WAG Rationale behind competing level 2

[Orangesoda]

Can someone explain why some gyms compete their JO level 2 gymnasts and others do not? What are the gym's possible motivations? And what are the implications for the gymnast - both pro and con?

When we were put into a pre-team class, the coordinator was sure to mention that they DO compete at level 2 at our gym. I noted the emphasis at the time but am still unsure why she felt we needed to know - it was almost like not letting parents know had stung her in the past (totally my ignorant assumption and could be totally an incorrect one). Any insight is appreciated. Thanks!

 

[gymdog]

Probably just a question people ask when comparing programs in your area if there are multiple gyms in the area. Around here no one competes level 2, and in some areas all the gyms do, but if yours is split 50/50ish maybe they've had parents compare before and not want to compete level 2 even after signing up for team, etc.

 

[z2akids]

Our gym competes level 2, but in a local club organization, not USAG. My DD did it and had great time. At DD's gym, I think it is a non-intimidating way of introducing gymnasts and families to competition. Gets them into the competition track with lowers costs and time commitment.

 

[lovemygymnast]

Ours does but most all the gyms here do. I do think at PP said, it helps get the gymnasts used to competing meets.

 

[Orangesoda]

Our gym competes level 2, but in a local club organization, not USAG. My DD did it and had great time. At DD's gym, I think it is a non-intimidating way of introducing gymnasts and families to competition. Gets them into the competition track with lowers costs and time commitment.

Is it less expensive to compete at a lower level?

 

[Quadqueen]

Most gyms around here compete L2 as well. It does prepare them for competition. My DD did it (well, old L3) at age 6 and it didn't hurt her/hold her back any.

 

[Quadqueen]

Is it less expensive to compete at a lower level?

Not specifically for L2 - I'm assuming she meant the other, non-USAG organization was cheaper...?

But, generally, our team and teams around us only have the L2s do local meets. Also, their leos are cheaper. So, they try to keep meet fees/travel costs/uniform costs down.

 

[z2akids]

Is it less expensive to compete at a lower level?

Our local metro area has a non-usag competition program for l2 and l3. I think it is called GCGC. They compete 5 or 6 local meets. They use the usag routines and sometimes usag judges, but sometimes the judges are coaches. They receive ribbons for scores, but no placements. The l3 team practices 5 hours a week add compared to our usag l3 team at 9 hours a week. Fees and tank Leos are about 1/4 what our compulsory fees/uniforms cost.

It's a way to get parents in the door. Lol. The girls have fun. The scoring trends to be more generous, so the girls that continue on to usag sometimes have score shock.

 

[IreneKa]

Our gym competes L1 and L2. Not sure what the reason is, but I think it's kind of our version of pre-team. Other gyms keep the girls in pre-team until L3. For us pre-team is more like an advanced 1.5 hour class once a week. Then they are move up to L1, and that's when the real work starts.
They can skip those lower levels too, if they have the skills. We have a few girls who were L1 last year, and were moved to L3 this year.
And for the cost, yes, they mostly do local meets, so it's cheaper. Not that they wouldn't be allowed to go to the big meet, but they just do this to keep the costs down. And they have tank leos.

 

[MaryA]

I think competing at the lower levels helps gyms compete with other activities. If a little kid is already going to weekend pee-wee soccer games or t-ball or whatever, while gymnastics is just a class that they take, those other sports might have an edge. Send a little girl out there in her pretty leo and hair glitter and give her a goodie-bag after, how can she help but get "hooked"?

 

[jessmomto2]

Our gym and the other in town competes level two but not one. There are some kids that they put on a pre team though to skip the lower levels. I think level 2 in our gym is mostly girls who are at least 6 and want to do more than rec. they have girls who range from 6-12 on the level two team.

 

[gymmomx2]

I think competing at the lower levels helps gyms compete with other activities. If a little kid is already going to weekend pee-wee soccer games or t-ball or whatever, while gymnastics is just a class that they take, those other sports might have an edge. Send a little girl out there in her pretty leo and hair glitter and give her a goodie-bag after, how can she help but get "hooked"?

