WAG Self taught

[Olga]

Hello everyone, I've been a long time lurker and finally decided to post. My dd (11) has been teaching herself gymnastics since she was 9. Surprisingly, she got a TON of new skills (round off bhs bhs, back walkover on "beam" etc. Since we're moving to Australia soon, I talked to a gym in the area and they'd put her in AUS L5. But that's 15hrs commitment per week. I guess I'm sort of worried because now she practices around 3-4 hrs. I'm wondering how she will also deal with the schoolwork as she'll be going to middle school. Any suggestions?

 

[kayjaybe]

That's a big jump at once. Can you ask them to phase it in over time? Maybe start off with 8-10 hours/week for a few months and move up in time after that?

 

[ayyyrial]

It's probably hard for a new gym to evaluate her without seeing her skills (not sure if the gym you talked to also saw videos or anything). From my experience, gyms usually place people who have recently moved either by letting them do a trial practice or doing a private lesson to evaluate. So it might be wise to think about it in an open-ended way until you get there. That would also give you a chance to see the gym and the coaches and see if you like it. Especially because if your DD has been self-taught, she might have a very different skill level on different events - and different gyms have different policies about where to place kids like that.

For everybody's reference, I looked up the AUS levels and it seems like AUS 5 is somewhere between USAG L3 and 4.

 

[triplethreat+1]

Y

It's probably hard for a new gym to evaluate her without seeing her skills (not sure if the gym you talked to also saw videos or anything). From my experience, gyms usually place people who have recently moved either by letting them do a trial practice or doing a private lesson to evaluate. So it might be wise to think about it in an open-ended way until you get there. That would also give you a chance to see the gym and the coaches and see if you like it. Especially because if your DD has been self-taught, she might have a very different skill level on different events - and different gyms have different policies about where to place kids like that.

For everybody's reference, I looked up the AUS levels and it seems like AUS 5 is somewhere between USAG L3 and 4.

Exactly- floor and beam are one thing, but bars especially are a whole nother beast!
I don't know what gyms are like in Oz, will you be able to look at a few gyms, possibly with a range of hours?

 

[Aussie_coach]

I would avoid telling the gyms that she is self taught, we often get kids who come in claiming to be self taught and it causes us to put the. In a lower level not a higher one. It is much harder to undo well ingrained mistakes, which come from learning skills without a coach, than it is to just teach skills fresh from the start.

Australian level 5 is similar to USAG Level 4.

Floor is - round off flic (flic is back handspring), run punch front tuck salto, 2 split leaps both 135 degrees, full turn on 1 foot, backextension roll to front support, back walkover, split jump- sissone 135 degrees

Beam - an acro skill (choice of cartwheel, backwalkover etc), 2 second handstand, straight jump split jump (135 degrees), 136 degree split ju'p choice of run to punch front salto dismount or cartwheel straight jump backwards

Bars - Kip, cast to horizontal, back hip circle, squat on, 3 swings, long hang pullover, underswimgs, swing to 1/2 turn dismount

Vault - handspring to flat back over the vault table with mats to the same height as the table

Average hours at level 5 in Australia are usually about 14. Not many gyms do less that 12 at this level and not many do more that 16.

We don't have middle school in Australia, we only have Primary school and High school. Some schools call 7th, 8th and 9th grade middle school but it is still part of high school, it is just a way of differentiating betweeen older and younger high school kids. Primary school if Kindergarten (called different things in different states)to 6th grade, and high school is 7th-12th grade.

At 11 she would be anywhere in between 5th-7th grade. I don't know when you are going but our school year ends in December and the new school year begins in January. If she is will be 11 at the start of the year when she goes and her birthday is early in the year she would be going into 7th grade, which is high school, and if it is later in the year she would be going into 6th grade which is primary school.

I would not stress too much about homework, she shouldn't get that much in 6th or 7th grade, Australian schools give out a lot less homework than schools in the US do. You usually have more than one day to do it, so kids who are busy with extra curricular activities can work in around their schedule. If it doesn't get done, unlike the US homework does not count towards their grades, nor does completing class work or attendance. Grades are just based on results from exams and assignments. Australian schools are also usually very supportive of sports participation, if you are busy with a lot of hours in the gym, and you let the school know this you may get more leeway.

What area are you moving too, I can let you know what gyms are in your area and idea of the type of commitment etc.

 

[Olga]

Thank you for all the replies. Yes, she has all skills except her kip on bars and long hang pullover. She will be 12 in October. By what I've seen, she has pretty good form; knees straight, toes pointed on skills. Arms not bent and feet together on "bars". We found a good playground bar (similar to a kip bar). She conditions and has 2 splits down. This is unsurprising since she went to rhythmic gymnastics from 4-6. She does go to like an open gym from time to time (its run by a parent and is 45mins long and they have Thierry own holidays so no open gym in the summer!) But the "gym" doesn't have a spring floor, and only has a medium beam, a jr. kip bar and soft mats. She loves playing on the equipment and there is a parent there at all times but she can't really spot her. Yes, we're having a trial practice once we move.

 

[Olga]

Aussie coach,
We are moving to Brisbane, QLD.

 

[Aussie_coach]

What part of Brisbane? North, South, East West? Any idea of the suburb area?

 

[Olga]

South bank

 

[Aussie_coach]

Closest gym to Southbank is Premier Gymnastics Club they have a venue at Somerville House girls school in the city and they have a very good WAG program, they do about 15 hours a week with girls of that level.

You are also not too far from Western District Youth Club, they have a solid WAG program, and will expect a similar commitment in terms of hours.

Bowen hills YMCA is also only a little further, they ask 14 hours per week.

So pretty much any gym you attend in that area will be a similar time commitment.

 

[Texasmomof3]

I will say, there is more to correct form that straight arms and legs and pointed toes. Body position matters. Timing matters. Angles matter. So don't be surprised if the coaches have concerns over things that look fine to your non-coach eyes.

Good luck with the move. 15 hours really isn't too much once you get into the groove of it.

 

[Olga]

Thank you! I was just briefly explaining what I saw. We talked to one of the gyms you mentioned, Aussie coach. Just wondering, when does the comp season start?

 

[sce]

Sounds like she really loves gymnastics to be motivated to teach it to herself. Why has she not previously gone to a gym?

 

[Olga]

Right now, we are in an isolated place with only one gym. But they said she was too old to start...

 

[gymbeam]

Right now, we are in an isolated place with only one gym. But they said she was too old to start...

Wow! That's awful! I can't believe they didn't have an option for her. That's sad.

 

[Olga]

Yes, so we're hoping that once we go to Australia they will have classes for her.

 

[RosellaJam]

Good luck for your move and I hope you find a gym that is happy to have her.

 

[Olga]

Thank you!

 

[Aussie_coach]

Olga, comp season in Australia for Level 3-6 starts around May and runs through to September. The season goes a lot longer than in the US, with many comps still going through October-November So 6-7 months long. But the clubs in that area generally compete May-Sepetember.

There will be invitational comps in May/early June, State Clubs in late June. Regionals in August, which allows you to qualify for States in September.

The school year/gym year starts in January. Most gyms will select their teams for. January start and kids will stay in those teams for the year.

Have you looked into schools? Schooling in QLD is also a little different to the US, there is a lot of choice.