WAG help....xcel/jo/gym switch

[GlobalNomad]

In what world is 10 too old?! I know a kid that went from rec to 10 year old level 4, 11 year old 5/7, 12 year old level 8. She's scoring very well. She's amazing!

 

[momof2gymmies]

So I talked to her coach last night at practice, and was told that I need to trust them that she is on the best path for her, and that she would end up quitting gymnastics if she was the only old kid in L4. That everyone else is 7, and she wouldn't fit in. I get that, I really, really do, but what I can't get over is if she says she doesn't care then she should be given a chance. I did talk to the other gym, and they also said that their oldest L4 was going to be 8, but if we wanted to come in they would take a look at both girls. I need to talk to ODD and see exactly what she wants to do. On one hand, I want them both to be given the chance to do all that they can, and go as far in this sport as they want. On the other hand, I want them to stay in it and have fun, and if ODD is miserable b/c she is too old then she is probably better off staying xcel and just having fin with it. I have no illusions of college for either one of mine. Gym is really just something for them to have fun with and learn all the important life lessons that will take them far. She does get plenty of gym time with xcel - they will be there 10 hours next year. She really does love her friends and her coaches. She is gaining skills like crazy. She did her robhsbl last night, and well as bhs on beam.

I need to talk to her and see how badly she wants JO.

 

[IreneKa]

So I talked to her coach last night at practice, and was told that I need to trust them that she is on the best path for her, and that she would end up quitting gymnastics if she was the only old kid in L4. That everyone else is 7, and she wouldn't fit in. I get that, I really, really do, but what I can't get over is if she says she doesn't care then she should be given a chance. I did talk to the other gym, and they also said that their oldest L4 was going to be 8, but if we wanted to come in they would take a look at both girls. I need to talk to ODD and see exactly what she wants to do. On one hand, I want them both to be given the chance to do all that they can, and go as far in this sport as they want. On the other hand, I want them to stay in it and have fun, and if ODD is miserable b/c she is too old then she is probably better off staying xcel and just having fin with it. I have no illusions of college for either one of mine. Gym is really just something for them to have fun with and learn all the important life lessons that will take them far. She does get plenty of gym time with xcel - they will be there 10 hours next year. She really does love her friends and her coaches. She is gaining skills like crazy. She did her robhsbl last night, and well as bhs on beam.

I need to talk to her and see how badly she wants JO.

Is that an area thing, or just those two gyms? If you look at the results of L4 State meet, what is the average age?
It just seems crazy to me! In our state 10 year old is usually the biggest age group in L4.

 

[Muddlethru]

Glad to hear you were able to sort things out and not close doors in the process. It is so unfortunate there are no other gyms within reasonably drivable distance. I think what you should consider at this point is which gym will let your daughter up train and progess faster or has the better training program. She may be too old for a Level 4 right now FOR THEM, but girls repeat levels. Many repeat Level 4 and Level 5. More repeat Level 7, Level 8 and at Level 9 a great majority repeat. Perhaps a couple years down the road, she may not be too old anymore. If she has a solid training background, you may be able to switch her in Level 7. I never advocate privates. I feel for the amount of money we pay in tuition, all training should be covered during practice. But in your case, perhaps you can have your daughter do privates for uptraining alone.

Just for the record, I've seen phenomenal Level 3 through Level 6 and sometimes Level 7 score no less than 38s just to get to optionals and truly struggle. In the same token, I've seen lower level gymnast struggle through compulsories and then truly shine as optionals. I know many coaches feel they can tell a gymnast's future merely by looking at them. But they are not always right. I truly hope your older daughter is given the opportunity to do what she wants to do and prove all these nay sayers wrong!

 

[Ali'sMom]

First: I hate the age thing. I really do. I have a 12 year old who competed L4 this year. She's had her moments feeling "old", as everyone else is a little younger than her. But, there are also older girls (13) in Level 3, so she's like 'Okay, no biggie'. But no how, no way, would our coaches not give a girl a chance!!

BUT, now, if she's getting ROBHSLO and BHS on beam, honestly, even if they did let her do L4 (and you said it would be a full year), I fear she would be bored. If you can get her past the idea that JO is better (in her eyes, since that's where she wants to be), I think she might do great in Xcel, moving forward and gaining skills.

Of course, I'm still perturbed that so many gyms have a "too old" policy

 

[momof2gymmies]

First: I hate the age thing. I really do. I have a 12 year old who competed L4 this year. She's had her moments feeling "old", as everyone else is a little younger than her. But, there are also older girls (13) in Level 3, so she's like 'Okay, no biggie'. But no how, no way, would our coaches not give a girl a chance!!

BUT, now, if she's getting ROBHSLO and BHS on beam, honestly, even if they did let her do L4 (and you said it would be a full year), I fear she would be bored. If you can get her past the idea that JO is better (in her eyes, since that's where she wants to be), I think she might do great in Xcel, moving forward and gaining skills.

Of course, I'm still perturbed that so many gyms have a "too old" policy

I think that isthe other thing they were concerned about, saying that she would be taking a huge step backwards. I have a meeting with them tomorrow, and may ask and see if we can look at where she is next year, and if possible try an switch her then and score out of a few levels. They never, ever let kids skip levels, but maybe they would consider it for her.

Is that an area thing, or just those two gyms? If you look at the results of L4 State meet, what is the average age?
It just seems crazy to me! In our state 10 year old is usually the biggest age group in L4.

