WAG Competing more advanced skills?

[#noselfconfidence]

I’m currently in Xcel gold and going to compete it this coming season. Every season and level our coaches give us routines with all the skills and requirements for the next level. This cause us to not score as well at meets because the other girls are doing something like a straight jump off the beam while we are doing front tucks during an Xcel silver meet. This year my bar routine has a long hang kip and flyaway even though those are platinum skills. Is this normal? Coaches who do this too, why? Is it wrong for me to think this is not fair?

 

[Coach Kate]

Different gyms can have different approaches. There are so many ways to fulfill the requirements but each gym can do as it pleases as long as the minimums are met.

 

[Aussie_coach]

It depends what the coaches think is more important. High scores and winning or skill development.

So you meet the criteria to compete at a higher level?

 

[#noselfconfidence]

It depends what the coaches think is more important. High scores and winning or skill development.

So you meet the criteria to compete at a higher level?

Yes I do, I’m almost 13 so I feel like a want to move up or skip a level to I can progress faster because I’m older than some of the other girls and then I can compete with people actually doing the same skills

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

What are the current goals, and how do you balance them? Is the goal to score well? Perfect basics? Build confidence? Prepare for the next level? Prepare for two levels ahead? Work fun skills?

There's no correct answer: coaches always have to balance between many goals at the same time. Different programs strike different balances.

 

[procmadz]

flyaways and high bar kips are very common in BOTH Gold and Platinum. Personally, I would say don’t skip levels. There are plenty of older kids competing gold, and it’s much better to do a solid year of gold and then a solid year of platinum rather than jumping up a level and struggling really hard.

Secondly, if your coaches have told you Gold, then you’re probably not ready for platinum on at least one event. Are you twisting vault? Are you working multiple tucks and pikes on floor? Many Golds have higher level skills on one or two events and compete those (they also often score higher IMO) but are on track for gold in the other events.