WAG Questions - after moving up

[Ex member]

My dd has been going to development classes for the past 2 weeks (once a week for 2 1/2 hours), she has been enjoying it so far and when she came out of the gym to get a drink after 45 minuets of warm up/ conditioning I asked her how it was going and she said "Its the best thing ever", I am happy with her class and like the fact that it is once a week as it gives her time to adjust to her new class as all she has know was 1 hour rec classes. I have only seen bits of her new class and I have a few questions that I don't want to bombard the coaches with.

I have been told that this is a trial - I was wondering how long trials generally last for, dd is the youngest in her class by 2-3 years so I am hoping that they will take that into consideration during the trial period.

Dd needs to build up her strength and her flexibility and I have they will give her time to do this, I did ask her coach in passing how dd was coping and was told that she was coping well and the coach went on to tell me that she didn't want to stretch dd too hard as she is tiny (just under the 4th centile on weight and height) and said that she didn't want injure her "growth plates" as she still has a lot of growing to do, I am impressed with that and that the coach is taking great care of her.

I guess I am worried that they will drop her back to rec, I haven't had any indication that this might happen but it took the gym so long to move her up that I am afraid that she might end up back to square one, the gym does advance rec classes for dd's age but dd didn't get invited to that so I guess I am worrying about nothing because they could have gone down that route first if they had any concerns.

Dd has made improvement in her flexibility in just 2 weeks and I am putting that down to the conditioning that she know does in her weekly class.

 

[gymmomof1]

Its understandable to worry as this is a trial but IMHO they saw something in her that leads them to think she can acquire skills for team and are just making sure. Others will chime in but that's my 2¢ lol or more since we are talking gymnastics and it isn't cheap lol.

 

[Iwannabemargo]

Depends on your club, but here I have only seen two children dropped back to rec and that was due to attitude and behavior. As long as she tries her best that will be noticed.

 

[Ex member]

Thanks, little dd is not known for misbehaving in the gym and she always listens, being the baby of the group helps as she looks up to the older girls and wants to be like them.

Dd has her first fundraising event next week with the rest of the developoment girls, she is looking forward to it.

Dd has been given homework, she has to practice her pike fold and straddle sit where you lean forward and get her tummy on the floor, she has got so much better at those stretches since she left rec.

How long do trial periods usually last?

 

[Jenny]

anything from a month to 6 months really. I would hope they give her at least a term to settle in and improve her strength and flexibility.

 

[Ex member]

That's what I hope, dd has improved in some area's already, I'm not expecting it to be fast progress just hope they give her long enough to do it.

 

[Ex member]

Is a trial period :

A chance to see if the child enjoys the class and settles in?
A chance for coaches to see how the child copes, listens and behaves?
A chance to see if the child improves or gets skills quick enough to stay?

 

[Iwannabemargo]

yes xx

 

[emorymom]

I'd encourage her to do 2 days of very brief basic conditioning in addition to the stretches they want. That is to say, wall handstands, chin ups and leg lifts will go a long way towards helping her make best use of the one workout they're giving her.

 

[Ex member]

Thanks for the suggestions, I will encourage dd to do handstands as well as the stretches she has been asked to do, I cannot get her to practice chin ups at home as we don't have a chin up bar but her school does have some playground equipment with some poles with wooden bars sticking out each side (think masts), I can encourage dd to try some assisted pull ups a few times each week either before or after school.

 

[Faith]

Tiny Dancer.

Are you happy with the club your DD is at? Are you happy with the coaches, do they know their stuff?

Honestly, if you are, then trust that they know how to guide your child. It's highly unlikely they'll select a kid to team then throw them off before giving them a chance. It's likely they're simply looking for work ethic, ability to follow instructions etc rather than actual skills or speed of progression. They may just be looking for where she'll fit best, floor and vault, regional WAG squad, Elite squad- they probably already know she doesn't fit in rec, or she'd still be there! . Trial will last as long as they need.

I know you've had some issues with progression to team, but all this second guessing and worrying is the path to madness :lol:. I know we all do it to some extent, but the best way for your DD to progress is to step back and let her enjoy it. It might be better looking into a dance class if you think

 

[Faith]

AArgh won't let me finish!

 

[Ex member]

Thanks for your reply..

Both dd and myself is happy with dd's gym and I do trust her coach. I guess I am way over thinking this especially after it took a while for dd to get this far, I am really happy that dd has got invited to this new group and I am just waiting for something to come along and burst the bubble lol

I guess I wouldn't have so many questions if we weren't just thrust into this new class with no real info except times and prices.

I am going to sit back and enjoy the ride (or try to lol)

Dd does take a dance class once a week along side gym, she does Modern once a week.

 

[cbifoja]

I totally agree with Faith. You will seriously go insane trying to what if and when this sport. And this is coming from a mom who isn't even all that experienced as we are just starting year 3 of competition!

Communication is not this sport's forte! I'm a super control freak and an information junkie by nature. When I find the old monster rearing her head, I start studying skills and deductions and stuff like that to meet my "addiction" but I wouldn't count on your gym supplying everything piece of information you desire unless you just badger them and become one of "those" parents.

It takes time and patience. My DD is kind of like you...the minute she hits some milestone/goal/level, she immediately begins asking about the next one. When she was younger, she used to tell people that she was X and a half level at gym because she had half of her skills necessary for the next level. Enjoy where you are right now....at least for a few months! LOL

 

[gymmomtoo]

Agree with Faith too--you can't be second guessing constantly or you'll go crazy. Your daughter is loving the new class, is apparently listening and doing well (per the coach), so you have NO reason to think they'll be pulling her back down again. I'm fairly certain that they would be dropping hints if they feel she isn't fitting in well--they haven't done that, so take that as a good sign.

 

[Ex member]

Thanks for the kick up the bum and reality check I guess this is all too new to me, I didn't have half the amount of questions when my oldest dd moved up 4 months ago, I guess I am trying to get my head around having 2 dd's enter the other side of gym.

Thanks for your support and advice.

I have no intentions of asking the coaches anything and just sit back and see what happens

 

[txgymfan]

In the meantime, keep reading CB and you can get many of your questions answered before you even ask them. If you search previous threads you will see questions about giants, nutrition, beam fears and more. The higher the level the less parents ask questions and the more they seem to leave gym to the gymnasts.

 

[gymdog]

I think the trial aspect is probably more about behavior and work ethic than skills. Ie just making sure they can handle the team coaching. I think as long as your daughter isn't crying/asking to sit out, that's more what they're looking at.

 

[iwannacoach]

The best thing you can do is to help your daughter with work they assign for her to do at home. The best questions to ask are those centered on how you can help her be best prepared for class. If they ask for flexibility work, and your dear daughter is up for it, give them flexibility work. The same goes for any other conditioning or shape work they advise.

And most of all do not figure if some is good that more will be better, because the next thing is deciding that too much is just enough....... and that would be a bad thing.

Really, some of the best ways to become gymnastics ready are the everyday playground games like tag, dodgeball, and hopscotch. Throw in bike riding, tree climbing or monkey bars and you end up with a pretty ready kid. The only thing

Upside down stuff beyond her idle time obsession with skills at home should also be done only as requested, and the less she does at home on her own, the better off she'll be. Why? Because in one day she can do three times the cartwheels she does in class, which amounts to twelve time the cartwheels she'll be corrected on. The result will be her practicing and honing whatever she thinks is right, and that's more often wrong than right.

So limit it to normal child's play, or similar motions like chin-ups = monkey bars, and whatever the coach asks.... like the flexibility stuff. Just be sure to not over do it.