Yes - this! At DS's gym, the boys program has 3 years of pre-team with no competition. Those boys train 6/9/12 hours and don't compete until the 4th year. I can see why many of them leave for other sports, it is difficult for a 6/7 year old to see the point in all the training if they don't get to compete.

 

[sce]

Our gym started a level 2 team this year. For our gym it gives kids a chance to compete sooner. We are a lower pressure, lower hours etc. gym, for most of the kids gymnastics is one of many activities. So they don't progress quickly. Our level 2 team ranges in age from about 8yo to 12yo.

 

[mobeans]

I've leaned that many gyms do not compete L2. My DDs gym does and they had a very large L2 team last yr. it was a really fun year and a great learning experience.

 

[Aussie_coach]

In Australia basically everyone competes level 1 and 2. It would be every rare to find a gym that only competed the higher levels (this may change next year when our new levels system begins though).

One reason is because everyone else does. If you wait until level 4 to compete your gymnasts must go against other level 4's who are in their 4th year of gymnastics competition as opposed to their first.

Its a way for clubs and associations to make money, there are more level 1's and 2's than other levels so these comps are very big.

On the down side it slows kids progress down. They have to spend a year at each level as they go through the competition season and spend hours learning routines when they should be learning skills. It also means these kids need to do a lot of hours. It's not unusual to have level 1 kids training 6 or more hours a week in a a level where they don't even do a cartwheel yet.

 

[gymjunkie]

We prepare our pre-team to start as Level 3s, but there are often a few who aren't ready by fall. That's what we use Level 2 for. It's usually the 6 YOs who end up dropping to 2 in early August.

 

[mom2newgymnast]

My dd's gym competes level 2 (and in fact my dd is on level 2 right now). I think most of the gyms in our area compete level 2 and up, although I am not positive. I'm not sure if it's always been this way at her gym, but this year they did not really have a formal preteam. They had a short ~5 month "training group" where they invited 6-7 year old girls from various levels of rec classes to train 4 hours a week (up from 1-2 hours depending on their previous class). They mostly worked on the level 2 skills and then at the end of the period, they invited some of them to become the level 2 team and the others either went back to rec or joined their rec team. Level 2 trains 6 hours a week right now. After the competition season is over it will increase to 9 hours a week and they will being working on level 3 skills I imagine. As for why they choose to compete level 2 instead of calling it preteam and not competing, I'm not really sure. I would guess though that it has to do with the other gyms in the area also competing it.

 

[LJL07]

All of the gyms here compete USAG levels 1&2. It is not considered pre team, and it is considered "real team." Our gym has a pre-team as well. Apparently our area is unusual in this regard. I suspect that some of the 6 year olds competing level 3 in other areas would be starting at 1 or 2 around here as the described skills the kids have are the same, but for whatever reason (probably podium placement) they have the kids compete lower.

 

[LJL07]

Is it less expensive to compete at a lower level?

If what we are paying to compete in these l2 meets is "less expensive," then we will surely go broke by level 5. It's roughly a $90 meet fee per meet for level 2.

 

[LJL07]

In Australia basically everyone competes level 1 and 2. It would be every rare to find a gym that only competed the higher levels (this may change next year when our new levels system begins though).

One reason is because everyone else does. If you wait until level 4 to compete your gymnasts must go against other level 4's who are in their 4th year of gymnastics competition as opposed to their first.

Its a way for clubs and associations to make money, there are more level 1's and 2's than other levels so these comps are very big.

On the down side it slows kids progress down. They have to spend a year at each level as they go through the competition season and spend hours learning routines when they should be learning skills. It also means these kids need to do a lot of hours. It's not unusual to have level 1 kids training 6 or more hours a week in a a level where they don't even do a cartwheel yet.

Not in Australia, but that's exactly how the training works at all of the gyms where we live...