WAG Looking for some advice, GCM is in danger of escaping.

[gymdilettante]

Did you ask what the rule change was? That would help me evaluate the situation if I were you because if it was something out of their control I wouldn't be as upset than if it were something like 'you had to sign up for county levels by December this year and we didn't sign them up because we assumed it was later as in years past' (ie if they were not organized or otherwise could have adapted to the rule change but didn't).

Anyway though many people here would probably agree that not doing levels isn't the worst thing because you lose up training time while preparing for levels...yes competition experience is important but as I recall your daughter is young and has plenty of time to get competition experience and will probably have just as much fun trying out new skills. This is kind of like the debate you hear around here about whether to compete the lower levels in the US...many gyms here don't start until L4 (kip/upstart, double BH, FH on floor and vault, CW on beam, to name some of the skills) so if your daughter doesn't have all those skills I listed, there are many gyms in the US where she wouldn't have any meet experience either. Parents often grumble about that but later on realize how much less time was wasted learning routines. ...so as long as she's uptraining, it's all good!

 

[Ex member]

Did you ask what the rule change was? That would help me evaluate the situation if I were you because if it was something out of their control I wouldn't be as upset than if it were something like 'you had to sign up for county levels by December this year and we didn't sign them up because we assumed it was later as in years past' (ie if they were not organized or otherwise could have adapted to the rule change but didn't).

Anyway though many people here would probably agree that not doing levels isn't the worst thing because you lose up training time while preparing for levels...yes competition experience is important but as I recall your daughter is young and has plenty of time to get competition experience and will probably have just as much fun trying out new skills. This is kind of like the debate you hear around here about whether to compete the lower levels in the US...many gyms here don't start until L4 (kip/upstart, double BH, FH on floor and vault, CW on beam, to name some of the skills) so if your daughter doesn't have all those skills I listed, there are many gyms in the US where she wouldn't have any meet experience either. Parents often grumble about that but later on realize how much less time was wasted learning routines. ...so as long as she's uptraining, it's all good!

I think the rule change was actually a deadline change (going by what the Coach said).

You are right about up training.. They will most likely be doing that if they are practicing the level above (again going by what the coach has said).

Dd does not have any 4 peice competition experience and it would be nice to get some this year. Dd is young - just turned 8 but will be classed as a 9 year old as British gymnastics go by the age you turn starting 1st January, dd will be 10 at the end of 2016 and will compete as a 10 year old even if the grades are in April when she will still be 9.

 

[Ex member]

The meeting is tonight, not looking forward to it as I did something I wish I had never done, I text the coach yesterday morning just to check that dd had given me the right info about the grades being cancelled and asked to have either a group meeting or a one to one meeting, got a text back saying that the coach had told the group that she was going to contact the parents and arrange a group meeting to discuss what has happened, feel guilty for sending the message even though dd swore blind that the coach never said anything about contacting the parents to arrange a meeting, my dd always seems to miss what is being said and gets half of the info wrong, she is the youngest in the group. I did make contact with another parent of an older girl who confirmed that the coach did say the grades were cancelled but this parent didn't say anything about a meeting either.

I seems that this is a communication breakdown, I also let the fact that three things had been cancelled in a short amount of time get to me. I really have a lot to learn about patience and letting things play out for a while, the only thing I learnt was to sleep on things before doing or saying anything.

Thank you for letting me rant on here.

 

[Faith]

TD I've come across this before. Girls being told they're doing x and y competition, then weeks before oh no, actually we've decided not to.

How many girls compete on a regular basis? If there's elite track girls to those seem to compete more than regional level girls? The girls who train more than 12 hours a week, how often do they compete? Also so they seem to enter girls to win, so don't give other kids the chance to participate if they don't think they'll podium?

There's a fine line. Gymnastics is a competitive sport, and competitions are part of it. Most kids like competing. What would you be happy with? If other groups are competing regularly 3 or 4 times a year, then this may be a one off. If high hours kids compete infrequently, once, maybe twice a year, and don't seem to progressing through levels/grades, it's more likely that withdrawing from competition like this isn't unusual.

Personally I don't think competitions should be mentioned unless there's a strong chance they will compete- barring injury or just not being ready. Our club has a diary of all the comps, but the first you know about your child being entered is when you get the email to pay entry fees. Planning to enter an entire group for a comp and changing minds with no good reason would worry me.

Have your meeting, and see what they say.

 

[B.Gold]

The meeting is tonight, not looking forward to it as I did something I wish I had never done, I text the coach yesterday morning just to check that dd had given me the right info about the grades being cancelled and asked to have either a group meeting or a one to one meeting, got a text back saying that the coach had told the group that she was going to contact the parents and arrange a group meeting

TD - it is completely reasonable to text a coach with your concerns. It sounds like the two of you see eye-to-eye about a meeting. Im sure that coach didn't think twice about your text. You asked in your text if your DD had given you all the info...in fact she hadnt, she missed telling you about the meeting. It's just a little text.

I hope the meeting goes well.

 

[Ex member]

TD I've come across this before. Girls being told they're doing x and y competition, then weeks before oh no, actually we've decided not to.

How many girls compete on a regular basis? If there's elite track girls to those seem to compete more than regional level girls? The girls who train more than 12 hours a week, how often do they compete? Also so they seem to enter girls to win, so don't give other kids the chance to participate if they don't think they'll podium?

There's a fine line. Gymnastics is a competitive sport, and competitions are part of it. Most kids like competing. What would you be happy with? If other groups are competing regularly 3 or 4 times a year, then this may be a one off. If high hours kids compete infrequently, once, maybe twice a year, and don't seem to progressing through levels/grades, it's more likely that withdrawing from competition like this isn't unusual.

Personally I don't think competitions should be mentioned unless there's a strong chance they will compete- barring injury or just not being ready. Our club has a diary of all the comps, but the first you know about your child being entered is when you get the email to pay entry fees. Planning to enter an entire group for a comp and changing minds with no good reason would worry me.

Have your meeting, and see what they say.

I have sent you a PM with more details about the situation.. Sorry it is a bit of a read, you might need to read it over a cup of coffee lol

 

[Rapunzel]

How did the meeting go?

 

[COz]

Just letting everyone know that Tiny Dancer has decided to have a bit of a break from ChalkBucket.

She is fine. Her kids are fine.
She has disabled her account and that is why it is showing up as ex-member and 'banned'. Which is a bit unfortunate, but so be it. Everything is OK