Parents move a bottom of the pack gymnast to "better" gym?

[raenndrops]

In all honesty , I don't like using ... Because I think it is mostly used when responding to something stupid that someone said or duh or you should know that. So,,,,, get use to it!

According to the game show "Cash Cab," ellipsis dots are the equivalent of yada, yada, yada (or and so on and so forth).

 

[Gymmonkeymomma]

My youngest was a very young, very tiny gymnast, very good a beam and tumbling but sad on bars and vault. She started as a 6 year old, old level 4. Spent 4 seasons struggling through 4, 5,5,6 due to a few different factors -inexperienced/inadequate coaching (lack of correction), no role models, little team spirit. She was usually in the upper third/half AA just because of excelling in one event. Funny aside- we recently came across a state meet where Laurie Hernandez (yes, THAT Laurie) won the age group and DD was second to last

By the middle of her level 7 season, my then 10 year old ASKED to find another gym "where she could get better". We did. She left the day after 7 States, walked into her new gym, new loving and supportive team, established coaches and never looked back. The new gym was twice the distance of our previous. Fast forward 5 years, DD has grown gymnastcially by leaps and bounds (no pun intended), has made it to Nationals the last 4 years and is verbally committed. The move definitely worked out for her.

I would give it a chance, especially if you have a child who's willing. Because that's half the battle. My older DD did not want to leave her gym (the old one) so after struggling through level 8, she quit at 14. After seeing her sister's success at the new gym, she wished she had been brave enough to make that move, for a teen it was about dread of having to make new friends, being coached by different coaches, and harder conditioning.

 

[mommyof1]

In your shoes, I would be looking for a gym that offered high-quality training AND was committed to my child as an individual. That might or might not be the "best" gym that always wins.

 

[scgymmom322]

Yes, it can definitely be worth it to move gyms. My older dd is probably considered a mid-bottom of the pack girl. She started with an amazing coach and kept up quite nicely with the other girls in her class, but when she moved up a level, the quality of coaching and amount of conditioning was lowered and her skill level dropped pretty quickly. We changed gyms about 2 1/2 months ago, to one that is 4x the drive (our previous gym was only 1o minutes away) from our house. The quality of coaching has been amazing, and I have seen real improvements in her! Her form looks much better, she is keeping her body tight, and she has already learned many new skills. She is still mid-bottom of the pack, but the improvements I have seen are amazing, she LOVES the increased conditioning and stricter coaches, and I expect her to continue to grow! I don't think she will ever be at the top of the pack, but that's okay because she is trying her best and absolutely loves what she is doing!

 

[SHELOVESGYM]

Thanks for all of the responses. In terms of working hard in the gym -I believe that DD does. She did go through a short period where she was unhappy with things that were happening at gym and responded by not working hard. We heard about it from the coach (I think I posted about it here). But that aside she does seem to work hard while at gym. She currently practices 9 hours a week spread out over 4 days. The other gym we are considering practices a bit more. She has asked to try another gym -I'm not exactly sure what her motivation is with this as she has great friends in her current group. She knows that practices could be harder/longer at the other gym and that doesn't seem to concern her.

 

[suebee]

Good luck. I hope you find something that works for your child. Is it possible to switch now, instead of after the season?

As for anecdotal stories, there was a child who was a mid-bottom pack gymnast who left dd's gym for a smaller, lesser known gym, but with much smaller groups and more individual coach attention, which is what the mom felt her kid needed. The kid struggled initially, but by the end of her first season at the new gym, she was consistently on the podium and scoring very well, outscoring many of the girls from the old gym.

I personally feel that many kids have different learning styles, not just in gym, and kids will do better when the gym provides what they need to succeed. Some kids and some gyms are adaptable, and can handle many styles, but others, not so much.

 

[z2akids]

A few thoughts.

