Parents Decision made - for now....

[kristilyn73]

Well - after a summer of 5 day a week training, and a great camp experience. Beetle came to a decision on Thursday. She is going to compete L8 again this year.

Last night at practice HC decided to start 'Testing'. I don't really understand why he does the because he sees them every day at practice, but I think it is to see how the girls handle the 'pressure'. Anyway, Beetle tested all her L8 skills and passed - no real surprise there since she already competed L8 last year! LOL. But she didn't compete a tsuk last year. She tested her tsuk last night. She also didn't test a flight on beam last night. She is working on a new flight (gainer BHS, BHS Connection)

That all being said... Her coach also is testing her L9 skills simutaniously. So she passed Vault as a L9. She is going to test L9 floor and L9 beam (minus flight) next week.

Her coach told her last night, that he is glad she made the decision on her own to compete L8. But she needs to keep working her L9 skills at every practice. If she gets them (even during the season ) and wants to move to L9, He is open to it.

I am glad that the decision is made. One less thing for me, as a parent, to stress about. The attitudes in the gym have been better recently as well. I don't think the teammates that I was worried about will be a L8 this year. As we have all said in the past, you only get out what you put in. Since these girls by nature are chatty, catty and unfocused... they are simply not getting their skills.

My only concern is that Beetle has tended to Thrive under challenge - not necessarily perfection. She competed 2 years as a L7. She did get higher scores her second year of L7 than her first, but not a ton (from 33's to mid 34's). So this year I dont expect her to get 36's or 37's.. probably 35's and if she is fine with that.. I am fine with that.

So - that is that... It is onto training routines now... comp season is only 4 months away LOL!

 

[bogwoppit]

It is great that she got there by herself, the pressure is huge for them to commit. I love that her coach is encouraging the uptraining and is supportive of her. I think she'll havea great season. She may enjoy doing well at her first few L8 meets and then feel ready to push into L9 territory and the challenges it will bring.

Our coach also tests skills the same way, I think it is all abou the pressure, how do the girls really perform when asked to show their best!

 

[gymmomntc2e6]

I think Beetle will have a great season. Less stress now that she has decidedto repeat L8. It's great that she can train L9 skills and move up when she is ready.

 

[Blackie6]

WOW! L8 in itself is quite an accomplishment! Sounds like she has made the right decision, being "comfortable" in L8 while still tweeking those L9 skills sounds like the win-win situation! And good for her for keeping her focus, I'm sure it was difficult to do with teamates that were chatty and catty, but now she showed them! Good luck to her in her season.

 

[canadiangymmom]

That's great that you've reached a decision! And wonderful that they’ve given the option of moving up when she feels ready. It gives her the best of both worlds!

Bean’s in the middle of making the 8/9 decision right now too. Her gym hasn't ever offered the option of moving up mid-season, so I don't think that's available to her.
Her pros for going level 8 are that she has everything she needs, quite solidly, so it would be a happy, stress free season. Her reasons for wanting 9 are that it was her goal at the beginning of summer, and she's SO close! She knows that if she does it, she'll struggle on her double back on floor, and her bars release is still inconsistant.
Having spoken to her coach, his thoughts are that whether she does 8 or 9 this year is kind of irrelevant as she’ll do 9 again next year. We don’t have 10 here, so our 9 is more like US 10, and after 9 comes National.

As a mom, I’d like her to go 8, less scary for me, and I’m in no hurry to see her climb levels. The stress free year *really* appeals to me!

We find out in October, so I’ll update when I know.

Congrats to your daughter, I hope she has a fabulous season!

 

[gym law mom]

Our gym also does a skills pre-test so the girls(and parents) all know what skills need to be worked on. Then in about 8 weeks they'll have to do 1/2 of each routine for the level desired(don't know how you do 1/2 vault?) and that will decide levels.

Glad Beetle made the decision. Its much easier if the gymnast says this is where she feels comfortable and this is her goal. In the teen years especially these girls need to feel in control.

Just a little opinion on trying to jump into L9 during the season. I think I mentioned 1 girl on our team that the coaches really wanted to compete L9 last year, but due to injuries etc she didn't have a competitive L9 vault and bars just killed her. She did have a great beam and floor. She started out as a L8 and kept trying to get those L9 skills and just drove herself crazy because she was going back and forth all the time---practice L9 bar skills, but then make sure she still had time to practice a L8 bar routine. She ended up with lower scores her 2nd yr. as a L8 than her 1st and she and her parents really felt she never settled into 1 level. Anyway so much for that saga----best of everything to Beetle for the upcoming season!

 

[Granny Smith]

Beetle will rock level 8 and the fact that her coach wants her to continue working 9 skills means that she probably will do just that. That is the most important thing. I'm happy that Beetle made the decision for herself and that she is happy!

 

[NotAMom]

kristilyn73, I think it was a good decision as well. May I ask how old she is?

FWIW, my 13yo was on the fence as well. But, it's between L7 and 8. She was also given an option (or more than asked for a preference) in the beginning of the summer. She told the coaches that she rather repeat L7 just so that she can be more consistent on L8 skills when she starts competing that level. So, without our intervention, between the gymnast and the coaches, they decided to have her compete L7 until early states, at which point unless things regress she will be moving up.

Being a proud parent with a big ego and wanting her to be the first to move up, I was first a bit disappointed with that call. After thinking over a little, I am now proud that she made that decision -- one that surprisingly involved some thought into her future and reality (there is hope!). Not only will she have more L8 skills under her belt before she competes (while hopefully hitting the podium a couple more times at L7), she also will likely to move up with at least one of her good friends (2 at her age) that are on her team now. It is probably for the best as all the existing L8s are much older and have already formed their own clique.

 

[mariposa]

Glad that a decision has been made and that she is happy with it/made it herself. I am sure she will have a great level 8 season and hopefully be able to keep working those level 9 skills. These girls always amaze me.

 

[kristilyn73]

Just a little opinion on trying to jump into L9 during the season. I think I mentioned 1 girl on our team that the coaches really wanted to compete L9 last year, but due to injuries etc she didn't have a competitive L9 vault and bars just killed her. She did have a great beam and floor. She started out as a L8 and kept trying to get those L9 skills and just drove herself crazy because she was going back and forth all the time---practice L9 bar skills, but then make sure she still had time to practice a L8 bar routine. She ended up with lower scores her 2nd yr. as a L8 than her 1st and she and her parents really felt she never settled into 1 level. Anyway so much for that saga----best of everything to Beetle for the upcoming season!

Gym Law Mom - I fear this a little, but I know how HC works and he won't let her touch a L9 skill until she has worked all her L8 skills. Then she is going to work the skills that could be used in L8. For instance. On Bars her Shootover(Baile) is a stuggle. So after she does her L8 routines, She will work Shootovers. Then move on to Doubleback dismounts and Toe Shoots.

My gut tells me that she stays in L8 all year. But we will see sometimes she surprises me, once the pressure is off? the skills start coming!

 

[kristilyn73]

kristilyn73, I think it was a good decision as well. May I ask how old she is?

She will be 14 in the Fall. I should explain that the plan at the end of last year was to compete a second year of L8. But when USAG came out with the new code of points and they capped L8 Skills she started thinking L9.

Sounds like you guys made a good decision for your DD as well!