Anon Move up season

[Anonymous (5a5a)]

The title says it all. While optionals finish their season in our region, compulsory groups are starting to shuffle. My gymnast likes order, predictability, and routine and spring workouts are…none of those things. It turns her into a crazy person. Her beloved workout group is currently 2 levels of girls. They’ll split next year, and she’ll move up to being the more experienced part of the same group but it will be a lot more mixed than it was last year, just because of some girls being caught between levels. Her group is picking up a cohort of kids who are pretty sloppy and immature but will be perfectly capable by next year.

I know from her past experience that everything eventually settles down, but right now it’s tough to be her punching bag and safe person after workouts. She feels like she is being left behind by her old workout group friends and also losing momentum while she waits for the new girls to settle in. Because of the 2-level workout groups, she was doing uptraining 2 levels up from where she competed this season, but now all of that has stopped and it’s about getting the girls who are new to the workout group on board. She might have skipped a level with 2 more months of training in her old group, but she isn’t a superstar and didn’t pull it off in time for the shuffle. I feel her frustration- at home after practice today she yelled “the new girls are wasting my time and I’m going to run out of time!”. For the record she is not old and has plenty of time for everything except elite. Her gym is very progressive and functional, but that hasn’t made her immune to the desire to be X level by Y age.

Wise parents, talk me down and remind me that it will all be fine in a few months and in the long run.

 

[Anonymous (0e67)]

The coaches know what each gymnast can do and what they have the potential to do, unless your gym has a test/try out for each level advancement they most likely already have a level in mind for your gymnast and this move up period won't effect her advancement.

 

[BusyMomof2]

I hear you! We have a slightly different situation but still a bit stressful nonetheless -- 3 girls out of 12 are scoring out to skip level 5, my daughter being one of the 3. All the others are working on fun upgrades while the score out group is learning the routines. It's going well, but suddenly my daughter is feeling all kinds of pressure that if she doesn't make it, everyone will judge her. I feel like that's just a risk with going this route and if it happens, it happens...but she's pretty stressed and I hate it for her.

 

[Pineapple_Lump]

Has the workout changed to accommodate the new girls or is the behavior the reason for the disruption to your child's expected training structure?
I would maybe have a chat with the coaches and mention your child's frustrations - It may be that they feel those staying behind would also benefit from the slow down and re-working some of the basics with the new members. In which case knowing this is that plan may help her feel better about the situation. However if she has been working ahead they probably still need to dangle that carrot ever now and then.
If it is a behavior issue then the coaches do need to implement some better strategies so that everyone in the group who wants to work and learn, still can.

 

[Anonymous (db3e)]

I hear you! We have a slightly different situation but still a bit stressful nonetheless -- 3 girls out of 12 are scoring out to skip level 5, my daughter being one of the 3. All the others are working on fun upgrades while the score out group is learning the routines. It's going well, but suddenly my daughter is feeling all kinds of pressure that if she doesn't make it, everyone will judge her. I feel like that's just a risk with going this route and if it happens, it happens...but she's pretty stressed and I hate it for her.

That was my daughter last year! She didn’t have a skill ready on time and ended up not moving up after learning the routines cold. Her group was split the opposite way from yours, so only a few of them stayed back and had to learn routines 2 weeks before meet season. It was a blow to her confidence but she had a really successful season. The upside was that her coaches learned that she competes well under pressure and learns routines fast. The downside? She’s going to be very bored “learning” a routine that she already knows.

 

[Anonymous (db3e)]

Has the workout changed to accommodate the new girls or is the behavior the reason for the disruption to your child's expected training structure?
I would maybe have a chat with the coaches and mention your child's frustrations - It may be that they feel those staying behind would also benefit from the slow down and re-working some of the basics with the new members. In which case knowing this is that plan may help her feel better about the situation. However if she has been working ahead they probably still need to dangle that carrot ever now and then.
If it is a behavior issue then the coaches do need to implement some better strategies so that everyone in the group who wants to work and learn, still can.

Behavior issue. I know the coaches are trying to balance observation with checking behavior right now, and I’m sure it will settle down once the immature girls are faced with the choice to get to work or not have a meet season. Workouts do feel a little casual right now because a lot of the older girls have been on the road, so there haven’t been as many role models to set the tone. Unfortunately the new girls belong a group with a bunch of moms who are very present at the gym and on social media and that probably influences some of the girls’ misplaced confidence and attention-seeking. I can tell the gym and coaches are trying to walk a fine line between not alienating an entire age/level cohort while bringing them around to the team culture at our gym.

After a good night’s sleep, I’m now happy to be the mom in this scenario and not the coaches!

 

[rlm's mom]

Can you ask the coaches to give her some progressions for a specific skill to try when she feels bored? So once she has done the reps and the other girls are still being immature about it she can move on to another skill.
Even if these progressions don't get her anywhere I'm sure she will feel more productive.
Also explain to her that by befriending some of these girls she may be able to eventually affect their attitude with her exemplary behaviour.