WAG How do coaches decide who moves up and who repeats a level?

[profmom]

Different strokes, I guess. Some girls who aren't awesome compulsory gymnasts really blossom as optionals, so I'm not sure having a very high AA score target is best for them. One of DD's friends never got much past a 34 and change at (old) L5 but last season took fourth place at L8 regionals.

 

[catova]

Our gym puts it in writing that an AA score of 37 is required to move up, though it can be waived at coach's discretion. I think we are in a tough scoring region compared to our old one (we moved from 7 to 1) so 37's are not handed out like water. She did not get AA 37 last year but had all the skills for next level, and well above 37 if you took her best score in each event from the season (combined), so... she got a hall pass from the coach and moved her up without the 37AA, probably because she's a little old age wise at 11. She's got skills well above her current level 5 (BHS on beam, cast to hand stand, etc., though they are far from perfect..and she's got her optional routine already done too) but she's well aware she's got to get that 37 AA this year. The '37' puts a lot of stress on DD.

 

[raenndrops]

That makes more sense, But do you really not move a kid up because you don't have room in a group?

We are just the opposite. There were years in which we had to move up borderline kids (Old L4 to L5... New L3 to L4) so there would be space in the group below... 4/5 times, it pays off for the girls that we move up. The only ones it doesn't pay off for are girls who develop fears (or realize they are afraid of heights) or girls who HATE one event (then they scratch bars or accept a low score and score in the 9's on beam). Now, we can also "filter" them into Excel Gold or Platinum if they are at least Middle School age.

 

[Natasha]

Our gym puts it in writing that an AA score of 37 is required to move up, though it can be waived at coach's discretion. I think we are in a tough scoring region compared to our old one (we moved from 7 to 1) so 37's are not handed out like water. She did not get AA 37 last year but had all the skills for next level, and well above 37 if you took her best score in each event from the season (combined), so... she got a hall pass from the coach and moved her up without the 37AA, probably because she's a little old age wise at 11. She's got skills well above her current level 5 (BHS on beam, cast to hand stand, etc., though they are far from perfect..and she's got her optional routine already done too) but she's well aware she's got to get that 37 AA this year. The '37' puts a lot of stress on DD.

37 seems like a very stiff requirement. My dd just got her 1st 37 ever at L8 State meet this year. If gyms in our state had that requirement, I would estimate that less than 15% would move up each year.

 

[cassafrass]

This makes no sense to me. You would seriously hold a child back a level for this? Why wouldn't they stay in their group and train the new level? Do you only have girls training the exact same level in a group? Every gym experience my dd has had there are always multiple levels training together.

This summer DDS gym got a few transfers in upper optionals from nearby gyms. This left really no spaces to train in the optional group. Her gym basically has one compulsory coach and one optional. She is remaining in the same training group with the compulsory coach but training 7 (may repeat 6- last year she split 5/6) Its sort of a bummer because she has been working hard and looking forward to being in the HCs group and normally she would be. Gymnastics isn't always fair!

 

[Aussie_coach]

This makes no sense to me. You would seriously hold a child back a level for this? Why wouldn't they stay in their group and train the new level? Do you only have girls training the exact same level in a group? Every gym experience my dd has had there are always multiple levels training together.

I never once said this was how I did things in my gym. I was listing the various reasons why a gym may consider not putting a child up to a new level.

It may be simple to move a child from level 1-2 or level 5-6 or something like that in most gyms. But most gyms have a limit to the capacity of their teams. Moving a child from rec to team has to take this into account.

What's more in our country you need a specific qualification to teach certain levels. If the gym only has one qualified optionals coach (which is not uncommon for Australian gyms) you can't have a kid stay and do optionals with an u qualified coach and you can't exceed safe gymnast: coach rations. The gyms hands are tied.

 

[raenndrops]

37 seems like a very stiff requirement. My dd just got her 1st 37 ever at L8 State meet this year. If gyms in our state had that requirement, I would estimate that less than 15% would move up each year.

I just checked... NONE of our girls would have moved up with a 37 requirement (even if you take their personal bests on each event)... and in reality, 9/18 L3 are slated to move up to L4 (pending a few kips)... 1 of the girls has quit for 7th grade activities... 2 are ONLY competing for the MS team... and 4 are switching to Xcel Gold... that leaves 2 definite repeaters and 4 possible repeaters.
From Level 4, 3/15 are definitely repeating... one has quit because her mom made her... 5 are moving up to L5... 2 are competing Xcel Platinum (also MS... which has Platinum rules with High school bonus)... and 3 are competing Xcel Gold... and there is one on the fence - repeat or L5 or Gold.
All of our L6 are repeating because at YMCA Nationals, there were L6 who were competing FULLS on floor!!! Our L7s are repeating for the same reason.
3 of our Xcel Gold are moving up to Platinum (unless one quits)... and the other 4 are repeating.
We only had one Xcel Platinum and she is going to focus on HS gymnastics this year (but may be back the following year as a L7).
So glad our coaches aren't as strict

 

[LJL07]

37 sounds too high. Ours won't move up based on skills alone. The form has to be really good too.

 

[JBS]

Here are our mobility requirements to move into L4...

• Be able to safely perform all required Level 4 elements by the end of June 2014.
  
  
• Score two separate 36 AA in competition at Level 3 or complete two competitive seasons (15 months minimum) at Level 3
  
  
• Score a minimum 32 AA at in house mock meet in July 2014

 

[gymgymgymnast08]

I started at a gym that didn't have crazy move up rules. As long as you had all the skills for the next level. I was the worst compulsory gymnast in the whole world but I would eventually get the skills for the next level and move up. I didn't do any worse than I did in the previous level.

