that's not typical.