Anon Elite training question

[Anonymous (9986)]

Do gyms with elite training programs ever tell the parents of a kid training elite that it really doesn't look like it's going to happen for that kid, or do they let them keep training elite and wait for the kid/parents to figure it out?

 

[Anonymous (61df)]

Our gym does, sort of. They’re careful to not call anyone elite until they qualify for HOPES at a minimum. The rest of the girls who are clearly being prepped for elite are just called “fast track” and training whatever DP level they’re training. But when girls have struggled with blocks or the coaches decide they won’t have elite potential after all, they are removed from the fast track group.

It’s tough to watch because it sometimes seem arbitrary. This year two girls had similar blocks but one got nurtured through it and one got moved to regular practice. The one that got moved had a huge loss of confidence from that, was separated from friends and teammates, and is in the midst of what seems like a long break.

I hope you’re asking from a place of curiosity and not because you’re in this situation. I’m sorry if it’s the latter. It would be tough to try to figure out what to do, and I know it can sometimes feel like asking the question will precipitate a decision that hasn’t been made.

In my experience (not elite but with optionals move-ups) we didn’t even get a straightforward answer even though in hindsight the coaches had made their decision long before we asked. Sometimes skilled coaches can be really bad at the interaction and communication part of the job. I would ask. But not expect a straightforward reply.

 

[Anonymous (78ba)]

There is a gym near us that just keeps sending kids year after year that never qualify and score very low on certain events, usually bars. It appears from the outside that anyone who wants to spend the money gets the chance. I can’t speak to what conversations take place behind the scenes, but teammates that have left our gym because they were not considered for elite have been pleased with that gym. Even if they never qualify, some girls still like the challenge.

You can probably look at your gyms history with elite qualifiers and make an educated guess on how they handle elite. Do they keep taking athletes that are no where close to the qualifying score? In that case they are probably going to wait for you to see the writing on the wall.

If they seem to only take those that are qualifying or close to qualifying, they will likely let you know.

 

[Anonymous (61df)]

There is a gym near us that just keeps sending kids year after year that never qualify and score very low on certain events, usually bars. It appears from the outside that anyone who wants to spend the money gets the chance. I can’t speak to what conversations take place behind the scenes, but teammates that have left our gym because they were not considered for elite have been pleased with that gym. Even if they never qualify, some girls still like the challenge.

You can probably look at your gyms history with elite qualifiers and make an educated guess on how they handle elite. Do they keep taking athletes that are no where close to the qualifying score? In that case they are probably going to wait for you to see the writing on the wall.

If they seem to only take those that are qualifying or close to qualifying, they will likely let you know.

We have a gym like that near us, too. If you make it to level 8 and want to give it a go with them, you can. The girls never end up at other gyms so I’m not sure if they truly intend to go elite or if going to qualifiers is just a rite of passage for their upper optionals.

 

[Anonymous (61df)]

We have a gym like that near us, too. If you make it to level 8 and want to give it a go with them, you can. The girls never end up at other gyms so I’m not sure if they truly intend to go elite or if going to qualifiers is just a rite of passage for their upper optionals.

Replying to myself to add that I have no problem with it. The truth is that if many of these athletes lived in some other federations, they’d be on track for national team selection and higher level events in their country. I don’t have a problem with US athletes trying elite even when they know they’ll fall short because there is so much competition here. Girls aren’t making DP nationals who would make their country’s actual nationals if they lived elsewhere.

 

[Anonymous (e5f5)]

Replying to myself to add that I have no problem with it. The truth is that if many of these athletes lived in some other federations, they’d be on track for national team selection and higher level events in their country. I don’t have a problem with US athletes trying elite even when they know they’ll fall short because there is so much competition here. Girls aren’t making DP nationals who would make their country’s actual nationals if they lived elsewhere.

And then there's a gym near us that does have some US elites and is also sending the ones who aren't quite there to compete for other countries they are eligible to represent

 

[Anonymous (faac)]

I don’t know about our new gym, but our last gym YEP 100% I heard coaches tell a gymnast and a parent “the elite world is not in her future”