Parents Opinions please...should I add a tumbling class?

[Avasmom]

My daughter is on Xcel bronze (6 hours a week) and is also taking a dance class offered at the gym. (7 hours total) It's required for gold and above but offered to all team girls. Tumbling used to be her strongest area but I feel like she is well balanced now in all areas. She is so close to getting her BHS. She has it on a trampoline and with a spot on the floor. I stopped with the private lessons on it because I felt like I was pushing her a little so I backed off. In your opinion should I add a tumbling class for her to work on the BHS? The head coach says she can compete it if it looks good. Adding an additional hour isn't going to be a big deal but lots of the tumbling classes are taken by cheerleaders.

 

[l.c.o]

Personally, I say no, unless it's coached by your DD's xcel coaches.

Differences in coaching style may inhibit your DD's progress on the skill. She may also pick up bad habits. Often, rec tumbling classes seem to focus less on form and more on just making a skill. You want your DD to learn it right.

I know the worry, though. My DD struggled with the skill, and first finally made her first BHS three months before her first old level 4 season. Then she lost it 6 weeks before the season. THEN we tried privates, as they were no longer doing progressions or hands-on BHS work in class. It helped and she managed to compete it.

We were patient, and at no time considered tumbling classes.

These days, her BHS STILL isn't super pretty, but it's fairly powerful.