It seems to be a bit of both. According to the state scores, the biggest group of L4s were 9. The 7- 8 and 10 year olds and 11 year olds were about even. There was one group of 12+. However, if I look at the gyms that are in any sort of reasonable driving distance from us, (I looked at 90 minutes, even though that is not really reasonable), all the L4s were 9 and under, most being 8 and under. The gyms that had the older kids were all 2+ hours away.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

So I talked to her coach last night at practice, and was told that I need to trust them that she is on the best path for her, and that she would end up quitting gymnastics if she was the only old kid in L4.

You know as a parent I have to make decisions for my kid.

And sometimes I even have to insist she give something a try if she is reluctant. Although its usually more about doing more not less.

But really I think that if she thinks she can handle being the oldest, why not give it try. Really how could the coach be so sure.

Actually I think you could make a bigger case for not being the youngest. But even then.

Really worst case is she quits, right?

I would rather my girl quit on her terms. So she trys being the oldest and hates and decides to move or quit.

Rather then being told she can't won't be able to handle it and driven out.

JMO

 

[Ali'sMom]

I think that isthe other thing they were concerned about, saying that she would be taking a huge step backwards. I have a meeting with them tomorrow, and may ask and see if we can look at where she is next year, and if possible try an switch her then and score out of a few levels. They never, ever let kids skip levels, but maybe they would consider it for her.

We were just at meet a couple weeks back that wasn't called a mobility meet, but it seems the majority used it as that. My L4 scored out of L5. I was amazed at some scores of another team that didn't even have L4 or L5. I thought "Wow!", until I looked closer, and these girls had been L7 & L8 in AAU. In March three of them scored out of L4 and in April out of L5, so that they can move to optionals in USAG. So, your daughter could very well do the same from a higher level Xcel when the time comes, as long as your gym would allow it.

 

[Midwestmommy]

OK they can blab blab about her best interests and "she wouldn't be happy." But last time I checked, if you put lipstick on a pig it's still a pig. And if a critter is quacking it's most likely a duck. This isn't about your daughter's "best interests" in gymnastics for them. Gyms are for the most part for-profit businesses. Your daughter being in JO does not fit in their business plan, i.e., they don't want to invest their limited team coaching resources in older kids. If she wants to be the best gymnast she can be, and if their Xcel program focuses less on form and conditioning, then they simply aren't willing to give her the opportunity to train to her best potential. This is not about her, it's about them and how they want to run their business (and can since they have enough parents of little kids putting their kids in a gym 16 hours+ a week).

It stinks, but it sounds like you have a clear "no." If you can get her a tryout at another gym, go for it. Or if you decide to keep her in Xcel, bring her to the best Xcel program you can find. Having a great JO team doesn't have much correlation with having a great Xcel team in our area, as some of the big gyms treat it as a much "lesser" program... If she ends up in Xcel, don't be too stressed about it. See all those lines of girls on the JO team? Odds are zero of them are going to the Olympics. And maybe five at most of the ones you see through the glass will get a college scholarship. So if your daughter's odds are zero at the Olympics and Division 1 scholarship, frankly theirs are only marginally better odds....

So you can let her relax and enjoy the sport. Possibly compete for her high school some day, which could be really fun for her. Want to know something? 99.5% of the student body of her school has no clue about gymnastics unless they have one of the rare superstars there. My daughter is on JO team and doesn't really talk about it much at school. She has classmates who are on an Xcel team who are a little more outgoing and always doing tricks on the grass--and they are the ones who are impressing their classmates (my daughter is banned from most tricks on the grass). Most of the kids probably don't even realize my daughter is a gymnast. Of course until spring comes and they see her arms in short sleeved shirts... And those legs, yikes.

Eh, all of us need to remember to keep a good perspective sometimes (me included)...

 

[raenndrops]

I think that isthe other thing they were concerned about, saying that she would be taking a huge step backwards. I have a meeting with them tomorrow, and may ask and see if we can look at where she is next year, and if possible try an switch her then and score out of a few levels. They never, ever let kids skip levels, but maybe they would consider it for her.

Based on her current skill level, why not ask about scoring out THIS season... score out of both 4 and 5 so she can compete Optionals. If the NEVER allow it, but might next year for her... maybe they would allow it this year. ... Or score out of 4, Compete Xcel Gold / Platinum this season, and score out of 5 at the end of the season.
As long as they aren't in the same session, she could do L4 score out in a meet that she is also competing Xcel... and the same with L5 at the end of the season.
That way, she gets to go JO next year (as an Optional)... She gets experience with optional routines (in Xcel)... the team gets to count her scores in Xcel... and, even if she is in the oldest age group for the L4 session, she will feel just fine in the Xcel session.
Since you are talking to them anyways, it can't hurt to ask.

 

[gymnastjetta]

That's not old at all! If 10 YO at L5 is old, then me being at 13 YO L3 must make me ancient.

 

[gopuckgo]

I'm not sure what state or region you are in, but it must be one of the more competitive ones. I honestly cannot imagine them having an issue with a 10 year old Level 4. Even if all of the other kids are younger it would be a great advantage to your daughter's confidence level if there are less kids in her age group, she could do very well and develop amazing confidence going forward. It just doesn't make any sense at all, especially if you and she are okay with it.

Maybe they need her for their excel team to look good? I hope something else comes your way in terms of coaching changes or gym. Your daughter sounds like a kid with heart and love for the sport and those are the ones that last over the years. Good luck with your situation. I hope it turns out well for her.