Parents Not allowed to move to team...

[2G1B]

I too would talk to the HC. I'd also call the other gym and talk to them. Sometimes gyms have open tryouts at a certain time; but if you call with a kid already on team at another gym, you can sometimes get them to go ahead and evaluate your child then. We made the decision to consider changing gyms in late April or early May. The gym we changed to had open tryouts in February. I called and asked if there was any chance that my kids could get evaluated for a potential change as of June and they said it wouldn't be a problem at all (and it wasn't).

 

[Muddlethru]

The coach's comments certainly shows some prejudice, which in the long run can negatively affect your daughter's training/progress in the gym. But since this coach only trains developmental program, then it should not impact your daughter too much. However, I wonder if this coach's standards of picking and choosing gymnasts for the team is set by the gym and not her own. What do your instincts tell you?

As far as running during warm up, does your daughter show some strain when she runs during warm up? The coach may have fitness concerns and not body type biases. Instead of speculating, it would be a good idea to speak with someone who can help address these issues.

Lastly, not to diminish your concerns, but parents new to gymnastics tend to worry too much. Unless you think your daughter has the talent and aspirations to go elite, I'd just let the process run its course. Good luck.

 

[MaryA]

Sometimes parents NOT new to gymnastics worry too much too. (raising hand)

 

[Jazzjerz]

Thanks everyone for your input. I think I will both call the other gym, as well as speak with the HC for clarification. I do believe that this coach does have body bias vs. fitness concerns due to the multitude of comments she has made to me concerning that issue, as well as how I have overheard her talk about others. My daughter is proud of her body and her strength, and I would never want anyone to negatively influence that, as long as she is healthy and active.

 

[happychaos]

Well...my DD has the WORST sprint on her team, but is one of the best vaulters/tumblers. Her arms don't do whatever it is they are supposed to do, and her coach is constantly correcting her. Does your DD's current coach run the team tryouts? I would hope that the coach of the team that she wants to be on could be involved somehow. If you otherwise like the current gym, except for this coach, I would try to speak with the HC, and perhaps arrange a tryout with the coach of the team she would be moving too.

 

[BlairBob]

If she has had a recent growth spurt she may be a bit or unbalanced.

15-20 laps boring.

But if she is preferential because your child isn't a pixie and is a brickhouse she needs to be called on it. Especially for L2 unless your gym ishighly ccompetitive at the lower levels internally.

Freaking l2/3.

 

[shelovestoflip]

I'd be looking for another gym. Your daughter is young and doesn't need to hear a person who is an authority figure commenting about her body!

While you say the other gym doesn't have tryouts until December, I think many gyms are willing to take new children....after all, among other things, this is a money maker for them!

For what it's worth, my daughter hates to run and the coaches always tell her they can't believe how slowly she runs down the vault runway...however she consistently places in the top 3 in vault and has been State Champ on Vault at level 6, 7 and 8!

So, not sure that running is the be all and end all.

You say your daughter is proud of her strength and body. Keep it that way and find a place that will celebrate who she is!

 

[Jazzjerz]

Thanks again for all the feedback. I called the other gym, and they are going to schedule an evaluation now for her, so that is great. I am not sure if she would be able to begin there yet (they have a waiting list for even their rec classes), but at least we will know if that is an option, or if we need to expand our gym search.

No matter what happens with the eval, we are going to speak to HC at current gym, as I am confident that her coach has body prejudices.

 

[level9mom]

I think the running comment is bizarre. Maybe if he said the approach to vault was poor...

 

[iwannacoach]

I hope you put the following into the category of commentary and not view it as judgemental or criticism.......

If you were to poll every coach who's worked with kids though the compulsory system and into optionals, and asked if gymnastics was easier to teach to kids who had the typical gymnast body, the majority would say yes.... because it is. Kids who fall outside the ideal have a slight disadvantage that increases the farther they are fom the ideal. Yes, they can compensate fo some of that disadvantage, but there is a limit to what they can compensate for.

I'm providing this pespective because I cringe when I here parents get defensive of what's said about their child's body. If the infomation addresses reality, that's what it is and is intended to be. If it's said the wrong way, address that.... along with the reality presented by the coach who said the right thing the wrong way.

Who knows, maybe the facts can be used constructively.

Iwannacoach now ducks for cover with ams held about his head.

