Equipment use rotation

[pinklemonadeliz]

I'd like to know how all of you coaches manage the use of your equipment. Does team have scheduled times for each piece of equipment, or do you just use what you want, whenever you want it?

It seems to be a problem at our gym - the team girls use beam, floor and bars all at the same time, rec classes are filling in the few open spots there are and our tops girls are kind of left with whatever is open be it trampoline or a little corner.

I'd just like to know if other gyms have a schedule or if you just do whatever comes to mind at the moment?

I'd like to be able to suggest a better way to the general manager, but have no clue what to suggest.

Thanks!

 

[BlairBob]

Hmm, Napa Valley. There is a very good chance I would be familiar with your gym. Anyways.

We are currently implementing a rotation schedule for all the girl's team and rec. It can be trying since they are all on events for different durations.

For my boys, I only need time on Vault and access to trampoline. For FX, I frequently just set up drills in an area, and not necessarily FX. Heck, our team boys group literally will practice their routines on the borders of the FX. We generally do our basic FX drills in our WU such as rolls and cartwheel development besides HS stuff, pirouettes and pressing. When my boys get beyond just RO>BHS, then we'll need access to the floor for routines but we also use Tumbl-trak as a station.

Imo, rec should take a priority for some equipment because they bring in the most money and team should work around. For instance, rec rarely needs to be on a high beam or Uneven bars since quad/multi bar station works besides perhaps a single rail. The only reason they need floor space would be for dance lines, otherwise it's stations and circuits besides vault. Most rec vaulting doesn't need a long run or the table. It all depends on how your gym is set up.

As your gym starts to really have respectable numbers, you have to go to a rotation method. Most teams will work around the rec to a degree

 

[pt coach]

We have a very small and very crowded gym. We have a rotation schedule every day that incorporates rec, preteam and team. Certain pieces of equipment are designated for each group. So we will always have a group of team (we have 4 groups of team every day with about 10-12 in each group) and either a rec class or a preteam on each event each rotation. We use every inch of space in the gym! Generally for team we do not get the full floor everyday. We rotate who ends on floor so that at least once during the week each group gets the full floor. (we also practice on Sunday afternoons and have the full floor then). Otherwise we have a strip of floor that goes into a pit, and the rec and preteam each have a strip. We do modified routines on those days or work dance and drills, or just tumbling.

 

[Ingwe]

We have two gyms. One gym for REC kids and one gym for team. Our compulsories and Optionals go at different times. (Comp. 3 days a week 3-6) (Optionals 5-9 4 days plus Saturdays 9-1) During training they are divided into groups and they follow a rotation. It seems to work well.

 

[pinklemonadeliz]

Thank you all! I knew most people had to have some sort of rotation schedule or plan.

At our gym (on the days that I'm there w/ my dd anyway), you could very well observe the team girls using the entire floor, all 5 high beams AND both sets of bars (and if I had to estimate, I'd say there are only about 20 team girls all together). Rec classes would then be taking up any additional space there is. The poor tops girls are left to just take whatever is left.

It is becoming increasingly frustrating for us, as parents to watch this happen. Our girls are lvl 4's in the tops program and because (at our gym) they're not allowed to compete on the team they aren't given priority on any piece of equipment (we had to beg for 5 min on the floor to practice floor routines last week). We have an in-house competition in 12 days and our poor tops girls have not even been taught their beam or bar routines because the coach said the team girls hog the equipment. My poor dd is stressing out completely because she doesn't know the routine yet and only has a few days to learn it & practice (after all, beam & bars aren't exactly something you can come home & practice for).

Thanks again for all of your responses, I'd still be interested to hear from others as I plan to chat w/ the gym's GM soon about this.

 

[Shelovesthebars]

Is your DD happy with the overall situation at the gym? It sounds unsafe to me for these girls to be expected to do the inhouse competition and not be able to practice on the equiptment they need. Our tops girls (my dd is too young to do tops) come in in the mornings 2 days a week from 6-9 and have the gym to themselves. They also come back and are a part of the regular JO competition teams. And how are the girls expected to learn the skills for tops? When the girls get to the age of 9, there are some complex bar and beam skills that are expected. Our younger girls are learning those when they are 6. I think you are smart to be concerned.

 

[bogwoppit]

YOu know I have hesitated from giving advice or thoughts on this one. But your gymmies situation is beyond baffling to me. I seem to believe that she is around 8 years old and that she has most of her L4 skills.

