Parents Different Practice Groups?

[rjb123]

They do this at DD's gym. Schedules and groups are changed around three times a year depending on whatever the coaches think, school schedules etc. There are a few girls who are obviously the "A" team, and then those who are the "b" team. DD is not "A" team, though she has done very well (IMO). Her gym just has a lot of really talented high scoring girls. She has never been a superstar, just fairly solid and "average" for her gym. Some of the parents do get upset with the groupings, but coaches don't change them. It can be hard to see the extra training and attention that some girls get versus others, but I think I have really found peace over the whole issue. DD WANTS to be on the "A" team, and is VERY aware of who they are and what they get attention wise. Because of that, she has pushed herself and has progressed a LOT. So I guess being the underdog is a good thing for her! IMO it is almost better to not be on that "A" team in some ways. They have a lot of pressure and expectations placed upon them that the other girls don't have. They are expected to get the huge scores, which I think can be hard to deal with at a young age. The most important thing is that "A" or "F" team doesn't matter- DD is happy, thriving, loves gym and is progressing. That is what counts and I am hanging my hat on that!

 

[vagymmomma]

May I just say that I feel for the coaches. What a tough job. Kind of like I feel for teachers, but coaches often have all girls in an environment where nerves, fear and stress are common . I can really see both sides to this predicament and how so many factors can impact the decisions.

Size can matter on things like vault and uneven bar settings. Age does make a difference - how many times have you seen the one older or younger child kind of as an outcast on a team? I've seen it a lot. I just want my child put in their best position to grow.

However, I hope coaches realize that such groups can cause hurt feelings. Yes, the girls know who the superstar/naturals are, but it still bothers them when they are not in the other group. And yes, you've made a perfectly logical decision. But, the pain is still there. Right after states last spring, DD was in the "lower" group. She was a little hurt. During the summer she was moved to the "higher" group because the skills she was working on were more in line with theirs. Funny thing is that she was hurt was when she not with the A group, then once she was moved she didn't like it as much because her friends were in the B group. The classic coaches can't win scenario.

As Eleanor Roosevelt said so well, "Do what you feel in your heart to be right - for you'll be criticized anyway".

 

[Midwestmommy]

It's not all that different from schools that adopt differentiated learning groups. Test scores, at least, have proved that it is effective. And the they track kids in the the first group too to make sure they are showing good progress year to year, rather than getting ignored since they may be reading (or doing math) four years over grade level and do great on testing. It's hard. And things can change over time (just like in gym).

The high acheivers grouping has a core group of kids all the way through elementary school, with some that come and go, but a bunch of them that are there throughout. Their teachers get specific training on how to challenge and teach them, and also to be aware of social challenges etc. these kids may face. Even though in our school the first group is together in a classroom with one or two other groups, you can bet that by fourth grade all the kids have been labeled as the "smart kid" group or "nerdy kid" group by their peers. I would not want to be a parent of kid who just missed out on being the high acheivement group, if I felt that my child was getting "less quality" teaching or opportunities. It's a balancing act. And all the kids deserve great teaching and the opportunity to acheive to the best of their ability. Differentiated learning is supposed to strive for this for all types and levels of learners. A couple of my friends who put their kids in charter schools or home schooling did it partially out of frustration at this--not getting in the top group and not being happy with what they perceived their kid's opportunity was at that school. The educational equivalent of gym switching...

The reality is that parents are paying out of their pocket for coaching in gymnastics, and it rankles if we feel that our kids are getting less opportunity or quality of coaching, because of course if you get more time/better coaching you are more likely to succeed. It helps when all the kids are really being challenged and getting great coaching, and feel like they can advance into different groups if they progress. That's how I feel at my daughter's gym, and it is just a great feeling of trust for the coaches.

A gym that claims they want the best for every gymnast and that the true measure is if the kids are progressing--well this rings false on the ears of Xcel parents or "B group" parents if their kids are getting a lower quality of coaching, less hours and paying more per hour. In fact, it can feel like they are being bamboozled. On the other hand, if they are getting great coaching and can advance if it is warranted (and particularly if they were all in one preteam group for the first year or two on preteam) and had the same opportunity as everyone else to go for JO), then it "feels" more fair.

The screening of body types at age 4 or 5 for that gym that really just wants to produce a few NCAA scholarships and maybe on Olympian one day... well that might not be the right gym for everyone's kid. Some kids would have a better chance somewhere else if their goal is to compete all the way through college because they might just get overlooked at the "top dog" gym and not given the opportunity to acheive to their potential there. That's why mymeetscores is interesting, but the decision of choosing the right gym is a little more complicated that just picking the one that everyone else wants to go to.

 

[juststartingout]

My daughters group is divided into A, B, and C. A's are mostly repeating girls (all but 2) and tend to be a little older (all 8+). They tend to do the same training as the B group with a tad more uptraining on the vault and floor. Beam and bars are the same. The B girls are the highest scoring girls from preteam last year with a few girls that are repeating team girls that didn't score great. They do a lot of uptraining also and already have their level skills pretty much perfected. These girls range from 6 to 9. While the older girls tend to be in the A group it is not divided by age it was based mostly on last years scores. Most of the A girls will be competing the next level up within the first couple meets. They expect the B girls to be competing the next level up by the end of the season. A and B both practice 9 hours a week although there are 3 girls in the A group that practice an additional 3 hours a week that are clearly more advanced. Then we have a C group that ranges in age from 6-9. This group is still working on perfecting their level skills and scored on the lower end in preteam last year. This group practices 7 hours a week. There is not much difference in the A and B group but the skill level of the C group is a large difference. My dd is 7 and in the B group. When there are girls missing from the A group her and another 7yo get pulled to practice with the A group and she loves it. She always does better on the days that she practices with the A group. I guess it's because they are older and more serious and focused and when she is with them she acts like one of them.

 

[skschlag]

so, those of you with these different training groups, do you have the same coaches? do they rotate thru all the coaches? Or do they work out with a less experienced coach in the "lower" groups?

 

[Bajanswife]

Bit of both. Depends on the day/time slot and the event.

 

[juststartingout]

so, those of you with these different training groups, do you have the same coaches? do they rotate thru all the coaches? Or do they work out with a less experienced coach in the "lower" groups?

For our girls A and B have the same coaches and rotate thru them. Our C group has different coaches except for on bars. Our head coach does bars and all groups get her on bars. I think the C groups coaches are just as qualified as the coaches that do A and B though. And while C does less hours they are a smaller group so they get more one on one.

 

[Gym Beam]

DD's Level 3 group is usually split into two groups based on skill: those who can tumble well and those that do not. DD is in the "do not" group and I appreciate that her group gets more work on their tumbling skills. Safety first! While her group is tumbling, the other group gets an extra rotation on one of the other events usually bars or beam. Both groups go through all the events eventually.