Later in my gymnastics career, I switched to a gym that was more strict overall. I didn't switch until I was a level 9 but if I had started out at the gym I switched to, I probably would have been a level 7 at the highest.

So I don't think those strict score rules necessarily make sense in the lower levels. I was always the top couple score wise once I hit optionals but I was just not a good gymnast in compulsories. (Old level 6 was really hard )

 

[ascarter1]

We don't have a minimum score at our gym. Our coaches base it on our kids skills and what they know about our kids and how they handle pressure.

 

[lovegymnastics22]

Curious when you choose which training group level to put the girls in? Sounds like if it AA score based, then you put them in levels at end of season. But if it is skill based, you put them in levels right before the season.

 

[motigymnasticsmom]

our gym announced a 36 AA for any level girls to be considered to move up. Now, they did not say on score out meets. I think they may be a little bit flexible though. this is theirs and our first year with them. Dd is in compulsary level 4, good luck to her!!!

 

[catova]

37 seems like a very stiff requirement. My dd just got her 1st 37 ever at L8 State meet this year. If gyms in our state had that requirement, I would estimate that less than 15% would move up each year.

I am glad I am not the only person who thinks this is a tough standard. It was hard moving from one region to another a few years ago...super high expectations for compulsory scores here, and double whammy, the scores seem lower here 'apples to apples' for same routines.
When DD first tried out for a new gym close to our new home, she was told she'd have to repeat (old) L4. Gym's opinion was that DD's skills would put her in low 36's here (not 37.5+ that she had been accustomed to for same routines)..and as far as moving to next level, that her (old) L5 skills 'as is' would score her at 35 at best, which was below what the gym considered acceptable to take her on at that level. At the time, it really surprised me because DD's tryout was less than a month after she had scored in top 5% at her L4 state meet in our former region. On one hand, DD would not have been allowed to repeat old L4 at her old gym due to high scores; yet in new region, she would have to repeat it? Wow, it was a rough reality check for her. We passed on the new gym where DD tried out initially, and after doing more research, didn't even bother trying out at two other gyms with similar standards. Our current gym is considered 'less competitive' than those gyms, but still, the standards are quite high. On a positive note, DD does lots of uptraining (L5's all have BHS on beam, many have giants, etc. bottom line, they have the skills for L6 already, some for L7.). Still, I wish the question was 'can the skills be done consistently with good form- and safely' without the tag on requirement of 'did the gymnast also score 37 in last compulsory season'. Again, though exceptions can be made by our gym, the kids know the magic number they have to hit to seal the deal and it causes stress for some of them, like my dd.

 

[thefellowsmom]

A lot of factors come into play at DD gym and there isn't one sweeping rule that applies for moving up. Each kids is looked at individually and the over all picture is the deciding factor. However, the level they compete is not the focus at her gym, Its not like school where they are expected to move up a level a year. Some kids skip levels, some repeat. Some repeat and then skip, it is really based on each individual kid and not a set of scores.

This is exactly how our gym does it. Each girl is an individual with their own goals, short and long, strengths, weaknesses and challenges they are currently facing. What are they ready to compete and what are they trying to accomplish in the gym? That's where they are.

I just don't understand hard and fast rules. Many gyms where we are have them and it generally doesn't play out to the benefit of the individual gymnast, but hey the gym is winning state compulsory titles and that makes them the best gym in town, right? NOT.....

 

[gymmomtoo]

Glad our old gym didn't require a 37 AA! If they had, my DD (who competed level 10 successfully her last year before quitting due to injury) would still be a level 4 ;-)!

 

[Deleted member 14190]

don't believe anything you hear about other gyms. This past fall I heard we required 2 37's or a 38 to move up, All of our kids were home schooled and we train 30 hours a week. News to us! .

 

[RAMS]

don't believe anything you hear about other gyms. This past fall I heard we required 2 37's or a 38 to move up, All of our kids were home schooled and we train 30 hours a week. News to us! .

I think I have heard a few of these rumors

 

[JBS]

Here are our mobility requirements to move into L4...

• Be able to safely perform all required Level 4 elements by the end of June 2014.
  
  
• Score two separate 36 AA in competition at Level 3 or complete two competitive seasons (15 months minimum) at Level 3
  
  
• Score a minimum 32 AA at in house mock meet in July 2014

We have no requirements for L5/6...then we have requirements again at L7. For L7 you must 36 out of L4. If the kids don't have their 36's...then they just do a couple meets in the compulsory season before L6/7. We have fall compulsories and spring optionals.

We also bring in judges before season...these scores count too.

There are always exceptions...but a decent ability to score is not only part of our team plan...but our business plan as well. And scoring a 36 in compulsories is really not that hard.

 

[Quadqueen]

We have no requirements for L5/6...then we have requirements again at L7. For L7 you must 36 out of L4. If the kids don't have their 36's...then they just do a couple meets in the compulsory season before L6/7. We have fall compulsories and spring optionals.

We also bring in judges before season...these scores count too.

There are always exceptions...but a decent ability to score is not only part of our team plan...but our business plan as well. And scoring a 36 in compulsories is really not that hard.

My DD never scored a 36 in old 5 or old 6. She scored .25 below a 37 in L7, and will be L8 this year. Under these requirements, she would still be at old L4.