Parents First L8 Meet!

[kristilyn73]

Well - The lesson that we learned from Beetle's first L8 Meet was.. L8 scoring is tough!!!

And Confidence makes a WORLD of difference!!

The team started up on Beam... typically Beetle's favorite and best event. She got up and started great.. then wobbled after her BHS.. She danced forward to try flight again.. she sill wobbled a little bit. She wobbled quite a bit of her full turn but everything else was relatively clean. But you could tell she just wanted off the beam. She told me afterward she was so scared. She was actually shaking before her switch leap. She got a 7.925 - they didnt give her flight connection. (down from a 9.0 at the judges mock meet)

Then Floor.. she had a nice floor routine - probably not quite as clean as her mock meet but still decent. She got a 8.225 (Down from 8.9 at the judges mock meet). She only had a 9.7 start value. the coaches dont quite know why. They think it is because of her ring leap.... I would have preferred to know why for sure - instead of 'I think'

Then Vault. She does a 1/2 on 1/2 off - 9.1 start value. Stuck it.. Score 8.2 no complaints there! (score was up from a 8.0 at judges meet).

Finally bars.. oh boy... she had to cast up twice before her pirouette but did turn it over. didnt hit handstand on high bar but stuck her flyaway landing. Legs were a little bent on her giants and she should have pointed her toes more....score.. 7.05. (down from a 8.2 at judges meet). She told me later that she just wanted the meet to be over with..

AA score 31.45

Then last night, tears.... I am afraid I wasn't very nice to her.. I told her that I am not going to go through a whole year of meets with her crying afterward. Going into the meet her goals should have been to do her best, to not fall, make her pirouette and stay clean. Instead her goals were all about scores.... and her scores added up to a 35! But when she didnt hit those goals she said "I am not as good as I thought I was" I never like it when she sets goals about scores. I dont think that gymnastics should be all about scores. I know she should want to do well. We tell her that she should concentrate on the skills and the execution. If you do that the Scores will take care of themselves.

I tried to explain to her that her other teammate (who is a SECOND year level 8) only had 1/2 point higher AA score. Beetle had higher bar and vault scores, the only difference was this girl connected her flight...

Also, Beetle left .8 on the table from start value. She needs a 33.5 for state.. It is possible. She can't think the season is over because of one meet.

I told her I was proud of her for going out there and doing it. Reminded her that the victory was that she was competing L8. That was what she wanted more than anything! I told her that 3 months ago L8 didnt look possible!

I also told her that what she needs to 'fix' is obvious. And reminded her, that the goal isnt to go out and get your highest score in the first meet.. it is to get better throughout the season and peak later.

She has 3 practices this week and goes to her next meet a week from today...

I think the only fairy I need is the no more tears fairy....Thanks for listening to my ramble....

 

[Gymdad2]

L* meet

Mom,

I am sorry that your dd had a tough meet, but as you said, it was her 1st L8 meet and it does get tougher as you go up the levels. I also agree with you that it is important not to concentrate on scores, and hopefully your dd will have a change of mind about this. However, (and please don't take this wrong), in reading your post, it is all about scores. You might be able to help your dd more if you paid less attention to them as well.

Good luck to your dd in upcoming meets - I am sure she will do better as she gains experience at the new level.

 

[gym law mom]

So sorry to hear about a tough 1st meet. I think we'll have the same thing coming up this weekend. Did Beetle possibly come up with her expectations based off the mock meet? When I added those scores up she was roughly at 34-35AA based on that meet.

It is hard to get them away from thinking numbers and I'm sure she was not only thinking about what she scored before, but also state qualifying. These higher levels are just so much tougher and having a lower start value on 1 event I think really puts pressure on the gymnast to "nail it" on the other 3 events. I would certainly ask the coach what was the REAL reason she lost .3 on her fx SV. That way it can be worked on and get her back up to a 10.

You are so right in telling Beetle its not where you start, its where you finish that matters, but I'm sure right now the disappointment is raw and it will take a few days back at practice to see that things will get better.

Yes, congrats Beetle, you already made 1 goal---you competed as a L8!!!!

 

[bogwoppit]

A tough meet for sure, but really those are quite respectable scores. L8 is where the big girls are and they certainly don't hand out too many gifts.

I have uttered those same words to my oldest DD, I don't mind you competing, but I do mind if you cry over your scores.

I am assuming that Beetle has quite a few meets to get the needed score and also will have a lot of practices as well. It is rare for a gymnast not to improve over a season, in fact isn't that almost impossible not to improve.

Beetle has done a great job to get to L8 and she will begin to see all her hard work paying off, It will just take a little time.

 

[gym monkeys mom]

I am sorry to hear she was sad. I know it is hard for the girls they go in expecting a lot but a mock meet in your own gym is way different than a 1st meet at the U of M Sports pavilion.

Moneky and I are proud of Beetle we thought she looked good yesterday!! She just was in the wrong Level 8 meet. She would have got medals in the next meet our teammate was in.

I know things will get better as the year goes on and she will make it to State I am sure of it.

We enjoyed hanging out and meeting your teammates yesterday.

I am so not looking forward to being there tonight untill 10:00pm. We also have a really tough group of level 7's competiton wise.

Keep the faith my friend things will look up but 12 and 13 year old girls cry at all and anyhting. UGH!! Ky is way better at not doing that now that she is 15 yeah!!! Only 2 more years for Beetle and Monkey.

Huggs to you both!!

 

[kristilyn73]

I am sorry to hear she was sad. I know it is hard for the girls they go in expecting a lot but a mock meet in your own gym is way different than a 1st meet at the U of M Sports pavilion.

Moneky and I are proud of Beetle we thought she looked good yesterday!! She just was in the wrong Level 8 meet. She would have got medals in the next meet our teammate was in.

