Parents Rec dilemma

[Cseibold623]

Ok so I am needing insight on what I should do and how I go about this.

So my daughter (5) tried out for team last year at the very large and competitive gym we go to. She didn’t make it- which is fine although her coach said she should go for it.

Since then I put her in a couple of other classes at other gyms to give her more time and experience to build her skills. She has learned and developed new skills since starting more classes. One of the other gyms she goes to wants to see girls in a rec program for at least 6 months before developmental team is an option. She has however been moved up in 2 other rec programs- one gym she is in rec 2/3 and the other intermediate.

At the original gym she is still in age appropriate class but I feel she has mastered every skill in that class. It seems like a ton of repetition of the basic skills that will really be boring for her to do the entire school year (and till she turns 7 when they move kids to the next level) my question is how I go about advocating for her? The opportunities are big at this gym so I don’t want to hurt anything for going there. Like I said- this program is large and most classes are waitlisted. Do I say nothing and just keep on with this class at the age level she is at. I agree that form is important however they really aren’t doing conditioning in the classes it’s mostly drills.

 

[newbie504]

So she is currently taking classes at 3 gyms?

Most rec classes are just drills and skills. Conditioning comes in during preteam then the skills are on the back burner, at least in my experience. Also, all gyms do it differently. Some gyms like girls on preteam at 3/4 others want them 6/7.

I would just talk to the gyms you are at about the path to team and try to move all of her classes to one gym. I think it would show a lot if she had 3 classes at one gym and they see how hard shes working.

 

[Still_learning]

My 5 yr old also takes 3 classes a week, but at the same gym. We are in the between phase where her skills exceed her maturity. I think her behavior may have gotten worse because of the repetition gets a little redundant. I think the multiple gyms may actually help keep things fresh.

 

[raenndrops]

In our gym, when a girl show mastery of all the skills in that class, if moving up is not an option, then the coach modifies for the gymnast.
Example, if everyone is doing drills for and practicing a tucked backward roll, once mastery is proven, the gymnast works on pike or straddle rolls. If those are both mastered, then it is a backward roll to push-up position. You could inquire to the big gym to see if they do something similar.

Of course, we are in a YMCA gymnastics program, and both of my girls moved up in rec classes early.

OG started in the age 3 & 4 class (45 minutes once a week) when was not quite 4-1/2. 4 months later, she moved to the 2nd level of classes (1 hour once a week) for ages 5+. The month after she turned 5, she moved up to the last level of rec classes (1.5 hours 1-2x a week, but mostly 2x). She signed her team acceptance letter when she was not quite 6-1/2 (team practice 2.5 hours 3x a week).

YG started the 18 months-3 years class (30 minutes once a week) at 17 months and 6 days old. She moved up to the age 3 & 4 class at not quite 2-1/2. She moved up to the 1st level of rec classes right after she turned 4. 5 months later, during a lot of schools' spring programs, team attendance was very low. She got to do vault with the 2 team girls in old Level 4 (handstand to flatback vault) that were there. She did well. The next week, she was moved up to the 2nd level of classes. She moved up to the last level of rec 2 months after she turned 5. She signed her team acceptance letter when she was 6 years and 5 months old.

 

[Loopy]

Unless you are planning on switching gyms, I think you'd be better off trying to get extra classes at the same gym. It would show you are more serious about learning quicker - going to multiple gyms they won't know that.
TBH if she's keen on competing and one of the other gyms will let her join the team, go there. You can always change gyms for more opportunities when she is older. My Dd1 tried out for pre team at abig place (after being invited to try after being in a rec class for a few months) at one gym and they told us she wasn't strong enough (she was also already 7 and most of the others started at 4), but they did put her in a more advanced rec program. She did that for about a year, finished the program (supposed to be a 3 year program but they kept skipping levels in it for her), but then try outs for team were still 6 months away as they only do them for a few months of the year - so she tried out at a different gym (much smaller) and got a place on the team there. But she's level 5 now and really could be accepted at any of the other gyms in the area if we wanted to change. But she doesn't want to - it's a smaller gym but she has some lovely friends and they have great facilities. The main issue would be that they don't have a lot of people at higher levels. Level 5+ they might only have one team of 3 people, or there might not even be enough for a team. So switching might have some advantages there if she gets to higher levels.

My gym is big on age groups too for rec classes. Dd2 doesn't do WAG gym anymore, but does trampoline gymnastics and is still in the "beginner" 7-10 year old class despite grading level 3. She was also doing level 2 and learning level 3 in the 4-7 year old "junior" class. Yet someone starting at age 10 would go straight into the "intermediate" 10-12 class. I know one kid who has graded level 5 is still in the intermediate class because she's not 13 yet so can't do the "advanced" 13+ class.
However at least they do learn skills based on their level in whatever class they do, and the class levels are more about class lengths (junior and beginner do 1 hour, intermediate does 1.5, advanced does 2) but you can do multiple classes.

 

[NutterButter]

I would approach the gyms you are taking classes at and let them know your daughter is interested in team and what the process is for joining/evaluation. It may be too late at the big gym. If she’s 7 and they haven’t selected her, that ship may have sailed.