Anon Compulsories wearing graduation year leos

[JMASR080615]

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There seems to be a new trend with some of the level 3s and 4s at our gym wearing leos with their graduation year on the back (2032! 2033!) I don't think the coaches like this much. I think those parents are crazy and putting way too much pressure on young kids. Thoughts?

I personally don’t see an issue with these Leo’s. The child’s high school graduation year has nothing to do with what level they are in. They are cute. I probably wouldn’t buy one for my daughter until she is in high school but I wouldn’t let a Leo any gymnast wears get under my skin.

 

[onelife4luv]

Wow, the comments on the article thread really don’t reflect why I bought one. I just thought it was fun and cute. We bought from sunshine Leo. But it wasn’t to prove anything. Kids buy shirts and they get little papers or other materials that relate to their graduation year not related to gymnastics, so I guess I’m confused by the big deal! The year on the Leo has absolutely no relation to gymnastics or recruiting. It’s literally just the year they graduated, that even in kindergarten they say class of 20__ or schools sale shirts with it, and other items to represent the graduation year.

 

[Anonymous (0188)]

Wow, the comments on the article thread really don’t reflect why I bought one. I just thought it was fun and cute. We bought from sunshine Leo. But it wasn’t to prove anything. Kids buy shirts and they get little papers or other materials that relate to their graduation year not related to gymnastics, so I guess I’m confused by the big deal! The year on the Leo has absolutely no relation to gymnastics or recruiting. It’s literally just the year they graduated, that even in kindergarten they say class of 20__ or schools sale shirts with it, and other items to represent the graduation year.

I agree with you. I was thrown off by the comments.

 

[Anonymous (26fd)]

I think the comments reflect the intent of the grad year leotards. They were originally created for level 10s to wear to camps for recruiting. So younger / lower level girls wearing them for that purpose is silly and doesn’t make sense. That being said I don’t think half the parents buying them know that, and while I won’t be buying my level 8/9 gymnast one, I would feel embarrassed, it doesn’t both me if others do.

 

[gymgal]

I think the comments reflect the intent of the grad year leotards. They were originally created for level 10s to wear to camps for recruiting. So younger / lower level girls wearing them for that purpose is silly and doesn’t make sense. That being said I don’t think half the parents buying them know that, and while I won’t be buying my level 8/9 gymnast one, I would feel embarrassed, it doesn’t both me if others do.

agreed. My kids were just a few years beyond grade school when the trend to use graduation years for grade school swag became popular in our area. So we didn't deal with it but it has become more of the ongoing trend across all areas, not just sports. It makes a little more sense for academics, since graduation pertains directly to it, vs a sport, which has no correlation aside from recruiting.

 

[Anonymous (c5d9)]

I feel like the negative feeling that the OP and some of the other talking about is not about the leo itself but the way its feeding into some other bad habits and vibes at gym.

I am not sure anyone seeing a grad year leo jumps to wow that kid is full of themselves but if you have a bunch of kids doing it and walking around like they are the next big thing and smug parents in the lobby taking tons of videos talking about 5yo training level 7/8 its an issue. And that type of attitude is out there and social media can fuel it...that idea of keeping up with the Jones.

There is supporting your kids an there is teaching your kids they are "better than" and I think too many parents aren't setting up kids for success by not helping them develop a healthy attitude about sports and life.

 

[Anonymous (0d2e)]

I feel like the negative feeling that the OP and some of the other talking about is not about the leo itself but the way its feeding into some other bad habits and vibes at gym.

I am not sure anyone seeing a grad year leo jumps to wow that kid is full of themselves but if you have a bunch of kids doing it and walking around like they are the next big thing and smug parents in the lobby taking tons of videos talking about 5yo training level 7/8 its an issue. And that type of attitude is out there and social media can fuel it...that idea of keeping up with the Jones.

There is supporting your kids an there is teaching your kids they are "better than" and I think too many parents aren't setting up kids for success by not helping them develop a healthy attitude about sports and life.

If this is what the OP was inferring, then sure but the original post was simply about the leos themselves. They even mentioned that they are not a fast track gym

 

[JBS]

It's crazy. We are not seeing any of this at our gym... but I see it online. It's definitely only created by the coaches / parents... not something the kids create on their own.

