Prep Opt Skill Question

[mapstangelo]

My DD will be 7 in June and currently enrolled in an Intermediate I class 1 hour a week. We've recently added a 1 hour beginner tumbling class last week.

We went to watch a Novice Prep Opt meet at her gym this morning and I couldn't help but notice she had all the skills the majority of the gymnasts were performing. (and with better form I might add) I am going to ask her coaches what the policy is at our gym regarding team/competition is it by invite only to be on a "team" team?

Is there a certain skill set that is required? Also so can you tell me what skills on what event?

Thanks!

Michelle

 

[coachmolly]

Every gym is pretty different regarding policy for selecting pre-team/team gymnasts. Depending on your gym, the policy could be different for selecting prep opt teams and compulsory teams also. Some gyms use prep opt as a stepping stone into the USAG program while others use it as a way for girls to compete with less hours in the gym or for older athletes. So depending on your gym's philosophy, that could explain something.
I certainly don't think it would hurt to ask what their requirements are for the team and whether your daughter would be considered. Ask if there is anything in particular she needs to work on and what goals they have in mind for her.
Personally, when selecting girls for our pre-team or team groups, I look for them to have a good grasp on the basic skills (cartwheels, round offs, backward rolls, hurdle for vault, pullover, casts, and back hip circles on bars, little handstand on beam, jumps, those kind of things). Also how close they are to getting the required level 4 skills. Strength, flexibility, ability to pick up skills, work ethic, ability to follow directions, etc. are also looked at. Moving into the pre-team group at the gym I currently coach at is not selective at all though, so too often some or many of those requirements are waived.
But talk to your daughter's coaches and just see what they have to say.

 

[limegymnast5]

My DD will be 7 in June and currently enrolled in an Intermediate I class 1 hour a week. We've recently added a 1 hour beginner tumbling class last week.

We went to watch a Novice Prep Opt meet at her gym this morning and I couldn't help but notice she had all the skills the majority of the gymnasts were performing. (and with better form I might add) I am going to ask her coaches what the policy is at our gym regarding team/competition is it by invite only to be on a "team" team?

Is there a certain skill set that is required? Also so can you tell me what skills on what event?

Thanks!

Michelle

I am actually a Prep Op gymnast! When I started competing for lower levels, our gym didn't base it on skills. They chose based on listening skills and corection skills. The girls on team really had to work hard and listen and make the corrections that the coaches had. Good luck to her!

 

[gymdog]

At a lot of gyms a child who is only 6 may not really be on a prep opt track yet. Some may only be moving girls from pre-team/team who have decided to do less commitment, etc. At only 6 now if she is picking up a variety of skills, then they may not see a reason to start competing in prep op. Lots of girls start competing level 4 around age 8 and some gyms prefer not to have kids at the youngest age competing. So they will have the kids do a couple levels of classes before preteam then a couple levels of preteam before team. If she is about the same age or younger than most of the kids in the intermediate class this might just be a stepping stone through the "levels" and eventually when she gets through advanced she'll be evaluated for pre-team/team. It can't hurt to be aware of the policy but at this age I'd be more curious about what you need to move to the next class level and where she is in relation to that.

 

[Pickle's Mom]

Something to keep in mind is that prep-opt often isn't about skills, so how the girls do on skills isn't necessarily indicative of what they are working on. The coaches probably focus more on flexibility, strength, and ability to make corrections.

When Pickle was in developmental, I was always a little taken aback by the fact that girls who were in league looked so much more advanced than her. Now that she's competing, I see that all those practices were she was just doing stretching and conditioning have really paid off.