Anon Putting age caps for DP levels

[Anonymous (b8dd)]

They could also just put a limitation on how large an age group can span. No one within 2 years of you, congrats you get to compete against yourself. I guess the gymnast gets all the medals for being the youngest. Any solution to this perceived slight will come with so many unintended consequences.

We have that in diving in the younger age groups particularly in regions where it isn’t popular or pool access is limited. Lots of kids “win their age group” as a sole entrant for years. Years! Particularly boys.

It’s not fun and not great for competition. My own kid is waiting on getting more serious about dive because competitions can feel pointless unless you’re near one of the few clubs with big groups of little kids.

 

[Anonymous (b8dd)]

That's gatekeeping, plain and simple. Every kid develops at their own pace and these arbitrary caps just push children out of the sport way too early.

A gym near us will absolutely have a HOPES or Jr Elite girl who started with level 3 at 8. Then score outs and level 6 at 9. Level 7 score out and 8 at 10. Meanwhile my kid started at 6 and is struggling to escape compulsories. You can’t guess any kid’s path unless you give them a chance.

 

[Anonymous (bc5b)]

Meh, I do prefer to have a group of younger similar kids.... but I have seen so many exceptions that I would never rule anyone out. Having overarching rigid rules will ultimately hurt kids and the sport.

For smaller gyms that are likely to have a wider age rage within a few gymnasts of similar level, being restrictive is potentially costly on a meet weekend. They can't just have all their similar ability athletes compete in the same level.

Equally you have the other end of the spectrum, young kids pushed into a level they can't do, lacking in skills, form and polish/presentation. Then parents justifying it because they are younger than everyone else - because the adults involved in the other cases waited until the kids could actually do the level.

Perhaps the gym that has the issue, can run their own meet and ensure the age groups are to their own satisfaction. I peraonally think it's good for kids to compete against different kids at each comp. It's just a gymnastics meet, they should be focused on skill development and personal performance- not cheap plastic medals and trophies.

 

[Anonymous (d391)]

Integrity? This same gyms owners/coaches constantly hype themselves up by posting scores of much older kids competing in bronze and silver. I’m assuming the integrity they bring up is sandbagging - keeping older kids in lower levels- which is crazy bc they have older kids competing in Low level Xcel to score high. It’s the same lack of integrity they are saying others are showing but bc it’s Xcel it’s acceptable? They also like to post how wonderful they are- and they are constantly posting a grown man with a very young girl training 1 on 1 while he just lifts her through high level skills. It’s pretty gross to me.

 

[Anonymous (0e64)]

I am still trying to get my head around the fact that there are Xcel only gyms in my state that had kids repeat silver this season after scoring 38s the last season. They scored 39s this year (and scored a 10 on something at state) and were back to back state AA champ - but how is this fun? I struggle more with this than kids who are a little older than average in dev levels.

I didn't realize having many high scoring silvers repeat (to win as a team maybe?) was a thing until I looked at the scores this year and was a bit shocked by the number of 10s and 9.9s scored. I try not to judge, but this one kind of boggles my mind.