WAG New Level 8 expectations (in gym).

[Natasha]

So, our gym has taken the opportunity with the J.O. level restructuring to "up" the expectations at each (Optional) level. Coach informed the current L8 girls of the new expectations on beam and floor. They are expected to have a double full on floor as well as C dance which they previously have expected. On beam they need to have BHS-BLO series or a BHS BHS and a BT separate. They want them to have a Layout full dismount either from their series or from a RO. I think most of our L8 team will be competing L8 next season. Coach told their girls "Everybody and their mother will be competing these skills next year at L8." Whether or not that is true, it has motivated the girls to work hard and get their skills! Although my dd told the coach she is quite sure that her mother won't be doing these skills since I can't even walk on the beam without wobbling!

 

[gymmomof1]

Wow it seems intense but I have know idea what dds gym is expecting for new level 8. Right now she is rehabing a knee injury so she is limited to bars and beam. I know she has mentioned doing some uptraining bug I'm not sure what it is.

 

[gasrgoose]

So, our gym has taken the opportunity with the J.O. level restructuring to "up" the expectations at each (Optional) level. Coach informed the current L8 girls of the new expectations on beam and floor. They are expected to have a double full on floor as well as C dance which they previously have expected. On beam they need to have BHS-BLO series or a BHS BHS and a BT separate. They want them to have a Layout full dismount either from their series or from a RO. I think most of our L8 team will be competing L8 next season. Coach told their girls "Everybody and their mother will be competing these skills next year at L8." Whether or not that is true, it has motivated the girls to work hard and get their skills! Although my dd told the coach she is quite sure that her mother won't be doing these skills since I can't even walk on the beam without wobbling!

Wow that seems tough, but good for the gym for making the expectations clear. Is this a very successful gym? Also what age range are your level 8 gymnasts. Just curious. I'm assuming it's a gym with a successful record with upper level optionals.

 

[iwannacoach]

It sounds like an all you can eat Balance Beam buffet, and I love it. What works best in this scenario is the implied notion that these skills are easy enough for them to learn, and that just helps tremendously because the coaches have to jump on the same "crazy train" to help the kids make these skills a reality.

The gymnastics skills are the easy stuff. Working hard, conditioning, stretching, and patiently progressing?..... that's the hard part. Well that, and a few other things. The best advice I could ever offer is to do twice the repetitions the coach asks for on the floor beam, and work through them quickly in terms of skill tempo and the number of repetitions per turn, or per minute. It makes it so much easier to focus, and it builds confidence.

Just a word about a skill's rhythm, pace, or tempo.... however you prefer to think of it. Just as riding a bike is easier at an ideal speed, the same is true of balance beam skills. Dig out some videos of the fierce five on beam at the Olympics, and notice the pace of their work and the rhythm. Now ponder this.... do they use that pace and rhythm because they want to look confident, or do they work in that manner to allow them the easiest means of performing the skills. Hmmmm, what makes the most sense to you?

 

[JBS]

So, our gym has taken the opportunity with the J.O. level restructuring to "up" the expectations at each (Optional) level. Coach informed the current L8 girls of the new expectations on beam and floor. They are expected to have a double full on floor as well as C dance which they previously have expected. On beam they need to have BHS-BLO series or a BHS BHS and a BT separate. They want them to have a Layout full dismount either from their series or from a RO. I think most of our L8 team will be competing L8 next season. Coach told their girls "Everybody and their mother will be competing these skills next year at L8." Whether or not that is true, it has motivated the girls to work hard and get their skills! Although my dd told the coach she is quite sure that her mother won't be doing these skills since I can't even walk on the beam without wobbling!

These are more like our 2nd year L8 kids...or our first year L9 kids. Since there is no value (besides experience)...we will be trying to get to L9 instead of adding harder tricks to L8.

 

[vagymmomma]

Yep, I've posted DD's L8 team expectations a couple times here on post threads. The expectation at our gym is that you must have a C tumbling skill on floor and beam and a C skill on bars. Your gym's seems even tougher than that (I'll personally be surprised if many L8s perform the skills you outlined -- seems like could just do 9 - but I really don't know anything). Like another poster said - at least they know the expectations.

 

[Natasha]

These are all girls that competed L8 last year, so they will be 2nd year L8's or a couple may get to 9, however as a team bars is a weakness. They have not "upped" the bar requirements, I think because they know it is a weakness, so the goal there is to just have the typical L8 bar routines but much cleaner. We have an excellent beam coach, and overall the team is much further along on beam than any other event. I do like that they have put the expectations out there and that they are setting the bar high. In reality, though, our gym very much does what is best for each gymnast, so when it comes down to it, if there are girls that do not have the skills, I am sure they will modify routines for them and let them still compete. I don't think they expect any of the L7's to move to L8 as they were not particularly strong L7s this year and they want the L7's to have giants, fulls on floor and BWO-BHS series as well as a BT dismount out of the series or a RO.

 

[Natasha]

Wow that seems tough, but good for the gym for making the expectations clear. Is this a very successful gym? Also what age range are your level 8 gymnasts. Just curious. I'm assuming it's a gym with a successful record with upper level optionals.

These are gymnasts that competed L8 last season, ranging in age from 12-15. We are actually in an area where there are not large numbers of optionals at any gym. (Less than 20 L10 in the state, and I think less than 5 in our part of the state) However the owner has lots of experience coaching optionals and the Optional Beam/floor coach also has previous experience coaching very successful optionals. We are competitive for our area, but not our region.

 

[vagymmomma]

These are all girls that competed L8 last year, so they will be 2nd year L8's or a couple may get to 9, however as a team bars is a weakness.

This approach makes a lot of sense then and seems to fit with some of the goals of the level changes. It will allow the gymnast to continue to compete ahead even if everything isn't ready. Unfortunately, our gyms C skill requirements are for new 8s as well, so it's a little tough. Most of the girls are really stepping up though.

 

[Natasha]

This approach makes a lot of sense then and seems to fit with some of the goals of the level changes. It will allow the gymnast to continue to compete ahead even if everything isn't ready. Unfortunately, our gyms C skill requirements are for new 8s as well, so it's a little tough. Most of the girls are really stepping up though.

Exactly. I really do like the new L8 options as my dd already has her BT on beam and really wants to compete it, but just won't be ready for L9 on bars and vault. So I am glad she has the opportunity to up the difficulty on the events she is ready for without the stress of trying to make that jump to L9. Any current L7 girls at our gym that want to move to L8 will also have to have the C skills, but I think they are expecting most of the to do L7 again but with some tougher B skills (i.e. fulls on floor).