WAG Evaluations and how often?

[ozonelakesgymnast]

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for input on how other gyms do evaluation, how often, and how they communicate results with parents. Do you require conferences? Do you do skill trees through iClass? Evaluation days?

I'm leaning away from certain days of evaluation because gymnasts often change their work when they know they are being evaluated.

 

[MILgymFAM]

Between my two girls we have experienced nine gyms competitive programs, and I've never heard of iclass. I've also never had a parent conference about evaluations; results were orally relayed to the gymnast, who then was responsible for telling their parents. New levels were relayed via email. Only one gym (their first) had annual evaluations to stay on team/level, and they were conducted over a month period of practices.

ETA: I have been very close friends with a number of my girls' coaches and am certain they didn't use or have knowledge of iclass either. I realize this post probably wasn't aimed at parents- sorry!

 

[John]

Current gym no evaluations communicated to parents. The Coach feels it's between him and the gymnast. I am ok with this as long as DD is happy, it is her thing, not mine. He likes her and she likes him, she is making huge conditioning and strength progress.

Old Gym, USAIGC, called family into office and decided together what level would be competed each year. It worked too, but I felt DD would look to me to make her decisions. I would not it was her decision to make. Sometimes this caused anxious tears.

 

[raenndrops]

For team: At the end of summer training (last week, this week, and next week actually), the coaches are looking at what skills the gymnasts have gotten to place them in their levels for the new year (if there is an option… New L3s have no choice - level 3 or nothing).
This only matters if they remember to turn in their team paperwork though (due today). Some will have fluid levels (start at one level and move up after they qualify for Nationals or get a specific score 2x) and others will have a level for the entire season. The girls will be told once their individual decisions have been made.

For rec: They are actually constantly being evaluated. When a girl is ready to move up, she is moved up - if the parent can bring her to a next level class that has space available. Once they are in the highest level of rec, it gets harder because next level up is team. If we have to, we will create a class specifically for those girls who are ready to move on to team (if there are too many for advanced rec mid-season). It is kind of like a pre-team, but it is disbanded when we have team move-ups in the spring and only happens when necessary.

 

[Jard.the.gymnast]

For compulsory they have a paper. Once a girl can do the skill near to perfection, they can get a sticker and put it in a little box next to the skill they can do. This paper has all the valued parts in their routine (compulsory). Once they fill their paper, they are that level. They get a new paper (with the skills for the next higher level). Once they have that completely full, they get to skip the first level etc. This is for compulsory girls ages 5-8. Parents usually still bring them to practice this age, they can always ask to look at the papers (but most of them never do)

For optionals (which I am) meeting the move-up requirement is really hard (usually it's winning states from your level, you have to move up then) . We all start with the same things in our routines and just upgrade when ready, since there is no difficulty restrictions, every B (or higher) element you do just gets A credit, no deductions for having more difficulty in a routine. Bonus for connecting multiple skills. Parents are usually surprised at competitions, because children this age (11+) usually come to practice on their own

 

[mommyof1]

Rec: Report cards every 8-week term with evaluations of specific skills needed to move to the next level.

Team: Crickets. Potential for unpleasant surprises when placement letters come out at the end of the season.

I would like at least one conference midseason, when there is still time to take action if a kid is in danger of being held back or sent to XCel, and one at the end of the season before final move-up decisions are made.

 

[duyetanh]

mid summer meeting with each parent individually ( I think this is AWESOME, btw)....child is also present in room. Coaches give child and parent(s) feedback on where they are at ("You are between a 3 and a 4, and the only thing holding you back is the bloody kip!", lol, for ex), and where they see them come season. Girls are tested on their skills I believe in late September? (don't quote me ha ha, my kid is asleep, and she has all the info)...but whenever it is, the decision is what it is and what it will be. There are no other meetings unless parents request them....a few have every year, but most of the time the parents have a clue what is going on, and the coaches have kept those on the bubble/fringe in the loop to the best of their abilities. Still, someone is always blindsided, which sucks.

 

[RosellaJam]

Current gym has parent meetings 4 times a year for lower levels or 2 times a year for higher levels.We find out at this meeting how our DD is progressing, anything that they may be struggling with, if they will be competing and what level they will be for that particular meet, if they are possibly moving up a training group, or if they haven't been progressing fast enough and will no longer have a place at this gym.

Competitions are not a huge focus of this program and it sounds a bit cut throat writing it down like this but there really is a great team atmosphere in this gym and (nearly) all the girls are lovely. Of course it's not for everybody and DD understands that she may not be there long term but she is doing really well, the coaches are happy with how she is going and she is about to move up a training group which she is excited about.

 

[RosellaJam]

So to actually answer the question, DD's gym evaluates the girls constantly.

 

[MILgymFAM]

Current gym has parent meetings 4 times a year for lower levels or 2 times a year for higher levels.We find out at this meeting how our DD is progressing, anything that they may be struggling with, if they will be competing and what level they will be for that particular meet, if they are possibly moving up a training group, or if they haven't been progressing fast enough and will no longer have a place at this gym.

They actually kick girls out of the gym if they don't progress quickly enough?

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Nothing that parents see. Nothing formal. Nothing communicated official beyond our parent meeting and results of their mock meet prior to start of season.

At the parent meeting coaches go through what is required at the level your kid is at and what they are working on.

The kids have lists and such in the gym. I know there is a Tsuk poster they have all been signing. But nothing formal. As they drill a specific skill, a page or poster is put up for them to sign when they get it. I also think they have a pull-up and press handstand chart. I don't pay much attention. I'll have to be more nosy when I work our next in house meet.

 

[RosellaJam]

They actually kick girls out of the gym if they don't progress quickly enough?

It's an elite track only program, and run a bit different to a normal club. In DD's group of 8 x 6-7yo's we have had 4 new girls accepted (including DD) and 3 others leave. About 80 have tried out and not made it.

 

[iluvgym]

She must be very good! Best of luck to her!

 

[Aussie_coach]

Here in Australia we have specific gyms called high performance centres or national centres of excellence. These gyms focus on teaching the International Development Program and they will kick you out if you don't progress fast enough, or for a variety of reasons, like getting injured to often, or developing the wrong body type etc.

Theybare very selective, a small number of kids are selected and they might under go a weeks trial, after which they might either kick you out or offer further trial, from here they might give a 3 month trial and kick you out at any stage during that etc. Even if you are offered a non trial spot your spot will contasntly be reevaluated and kids will be sent away.

Also there is an age limit on the levels, if you don't have the skills to co'oete by a certain, you can't compete.

 

[RosellaJam]

She must be very good! Best of luck to her!

I think she's amazing but I'm a bit biased. To be honest I think I'm more surprised than anybody that she was accepted and we just take it one term at a time.

Here in Australia we have specific gyms called high performance centres or national centres of excellence. These gyms focus on teaching the International Development Program and they will kick you out if you don't progress fast enough, or for a variety of reasons, like getting injured to often, or developing the wrong body type etc.

Yep, this is where DD is.

 

[Starfly]

We have checklists of skills for each level. The girls carry these checklists around with them in December (mid-season) and after state in March. We do have two parent conferences - one in December that is not mandatory (and very few sign up) and one in May that is mandatory. Level changes are communicated at the May meeting.