Hi from Australia

[AussieMum]

Hi,
I've just joined and was wondering if there are any other Aussies out there?

My DD (who's almost 9) has been doing gymnastics for 3.5 years and is in level 2 ... although I'm not sure if our level 2 is the same as level 2 in the US?

Hope to chat to you all soon!

 

[canadiangymmom]

Welcome to the board! Lots of great people here, with sound advice to share!

Sorry I don't know enough about American levels, OR Aussie levels for that matter, to know whether or not they're the same

Enjoy yourself here!

 

[Aussie_coach]

Hi, I am a coach from Australia. Good to have a few more Aussie's on here. Level 2 in Australia is very similar to level 2 in the USA. The only major difference is that in Australia most level 2's go to competitions but in the USA its quite rare for kids to compete at that level.

 

[AussieMum]

Yes, after looking around on here, it looks like US kids don't compete until they're about level 4-5. BUT they also seem to be a lot younger - most of the level 2s at our gym are 7-11 year olds, but the US level 2s seem to be about 4 years old!! Is that right??

 

[Aussie_coach]

Yea, it does seem to be the case. The average level 2 in Australia is between 6-8 years of age. In the USA there seem to be a lot of kids that age in level 4 and 5. But in Australia the average level 4 is about 9 or 10.

One of the reasons for that may be the elite stream we have in Australia. In the USA the kids who will go on to be elite gymnasts and eventually do the national team or go to the olympics compete in the normal levels system with all the other competitive kids.

In Australia if a child has potential to go to the international level of the sport they are identified at 4-7 years old and placed in high performance gyms. They compete in their own separate levels system and there are only a few of them in each state. You generally don't see or hear much of them again until they reach international senior and junior level as they are training at different gyms and competing in separate competitions. So those little superstars in Australia who would be level 4's at 6 years old are generally the ones off at the high performance centre's.

 

[mum-of-one]

Hi - Another Aussie mum here. My daughter competed level 3b this year and will go to the national stream of Level 4 next year - she turned 10 in April. Saying a big hi to everyone out there!

 

[AussieMum]

Hi! Nice to see another Aussie parent on here!
Could I ask what state you're in?

 

[kalgymcoach]

HI I'm a mum and a coach, Having been coaching for 8 years. My daughter was 10 doing level 3 when we started. My son is now Level 4 aged 10 and my youngest daughter just passed level 2 and is 6. My eldest competed Level 7 this year and just turned 18. We live in the desert in Western Australia. Glad to met you.

 

[gymgurl]

Im an Aussie gymnast! in open lv 4 and really enjoying it!!

 

[mum-of-one]

Wow I think you replied some time ago and I didn't answer - sorry. I'm in Victoria, my daughter is now level 5A. Is your daughter still competing?

 

[sally]

Hi there I am from Australia to, there is a few on here lol. My dd is 7 is she is now doing level 4/5.

 

[gymmomof1]

Welcome! Yet another reason I enjoy the CB-to meet gym parents from all over the world . Looking forward to hearing about your gymmie. We are in the US (east coast) and my Dd has been in gymnastics for 6 years.

 

[Bobby]

... I'm in Victoria, my daughter is now level 5A. ...

I haven't heard the term 5A before. Is that the same as IDP5?
We're down under as well. My girls are beginners. 7 y/o did a few comps last year, none this year so far, and is waiting to see what level she might be allowed to compete next year (if any). Little sis is very shy and happy not to compete at all.

 

[itstallgirl]

Hi! I'm a new adult gymnast, though I'm dealing with some leg paralysis which is cramping my ability to attend classes for the time being. I'm also a huge gym fan, both the US and Aussie girls! My fiance is an Aussie so him and I end up splitting our time between Colorado (for skiing, he's on the Australian National Team) and his hometown of Perth where I work for the Australian Red Cross. I love Colorado but I adore Perth. We'll probably settle down in Melbourne, but I'm a sucker for the Indian Ocean!

 

[gymnastjess]

Hi, This post is from ages ago but thought I would reply anyway, I am an Aussie in NSW, competing level 2 (states coming up in about 4 weeks- soooo excited lol) welcome

 

[sally]

I haven't heard of 5a either. only the old 1,2,3A which are now idp1,2,3.

 

[mum-of-one]

Hi! No it's the National stream. In Victoria we have level 5A and 5B. There are training limits on 5B, maybe 10-12 hours?, while 5A it is higher. My daughter trains between 16-20 hours per week.
Whereabouts are you based? I judge the littlies (Level 1-3) comps as well.

 

[sally]

Oh that explains it. I don't think we have that here in qld but not really sure my dd has been in the idp program for the past few years but has just recently changed back to levels because she was training lots of hrs with no comps and she was starting to get bored, so she will do levels for a year then go back when she is a little older, so learning about all the levels is going to be challenging for me.

 

[mum-of-one]

Excellent that your girl was chosen for the IDP program. Unfortunately my girl got involved a little too old, and will stick with the national stream until she gives it away. She's 12. Her goal is to represent Victoria in the National Stream, so it's possibly realistic!

 

[sally]

For sure and she could even represent Australia. Yes my dd was lucky to have been found at a young age which gives us a little time for her to have a play around so to speak. Her skills are pretty high so to go back to levels for a little while wouldn't really affect her to much as she was about a year ahead of her age. This year has been pretty shocking for her as her coach was always taking time off, and doing things a coach shouldn't be doing while coaching and it has really put her off gymnastics. So I am hoping that by end of next year she will be set to go back, she does say she wants to but we will have to wait and see. She is loving doing her dancing that she can do now as her hrs have cut back a little bit. Gives her a bit of life trying other things before she settles back down to some hard training.