Parents Scoring low in first 3 competitions..

[ElizaBrooke]

Hello!

Dd works out with her L3 team 20 hours a week and this is her first competition season with them. She's placed in the lower half of her first 2 competitions and scored almost last in her most recent (the 3rd) competition, and I just wondered is this normal and/or ok for a first-season competitor? Or, does dd maybe just not have what it takes to do well in this sport? I am clueless with gymnastics- I was a ballerina and figure skater as a kid. I just know that her teammates all score in the top 3 spots for their age groups and I just don't know why Dd keeps scoring low.

I just want Dd to be proud of herself for trying her best and, of course, I support her in doing gym no matter what score she gets. And I always tell her she did a beautiful job and I'm so proud of her for working so hard and doing her best. But I feel bad for her since she's come back crying and so disappointed after these 3 competitions and I just wonder about it all.

Her coaches are all pretty untouchable at our gym, but I did text one and asked her if she knew why Dd wasn't scoring well and she said "it's just all the details she needs to work on." Do kids get better sometimes as they age or move up levels? I think she looks great at practices (ha- what do I know, tho? ), but Dd does say she is very nervous and sick to her stomach the whole time on competition days.

Could she maybe have a better time in L4 next year, since she has most of her L4 skills completed now? (most likely they'll move her up next summer). Is it common for kids to sometimes score low their first year and then start scoring better in their second with more practice and time? Do you think a private lesson could help (pretty expensive- almost $100 per hour)?

Thanks,
Eliza

 

[Serenity28]

What's your definition of scoring low? Also if the coach is saying it's the details they mean straight arms, legs and pointed toes. If this is her first comp season those details are hard for some to master. That's why compulsory is so important to learn the basics. It also depends on the child's age. Do you have a video of one of her routines?

 

[sevenatenine2]

My concern would be that she's scoring so poorly training 20 hours a week. That's double what most gyms practice for that level...so if she's scoring toward the end of the pack against kids training much less than her, I might be concerned. Other than that....I wouldn't worry too much!

 

[amiandjim]

I'm concerned about 20 hours a week at level 3 period!

 

[cadybearsmommy]

I'm concerned about 20 hours a week at level 3 period!

Yes to this! 20 hours a week seems extremely excessive for an L3. My L6 doesn't even train near that number of hours. But an L3 training hours like that would usually be scoring very well. Generally, the first competition season can be rough just b/c girls have to get used to competition, to performing in front of people, and sometimes their nerves get the better of them. It took my dd two full seasons to conquer the meet jitters. But if she isn't making any major mistakes, then it could be a form issue. But IMO, if she is training 20 hours a week, form shouldn't be an issue. How is she scoring? She could be scoring lower than most if you are in a very competitive state but it still may not exactly be considered "low" scores. But in your situation I would be concerned about 20 hours a week at L3. If L3's are doing that number of hours, how many hours are your optional girls doing? Too much too soon can lead to burnout, overuse injuries, etc.

 

[Gymmommy71]

Yeah - I agree 20 is a lot for L3 - and if someone was training that much at such a low level I'd suspect scores in the 38 range and, honestly, the kid should be on to L4 skills after about 6 months of that and shouldn't even be L3 anymore. How old is your daughter? Do the other kids in her training group score around the same?

 

[Sasha]

But I feel bad for her since she's come back crying and so disappointed after these 3 competitions and I just wonder about it all.

It sounds like you are encouraging her - are the coaches encouraging? Or are the coaches contributing at all to her crying about it, do you think, with how they give feedback? With 20 hours a week for L3, sounds like a very competitive gym. Sometimes, these kinds of programs can be more 'brutal' in their feedback (though not necessarily, certainly) as they push the girls very hard. They might be wonderful amazing coaches, but just checking here, as there are plenty of stories about coaches tearing kids down in a misplaced effort to make them work harder...The high hours makes me worry...

Do kids get better sometimes as they age or move up levels?

Assuming the coaching is encouraging and it is a good program, then yes, it is very possible to become more refined and score better in subsequent years, yes, especially if she is quite young. Body awareness doesn't kick in for everyone at the same time. I notice a huge leap in general body awareness between age 6-7, and age 8-9 for many girls.

 

[Sasha]

If you have a link to a video, lots of people here can give you honest feedback on how she is looking in the context of how L3s look in their area, and general outlook for success based on where she may be getting deductions.

 

[dancingimmie]

20 hours at L3!!! My dd was L3 last year and only practiced 6...

 

[Deleted member 18037]

20 hours is crazy for L3. I would not spend one dime on privates. My daughter did 6 hours at level three.

Are your L3s doing kips because kips are hard. Our girls didn't do kips until L4.

