Parents Level 3 or Level 4 debate update

[lannamavity]

I've done a lot of research on gyms in our area and I know enough to not fall for some party line from a coach just to get our money. This gym has not only successful team programs but also does classes, preschool groups, boys classes and teams, homeschool classes, and camps. It is a full-time business and I don't think they are desperate for team gymnasts.

Also, I watch every practice and supervise all of DD's at-home practice. I watched her evaluation both at this gym and at another gym in our area. I watched the full 3 hours of practice at both gyms. I paid attention to what the coaches did for warm ups, stretches, the skills they worked on and how they spotted the girls. I watched how my DD interacted with the other girls, how well she did or didn't do the skills they were learning and whether or not she seemed happy both during the practice and after. I agreed with what the coach had to say and where they think my daughter will fit. I am not going into this blindly.

As for the "rules" of mobility, I have to disagree with the hard fast rule of "nobody moves up until next Spring". That does not seem fair to a girl who is clearly ready to move up before then. Why hold back a girl who's ready to advance just because it's not "time" yet? That doesn't make sense to me. This gym is very flexible with making things work for the gymnasts. For example, if a girl is ready to move up but it is close to or during meet season, they will do private lessons (if there's time) to help her get the routines for the new level. Or, they'll have her practice with the higher level while competing the lower level. They try to place and move each gymnast according to her individual needs, not the calendar. This is not a selling point. This is paying attention to the needs and progress of each and every girl as individuals and not just as parts of the whole.

It's great that you did your research.

As for the percieved "hold back" issue...at some point (maybe years down the road), no doubt, you will see what I mean.

 

[Gymnasticsgirl521]

Sounds like you did your research and are making an informed decision. I wish you and your little gymnast the best of luck. Decisions like this are so hard. I am a bit shocked that the coach didn't want to revisit this since your DD has had a change of heart.

 

[Billy]

I'm not really sure why the coach doesn't want her to move. I know she is inconsistent on her shoot-through and doesn't have the mill circle but she won't need either of those at AAU L4 anyway. She has been working on several of her L4 skills on her own but her coaches aren't interested in seeing her do them because she's supposed to be a L2 moving to L3. L4 skills are not part of her program there. Anyway, I could go on but suffice it to say that this is part of why we're changing gyms.