My daughter will be an Olympian.

[cbone]

If you don't believe me, just ask everyone who asks me about her last meet.

I tell them, "She did really well. She won vault, floor and all-around, took second on bars and fourth on beam." Almost invariably the response is, "I bet we'll be seeing her in the Olympics."

I always want to say, "I bet we won't. I'll settle for her getting her Level 4 skills this year!" I usually just mumble, "That's a really hard level to get to and it's way too early to think about that."

I love the entusiasm of friends and family, but I don't think people understand just how elite Olympians are- especially in this sport. Does anyone else get that future Olympian nonsense?

 

[MeetDirector]

cbone -

Yes we get that every once in a while and give our usual "we don't live in Texas, so that won't happen" answer or sometimes we say that "only 5 girls every 4 years get selected and the timing isn't right". Most folks outside the sport don't know what it takes and the way a girl has to time her rise through the ranks. Definitely not something for most gymnasts. Truthfully, we will be very happy making it through the next 3 years of level 9 and 10 and seeing a high school graduate on the other side.

Good Luck.

 

[cbone]

You're way further along in the process than my family. We're at back handspring > kip > a million other things > Olympics. I expect that my daughter's Olympic experience will be watching them with my wife and me.

And Good Luck to you!

 

[Natasha]

Every time someone finds out my dd trains 18 hours a week, I get a variation of "is her goal the olympics?" I get tired of trying to explain how many hours it takes just to do mid level optional, average performance and then trying to explain that even a college scholarship is really hard.... I usually just say something about how much she loves it and lately I have said YES! It is her dream to go to the olympics and if the TV cameras caught a glimpse of her in the stands that would be very exciting!

 

[flipper's fan]

Every time someone finds out my dd trains 18 hours a week, I get a variation of "is her goal the olympics?" I get tired of trying to explain how many hours it takes just to do mid level optional, average performance and then trying to explain that even a college scholarship is really hard.... I usually just say something about how much she loves it and lately I have said YES! It is her dream to go to the olympics and if the TV cameras caught a glimpse of her in the stands that would be very exciting!

Too funny! You're the best. I hope my dd is sitting next to yours!

 

[gymnastbeth]

One time a group of friends came to one of my HS meets. Afterwards, all they could ask was "are you going to the olympics?!". Um, NO! Haha. I think it's because that's usually the only time people watch gymnastics, so it's what they associate gymnastics with. (You can do a backflip? Oh you must be a world class gymnast! I saw it on TV during the Olympics!)

 

[JessLW]

Yeah, most people are pretty clueless about gymnastics. I used to get that all the time when I'd tell people I was a gymnast, and I wasn't anywhere near world class. "Oh, you do gymnastics, are you going to the Olympics?" People are used to sports like baseball and soccer, they don't really understand that gymnastics is an intense year round sport even at the lower levels, and that an incredible number of people are competing for only a few slots. They also rarely see gymnastics events televised except for during Olympic years, so like the PP said, that's what they associate it with. Get used to hearing it, and maybe think of a few witty responses in the meantime.

 

[wallinbl]

I think that's just a mindless chit chat response. My soccer playing cousins hear about the World Cup; my youngest hears about playing Radio City Music Hall (she takes piano).

 

[Deleted member D3987]

i tell them i'm a coach and they STILL ask me if I'VE been to the olympics. as a competitor...

 

[CoachGoofy]

Conversation I have at least once a month:

Them: So what do you do?
Me: I coach gymnastics at <place>
Them: Oh, you're a gymnast? Are you going to the Olympics?
Me: FORMER gymnast. Current coach.
Them: DID you go to the Olympics?
Me: Nope.
Them: Oh.
Them: Are any of your students going to the Olympics?
Me: I love them to bits, but highly, HIGHLY unlikely.
Them: Why not?
Me: commitment, timing, luck etc explanation
Them: *baffled*

 

[Kiwi]

They also rarely see gymnastics events televised except for during Olympic years

I think you're right, that's the only time the general public gets to see competitive gymnastics, so they don't know about anything else.

 

[marie83]

I'm definitely going Look out for me during the WAG TF on the BBC! I'll be wearing jeans and a t-shirt and waving a British Flag! From the audience of course!

 

[Granny Smith]

My dd is in HS and the classmates will see posting on her FB about her meets. They always say to her that she's going to the Olympics. Dd responds that no she is not. They don't get it. She just laughs it off. One kid told her to not sell herself short - we thought that was funny! They don't get, never will, which is probably why she doesn't talk about it much with them.... I remember when she entered HS last year as a freshman and it was a new school and she only knew about 5 people going in, she didn't even want people to know she did gymnastics. Her comment to me was... they just don't get it!

 

[GymBee97]

I think we all get that question and unless you are involved in gymnastics in some way then you are clueless as to what it takes to travel down the olympic route. The average person see the olympics i think in the way someone might see making it to a major baseball team. If you spend hours and hours practicing going to the olympics must be the goal because that is where they see the superstars compete. Not too many non-gymnasts watch HS or College gymnastics and if its not the olympics not too many even watch the olympic hopefuls on tv at other events like the Visa Championships.

