Backstory: My DD is L4, age 8, on the small side (2nd smallest on team). She's just about done with her meet season - averaging an AA 36. She's a dedicated bar worker and had a personal best of 9.55. As her mom, I am very proud of her.
She definitely has my family's anxiety and tends to over think things - which leads to fear/apprehension. She began the season very nervous about the BHS and the mill circle. She wanted to conquer both, it took a bit, but she got them. She's also still very much a fun-loving little girl at practice giggling away...not focusing at times or making the corrections needed - so everyone knows if SHE had wanted to, she could have done even better.
Question:
Coach told me that she is thinking of having her repeat L4/new L3 because of the apprehension, her small size, and it would build her gym confidence.
Our gym doesnt like to change bar/vault settings, so she would need to learn to jump to the high bar from the setting all the other team girls use. Same goes for the vault. I do know my daughter is currently over thinking that jump to high bar and her RO BHS BHS. She hasn't said anything about vault. She does have her kip...
I see both sides of it. Repeating - doing well...but I'm worried that she still won't get sufficient time to conquer her fear, as the girls she would be placed with look really rough and will need a lot of coaching otherplaces-granted they have a year. But our gym is a bit understaffed, most team parents would say. So i dont think they're able to accomodate 'alternate' skill learning (jumping to high bar with matts underneath for a confidence booster). I also know my DD is itching for more gym time.
I haven't talked to DD yet to get her thoughts (it's ultimately up to her)... But I'd like to get some other opinions from parents with children who fit this description, coaches who have worked with kids like this, or gymnasts who are like my DD and either repeated or pressed on.
Many thanks for your input!
She definitely has my family's anxiety and tends to over think things - which leads to fear/apprehension. She began the season very nervous about the BHS and the mill circle. She wanted to conquer both, it took a bit, but she got them. She's also still very much a fun-loving little girl at practice giggling away...not focusing at times or making the corrections needed - so everyone knows if SHE had wanted to, she could have done even better.
Question:
Coach told me that she is thinking of having her repeat L4/new L3 because of the apprehension, her small size, and it would build her gym confidence.
Our gym doesnt like to change bar/vault settings, so she would need to learn to jump to the high bar from the setting all the other team girls use. Same goes for the vault. I do know my daughter is currently over thinking that jump to high bar and her RO BHS BHS. She hasn't said anything about vault. She does have her kip...
I see both sides of it. Repeating - doing well...but I'm worried that she still won't get sufficient time to conquer her fear, as the girls she would be placed with look really rough and will need a lot of coaching otherplaces-granted they have a year. But our gym is a bit understaffed, most team parents would say. So i dont think they're able to accomodate 'alternate' skill learning (jumping to high bar with matts underneath for a confidence booster). I also know my DD is itching for more gym time.
I haven't talked to DD yet to get her thoughts (it's ultimately up to her)... But I'd like to get some other opinions from parents with children who fit this description, coaches who have worked with kids like this, or gymnasts who are like my DD and either repeated or pressed on.
Many thanks for your input!