gracyomalley
Proud Parent
- Aug 5, 2013
- 944
- 1,347
We are in a small (not to be really obvious) region with very few boys over L7. DS started late (almost 11) and is now 14 (8th grade), doing really well at L7 and training full routines of L8+ skills in the meantime (his planned L8 pommel is much better than the one he is required to do as a L7!) - small team and enthusiastic coach so the boys get lots and lots of progressive work. There are 2 other boys about his age - a 15 year old L8 and a 14 year old L9, both who've been doing gym much longer and are talented, nice kids.
The boys don't know who will be their HC next year, and at this point it will either be the great but inexperienced young "kid" they have now, or another, very knowledgeable coach who trained world class mens gym many years ago but only girls for some time. My boys love working with both of them, so no worries either way. However, because of this and the size of our team in general, there's no "this is how we do it" for upper levels.
We've noticed that this year there are NO L9s older than 14 at any comps we've been to, and I looked and last year even at regionals there were only 2 total. It seems that the older boys just skip to L10 - and I do notice that here many L10s scratch some events - but they seem a jolly, happy bunch at awards and to me they do amazing things in the 2 meets I've watched this year at that level.
My kid has no aspiration of college gym - one of his friends belongs there and is only a L9 due to age restrictions, the other thinks college gym would be fun but maybe just club. All three do well at meets, but again, we know we are in a small, non-competitive region overall. The L9 goes to nationals regularly, the other boy is out of age...as my son will be until L10, if I understand the system properly (it is so different from girls).
I realize (believe me, after DD gym experience, I REALLY realize) that things can change quickly for a kid, but DS has gone from a slightly above average third year L5 last year to really a solid L7 (he is in the small, older age group so medals in everything, often first, but compared to the younger kids his scores are close to top overall and his strength and form is superior in most events - he had a lot to learn this year skipping 6 completely, and then missed 6 weeks with a concussion, so just got his full high bar routine back this Friday - was still out scoring most kids without back giants in his first 3 meets because everything else was top notch - plus he really is doing tsuks, FHS-Ft vaults in practice, high bar release moves, some fancy ring stuff and p bars stuff I don't know the name of, presses on pommel, working double pikes, triple fronts, twisting, etc....given 2 more months he probably could have had a very solid L8 year this year).
Gym is a big part of his life, but he knows its "just for fun". Everything he's learning now looks amazing to me (well, maybe not pommel), but again, not going to be his "life". I'm just curious what "late starters" do in other regions? At the rate he's going, if he were to stay healthy and the gym gods continue to shine upon him, he could be a L10 for a few years in high school - which would be fun and he says would make him feel like he had "completed" the gym journey.
His friend who is almost 16/L8 this year would be an "old" L9 next year if he moves up. Do other regions generally put those kids in L10 also and just have them compete what they can or take difficulty hits? Seems like a nice balance to do so, actually - I hate how strict and intense the girls side is - and love that the boys work hard but don't take every mess up quite as seriously.
Also, is it pretty normal at this level for the boys to be doing 20 hours/5 days a week? Our gym previously topped out at 4 days for the boys - and the L9 never wanted more than that - but DS would like 5 days, as would his L8 friend - it seems like they are at a place where they should have that option (DD started doing 20 hours when she started training for L8...). I'd like to advocate for the extra practice day for the upper level boys, if that is what would be reasonable to expect (I will have nothing to do with the level question - I'm just curious and so is DS - levels are for coaches to decide....).
The boys don't know who will be their HC next year, and at this point it will either be the great but inexperienced young "kid" they have now, or another, very knowledgeable coach who trained world class mens gym many years ago but only girls for some time. My boys love working with both of them, so no worries either way. However, because of this and the size of our team in general, there's no "this is how we do it" for upper levels.
We've noticed that this year there are NO L9s older than 14 at any comps we've been to, and I looked and last year even at regionals there were only 2 total. It seems that the older boys just skip to L10 - and I do notice that here many L10s scratch some events - but they seem a jolly, happy bunch at awards and to me they do amazing things in the 2 meets I've watched this year at that level.
My kid has no aspiration of college gym - one of his friends belongs there and is only a L9 due to age restrictions, the other thinks college gym would be fun but maybe just club. All three do well at meets, but again, we know we are in a small, non-competitive region overall. The L9 goes to nationals regularly, the other boy is out of age...as my son will be until L10, if I understand the system properly (it is so different from girls).
I realize (believe me, after DD gym experience, I REALLY realize) that things can change quickly for a kid, but DS has gone from a slightly above average third year L5 last year to really a solid L7 (he is in the small, older age group so medals in everything, often first, but compared to the younger kids his scores are close to top overall and his strength and form is superior in most events - he had a lot to learn this year skipping 6 completely, and then missed 6 weeks with a concussion, so just got his full high bar routine back this Friday - was still out scoring most kids without back giants in his first 3 meets because everything else was top notch - plus he really is doing tsuks, FHS-Ft vaults in practice, high bar release moves, some fancy ring stuff and p bars stuff I don't know the name of, presses on pommel, working double pikes, triple fronts, twisting, etc....given 2 more months he probably could have had a very solid L8 year this year).
Gym is a big part of his life, but he knows its "just for fun". Everything he's learning now looks amazing to me (well, maybe not pommel), but again, not going to be his "life". I'm just curious what "late starters" do in other regions? At the rate he's going, if he were to stay healthy and the gym gods continue to shine upon him, he could be a L10 for a few years in high school - which would be fun and he says would make him feel like he had "completed" the gym journey.
His friend who is almost 16/L8 this year would be an "old" L9 next year if he moves up. Do other regions generally put those kids in L10 also and just have them compete what they can or take difficulty hits? Seems like a nice balance to do so, actually - I hate how strict and intense the girls side is - and love that the boys work hard but don't take every mess up quite as seriously.
Also, is it pretty normal at this level for the boys to be doing 20 hours/5 days a week? Our gym previously topped out at 4 days for the boys - and the L9 never wanted more than that - but DS would like 5 days, as would his L8 friend - it seems like they are at a place where they should have that option (DD started doing 20 hours when she started training for L8...). I'd like to advocate for the extra practice day for the upper level boys, if that is what would be reasonable to expect (I will have nothing to do with the level question - I'm just curious and so is DS - levels are for coaches to decide....).
