WAG Does it ever get easier to watch?

[Dka]

My dd completed old 6 last year and is competing new 8 this year. She is in fifth grade. She seems fine with all of the new skills etc, but I am afraid to watch. The vault scares me...does it ever get easier? Flipping in a piked position just seems so unnatural I guess. I am excited for the new season but at the same time, scared. She started competing in the fall of 2010 ( old level 4) I have never been afraid of vault, but now.... OMG...

 

[Fliptwisttumble]

I think everyone is different, but I see the parents at DD's gym, and the ones with girls at higher levels find it harder to watch, not easier.

When I have the opportunity to watch practice, I have had to actually turn around and put my back to the windows during beam. DD is training aerials - cartwheel, front, BLO and it nearly kills me.... To watch, and to see the backs of her legs and bum from beam bites. Beam is to me what vault is to you

 

[B&M's mom]

No.

DD is a 10, training elite and I cringe every time I watch. I've actually grown to appreciate the gym rule of no watching.

 

[my4buffaloes]

I think Level 8 vault is one of the scariest things to watch. I have thought that for a couple of years and this year I my dd is a L8 so I have double the reason to be scared!

 

[Flossyduck]

In a word, no!

When they first start out they get lots of skills and progress very quickly and nothing is too scary. As the skills get bigger, the progression is slower and new skills more spaced apart, so you're just watching them work and work and work at things and willing them to do it but utterly helpless. And the skills themselves are much scarier.

I always imagined that, as my dd got better, it would get more exciting to watch, but it gets harder. I was reading last night, but another parent came over and as we started chatting I looked across at my dd who was doing giants. I found myself swaying with her and my fists were clenched and my shoulders hunched and in the end I had to turn away.

 

[Muddlethru]

I've always had a difficult time watching, from L4 to L9. I don't think it will ever get easier. But the difficulty I find in watching is more related to my daughter being able to stick her routines like she routinely does. I think they work so hard to get the skills, have the skills consistent and competition ready that you just hope and pray that things go smoothly for them and that they are able to perform their best at meets and be happy with themselves. Nothing seems to ever be a guarantee. Everything rides on that specific moment, that 10 seconds on vault, 30 seconds on bars, 1.30 minutes on beam and floor at each particular meet that seems to matter; not the hundreds of practice hours, not even the practice/warm up before each event at the meet. And there are no second chances. Of course, my daughter's safety and well being is paramount to me. So, I too ALWAYS pray for her safety. I just try not to think about it and just keep my thoughts positive.

 

[htimcj]

No, I don't think it gets easier the skills just keep getting harder and scarier. I just have faith that my DD gym does all of th drills and progressions and before you know it they are flipping that vault or twisting that beam dismount. I am like you, that vault just scares me.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

no. and i'm a coach!

 

[iwannacoach]

The first one always gets me tense because no matter how much and how well you train the kids they only do the first one, one time....... and there's no way to practice "first ones" to get ready for the first one.

 

[Dka]

Well day two on the vault and it's getting better... Now she is learning shoot overs on the bars.... God help me.... They should have wine at meets for the parents.... Lol

 

[cbifoja]

Should? We have a Mom who bring some! Breaks it out when we're on beam....subtly of course!

 

[Bajanswife]

Should? We have a Mom who bring some! Breaks it out when we're on beam....subtly of course!

We do this with rum punch at our host meet .........

 

[gwenmom]

We do this with rum punch at our host meet .........

Where is your meet? I'd travel happily for that one

 

[Bajanswife]

Where is your meet? I'd travel happily for that one

Long way to come, but you're more than welcome - Barbados, April 26, 2014.

 

[Dka]

Would love to go there for a meet! Drinks should be served! Gyms would make such a profit! I would happily pay 20 dollars for a glass of wine at a meet.just sayin

 

[Natalia]

All the meets I've attented have always offered alchohol....I guess it's a french thing,lol.

I'm getting worse and worse at watching,to the point that I wonder if I'm transmitting my anxiety from the bleachers to my DD through extra powerful neurotic telepathy(you know the kind of super power we gym moms are capablle of.)

I even thought of not watching at all ,rather go and get a cup of coffee and go sight seeing.

 

[gracyomalley]

Vault was always "bathroom break" time for me when DD was tiny....now beam may be if she keeps freaking about the handspring handspring thing....she makes it fine if she's not thinking....Between the three kids competing I never have a normal heartrate or blood pressure!

 

[gymmomtoo]

Level 8 vault is very scary! But once they master that, vault isn't so bad anymore. Of course that's when bars and beam get really scary again.