Anon Is HOPES possible/worth it for my kid?

[JBS]

you said they chuck junk! In my experience Rock Stars don't chuck junk. Their steps forwards and amount of drills will be less but it all still happens in the right order for it to be good quality. Chuckers are chuckers end of. They are not rock stars, they are chuckers!

100% don't agree... the chuckers that you speak of are created by bad coaching... not by the athletes. The chuckers that I speak of throw double layouts at age 10 or 11 and need help refining their talent.

 

[Anonymous (9714)]

Thanks everyone! We decided that she’ll move to that group come summer and see how it goes from there. My kid just broke her elbow and is unable to do much for 8 weeks, so not sure how it will impact their decision to proceed. Oh well!

As the mom of a gymnast, who broke her elbow, it was a year before she was back to her regular, gymnastics self. Then she had elbow surgery on the other elbow in high school, and she never really regained her ability, even though she gave it a good try. I say this, just to warn you not to get your hopes up that six weeks from now she’ll be ready to go. Elbow injuries Are pretty sidelining, because you need your elbows to do gymnastics.

I also wanted to mention about the time frame. You say she’s 11 and her coach is looking at three years from now qualifying Hopes. But the elite world uses the birth year as the year of age. Does that mean in three years she will be turning 15 or she’ll be turning 14? That makes a big difference. Just something to throw out there and think about.

 

[Anonymous (9714)]

you said they chuck junk! In my experience Rock Stars don't chuck junk. Their steps forwards and amount of drills will be less but it all still happens in the right order for it to be good quality. Chuckers are chuckers end of. They are not rock stars, they are chuckers!

That’s not what he said.

 

[Anonymous Post]

As the mom of a gymnast, who broke her elbow, it was a year before she was back to her regular, gymnastics self. Then she had elbow surgery on the other elbow in high school, and she never really regained her ability, even though she gave it a good try. I say this, just to warn you not to get your hopes up that six weeks from now she’ll be ready to go. Elbow injuries Are pretty sidelining, because you need your elbows to do gymnastics.

I also wanted to mention about the time frame. You say she’s 11 and her coach is looking at three years from now qualifying Hopes. But the elite world uses the birth year as the year of age. Does that mean in three years she will be turning 15 or she’ll be turning 14? That makes a big difference. Just something to throw out there and think about.

I know she will not be ready 6 weeks from injury. She will be cleared to place weight on the arm at 8 weeks and then likely another month to build back strength. We are pretty realistic.

She just turned in March. She is an early 2012 baby, so based on birthyear, in 3 years, she will be 14.
We are keeping her down to earth and realistic with any expectations. Not trying to break her spirit, but I also don't want her to get her hopes way up and be deflated.

 

[Anonymous (1682)]

Any updates? This has been a helpful thread. We are moving to US after being overseas for a few years and considering the elite track. My daughter is similar age, so would love to hear more about the OP's journey so far.

 

[Anonymous (ea88)]

Elbow injuries are the worst. My DD had surgery on hers when she was 11. Here we are 4 years later and it still hurts to vault and sometimes to tumble. It makes me wonder if it’s worth her pain. She doesn’t want to quit but it’s hard as a mom seeing her pain not go away.

 

[Anonymous (0174)]

I’m just going to add that there is no age limit in Elite gymnastics.

We have recently seen this happen with a gymnast.

1. Age 10 - started gym with no previous experience
2. Age 10-12 - recreational gymnastics, 1 1/2 hours a week.
3. Age 13 - tested out of level 4 and competed level 5, (which is the same as US level 4). Her first year of competitive gymnastics
4. Age 14 - competed level 7
5. Age 15 - competed junior international (Junior Elite)
6. Now at age 16 competed Senior international Elite

Is this gymnast based outside of the US though? if so, it's a very different situation for American gymnasts: the competition is too stiff here!

 

[JBS]

Is this gymnast based outside of the US though? if so, it's a very different situation for American gymnasts: the competition is too stiff here!

True... but the concept of "no age limit in elite" is not. If they are that good... they could shoot right up to Sr. elite... it's just a matter of qualifying.