When I am asked that question my answer is "Oh No way she doesn't practice anywhere near enough hours to be an Olympian and you really need to live/train in the Southwest at the big named gyms with the big named coaches for that. Our "Olympic dream" for her would be to get a College Scholarship with her gymnastics but even that is hard to get".

Some of the other comments I've heard over the years from non-gym friends and family Put the response "that's crazy" as their response when i tell them the answer.

- She practices for how many hours a week??
- When does she have time to be a "normal" kid and do "normal kid stuff"? (hate that question as I see my DD as Normal kid who loves gymnastics)
- You pay how much each month - each meet - on a competitive leo etc??
- You're going to (enter destination that requires a hotel stay and maybe airfare) for ONE meet - that's crazy?
- You're spending how much on that away meet? That's Crazy?
- You have her do this all summer too? when does the training take a break - followed by "that's crazy" when I tell them its a 12 month commitment.
- When does she get her homework done? I tell them she usually has it done before she gets home from school as she does have a study in her schedule and the bus ride home is a good 30 min (even though we are only 7 miles from the school). They respond "oh well she must be an average student then" (indicating its not enough time to be a good student as they compare the amount of time their little darling puts into it) My answer thank god is I don't know why you say that she is a High Honors Student - Straight "A's" and has been all her life.

Ok other experienced parents I'm sure you have some others that can be added to the list.

 

[wallinbl]

- When does she have time to be a "normal" kid and do "normal kid stuff"? (hate that question as I see my DD as Normal kid who loves gymnastics)

Remember that the "average" kid watches 2-4 hours of TV a day! That pretty well covers gymnastics practice right there. I doubt anyone would argue TV is better.

 

[GymBee97]

Remember that the "average" kid watches 2-4 hours of TV a day! That pretty well covers gymnastics practice right there. I doubt anyone would argue TV is better.

Oh I agree but I just hate the question like devoting that time to one sport is an abnormal thing to do and how can we allow it. What I want to know is just what is considered to be a "normal Kid" day. And who decided it was "normal"

I don't think sitting in front of a tv/video game or other such things is normal at all. But I know kids that spend more than 2 - 4 hours each day doing it.

 

[Natasha]

I think we all get that question and unless you are involved in gymnastics in some way then you are clueless as to what it takes to travel down the olympic route. The average person see the olympics i think in the way someone might see making it to a major baseball team. If you spend hours and hours practicing going to the olympics must be the goal because that is where they see the superstars compete. Not too many non-gymnasts watch HS or College gymnastics and if its not the olympics not too many even watch the olympic hopefuls on tv at other events like the Visa Championships.






When I am asked that question my answer is "Oh No way she doesn't practice anywhere near enough hours to be an Olympian and you really need to live/train in the Southwest at the big named gyms with the big named coaches for that. Our "Olympic dream" for her would be to get a College Scholarship with her gymnastics but even that is hard to get".

Some of the other comments I've heard over the years from non-gym friends and family Put the response "that's crazy" as their response when i tell them the answer.

- She practices for how many hours a week??
- When does she have time to be a "normal" kid and do "normal kid stuff"? (hate that question as I see my DD as Normal kid who loves gymnastics)
- You pay how much each month - each meet - on a competitive leo etc??
- You're going to (enter destination that requires a hotel stay and maybe airfare) for ONE meet - that's crazy?
- You're spending how much on that away meet? That's Crazy?
- You have her do this all summer too? when does the training take a break - followed by "that's crazy" when I tell them its a 12 month commitment.
- When does she get her homework done? I tell them she usually has it done before she gets home from school as she does have a study in her schedule and the bus ride home is a good 30 min (even though we are only 7 miles from the school). They respond "oh well she must be an average student then" (indicating its not enough time to be a good student as they compare the amount of time their little darling puts into it) My answer thank god is I don't know why you say that she is a High Honors Student - Straight "A's" and has been all her life.

Ok other experienced parents I'm sure you have some others that can be added to the list.

The funny thing is, 5 years ago I would have been the parent on the other end of the conversation saying "that's crazy!" I NEVER thought I would have a kid in a sport that takes this much time and money!! And, I knew nothing about gymnastics outside the elite competitions. In fact, when a coach first mentioned team to me for my dd, I had no idea what they were talking about as I didn't even know that competitions existed at beginner levels.

 

[ARKGYMMOM]

So not to Hijack your thread but how do you handle it when it is your 10yr old DD soon to be L7 tells you on a regular basis that she is going to be an Olympian???

 

[GymBee97]

I answer I hope so - if you work hard at this anything is possible!

You never know she might be one of the 5 that gets choosen

 

[Gymmonkeymomma]

So not to Hijack your thread but how do you handle it when it is your 10yr old DD soon to be L7 tells you on a regular basis that she is going to be an Olympian???

My 11 year old training 9 still has the Olympic dream. While we as adults know the reality, i dont want to squash her dreams either. When she mentions it, I tell her to have fun now and do her best, 2020 is a long way away, lol!!