Grade 14 out of age

[Little Mo]

Pre comp tomorrow so finally get a sneaky peek

 

[Uglybetty]

Pre comp tomorrow so finally get a sneaky peek

Just triggered my "same gym" alarm.

 

[Little Mo]

Really?! Haha. Oops.

 

[Uglybetty]

That comment and a few other things you said 'fit'. There are so few truly "elite gyms" in the UK. Might be just a coincidence though. Good luck to your DD anyway (wherever she may train). My DD (and vast majority of her squad) are skipping grades this year, in part because once you do 4 piece you can't revert to 2 piece in the same year.

 

[Little Mo]

Well if it is the same my identity is 'blown' haha as there are not many girls doing the same grade, if not I can carry on being anonymous. It doesn't make a difference to me, however. Best of luck to your DD in whatever comps she takes part in. I'm sure she'll do very well.

 

[Iwannabemargo]

Aww thats a shame @Uglybetty , I always think its nice for them to do grades every year - I think it kind of gives a continuum against a national standard which helps me place DD in the bigger picture. As levels regionally tend to be all over the shop, Its also nice for her scrap book. I was gutted when we stopped and missed 13

 

[Flossyduck]

Just triggered my "same gym" alarm.

Lol, I have triggered three different 'same gym alarm's, for three different gyms, in three different regions!

You can skip grades can't you? So not doing one, doesn't mean you can't progress at the same rate? All regions seem to do them slightly differently so I guess the clubs make decisions accordingly and are looking at what other comps might be a better bet. I can only imagine they must have some good reason for not competing grades this year... or then again we're talking the world of gym, where communication and openness are like hens teeth

 

[Iwannabemargo]

yes you can skip - but its like stamps - its good to get the set lol

 

[Flossyduck]

Ok, I can see that.

Most people I know seem to have swapped about so much that their stamp cards are like the ones you pick up in shoe shops and coffee bars, collect a couple of stamps then lose it and have to pick up a new one!

 

[bogwoppit]

You talk stamps and all I can think is Greensheild stamps in books, licked lots of them.

 

[Uglybetty]

I'm going to be honest, at first I was a bit miffed. They showed her group the beam routine and DD taught it to herself at home. Despite telling her coach she had it over a month ago they never practiced it again. I'm pretty sure the decision was made not based on whether they thought she would pass. It seemed to be a group wide decision...very few girls in her squad are doing grades and I know the girls doing grades are pretty much doing them "in age" (I know after a certain point they are more above a certain age) but trust me that's not how such an elite gym thinks. DD would be considered "out of age" for 14.

However, having spoken to some other mums who've been at the gym longer, I'm now less concerned than I first was. A lot of girls further up the grades food chain have been "pulled" much closer to the grades comp (often with tears). My DD isn't upset because of all the up training which is going on and because she doesn't really understand what she is missing. There are loads of two piece comps in our diary and I'm sure DD will compete when they think she's ready. So long as they don't suggest she does grade 14 next year DD will be happy and will have some competition experience under her belt.

 

[Jenny]

I agree with you, if she has plenty of floor and vault comps to do she will enjoy it just as much. I know in some regions you can't drop back to 2 piece when you have competed 4 piece and that is probably part of the reason. Don't write off grade 14 for her next year either. It is a nice introduction to 4 piece competition whatever her age. Also bear in mind that while grade 11 is fairly easy to pass after a few years of training, grades 10 and 9 are much trickier. IMHO it is better to go through them pretty much in order and know you have 1 to go at every year.

 

[floppycat]

Some elite clubs only enter those they think will make the podium, which means a lot of girls do skip grades and levels which I think is a shame. Competition experience is fun and motivating for the girls.

 

[Faith]

There are quite a lot of reasons why clubs don't compete. Competing actually takes a lot of time away from training, so getting competition ready can take 6-8 weeks out of a training schedule. If the girls are older they may simply decide to skip this year, and train for a higher level next year.

F&v comps are a great introduction to competition, it's often a simple vault and a string of skills, which can be taught and polished in a couple of sessions.

You also have to factor in the financial factors for a club in competition. For each session they are competing in, they have to provide at least one coach, usually minimum level 2, often with a first aid cert. Sometimes they are required to provide a judge too. Considering weekends are often busy in the gym it can affect the day to day club running. If they only have a couple of girls in each session, which is easily done if they split by age, it can be difficult to find staff.

 

[Uglybetty]

If the girls are older they may simply decide to skip this year, and train for a higher level next year.

I think you hit the nail on the head Faith. My DD and her squad are mainly "late starters" (8-10 yrs).....they do not really have the luxury of time....they need to eliminate as many "one time only" skills and go straight towards the tougher skills (with safe progressions of course). Their time is precious and spending 6-8 weeks tidying routines is perhaps not the best use of their fast diminishing time in the long run. I know that she's learned loads since early Jan and I'm not sure that would have been possible if she was doing a grade.

 

[Flossyduck]

Well that sounds like a very sensible plan UB. I think quite a few of us get frustrated at this time of year, watching the girls working routines over and over and temporarily reducing (not altogether, but greatly) the amount of time spent on moving forwards. And the girls start looking forward to April or May, when they can start working on new skills big time.

If she gets some competitions and also spends more time preparing ahead, that's a good result.

 

[Ex member]

If for some reason the gym decides that Grade 14 is not a good idead this year for a group is it possible to skip Grade 14 altogether - I am thinking anout my dd's group, as has an age range of 8 this year to 11 this year girls in it that doing grade 14 might not be possible for the older girls, would it unrealistic to do Grade 13 next year?

I am not saying that my dd's group are going to do grades but if they did would it be more sensible as it a new group.

I was looking at the requirements for Grade 13 and some of the things they are working on so far on Beam and Bars seem to fit :

Beam

Cat leap
Tuck Jump
Straight Jump
Forward Roll
Cartwheel

Bars

Pull up
Circle up
Cast
Forward roll down to controlled landing

I don't know what they are doing on floor and vault as they haven't worked on them yet, they do loads of conditioning.

 

[Uglybetty]

It is my understanding that you can skip grades and start at whatever grade your skills fit into provided you don't go backwards.

My DD already has most of these skills, is working on the few she needs to perfect and is working on progressions for tougher stuff e.g. Handsprings, Upstart/Kip, back tucks, flic/BHS, jump to high bar from low (what is that called?). So it looks like a higher grade next year is realistic.

 

[Iwannabemargo]

well from my little old perspective I think its a bit pants that the club does not enter the girls, even if they only pass. But I come from a very small club whose top gymnast is a 15 year old level 3, but we had 60 girls compete in a level 7 comp last week and they had a blast.

 

[Little Mo]

Well pre comp went very well, I must say I was very impressed with DD. obviously it was very basic but she made it look stunning! Proud mummy moment only a few glimpses of a smile so that needs to be worked on. She had her 'game face' on!! Haha.