I was more referring to the crazy culture and behavior that is sometimes created more than just the leos. However… grad years have always been a recruiting thing in gymnastics… not just something that the little kids wear. Why not though… if the L10’s wear them then the littles will want the same thing.

 

[Anonymous (46de)]

If this is what the OP was inferring, then sure but the original post was simply about the leos themselves. They even mentioned that they are not a fast track gym

Not that it matters really, but the OP did mention too much pressure from the parents at their gym and then in the follow up post almost right after specifically mentioned instagymmies, cgms, social media and ambassadorships. So that is why I interpreted the OP as a rant against that culture and not just about the leotards.

 

[Anonymous (5484)]

OP here, and yup I was ranting a bit about the high pressure that some parents put on their young gymnasts. I see the graduation year leos as another log on the fire. It fits with the non-stop privates, the daily social media posts, all the home equipment and the posts of the kid doing tricks at home the second they are out of the gym, the #nodaysoff #thisis8 mindset that invariably leads to burnout and often overuse injuries. I've seen a good number of parents who are obsessed with the D1 dream from very early on, but so far, I haven't seen it work out well for any of those kids. Many of them don't make it out of compulsories, or they make it through 7/8 and start missing tons of practice, sitting out, crying, and feeling miserable bc it's hard to walk away from something that was made out to be their whole identity for so long and the kid knows just how much their sport means to their mom. Buying your kid a leo with the graduation year on the back is a reminder that college gymnastics is the end goal. What kid needs that pressure in level 4?

 

[Anonymous (44d7)]

Personally I feel like I have seen the culture of the sport change in a way that is frankly more like toddlers and tiaras than an actual sport over the years. I have kids in other sports and it isn't the same way so it does seem to be a gymnastics "thing". I find it really gross that parents are wiling to pimp out their kids on the internet for free Leos and (I guess ? ) money and put that pressure of "this is 6" or whatever on them. It wouldn't bother me so much except that I feel that even "reputable" institutions play into it. Look at that gymnast Isabelle on the internet. She ended up on a magazine cover last year for what? Not being the "best" 12 year old level ten but likely being the one whose parents posed them on the internet for clicks. I find it gross and frankly if they wanted to do an article on level tens why not the top scorers at nationals? Why do it on her who didn't even have the scores to qualify to the state meet? Please understand that this is not a bash on her or her abilities but why was she chosen when the junior A age group at JO's is FILLED with 12 year olds who have great skills, scores and start values? Why choose her over any other Junior who qualified to the NLC? It just feeds into that toddlers and tiaras culture IMO. And perpetuates more and more parents pimping their daughters out on the internet.

 

[Anonymous (4f0f)]

I wonder how much of this is social media and reality tv influence, and how much comes from gymnastics' constant downward pressure in terms of age? I know there is a slow expansion of the sport away from just early teenagers, and we see more women in their twenties competing successfully at higher levels in the sport. But in no other sport I can think of is an athlete already past their "prime" if they haven't attained the highest levels before reaching high school. In many ways that pressure and that adulation (young = best, fast progression = ideal) is just a natural outcome from the culture of the sport itself.

 

[Anonymous (9ca2)]

I actually disagree that there is a new culture of downward pressure of age. Presumably from NIL but perhaps other things as well, the age of the most successful gymnasts seems to be getting older, not younger. I suspect that the younger national team members will be fighting for maybe one spot on the 2024 olympic team, with the other spots filled by those who are much older (Jordan is 22; Suni is 20; and Jade is 23. Simone and Gabby are supposedly training and they are 26 and 27, respectively.)

I have mixed feelings about the instagram thing. The biggest downside, IMO, is that it's all so fun when the kids are young and learning new skills quickly, but as they get older there will be plateaus, injuries, etc. and it's hard to post so frequently when this happens. I think it puts undue pressure on kids in an already stressful sport. With that said, I can see the upsides. I recall when a gymnast (I think it was Kaliyah Lincoln) who was VERY good but maybe not the absolute best at the time, got chosen for a TV show that resulted in Gabby Douglas paying for a portion of her gymnastics. That would not have happened if not for her instagram presence. I also have to believe it can help with recruiting for the few who make it that far. Recruiting is so much about "getting on the radar" and these kids have been on the radar for years.

