Parents Older kids at lower levels

[Kcanflip]

I like the 'goals' for the season idea someone mentioned. Great way to help focus as well as track progress! I also have an 'older' gymnast....11 year old level 4....and it definitely has to be about individual progress as comparing against what others are doing is a losing battle. Love this post though! Nice to know there are older gymnasts enjoying success in this sport!

 

[miltongrl66]

Yes since 7 , younger dd was almost 6 ( they have been in team 8 years yesterday) she was preteam for a few years due to the bhs ( she had a rough time getting that , then we actually thought she had a concussion because of 1 bad one, ( not true but later in life she did get one and not because of gymnastics, so she has had a few set backs and proven what a rockstar she is ) she does not get skills as easy as my 12 yr old but when she gets them they are amazing and beautiful ( I keep reminding her this and I remind my 12 yr old she gets skills easy but has issues with form , making sure they know they both have there strengths and weekness that make them diff gymnasts , just at cause they are sisters does not make them the same)

I'm glad u don't "compare" your daughters to each other! That wouldn't be fair. I'm sure they are both gifted in their own unique way.

 

[3gymgirlsmom]

I'm glad u don't "compare" your daughters to each other! That wouldn't be fair. I'm sure they are both gifted in their own unique way.

I try really hard not to , will not say I'm perfect but I try to remember what matters most is the joy they have about it, 6 yr old dd is learning skills much faster than the older 2 did at that age but our gym has changed a lot of t over the years ( she is the chalk bucket baby, she even just recently got her squat on and her back hop circle

 

[3gymgirlsmom]

I have even confused about this awhile, being new to all this, so maybe you can help- if she competed old L4 & L5, doesn't that mean she scored into old L6? Would she have then been an L5 again rather than a L4? It's all so confusing! As for your DD, her "sticktoitiveness" as DDs old coach would say, is nothing short of amazing. She must be an amazing girl as most kids would have quit already. She must really love it.

She is amazing, and I do love how she has the passion and will let everyone know it
She could have Probaby moved up but needed the skills for moving up at the time.

 

[Quadqueen]

I have even confused about this awhile, being new to all this, so maybe you can help- if she competed old L4 & L5, doesn't that mean she scored into old L6? Would she have then been an L5 again rather than a L4? It's all so confusing! As for your DD, her "sticktoitiveness" as DDs old coach would say, is nothing short of amazing. She must be an amazing girl as most kids would have quit already. She must really love it.

It sounds like she needed to repeat old 5, so she was a new 4.

Lots of good advice here from others - sounds like you are doing everything right!

 

[Sasha]

I love watching many of the older girls in competitions. They often have a maturity of movement that most of the younger girls in the lower levels can't match, and their longer lines are a treat as well. Several of my daughter's L3 meets this year had a respectable number of teenagers. They were clearly enjoying competing, and I felt so proud FOR them knowing that they are out there doing what they love regardless of some (ultimately unimportant) current age conventions. I would continue to tell my daughter (any age) that she is amazing for what she can do with her body, and doing gymnastics is a gift to one's self - one's body and mind - that will be part of her forever. When she's 33 and her current teammates are 28, no one is going to comment that she was the 'older' gymnast. They will just hear she did gymnastics, or see her do the best handstand in yoga class, and think, "WOW! I wish I would have done gymnastics like you! You're amazing!" Yes, she is.

 

[Ali'sMom]

I just want to say how much I appreciate this thread. I too have an "older" gymnast--a 12 year old level 4. She started late (rec. about 8.5, preteam about 9 if I remember correctly). She loves gymnastics and is a very hard worker. But she feels tremendous anxiety because of her age. She worries often that she will be "forced" into excel (which, at her gym, is very much less serious). She has her gym strengths and weaknesses like so many others, but to her it feels urgent to get skills. She is not a phenom. If she were younger she wouldn't mind probably doing 2 years at a level, but because of her age she feels like that would be a huge shame that must be avoided at all costs. She knows she will not be a college athlete or Olympian, but she has a lot of pride.

I wish she didn't put so much pressure on herself. She is in amazing shape and I think gym has been a very good force in her life. As so many other parents have noted here, she has amazing focus and work ethic in every area of her life. I attribute that, in large part, to gym. I just wish it didn't come with anxiety and pressure.

Me too! DD started gymnastics in 1st grade (6 years old). She was asked to move up but wouldn't (she had severe stage fright and anxiety, and was afraid she would HAVE to compete). She did not move up to old L2 until 4th grade because of it. Now she's a 12 year old L4. Oldest on her team, but not oldest at the meets. Sometimes I need to remind her of that, when there's an older age group that helps

 

[gracyomalley]

I too love watching the "older" girls - and my 12 year old training L8 is presently struggling with feelings of inadequacy (and drama - thinks she "peaked" at 11 and therefore doesn't want to face her fears of the harder upper level skills....even the ones she can already do!) I wish sometimes she could step back and see through the eyes (and have the heart of) one of these "lower level" older girls and have some perspective. Kudos to all those kids out there hanging in there - hope DD will make it to being one of them as a teen - no matter what level she's doing!

 

[Ali'sMom]

I wanted to add something that I posted on another thread too, that fits here:

As for the age and the whole picture... my DD is average. Our gym has some 9 year old L8s and L9s. That obviously will never be her. But, she has realized that there's a good chance she'll be L5 in 7th grade, and optional (L6) by 8th grade. THEORETICALLY she could be L7 in high school, and possibly make it to L8 before graduating (IF she sticks with it). To her, this is great!
I think if she were to have hit L7 younger (if she started competing 2 years previous like coaches wanted (she had stagefright), then theoretically she'd be L7 now, in 6th grade. Do I think she'd be good enough to make it to L10? not so much. Would she get stuck for years at L7 or L8 and end up quitting? I think so. For my daughter, specifically, the "olderness" will work out for her.
I'm not saying that is your daughter, but I'm just giving an example about how age only matters if.... well, actually, I'm giving an example that age doesn't necessarily matter