I would consider trying to move her now. She may not be able to compete this season, or may have to move to xcel or level 2 if she doesn't meet the new gym's expectations. But, another year at a gym in which she is notnlrogressing may just put her further behind and leave her frustrated. Ultimately a season without competing or competing at a lower level may mean she will advance more quickly going forward.

 

[GymDad9.9]

A few thoughts.

I would consider trying to move her now. She may not be able to compete this season, or may have to move to xcel or level 2 if she doesn't meet the new gym's expectations. But, another year at a gym in which she is notnlrogressing may just put her further behind and leave her frustrated. Ultimately a season without competing or competing at a lower level may mean she will advance more quickly going forward.

As much as moving now is most likely the best thing to do, it may not always be the right thing to do and can only be determined by OP. If the girl is Level 3, most places are about to begin their competition season with girls that have been training together for many months. I'm sure you may not get every gym to welcome an athlete to their program this late in the game so to speak. Just saying, there is potential risk and bumps in the road of moving right now even if it is the best thing to do.

 

[z2akids]

As much as moving now is most likely the best thing to do, it may not always be the right thing to do and can only be determined by OP. If the girl is Level 3, most places are about to begin their competition season with girls that have been training together for many months. I'm sure you may not get every gym to welcome an athlete to their program this late in the game so to speak. Just saying, there is potential risk and bumps in the road of moving right now even if it is the best thing to do.

I recognize that some areas, including OPs are on the cusp of meet season and that moving (especially if a gymnast is struggling at a level) comes with potential complications. That is why I mention that moving now may mean not competing this season or could mean a move to L2 or Xcel depending om how far behind the new gym's standards OP's DD is.

Certainly OP and her DD are the only ones who can decide the right course. However, moving now should be in the mix of potential decisions if things are as bad as described. It may not be right, but is at least worth a look.

 

[duyetanh]

The fact that she has asked to move?
Go go go......!!!!
Eta: it speaks volumes if the CHILD is asking for the move.

 

[AWOL]

Thanks for all of the comments. I don't know that my DD is super motivated -she's definitely not the kid that comes home from the gym and practices and conditions for 2 more hours -nor do I necessarily think that she should be. Her coach has told her to condition on her off days -I honestly do not support this as I feel that she spends plenty of time in the gym and off days are for other things or being a kid. I am concerned that she won't like a more intense program -for her gymnastics is all fun (she would go every day if she could) but I think it's more about being a part of the team, doing fun stuff, etc. I wouldn't describe her as highly motivated to advance and she doesn't care much about scores, etc -at least she didn't in her first comp season. I'm just so torn! But these responses really help.

I do not think it is worth going to another gym if it is more of a challenge for you.
It does not sound like she or you have the hardness which it takes to be a good top or middle of the pack gymnast.

 

[cadybearsmommy]

I do not think it is worth going to another gym if it is more of a challenge for you.
It does not sound like she or you have the hardness which it takes to be a good top or middle of the pack gymnast.

I think that might be a little harsh to say...........

 

[amiandjim]

I think that might be a little harsh to say...........

That's putting it mildly!

 

[GymDad9.9]

I think that might be a little harsh to say...........

Broke my Harsh Meter, it did...

 

[cadybearsmommy]

That's putting it mildly!

Broke my Harsh Meter, it did...

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought so. I'm all for a little tough love on here when it's needed but that just seemed completely unwarranted to me. And not constructive in the least. I'm honestly too flabbergasted to comment further.....

 

[GymDad9.9]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought so. I'm all for a little tough love on here when it's needed but that just seemed completely unwarranted to me. And not constructive in the least. I'm honestly too flabbergasted to comment further.....

It's a 2 x 4 to the head. Wow.

 

[Really]

I do not think it is worth going to another gym if it is more of a challenge for you.
It does not sound like she or you have the hardness which it takes to be a good top or middle of the pack gymnast.