 

[gymmomtotwo]

Telling a parent kid needs to take conditioning more seriously before I feel comfortable sending her to team. Okay. Telling a parent their six year old will be more likely to get plump because she is taller. Which is of course ridiculous.on the whole, tall people tend to be thinner than short. Not okay.

Telling a parent that x skill may be a little more challenging for her because she is taller, ok. We won't give her a chance based on her height and solid build,not okay.

I repeat, instilling anything about a negative body image could be really bad for this or any other kid.

 

[jago]

Gymnastics is a long term process that will be filled with peaks and valleys, so don't worry too much about the timing. I think it's good that you had a conversation with the coaches and hopefully they gave you some specific areas for your daughter to work on -- goals of sort.

My DD had a similar experience when she was on pre-team (the old L2). After 4 months, all but two girls (including DD) were moved to L3. My daughter was very upset because she thought she was better than some of the other girls. I spoke with the coach and she told me that they debated whether DD was ready. They thought she was close and that she may be ready in a couple months if she had a few privates. True to their word, they moved her up after a couple months to old L3 (which was a competition level at that gym). Fast forward to today, DD is at least 2 levels ahead of every one of those girls who moved up "early". Many of those girls aren't even in the sport any more. That incident was a motivator in many ways and made DD want to work harder to prove them wrong.

Coaches are human and I understand why they made the decision they did way back then. Just make sure your daughter understands what she needs to do and tell her to take it as a goal to achieve rather than an obstacle to overcome. Oh, and running is pretty important -- especially for vault. They judge the run in new L3 and the power and timing are important for higher level vaults.

 

[jago]

TOTALLY DID NOT MEAN TO REPLY ^^^^^^ SORRY

Tired fingers somehow touched the wrong button(s)

 

[Uglybetty]

Iwannacoach's perspective matches what we were told at a recent parents meeting at our gym. If a child does not have a typical gymnasts height/body/twitch fibres they will tell you. The child will be allowed to continue for fun, but because gymnastics involves such a huge financial and time investment they think its important to set your expectations realistically. I thought it was quite a mature approach to take....you have to work your genetics to your advantage and find the sport that you can excel at. However, I'll openly admit that my DD does fit the "typical" profile and I might have been less understanding if she didn't. I'd add that the children weren't listening.

 

[level9mom]

This whole height argument bothers me. My dd is "tall" for a gymnast at 5'3. However, she is an awesome, beautiful gymnast. I hope the days of 16 year old 60 lb, 4'8 gymnasts are over. What about Nastia? Kyla? Svetlana? Ashanee?

 

[level9mom]

We have a gym near us that kicks out their too tall gymnasts. This gym has went nowhere fast. Those gymnast they kick out? They come to us and get scholarships.

 

[Quadqueen]

Iwannacoach's perspective matches what we were told at a recent parents meeting at our gym. If a child does not have a typical gymnasts height/body/twitch fibres they will tell you. The child will be allowed to continue for fun, but because gymnastics involves such a huge financial and time investment they think its important to set your expectations realistically. I thought it was quite a mature approach to take....you have to work your genetics to your advantage and find the sport that you can excel at. However, I'll openly admit that my DD does fit the "typical" profile and I might have been less understanding if she didn't. I'd add that the children weren't listening.

glad our gym has never been like this!! DD is very tall for her age...and has always been the youngest in her level by at least 2-3 years. She's also taller than many of them. Who is to say that these "too tall" kids aren't going to hit puberty early and stop growing early? It may all even out in the end. So far, my DD has been up for the challenge.

 

[emorymom]

It's nice when a kid loves a sport that matches her body, but it's not necessary. If she does a sport she loves, so what? She becomes an incredible coach. And extra bonus points if she's tall enough that spotting is not so hard. It's like schoolteachers. They are not usually the valedictorians. They are basically capable people who were capable of completing some Bachelors' degree who want to teach and like the idea of being in school all day after graduation.

 

[level9mom]

Tell my dd she's too tall when she's standing on top of the podium.

 

[coyote]

My daughter just turned 16. She will be competing level 10 this season. She is almost 5'7". She is a great gymnast. Just because, for a gymnast, she is tall doesn't mean she can't do what needs to be done. Sure there are skills that come harder for her because of it, but she makes up for that with hard work and dedication. She is the most fit gymnast on her team. She knows her core must be extra strong to make up for her long torso. She has been told by many that her lines are beautiful because of her long legs, etc. Coaches shouldn't give up on a child because they are too tall or too whatever.