I know things will get better as the year goes on and she will make it to State I am sure of it.

We enjoyed hanging out and meeting your teammates yesterday.

I am so not looking forward to being there tonight untill 10:00pm. We also have a really tough group of level 7's competiton wise.

Keep the faith my friend things will look up but 12 and 13 year old girls cry at all and anyhting. UGH!! Ky is way better at not doing that now that she is 15 yeah!!! Only 2 more years for Beetle and Monkey.

Huggs to you both!!

Thanks D! Beetle and I really enjoyed having you and P there.

Beetle is feeling better today. Good luck to P tonight. I wish we could be there for her.. let her know we are thinking of her!

 

[kristilyn73]

Did Beetle possibly come up with her expectations based off the mock meet? When I added those scores up she was roughly at 34-35AA based on that meet.

It is hard to get them away from thinking numbers and I'm sure she was not only thinking about what she scored before, but also state qualifying.
Yes, congrats Beetle, you already made 1 goal---you competed as a L8!!!!

This is EXACTLY what happened, and I could see the train coming from a mile away.. all week she was talking about the meet.. and I kept warning her.. the Mock Meet is different than your first meet.. Dont worry so much.. just concentrate on what you can control... But being 13 - I think she just got it in her head and there was nothing I could do to change it...

Thanks for the good wishes

 

[kristilyn73]

A tough meet for sure, but really those are quite respectable scores. L8 is where the big girls are and they certainly don't hand out too many gifts.

I have uttered those same words to my oldest DD, I don't mind you competing, but I do mind if you cry over your scores.

Thanks Bog, She is better today.. although, being 13 she is holed up in her room listening to her Ipod and lazying around in her sweats..

Next meet is in Iowa, about an hour from her Grandparents house.. that should be fun for her.. Oh and she gets to meet Shawn Johnson!

 

[Gymmonkeymomma]

I'm sorry that Beetle was disappointed with her performance, but you can tell her she's in good company. Big DD also had HER first level 8 meet today and only scored slightly better - 31.55 AA.

 

[kristilyn73]

Mom,

However, (and please don't take this wrong), in reading your post, it is all about scores. You might be able to help your dd more if you paid less attention to them as well.

Good luck to your dd in upcoming meets - I am sure she will do better as she gains experience at the new level.

Thank you for the well wishes. It wasnt my intention to concentrate the post on Beetle's scores. But I do feel that in order to explain why Beetle was upset and why I was frustrated at her being upset there had to be some background information (IE her current meet scores and her previous scores).

 

[catesmom]

So sorry that her meet didn't go as well as she had hoped! We had the same experience this weekend, post to come later but wanted you to know that I can feel the pain, dd is also so upset because of scores, when mom is just so proud that she did her best. These beautiful girls are so driven for perfection that is seems that we can't help them, at first, when things don't go as well as hoped. I just keep trying to let Cate know how proud I am of her accomplishments, sometimes it helps, sometimes it doesn't. All we can do is be supportive and let them know that we are proud, the rest they have to come to grips with in their own minds, that being said I hope things are better now. The season is young and they have plenty of time. Love and best wishes to you both!!!!

 

[hunde2]

Level 8 is pretty tough.Doing the skills in the gym and in a different setting with strange equitment are 2 different things.Confidence shure has a lot to do with it too.
Dd had some tears last year too(in Level 8).She had her mockmeet and her All Around was 32.So that is the lowest she has ever had so far.Has a SV of 9.5 on vault and 9.7 on bars.She has her first real meet next weekend.
Tell your daughter not to give up it is only the beginning of the season.

 

[Granny Smith]

kristilyn,

I had typed up a response before and it wouldn't post - hate when that happens.

Just wanted to send hugs your way! I can understand where you are coming from. Tell her congrats on her 1st L8 meet, many never make it to this level, so she should be proud. Next tell her you never want to peak at the beginning of a season, you fine tune throughout and want to peak at the end of the season.

GL to your dd at her next meet, tell her to hold her chin up and be proud of whatever she does!

 

[gymmom14]

Hugs to her. This is the thing that makes me crazy about gymnastics. They work too hard not to end up being proud of themselves. That is why I like basketball... if you miss your shot, someone is always there to get the rebound. It is do or die in gymnastics.

 

[GymmomOR1127]

Sorry she was disappointed in her performance. It is a huge accomplishment just to make it to level 8, and she definetely needs to be proud of that! She can probably remember 1st new level meets from the past that didn't go as well as expected, it just happens.

Well, give her a hug anyways and good luck for her next meet!

 

[kristilyn73]

Thanks for everyones well wishes... She is feeling better today.

At DD's gym, if you fall in a meet you have 'penalty' you do 10 of that skill before the next meet.

Beetle was required to do penalty on flight, her pirouette, and her double stag. She finished them all today! Her coach changed her floor routine - no longer does a double stag - does a straddle (which I am happy about because I thnk she has BEAUTIFUL Straddle jumps! I had to put the photo in just because LOL. )


ANYWAY - She also finished her flight penalty AND DID 9 Full bar routines with no extra cast on her pirouette!!!!!!!

She is feeling much better about the meet this weekend!

 

[Granny Smith]

Beautiful picture - good choice for the coaches to go with!

GL this weekend. My dd is also competing on Friday, practice the week before a meet is always crazy and it seems stressful to the girls.

 

[gym mom]

Sorry to hear that she had a rough meet!Being a L8 is a huge accomplishment in it self .A girl at 13 can be emtionally rough.Glad to hear she is feeling better and the longer time passes on getting her very diffuclt skills her confidence will build.Sounds like a exciting meet to come I hope she has fun!

 

[GymmomOR1127]

WOW - Amazing straddle jump! That should work out well in her routine. Great picture! It is always cool when you time it just right!