Is there any point to going to big meets?

[k3mom]

My daughter is 8 years old and is competing level 7 this year. In addition to several meets involving a 4 to 5-hour drive, she has one meet that will require a 7 to 8-hour drive and another one that will involve airfare. We have decided that we are not going to let her to the one that would involve paying for plane tickets, but we are having trouble deciding about the one with the 7-8 hour drive. We think she would probably do fairly well at the meet and we can swing it financially, but the fact of the matter is that things would be a lot better financially if we didn't have to. She's only 8. It seems a little silly to be spending so much money for her competitions when she is so young. Her coach says that it's always good to get as much experience competing as she can, but is it really necessary? I'm guessing there will be far away competitions that she's going to have to attend in the future. Is it okay to say no to these? The gym has made it clear that the far away meets are not mandatory so there won't be any official problem if she doesn't go, but I am a little worried that the coaches will decide we don't have enough money for the big stuff and start to loose interest in her. Do you think that's a legitimate concern or am I just making things more complicated than they have to be? Thanks so much for your collective advice!

 

[bogwoppit]

If your club has no issue with you not taking her stay home and save the money for the future when regionals and nationals might be a possibility. Driving 4 hours for a meet is plenty, she is 8 and will have many more years to compete if she decides to continue in the sport.

If the coaches don't mind, then for me it would be a no brainer.

 

[lilgymmie7]

I am just like you. DD's gym has that option to attend far away meets for the compulsories thank goodness. Taking a seven yo on a plane ride for a meet just isn't in my book at this time. However, as optionals the girls have to go; it becomes mandatory. I will be in your shoes then. She's level 5 now, but depending on when she moves up to level 7, I may still think she is too young. If the gym leaves it up to the parents, talk to her coaches and voice your concern/opinion. And then take it from there.

 

[10.0]

Personally I wouldn't do it. Gymnastics gets expensive enough, save your money. It might be different if she were a level 9 or 10 and was looking to go elite or get into college. That is just me personally though. The gym should not judge you as someone who can't afford it or brush your daughter off. If I were you I would explain your reasoning just like you did on here. "We have no issue affording these things when she is a little older/a higher level but I think we will stick to more local meets until that time."

 

[nettyinpa]

I agree with bog and 10.0. She's only 8. I'd save the money for a few years down the road, if she's still in the sport, to help pay for regional meets or even national!

 

[IJustWriteChecks]

Your daughter has made it to Level 7 by 8 years old! She is obviously talented, and I seriously doubt the gym will lose interest in her because of this. If it were me, I'd choose not to go. The financial impact on your family is way more important than travel meets at that age.

 

[hakunamatata]

Save the money for down the road! I think one travel meet is a fun experience for the gymnasts to stay in a hotel with their teammates and be somewhere new, but so many of these far away meets just takes a toll on everyone involved, financially, physically, and mentally. She's so young still. You may want her to have more competitive experience as she is getting into higher optional levels, or if she is ever planning to go into college gymnastics. At this point, though, I really don't think it's necessary for you to attend all these meets if the gym is OK with you staying home. You, as a parent, put so much into the sport already. This many far away meets is asking a lot.

 

[gymdog]

There's some point in that it could be fun, but if it would be a financial hardship I think it might be best to skip it for now when she's young. Right now her interest will probably be held by other things in gymnastics than going to big meets. When she gets older and to a higher level it will be more important since as the numbers thin out at smaller meets there often isn't a lot of competition for the higher levels, etc.

 

[Bobby]

Maybe the issue is less whether to go and more how to tell the gym so you feel confident they will be no unspoken disadvantage in the future?
I'd suggest telling the gym you've decided to give this one a miss and that you'll be adding the $s you would have spent to the account you've set aside to fund all the travel you hope she'll have in the future for states/regionals/etc and for when she's age/level X and really building up her meet experience.
That way they'll no you're completely committed in the future.

 

[gymcoach34]

From a scheduling standpoint- you should make sure she won't have too many weeks in between meets if she misses two meets. The gymnasts make so many memories traveling w their teammates at travel meets- I say skipping the flight meet is fine, but you should do both driving meets. Also, what is she gets sick and misses another meet- that would mean missing 3 meets out of her season.

 

[Pickle's Mom]

I agree with what everyone else has posted. But I would consider going if there was something fun/interesting/educational you could do in the destination beyond the meet.

Pickle had a “hotel-nightâ€￾ meet last year in a city which has a planetarium (which our city doesn’t). It was great to go visit it. And she loved swimming with her teammates and walking around the hotel in her slippers.

All in all, it was a lot of money for a gymnastics meet. But, it was an okay amount of money for a fun family weekend doing some things we might not otherwise have done.

 

[Billy]

I don't think I'd do the fly meet but I'd try to do the drivable ones. DD absolutely LOVES to travel but those meets are never her best (the excitement, the actual travel, not sleeping as well away from home, who knows?). Perhaps the more she does of them, the more used to it she'll get. We have two travel meets this year and unfortunately they fall on back to back weekends. UGH! Not expecting high results out of those! But, it's a neat experience and the kiddos just love it so it's worth it if you can swing it.

 

[Megley]

I would not go if you cannot afford it and the gym is not requiring it. There is not really any purpose to it other than getting them used to competing in a large arena (most of the time you are flying to a big meet). We are flying to Sand Dollar in Florida, which is an air trip for us. The meet is optional but we are going because we can afford it and it's in Orlando so it will make a nice fun trip.

 

[cher062]

I think its great if you can financially afford to attend these big meets and to try to pick at least one to go to, but with that said don't put yourself in any financial disadvantage just for gymnastics regardless of level.

The bigger meets are always alot more fun then the small local ones (at least they are for my DD) so I would say if you can afford it see which one give the most "free stuff" to the gymnasts and go to that one.

 

[gym law mom]

I would try the one thats drivable this year and see how she does with it. She'll still get the whole hotel, meet in larger venue experience. My gymmie is like Shawn's---just doesn't sleep well when not in her own bed. So, the out of state meets are tough on her. There is all the excitment of getting packed, to the airport etc. and yeah---they're there to do gymnastics too!

Usually these meets are held in convention centers, large hotel ballrooms---certainly not like the local meets she may be used to.

Don't worry about what to tell the gym. Since the meet is required just say you're not going to do that one---don't need any long explanation.

 

[gymgramma]

No need to travel that far especially since the gym is not making it mandatory. 4 hrs each way is far enuf