TOPS is meant to be a compementary programme to the USAG competitive programme. The only time I have heard of girls skipping the USAG compulsory levels is when they are very young (like 5,6,7) and they are working much higer skills than L4 and are heading to optionals. Though they still have to score out of L5 & L6.

I really cannot see the benefit, or fun, in training the TOPS skills but never competing. I don't see how or when the gym plans on integrating your child into the comp team.

I know this is totally none of my business.But it really bothers me that she could be having so much more fun and progressing in the USAG with other girls her age. If she was doing TOPS on top of L4 I could totally understand why, but this system has me totally confused.

 

[pinklemonadeliz]

She absolutely loves gymnastics so she's thrilled just to get to do anything - but is really upset about not being able to learn her routines.

Her coach has not even begun to teach them the skills portion of tops, she's just concentrating right now on the basic strength/flexability portions mainly because my dd is the only one who is old enough to even test the skills portion (the rest of the girls will test at the 7 & 8 y/o level). I presume that the coach just hopes my dd doesn't do well enough to have to test those skills (sounds promising, huh?).

I really wish we could move to another gym, but the next closest ones are a fair commute away.

 

[Ingwe]

YOu know I have hesitated from giving advice or thoughts on this one. But your gymmies situation is beyond baffling to me. I seem to believe that she is around 8 years old and that she has most of her L4 skills.

TOPS is meant to be a compementary programme to the USAG competitive programme. The only time I have heard of girls skipping the USAG compulsory levels is when they are very young (like 5,6,7) and they are working much higer skills than L4 and are heading to optionals. Though they still have to score out of L5 & L6.

I really cannot see the benefit, or fun, in training the TOPS skills but never competing. I don't see how or when the gym plans on integrating your child into the comp team.

I know this is totally none of my business.But it really bothers me that she could be having so much more fun and progressing in the USAG with other girls her age. If she was doing TOPS on top of L4 I could totally understand why, but this system has me totally confused.

I have been wondering the same thing. I wonder what the reasoning behind this is?

At our gym we do BOTH USAG Team and TOPS. Not one or the other.

to the orginal poster.......has the Gym told you why they are doing this?

 

[bogwoppit]

Why don't you ask for her to be placed on L4 team and not to do tops. If she wants to compete that would make more sense. If they are not training the TOPS skills and she is already 8 years olf I do not know how she can feel succesful at the evaluations, if she gets to go.

Have you seen TOPS evaluations, you can check on youtube to see what they look like. Most girls who test at age 8 are very strong skills wise.

I don't think you have to change clubs, but perhaps you need to speak to the coach about competing rather than TOPS.

I have two girls who are never going to put in the time to get to the higher levels in gym and therefore they never did our equivalent of TOPS, they just compete and train skills and love every minute of it. Gymnastics should be fun at 8, part of that fun is meets, pretty leos, sparkles and pretty hair.

When I see the fact that they are not even given space in the gym to train their skills, it is a red flag to me that they are just not that important. Your coach has no idea that you won't leave, let your pocket book do the talking and ask them to evaluate her for team, and if she is not ready ask for her to be put in a training group where they are working team skills. TOPS skills can be part of that, but only a part!

I only want to help, I feel that you are new to gym and that your child could benefit so much more from her gym experience.

Though feel free to say "back off" as it is your choice.

 

[pinklemonadeliz]

It confuses me too. Until I found chalkbucket, I just presumed that this was how all tops programs were run - and boy was I wrong.

You're right, she could be having much more fun - instead, they're spending 4 days a week at the gym training press handstands and rope climbing (and as a side-note, don't you think that having these girls and working with them on these things for a good 18mos now, they should have gotten it by now?) Her coach has added some skills, but they don't seem to be of the level that most girls this age/ability are being taught. In the beginning, we did have a few tops girls who participated in jo classes (at that time they were too young for team and did like level 2), but were on that track. As those four girls eventually left the gym, no one else was allowed to be a part of the the JO program - I'm not sure if it's the coaches ego (thinking she can get them further on their own or the prestige of being in charge of a "team") - who knows, but she's not doing any of these girls a favor.

My dh and I have discussed just pulling her from tops and moving her to team, but she has become good friends with the other girls in the program and doesn't want to join a group of girls she really doesn't know right now.

As for where they go when they're done with tops?.... I don't think the gym has a plan. The possibility of them doing a HOPES program is slim and none since it only covers two years so I guess they'll feed into team at whatever level they happen to be at. But how well will they adjust feeding in at a level 6, 7 or higher (our gym actually doesn't even have higher than level 7 right now I don't think) and having never competed in their lives except for a once a year in-house meet?...

