First meet of the season

[emm'sgymmom]

My daughter is a level 5. She has only been in gymnastics one year, and she has her first meet in 3 days. I am actually very nervous....she is not - which is good.. She still has a lot of improvements that could be made, but she has come a long way in a year. Our gym is not concerned with scores in the lower levels, and that takes a lot of pressure off of the girls. They support the girls, and encourage them in a positive manner.

My question is....do you ever stop getting nervous for your child? I am concerned that she will go to this meet and not do as well as she likes. I don't want her to be discouraged! Thanks.

 

[MaryA]

My dd is also level 5, but she competed level 3 & 4 as well, so I've been doing this for a while. I am always really nervous... Kathy looks cool as a cucumber! I did get myself a little video camera this year and it seems as though that provides a little separation between myself and what's going on, so that seems to help a little bit. I supsect that I will get more nervous as the season progresses too. At her first meet, I knew she was going to have to scratch on bars (she finally has her whole bar routine now... wooo hooo!) so I knew she wasn't going to be in competition for AA or anything. The last meet (and the next one she's competing in too) was a YMCA league meet, and she can't qualify for sectionals at those. I suspect I'll be more nervous at her next USAG meet because there will be a bit more on the line. I used to always bring a book to the meets, but I never could actually focus enough to read it, even though we're always sitting around for hours. This year I finally accepted that it wasn't going to happen and stopped bothering with the book.

I was never involved in competitive sports when I was a kid. I was a band geek and never competed in anything until highschool when I started doing district/regional/state band & orchestra. I do wonder, if I had more of a background in competition myself, would I be less nervous for her? Or more nervous? I think there's a good dissertation topic in there somewhere if there's anyone out there studying psychology...

Anyway, I can't speak for anyone else, but I'm still overwhelmingly nervous for her every time she competes!

 

[NotAMom]

I can tell you that if you're the nervous type, it is likely that the nerves will not go away anytime soon. I have been a gymnast parent for a long while now and am still a nervous wreck during the routines. Much to thank for image stabilization and/or tripods.

 

[Megley]

I don't think you ever stop getting nervous. In fact, I'm betting it only gets worse as they advance in levels and the skills get harder. I'm getting ready to watch my dd compete in her first Level 7 meet this weekend and I'm betting that I will be nearly physically ill during beam and bars. I know moms who have to leave the gym while their dds are on beam. That may be me soon! The good news is that your dd is in all likelihood way less nervous than you are!

MaryA, I don't think a competitive background helps. I was a competitive swimmer in high school and college, as well as a competitive runner, and it hasn't helped me one iota. Maybe if you were a gymnast?

 

[gym law mom]

I think every parent gets a little case of nerves or anxiety when their dd is out there competing. Nastia Liukin's mom can't sit and watch her compete---has to leave and they text her the score.

Usually the biggest trick is to keep your nerves in check until dd is in the gym with her team---then you can have a meltdown in the parking lot

 

[gymmomof1]

I haven't learned not to yet. My DD has competed L4, L5 and now L6 and I sweat beam everytime During States last year I completely messed up the video of her vault and she ended up placing 2nd,and it was hard video taping beam since I usually don't watch! At her first meet ever I asked an upper level mom if it gets easier and she said nope Does make me better knowing that even Nastia's mom can't watch LOL

 

[Empowered]

This is my daughter's second year competing and I have tried everything to combat my irrational nervousness and nothing seems to work. My husband has to do the taping because my hands shake when she's competing.

I used to think I was nuts, but as the years go by you will see you are not alone. One of the team mom's at my daughter's gym gets so nervous she can't talk to anyone during a meet. Another mom is like Houdini... the minute her daughter salutes she seems to vanish instantly and then magically reappears just after the score is posted.

I can tell you without a doubt that as soon as the announcer ends awards... all nerves are always gone. And even after a disappointing meet, all you need is a hug and an ice cream and little girls are back to being their carefree selves in a heartbeat.

 

[flipper's fan]

DD is level 8- competing since 2005. I still get quite nervous for her and can hardly hold the camera still for video. She is fine and is rarely upset even if she bombs.

 

[NotAMom]

BTW, no matter how nervous I get (unless it's doctor's order), I would never (knowingly) walk away from watching a routine during competition. How silly it is to miss something that our favorite athletes work so hard for. I would hate myself. I mean how badly can it get. It's not like I have to perform it myself. So what if my camera is shaking and my heart is pounding. Like I said, get a camcorder with optical image stabilization. Works wonders.

 

[MaryA]

No, I couldn't walk away either, though I definitely understand the impulse now! My DH only goes to about every-other meet (he alternates meets with my mom... that way someone is home to take my other DD to ballet... doesn't seem fair to make her to miss her "thing" so that she can go to Kathy's "thing.") but I can't imagine missing a meet!

 

[kristilyn73]

My DD is about ready to start her 7th year of competition YIKES.. and I am Still a nervous wreck. I actually cannot video most of the time. I talk through her routines...

Like other parents I am all smiles and supportive on the outside but on the inside my tummy is turning.

Over the years it has gotten somewhat better on certain events. Floor is no problem for me.. Beam used to be easy now I can hardly watch. And over the meet season it tends to get easier for me. The first couple meets are hard then it gets better then state is a nightmare.

One tip, if you are a coffee drinker, drink Decaff before a meet! Doesn't' matter what time of day it is, save the caffeinated stuff till after!

 

[NotAMom]

Good tip about the decaff. Same goes for the gymnast, even if it's just tea.