Confused! Pls Help

[Toot Toot Mama]

Hello my DD is 3.5 years old training and competing unsanctioned xcel bronze. In June she will begin training with the Tiny TOPs Team so eventually she can compete with TOPs My question is..why is it so hard to get a new competition leo for your child if they have outgrown a month before competition..my gym doesn't seem to really care and tell me we can't order new ones right now...is that how all that works at all gyms..can someone please explain to me what the big deal is because I'm confused...for real

 

[thefellowsmom]

Most competition Leo’s are custom orders. Most gyms place their orders in the summer and it takes months to make a get them. You can’t just order one up. Just doesn’t work that way in most circumstances. I’m sure there are gyms out there who either order stock Leo’s or have special relationships with Leo manufacturers but your situation is the norm from what i have experienced at multiple gyms over the last ten plus years.

she will likely just have to wear the too small Leo for the remaining meets. This is a problem for lots of kids especially when they are little and growing really fast and there always seems to be that kid who growth spurts right before season.

one idea. did they use this Leo last season? Maybe there is someone Who had one last year and had to buy a new one this year. If you don’t know many people maybe the booster club could help you ask around or may have more info they can share about how it works and any ideas for you. Maybe someone else has one that’s too big and you could switch? Just rambling at this point

but really, Leo’s are pretty stretchy. it will probably be fine If you just downplay it with your daughter.

 

[Learning Parent GB]

Someone once told me that a good way to gently stretch a leotard is to put it on an appropriately sized pillow or cushion. If there is no-one with one from last year that she can borrow, then could that be worth a try?

 

[Cmumgym]

This is normal as said above most gyms custom order them at a certain time and then have to wait months for them to be delivered. We email all families 8 months in advance to remind them if they have children who will most likely need new ones soon to notify us then so we can be prepared. Competition leotards can be expensive too so gyms won’t usually purchase a whole lot to just keep in stock. It’s mostly just for when they have new Competitors coming through they will purchase sizes to match those competitors and then notify any parents of older gymnasts asking if they need any new ones. We also have a leotard sale day where parents can bring in their pre owned out grown leotards and other families can purchase them for cheaper.

 

[duyetanh]

I am confused. She is three and a half years old? And your profile says you are a coach. Wouldn’t you be able to ask?
I didn’t know girls that young could compete.

 

[Toot Toot Mama]

I am confused. She is three and a half years old? And your profile says you are a coach. Wouldn’t you be able to ask?
I didn’t know girls that young could compete.

 

[Toot Toot Mama]

I only teach Rec not Competitive. We had just moved so this is a new gym for her so since we came in the middle of a season there was no way to have known to order a leo for her ahead of time. Being that they invited her onto a team I would think they
would have a leo for her. But I parent did step up and offer to loan us one but unfourtantly she had a growth spurt so he doesn't fit now. She is only competing unsanctioned xcel bronze right now.

 

[3rd_time_around]

She outgrew a leo at age 3? How many toddlers are on this team?

I’m sorry to be skeptical, but something sounds off about this. No one fields a team of 3-year olds, they just don’t have the maturity for competition. There was a 3 or 4 year old at my dd’s level 2 (AAU) State Meet that rotated with them. She was very distracting to the gymnasts as she crawled around on the floor, under the beam during warm ups, wouldn’t stay in line, etc. AAU is very competitive here, and treated like USAG level 2 for the most part. We parents were collectively irritated by the distraction.
I find it hard to believe that your 3 year old is on a team and has outgrown a CXS leotard, AND someone had one for you to borrow which means there’s another 3 year old on the team.

 

[Toot Toot Mama]

My daughter is NOT the typical 3.5 year old. She trains 2hrs a practice with 5-6 year old girls. There was only one other girl on the team that was close to her age that was able to pass on their Leo. So pls don't be questioning by daughters abilities. She has been in gymnastics since she was 22 months old. She progressed very quickly after mommy and me classes. I only posted on here about Leotards not to get people sticking their nose up because my daughter is on a team at 3.5 years old. My daughter has better composor than most the 6 year olds.