Ok, in spite of previous indignant/outraged replies, I'll bite. What does it mean to have this "hardness to be a good top or middle of the pack gymnast" of which you speak? I'm wondering because I often think about how far my own DD could go/will go in this sport. Right now we're taking it slow because I am in absolutely no rush to spend more $$$ or time on gymnastics, and she does not want to rush up the levels herself until she has mastered the basics (her coaches were moving a group to skip level 3, and I asked her if I should ask about her being one of those girls, and she said no because she wanted to get her BHS solid). She's going to be 9 in a month, is doing level 3, and loves to practice her routines and do conditioning and flexibility at home. In level 2, she placed between 2-5 in her age groups in all the meets. She's happy and having fun, and doesn't care about her placements, preferring to set meet-specific goals ("I want to be more confident on the balance beam and wobble less at this meet.") Does this indicate a lack of ambition on our part that will doom her to quitting early?

 

[Texasmomof3]

My dd was towards the bottom of the pack at her old gym. She had the desire and willingness to work. We were pretty sure the issue was coaching and not her, but maybe she just didn't have what it takes. We moved her after two seasons of competition where she was consistently mediocre. She became a state champion at the new gym her very first season there. Her old coach told us she just didn't have what it takes to compete JO, but turns out, he just didn't have what it takes to coach her.

She is still doing well at the new gym. They have much better conditioning and much tighter coaching.

Sometimes the problem really is the gym and not your kid. If she loves the sport, I think it is worth it to give her the chance to succeed.

 

[xrachx]

If you believed DDs coach the her first club, she wasn't ever going to be good enough for artistic gymnastics. She was struggling with the basics, while the coaches loaded attention and praise on the other kids.
Another club, similar feedback, only good enough for recreational gym.

Current club, much smaller team, but coach saw potential. She's now about to start her third year of competitive, with a haul of medals and rosettes hanging on her wall.

So yes, a bottom of the pack kid can massivelyn improve given the right circumstances, the right coaching, and a chance to succeed

 

[Sminty]

Thanks for all of the comments. I don't know that my DD is super motivated -she's definitely not the kid that comes home from the gym and practices and conditions for 2 more hours -nor do I necessarily think that she should be. Her coach has told her to condition on her off days -I honestly do not support this as I feel that she spends plenty of time in the gym and off days are for other things or being a kid. I am concerned that she won't like a more intense program -for her gymnastics is all fun (she would go every day if she could) but I think it's more about being a part of the team, doing fun stuff, etc. I wouldn't describe her as highly motivated to advance and she doesn't care much about scores, etc -at least she didn't in her first comp season. I'm just so torn! But these responses really help.

We're only 2 months into a gym switch, but our situation sounds very similar to yours so I thought I'd chime in. DD was a "middle of the pack" gymnast at L3 and L4, but really dropped to the bottom as an L5 last year (in part because she should have repeated a level, but also because it gets more competitive as kids drop out or repeat). After each of her first two seasons, I considered a switch, but like you I wasn't sure it was worth the extra investment in time and resources. She's not a very competitive kid and I also worried that she wouldn't be able to handle a tougher gym. I figured better for her to be mediocre and happy than great and miserable.

Well when the only decent coach announced their departure, I decided I'd finally had enough. In truth it wasn't just the coaching but the entire environment - minimal conditioning, low move-up standards, high turnover, and a general lack of expectation that's always bugged me. So we moved. I thought DD would put up a huge stink but after one week she was happy about it. Yes, it's been hard getting used to the extra conditioning, but she doesn't complain about it (except occasionally with her teammates as vent about practice - there is an interesting bond that forms when you go through challenges together). Yes, some of her enthusiasm may have been slightly dampened by stricter coaching, but this has been made up for in other areas and a more realistic assessment of her situation will help her in the long term. No, she hasn't all of a sudden become an amazing gymnast but she has improved in a short period of time. All in all, I think she's risen to the occasion. Now, DD is 11 so I don't know how she would have handled it as an 8 year old but my one piece of advice is: know your kid, but don't underestimate her.