Women Decisions…

[GymnastGirlypop]

So for some background info, I’m going to high school next year. My school will be about 25 mins from my house, and my gym is 45 mins from my house (in the other direction). Since I found out I was going to this school I got myself settled on the idea of 3 school sports that I really wanted to do. However it’s impossible for me to be able to continue gymnastics along with this. This idea of quitting seems so impossible. Gymnastics means the world to me, and I really don’t feel ready to be done. I’ve done it my entire life, and thinking of not doing it anymore honestly makes me feel terrible. At the same time I don’t want to let go of the idea of doing these sports, I’d be willing to give up the spring sport, but that wouldn’t be enough because of time consuming practices for the other two sports. States is this weekend, and possibly could be my last meet (since we’re not going to regionals this year) which I’m not ready for at all. I can’t make this decision, and it seems that either way I decide will be giving up something huge. I have given up a lot of things for gymnastics, and I don’t really regret it. But giving up an entire part of my high school experience seems like a big sacrifice to make. I am just wondering about the experiences of other people that have quit after struggling to make the decision, was it worth it, and did you miss the sport. Anything that could make this transition easer would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Gabi.flips]

It honestly just depends on what your goal is in life. For example, if your goal is to make it big in your gymnastics career then you should be focusing ONLY on gymnastics, no other sports whatsoever. But if your goal is to just have fun and make the most out of your high school years then by all means go for it, try new things and see what you like. I'm assuming that if you quit gymnastics for a while, you can always come back if you miss it but if that's not possible then be careful with your decision

 

[JustAGirlWhoLovesGym]

There are pros and cons to both options. I did gymnastics all throughout high school, and I did not regret this choice at all (I felt the same way as you did in that I could never imagine a life where I did not do gymnastics). I had good friends and coaches at the gym, and I loved the sport (However, keep in mind that it was also easier for me to decide to keep doing gymnastics because my gym and school were both relatively close to my house). I also appreciated that gym was separate from school. Personally, it was easier for me to shift my focus from a bad day at school if I was able to change my environment by going to gym.

I could see the value of participating in different school sports, though. When I was finishing up high school, I felt pretty sad that I never tried any other sports, especially since there were a ton of activities that I would've liked to try (track, xc, cheer, to name a few). I loved gymnastics, but I was also left wondering if there was something I would've liked just as much or even more if I had tried it. School sports can also help you build community at school. In high school, I would see kids who were friends with everyone, and I wondered how that was even possible when you were only a freshman! Most of the time, it was because they were on a sports team and had grown really close to their teammates.

Overall, this is a really tough decision you have to make. I do not think there is necessarily a "bad" option here, it is just about which option you want more/what you are willing to give up. Also, if competing in NCAA (for gymnastics or maybe another sport) is something you want to do, I'd keep that in mind as well. If you are really struggling with your decision, see if your high school has summer camps for the sports you are interested in and consider signing up for them. That way, you can meet the team and the coach, and you can see if you even like that particular sport.

 

[Carly]

Is there a possibility to switch to an Xcel program with less hours so you could have time to try another sport in high school? Or maybe there is an option to try one of these sports over the summer to see if you love it enough to stop gymnastics? Good luck with your decision.

 

[Dahlialover]

Just remember that you can always go back. Take it one season at a time.

 

[Pfiga]

I second the idea of switching to Xcel, especially if you want to keep your options open about going back to gymnastics. Maybe talk to your coaches and see what they think?

 

[Gymgirl84]

I would try to do gymnastics + one sport at high school. I find it a good compromise. For me it is very hard to be away from gymnastics, even now. I did gym + volleyball (very low hours) a couple of years in HS (it is also a different country, so probably a different way to handle it all).

 

[GymDadWA]

For most gymnasts I would say do the school sports, gymnasts have so much success doing other sports and competing for your school is a very rewarding and different experience than competing for your club/gym.