 

[Anonymous (26fd)]

I find it really gross that parents are wiling to pimp out their kids on the internet for free Leos and (I guess ? ) money

Me toooo!! I agree with everything you said. We recently got photos done by a well know Instagram photographer, they are local to us, and our gym doesn’t do photos, so it was an easy choice. Anyway, they were telling me how some of these gymnasts they photograph are making six figures off Instagram!! And how they are offering videos and reel creation too because the parents are asking for it. I just laughed and said we weren’t into the whole “insta-fame” thing, I just wanted some nice photos of my daughter. But dang, six figures?! I can see how a parent can easily get sucked into that.

 

[FlippinPrincess]

Anyway, they were telling me how some of these gymnasts they photograph are making six figures off Instagram!!

Dang - making me rethink not having my kid Insta-famous - LOL

 

[Pineapple_Lump]

Dang - making me rethink not having my kid Insta-famous - LOL

Don't second guess yourself - I saw something in relation to Dance Moms about the stats on who was actually following these kids and it wasn't predominantly kids or females... I don't see young gymnasts being much different.
Surly these parents have an inkling to what the actual audience is.
This is very interesting if you have the time to listen.

Opinion | Millions of People Watched Her Grow Up Online. What Did It Cost Her?

Whitney Bjerken has been a YouTuber for as long as she can remember. At 18, she’s taking stock of her viral childhood.

www.nytimes.com

 

[Mish]

Dang - making me rethink not having my kid Insta-famous - LOL

Don't second guess yourself - I saw something in relation to Dance Moms about the stats on who was actually following these kids and it wasn't predominantly kids or females... I don't see young gymnasts being much different.
Surly these parents have an inkling to what the actual audience is.
This is very interesting if you have the time to listen.

Opinion | Millions of People Watched Her Grow Up Online. What Did It Cost Her?

Whitney Bjerken has been a YouTuber for as long as she can remember. At 18, she’s taking stock of her viral childhood.

www.nytimes.com

Exactly. I few years ago I asked my then 12 year old about a few "insta-famous" gymnasts. She had no idea who they were (but I did, so that was a moment). The only accounts she was following were Olympic and college gymnasts, and people she knew from her own gym world.

 

[Anonymous (3ba6)]

But dang, six figures?! I can see how a parent can easily get sucked into that.

exactly! But then it becomes all about the money and not about gymnastics. I personally know several gymnasts who’ve made it big on IG. Their moms are so wrapped up in the money side, that they don’t seem to care that their 12 year old daughter is posing very seductively in skimpy clothes, or making inappropriate dance videos on TicTock. I’ve had my daughter, who is the same age, stop following some of her own teammates and gym mates because of how inappropriate their posts are. NIL hasn’t helped either, as some college girls who we know are now unfollowed because of the way they poke out and enhance certain body parts, and how they pose and dress.
That relates to the thread because the younger girls look at the college girls and copy them. The difference is, the college girls are adults. So now there’s all these 8 year and up gymnasts on IG that mom is pushing to get more followers so they can be ambassadors and paid sponsors. Does anyone know how many of these IG famous or YouTube famous gymnasts actually make it to a college team? I can think of one.

 

[Anonymous (3ba6)]

For some reason, the gymnasts at my daughter’s gym think that qualifying to regionals (levels 6-8) means that they will skip a level now. There are level 7s (just finished season) who think they’re going to level 9, level 4s who think they’re scoring out of level 5 and going to 7 when they still can’t Kip without muscling it up, even level 6s who think they’re going level 8 or 9! It’s not the coaches, it’s coming from the parents (I’ve heard them talking) and the girls themselves. And they aren’t older girls, they’re ages 10-12. I don’t know what’s going on this year, it’s never been like this before. It has never been a thing that qualifying to regionals means skipping the next level. Why can’t they all just enjoy the level they’re training and get good at those skills first?

Sorry, I don’t know how this got on the wrong thread!