I have no idea what the plan is, but maybe that's something I should discuss w/ the gym's gm when I chat w/ her about equipment use.

Thanks!

 

[Shelovesthebars]

Pinklemonadeliz-
Can I be so nosy as to ask how old your daughter is?

 

[bogwoppit]

Here are some links to videos. This way you will be able to tell if the programme is really right for her. ALl of these girls compete USAG as well.

YouTube - Maya's TOPS test 2009

YouTube - Camryn- TOPs Testing 2008

YouTube - Mickayla's TOP testing 2009

 

[Shelovesthebars]

Pinklemonade, Makayla is at my dd's gym and there is also another girl her age (along with others) that made diamond team. Makayla is 8. She is competing level 7. It works to do JO and tops.

 

[pinklemonadeliz]

she just turned 8 in october

 

[bogwoppit]

Neither of my girls can do a press handstand, that doesn't stop them being competitive. Four days a week is far too much time working TOPS.

She will make friends easily with other girls, and you may find that other girls will follow when they see her wearing her pretty leo at meets. The "prestige" of training TOPS is useless when your kid is basically spinning her wheels and waiting for the coach to work out what she is doing.

You gym has no girls on the TOPS national team at any level, no elites and no kids higher than L7. This would either tell me that they don't know how to get kids to that level or that the good kids leave.

It is your money, not hers, and sometimes you have to be the parent. You are becoming an informed parent right now and part of that eye opening experience is making choices that willbenefit her in the end. Change is tough, but as the Mom of girls who have trained in gyms all over the world they adapt very quickly, they make friends really easily and they soon realise the benefits of change. Imagine her not having to struggle with a press handstand four times a week.

She is young enough to really enjoy USAG, but she is too old to benefit from TOPS testing if she has none of the skills.

 

[bogwoppit]

Pinklemonade, Makayla is at my dd's gym and there is also another girl her age (along with others) that made diamond team. Makayla is 8. She is competing level 7. It works to do JO and tops.

THose two are a cute duo!

 

[Shelovesthebars]

Pinklemonade- I feel like we have highjacked your equiptment use post. But with that being said I think Bogwoppit makes a few points to consider. Is your gymmie benifitting in the long run from this arrangement? What are the goals longterm? If your gymmie is really talented, she could get these additonal skill requirements for testing for this year but only if the coach starts teaching her these now. I don't care if she is the only one old enough becasue that is the purpose of the program and you are paying for this, right? Should she not be taught the skills because she is the only one age eligible? As far as competing in the JO program later on, if your daughter wants to do that you must realize that she will have to learn all the routines starting at level 5 and compete them with a minimum score to test out. This will take some time and she is not getting any younger. My advice would be to try and take the initiative and educate the coaches. Show them some of the video of these girls. Also, you need to look at the USAG website and look for the tops skills videos for 9 year olds. This will give you a clear indication of where your daughter needs to be by this summer because she will be testing at the 9 year old age group. I know it is really cool to be a part of tops. From what I hear from parents whose kids are in it, it really is good for their gymnastics. I am definately not bashing tops. But you have to really understand that tops is for a purpose-gymnastics-and not to just say you are in it. And I am not saying to leave your gym. But I would hate to see you with an eleven year old that has never competed start over again in the JO program with a bunch of awsome 7 year old level 5's and feel bad about herself. My advice is to educate yourself first with the USAG website and watch the videos Bogwoppit suggested. Then be a trooper and bring up your concerns with the coaches. Maybe if the coach thinks about things, she may be open to positive change, even if it takes baby steps. I hope my ranting and raving helps.

 

[Optionals United]

we have a rotation scedule so we are able to get to every event 4 times a week if you go all 5 days. im not sure wat the schedule is like for rec and compulsaries but im sure they get to every event al least one or twice a week

 

[pinklemonadeliz]

Don't feel bad - I am thrilled to get advice from seasoned parents & coaches! I agree that something needs to be done and I am going to figure out a way to present it to the gym's gm. I've had it with talking to the coach herself - she's young and whenever one of us parents goes to ask something she scrunches up her face like she's mad at the world & wishing you into the cornfield. She gets very defensive quite quickly and then the girls suffer the reprecussions.

Thank you again everyone, you have been so helpful in more ways than you can imagine - keep the comments coming as I very well may use them when speaking w/ the gm.