WAG Repeating levels

[CCGymbug]

I love all the different responses. We are in the Northeast and our gym does not do as many hours as some others. 6 hours....I think this is some of our issue with lower scores. When my DD increased to 9 is when I saw a significant improvement in her skills. By the end of our season her kip was good enough that she was allowed to do it at states (we have a judge come in and critique the routines). She is able to perform many skills higher than her level but she gets tenthed to death on little tiny things. Some was a simple as no one told her she had to hold x pose for x amount of time. She loves learning, would live at the gym if I could afford it and I am told she is very coachable and is a good teammate. It was hard as her mom not to see her on the podium as much as last year. She was just happy to be competing JO. I go back and forth if her going to 4 with 34's is a good idea or not. Sadly, I am not sure why, she looks better doing some of the harder stuff....i just don't want her to become bored and quit.

 

[gymbeam]

I must admit....glad my child isn't at your gym (not said with malice)....because she has shone beyond 35 at optionals, yet never once hit that at level 4....or 3....or 2.....
(and she probably wouldn't have hit it at level 1 either if our gym did that level, bahaha~)

Actually, I don't even know if it's the scores that are holding people back. Coaches don't tell us why they make decisions for other people because it's not our business. I've just noticed that the very few who have repeated were indeed the lower scorers. I've also noticed that the higher scorers don't begin repeating until at least 8 or 9.

 

[gymbeam]

And

Problem with talking about this is scores vary by region. In our area, a consistent 35-36 gymnast is doing well. Our "move up" testing requirement was 35.5 average. While there are gyms in our area who score in the 37-38 range, they are not the norm, and scores in that range are given out very sparingly. For example, the state champion AA score in my daughter's group (L4) last year was 36.7. Out of over 360 gymnasts at L4 state, 25 scored 37 or above.

Great point! I just checked and at our last compulsory state meet 50% scored 36 or higher in levels 2-5. So because of that, 35s are just not competitive in our area. (Although I appreciate that it does not always indicate future success for many reasons; fears, injuries, late starter, fast tracking, etc.....).

 

[3rd_time_around]

My dd's gym rarely if ever repeats a compulsory gymnast. They look at scores, but they also look at skill progression, work ethic, and they are constantly up-training. The only reason a girl might repeat the lower levels is failure to qualify to state, or an extended injury, or getting less than 75% or so of the skills for the next level. Often they will still move up, but will scratch an event if they can't perform the major skill(s) on it. They have been accused of holding girls back by rivals, but it's not true (a quick perusal of each year's team level rosters will show that [emoji4][emoji106]), and girls that excel will often skip a not-required level or score out of the next level and move up (like scoring out of 5 and moving to 6 or 7). I think it's sad when a gym only looks at scores for moving up, as some girls just aren't good at compulsories, but will excel when they can choose from a menu of skills to perform to their strengths In optionals.

 

[lovemygymnast]

I think my dd's gym philosophy is that they would prefer repeating an optional rather than compulsory level, from my understanding. My dd was on that 34-35 scoring track too, but she's training 6/7 right now so unless something drastic happens (which I believe they watch them through the summer to be sure they have all their skills) hopefully she won't repeat.

I remember speaking with a very experienced coach at our previous gym and she always said that flexible gymnasts do great in compulsories and strong gymnasts do better in optionals. I don't know if that's true but she always said that about my dd because she's very strong and has a lot of power but isn't necessarily the most flexible. So, in that case, she had the skills for the next level & never had an issue but just didn't score great, would repeating really help a girl like her? We'll see how next year pans out!! Lol.

 

[CCGymbug]

Well DD moved up and so far much stronger as a level 4. That said some of that may be increased gym hours this summer. So that said I will update when season starts and let everyone know how its going but so far So happy I didn't hold her back.

 

[MomIdidit!]

I think it's great consig that your dd is having such a great summer training. Is there anyway dd hours might increase a little in the fall?

 

[hearts_and_stars]

In addition to what the others have said, I'll add this: coaches should be looking at more than just scores. Optionals levels require a certain amount of maturity and development; if they don't have that, it doesn't matter what their compulsory scores are--DD's gym would hold them back. Also, some coaches look at future potential. DD was a 'solid' compulsory kid--mid-36s pretty consistently, but as an optionals kid her scores shot up into the 38s. I was completely surprised, but her coaches weren't. They had always known she would be a much better optionals gymnast than compulsory. I don't know what specifically about her told them this, but they knew. So, the long answer to your query is that there is probably a whole bunch of other stuff factoring into their decision to repeat a gymnast or moving her along in levels.

 

[CCGymbug]

Update, well DD rocked level 4, will score out of 5 next month and will compete 6, possibly 7 by fall!!!! One of her coaches finally told me that she expects to DD to score much higher in optionals! Those girls we were worried about all make their way to 4 by the start of the season but 3 will repeat. She has really blossomed this past few months and I am incredibly proud of her hard work!

 

[triplethreat+1]

Guess now you can tell what the coaches saw in her last spring that they loved so much! So cool to hear how successful she has been.
(Also gives me hope... Repeat mantra: lower level scores do not indicate how dd will progress...) ;p

 

[Banna]

If the kids can't do the skills for the next level, they have to repeat, at least that's how my gym does it. They don't really care how well the kid scored in the last level.