And have the other girls done previous meets, either second year at 3 or L2. There is a certain amount of growth that occurs just by going to meets.

And finally how long has your daughter been doing gym vs the other girls. All these things matter.

And yes they usually get better over time.

As far as the crying goes. That is a hard one. There is a learning curve when the kids start competing and realize they no longer get medals for just being there. If she is doing this for the wins that will be a hard one always. Because it is the exceptional kids who medal at all meets. As we tell our daughter, much like football, its any given Sunday.

She needs to focus on what she is doing and improving on, not wins, placements and medals. She needs to pick skills she wants to focus on and get better.

Good Luck to your daughter.

 

[InbarSquirrel]

It could be she training so hard with the 20hrs a week that by the time she competes her body is too tired.

Gosh; almost $100 for an hour private that's can become very costly because as your DD progresses then more privates will be suggested.

 

[e'smum]

20 hours a week is a lot for lvl 3! some of the gyms around here are 6-9 hours. our gym used to be 9 hours with a 4th optional day but since everyone opted to do it, it's now 12 hours/week. that goes for lvl 4 too.
my dd is doing about 20 hours for lvl 6. and that's with 2 extra hours/wk for her special group.

our experience as a lvl 3 - dd's 1st year in gymnastics was at age 6 as a lvl 3 non-compete b/c she could do her robhs (she'd done tumbling classes to supplement her dance classes). she picked up her other skills quickly and wanted to compete so she competed the last 2 meets so she could do states - her coaches were willing to let her do this to get some experience competing. her AA scores were 32+, 33+ and 34.1 (states). she didn't have her mill circle yet but competed w/o it (she got it the week after states!). then she competed a full year of lvl 3 and scored very well at each meet. but honestly, her first 3 meets that "non-compete" year she scored above what i expected as she hadn't really done gymnastics at all and was still getting skills down and buttoning up pointed toes, straight arms, ect.... she did place in the AA her 1st and 2nd meets and even got a medal in meet #2 (in additional to AA) but what mattered to me was that her score continued to go up at each meet. and she messed up big time on her bars at states. she fell on her shoot through and then missed her mill circle but rocked floor and got a 34.1. we were thrilled.

as long as her scores are improving at each meet, that's great. at some point they get to where they score so well the scores will go up and down a little but at the beginning of each level i would expect each meet they do a little bit better = a bench mark on them improving.

i always emphasize to her that we don't compare her to anyone else but herself. what she wants to beat is her last score.

 

[GymDad9.9]

What's your definition of scoring low? Also if the coach is saying it's the details they mean straight arms, legs and pointed toes. If this is her first comp season those details are hard for some to master. That's why compulsory is so important to learn the basics. It also depends on the child's age. Do you have a video of one of her routines?

Sounds like in this gym, scoring low could be 38.25...

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Sounds like in this gym, scoring low could be 38.25...

Scoring at meets not just folks at her gym...................... Are there really meets where all the kids are scoring 38s early in the season............... Link please.

 

[cadybearsmommy]

At our first meet of the season last year we saw some girls scoring 38's but they were repeating the level (after they had scored high 37's and 38's the year before lol.) And it was XS too. It's very rare to see compulsories score in the 37's around here much less the 38's.

 

[GymDad9.9]

Scoring at meets not just folks at her gym...................... Are there really meets where all the kids are scoring 38s early in the season............... Link please.

http://www.mymeetscores.com/meet.pl?meetid=59344&pb=N&ts=&level=3

Lotta big scores here.

 

[sce]

I am curious what you mean by scoring low. If its just not top 3 placement, well more kids don't p;ace top 3 than do. I agree with others too, that 20 hours is a lot for level 3, how many hours do the optionals at your gym practice?!? How old is your dd? Can show us video of her routines? We might be able to give you some idea of how she is doing overall.

 

[cadybearsmommy]

http://www.mymeetscores.com/meet.pl?meetid=59344&pb=N&ts=&level=3

Lotta big scores here.

Holy Moly! 39's at L3???

 

[gymnastmom05]

Holy Moly! 39's at L3???

I find it odd that 99 out of 143 scored over 36. Is everyone really that good or is the judging less harsh? 36's win in my area and normally 37-38's were only seen at State.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Holy Moly! 39's at L3???

Actually 39s and 38s are common for L3. Scores tend to drop off and settle in after level 3

http://www.mymeetscores.com/meet.pl?meetid=59344&pb=N&ts=&level=3

Lotta big scores here.

Scores went from 34 to 39, excluding the 26 outlier. Again, if the OP is saying her daughter is scoring lower in the meet. That would put her in the 34 range. Which is a fine score.

Really dazzling at L3 is no indication of future performance. Many kids can dazzle at level 3, less at 4, then less at 5, then less at 6 and so on.