how does your gym handle move ups and training schedules?

[profmom]

I know we've had a million threads on this issue, but thought it might be a good time for another one, since summer schedules are probably getting settled at most US and Canadian gyms now.

So DD got The Note in her box -- I was expecting it to say that she would be on the same schedule this summer as last summer, since her L6 season was, let's just say, not awesome. But instead, it said strap your seatbelt and whip out that checkbook -- she's in the group that's uptraining for L7. While I assume she will still compete L6 next year, I'm very happy for her that she's going to get the chance to work on L7 skills and train for strength more intensively.

DS had a good year last year and we think he's likely to move up, but it's the same deal for him -- he will be with the uptraining group over the summer, and the coach will make decisions as fall approaches.

I like this way of doing things. The coaches won't make decisions about move ups until the late summer/early fall, probably making the easy calls when school starts back up and the closer calls as the meet season approaches. But maybe I just feel this way because I'm pretty sure my DD won't move up (and would frankly be happier if she didn't, unless some very surprising things happen this summer), and my DS doesn't seem too fussed about which level he competes.

Do most other gyms make move up decisions now in order to set summer schedules? Keep the scheduling and move up decisions decoupled for all gymnasts? Or handle it on a case-by-case basis? And which approaches make the parents least crazed (because it is, after all, all about the parents )?

 

[Natasha]

Our gym has practice groups which are only labeled by a letter. Many of the groups have mixed levels in them. So, they just keep training. Everyone gets to "up train" in the summer provided they can do safe progressions. Some gymnasts will have all their skills by the summer individual meeting with the coach and will be told then that they expect to compete the next level. Others will find out when the posting goes up to sign up for the first meet.
It does seem to minimize drama, except that then everyone (well, by everyone I mean the parents of coarse) is always trying to figure out what the "plans" are for each group based on how many hours they are in the gym and if group E is really a higher level than group F or the same level... My dd is in group A, the only optional group, so there is no more drama for her, her teammates or parents and no more guessing what "letter" she will be. I must say, it is nice to be drama free!

 

[gymmomtoo]

Our gym does move ups for levels 4, 5 and 6 in January now--right after their competition season is over (State for then is in December here). Move ups for Optionals are in summer (June), but all the level 6s who are moving up already know that they are--just haven't started the new hours yet. We don't really have girls who train level 7 over the summer, but then compete 6. Some might be trying for level 6, but the decision come August is to compete level 5. That's more common at the Optional level where over the summer girls are trying for the higher level, but don't get all their skills, so in October, coaches say they are the lower level.

Good luck to your daughter and your son. Is your daughter wanting to move up? And both my girls had lack luster level 6 seasons, but did MUCH better in level 7, so don't count her out!

 

[LizzieLac]

For the most part, during the summer our gym has the girls practice in the same level/group they did during the season as EVERYONE is uptraining skills and increasing their conditioning. This goes for about 90% of the girls unless someone is going into the summer with the next set of skills, then they move at the beginning of summer training. In the fall, final assignments are made before the first meet.

 

[gym law mom]

Our gym has already moved the compulsory girls up(if they were going to move) since they start meets in late August. Girls who are repeating a complusory level still get to do some uptraining over the summer. Most of the optionals will train 1 level up and the decision on competition level is made in October since they don't compete til January.

 

[lhmom]

DD has been up training since January for level 5, but they "officially" became level 5's two weeks ago when their schedule hours increased. After 2 years at level 4, it's pretty much a given that they move up The optionals at her gym will not really know for sure what level they will compete until later this summer (they don't start competing until November). We just got the summer schedule a week ago.

 

[profmom]

Gymmomtoo, I think my DD has mixed feelings about moving up. She'd have to work pretty hard and make very strong progress to be able to move up, as she doesn't have her giants yet, she's missing the back tuck dismount off beam, and her front handspring-front tuck needs a lot of work. Knowing this, she is a bit apprehensive about moving up, yet she does like the idea of going forward to a new level and will be a little disappointed if she doesn't move up.

She could have a much better year at L6 if she repeats, even given all the pickiness of L6, because the progress she should make on bars and floor over the summer would make a huge difference for her at meets. She's one of those girls who has never had a really great competitive year, though I think she's probably going to be a better optional than compulsory. The coaches will figure this all out, but I guess from my standpoint, I'd like to see her compete at whatever level is most likely to be fun with moderate prospects for success for her. My best guess right now is that it will end up being L6.

 

[serenity's Momma]

Our gym has changed their evaluation schedule this year. Before the girls would train up a level during the competition season as long as they had their skills to compete and knew their routines and would evaluate in June. This year our head coach decided that since the USGA has changed things up in the competition levels that the girls will continue to up train for the summer and in August they will evaluate for their level posting. It is strange to see because I have watched girls this year who should have only been in level 2 competing at level 4 because of their age and girls who should have been at level 3 or 4 competing level 2 because of one missed bar skill.

 

[cazoon]

We train what we can, and i early July we are asked to show full routines for the level we are capable of doing them for. That is the level we will compete.

 

[Aussie_coach]

We put all the kids names in a hat, then we close our eyes and put our hand in and pull out a random handful of kids out of the hat and they are the ones who move up. Then the next random handful stay down, and for everyone else in the hat we flip a coin heads they skip a level and tails they do two years at their current level before they go in the hat again.

Well anyway, that seems to be how some of the parents think we do it.