 

[Faith]

Leotards are stretchy. What size is the leo?

not being funny but the vast majority of kids i coach have leos that are too big. Even at comps i see wrinkles and loose legs.

my tall 11 year old wears a 30 (cla?)for training, and a 28 (cme?) for competition. Both sizes still have a bit of stretch room.

She’s in her 3rd year of the same comp leo, so how does a 3 year old outgrow a stretch garment in a month?

 

[Cmumgym]

Leotards are stretchy. What size is the leo?

not being funny but the vast majority of kids i coach have leos that are too big. Even at comps i see wrinkles and loose legs.

my tall 11 year old wears a 30 (cla?)for training, and a 28 (cme?) for competition. Both sizes still have a bit of stretch room.

She’s in her 3rd year of the same comp leo, so how does a 3 year old outgrow a stretch garment in a month?

3 year olds grow a lot quicker. I’m more impressed with a 3 year old competing. Does she have someone on the sidelines helping her with floor routine. Like with little dancers at a concert having someone helping remember the routine. Or what skills is she competing. It would be amazing to watch. Have never even heard of it before. If she’s needing a specific leotard it’s obviously for a competition format otherwise if just for a home gym Comp could you purchase a training leotard. We have our level 3s compete early when we have no leotards ready for in house competitions and as long as they wear our colours it’s ok. But if it’s for a proper comp I’m very impressed and eager to know how it works

 

[Carabistouille]

Let her compete with a smallish leo without telling her it is not fitting her properly. They do stretch and, considering her age, she probably won't notice it's too small if nobody mention it.

 

[Faith]

3 year olds grow a lot quicker.

My eldest got her first leo aged 2.5. Size 22. She was still competing (in house) in it aged 6.

i just think people often underestimate the stretch in leotards.

 

[3rd_time_around]

My daughter is NOT the typical 3.5 year old. She trains 2hrs a practice with 5-6 year old girls. There was only one other girl on the team that was close to her age that was able to pass on their Leo. So pls don't be questioning by daughters abilities. She has been in gymnastics since she was 22 months old. She progressed very quickly after mommy and me classes. I only posted on here about Leotards not to get people sticking their nose up because my daughter is on a team at 3.5 years old. My daughter has better composor than most the 6 year olds.

No one’s “sticking up their nose.” It’s just that 3 yr olds are rarely on team, much less added in the middle of comp season. Most people here have been in or around the sport for over a decade, so don’t get offended at the first hint of someone questioning you. (My daughter has been in gym since she was 18 months old, and she’s my third girl on team.)

You might not want to post your daughter’s first name with her gym name; that’s not safe and it reveals too much personal info.

 

[gymgal]

As others have mentioned, yes that is common for designed leos. Even with of the rack leos, the style may not be available any more. And if it is, if it's a really small size, they may not have any in stock.

What size and brand? How tight is the Leo? Is it merely that it is uncomfortable or can she literally not get it on? (baby powder helps) This happened a couple times with teammates of my dd's where they hit an unexpected growth spurt and the Leo was too tight by the time comp season came. Nothing they could do. They had to squeeze into it. One mom had her put it on while it was still damp (when it's stretchier) and kept her in it until it dried. It helped a little but still the girl still had marks on her shoulders /legs from being too tight. If all else fails, ask the coach if she can compete in a similar color leo you can find online out a team practice leo. There are no rules that the team must be in the same leo.

Also, you may want to take down the attachment. This is a public forum for anyone to see her name, Pic, and gym name. While we like to think everyone here is honest and good...

 

[Sk8ermaiden]

As long as the leotard isn't pieced mystique with light and dark colors next to each other, get it damp. I usually wash and let the waching machine spin the excess water out. Hang it up and put something like a *big* jug of gatorade in the crotch and leave it that way until she needs to wear it. I have done this many times and it does work. But I agree with the other posters that almost every time I see a parent saying a leo is too small, it actually isn't - if it's not digging in on her armpits and legs, it's probably fine, *and* it will relax as she wears it. My DD's leo last year was painted on at the beginning of the season and she couldn't even get it on and off without help. After 6 meets it has stretched considerably and she still wears it now as a practice leo (I converted it to a tank) even though she's grown a ton.