Anon Latest age to start elite gymnastics

[Anonymous (4c26)]

Good luck to your DD.

 

[Coach Kate]

I don't know if this thread is still active. However, my child did start late (10) and started competing late (12). Currently competing level 9 at 18 and not topped out on skills yet. she isn't the most flexible or refined gymnast I will admit, but has seen a measure of success and I have committed to supporting her if she wants to shoot for national competition (elite). I know that she is not the norm however. I actually attribute her continued growth at least partially to her ADHD, which negates a lot of the fear that NT kids would encounter. She is stubborn, tenacious and hyper focused on her skill acquisition. The hardest thing for her to overcome has actually been battling the attitudes of other people who question her all the time about her ability to improve not considering her very late start relative to her teammates, and being older than her team. The mental toughness has been a major factor. People often don't think of the mental toll starting older takes. For example the other day a coach that doesn't know her as well referred to her current gymnastics as "just for fun" given that she is now over 18. That was not taken well. We will see if she keeps going now that she has started university. If she really wants to do college gymnastics, I've told her she'd still be eligible while getting a master degree if she wants to try.

Awesome that your daughter is still in her groove! A little different, but I started training circus in my mid 20s. Life eventually happened and when my now husband and I got serious, it wasn't a priority anymore, but it was fun to have that kind of passion as an adult, even if my closest training partners were teenagers!