WAG Shameless thread time. Optional on the horizon- TMA!

[cbone]

To those who say it's too early, I'm just educating myself. If everything goes according to plans, we'll be optional fall of 2014. Plenty of time, but I'm learning now.

Our coaches say they are happy to do the girls' routines or we can hire someone. I'd be inclined to trust our coaches for that since they know my daughter, but I'm asking to take advantage of the wisdom of others.

cbifoja, doesn't that bug you having no input? At our gym, it's a partnership between coaches, parents and kids.

 

[cbifoja]

cbifoja, doesn't that bug you having no input? At our gym, it's a partnership between coaches, parents and kids.

You have to understand something about me. I have control issues and I'm a big planner. By fall break of my freshman year in college, I had all four year of classes mapped out that I would take to earn my degree. I made a diagram of my backyard, to scale, to plan all flower beds, gardens, seating areas, play areas, etc. When I was in school, I had elaborate schedules of my days, down to 15 minute increments that I did not deviate from. If I can avoid being a car passenger, I do as I prefer to drive. I suck at any of those "trust" games. I can't NOT check the locks on the door after someone else has locked the door.

That being said, to answer your question....no, it doesn't bother me. I wouldn't presume to tell the coaches how to make a routine. We've had a couple of parents mention to coaches that they don't like a particular element in a routine and feel both the parents and the coaches handled the situation respectfully, but also noted that the routine didn't change.

Both our floor choreographer and our beam choreographer make really cool routines and I've yet to see one that I hated. I'm excited to see what they will do for my little monkey. Ironically, the choreographers approached me several weeks/months ago to tell me they had already started putting together pieces of DDs routine.

Maybe one thing that helps is the list of music. DD will be given a coach-chosen list of between 4-6 songs and asked to choose one. I suppose if I absolutely hate one, I can put my foot down with her but other than that, she chooses her song from the pre-approved list and then its up to the coaches.

Like you, I'm at a gym with coaches that DD and I love and trust. I consider one of them a friend and have spent time with a couple of them outside of the gym. Our staff is comprised of some really neat and interesting women (the men too probably but it would be inappropriate for me to spend time with them outside of the gym!). I genuinely like them. I also trust them explicitly. I respect their professional expertise and know that they love my child and want her to reach her goals. So while our relationship is definitely a partnership, I have enough faith to be the silent partner when it comes to anything that doesn't need my input (designing routines).

What's so funny is that when DD made team, I mapped out her path to L10. Had she gone by "my schedule", she would be competing the new L4 this next season rather than training for L7. Probably a life lesson in there somewhere for me. LOL

 

[Quadqueen]

It's still a long way off, and anything can happen. Like a previous poster said, my DD is moving to optionals this fall, and nothing about routines, music, choreography has been decided.

 

[wallinbl]

Our gym has a coach that's an extraordinary choreographer. She creates routines that specifically suit each girl, and benefits greatly because she has coached them for years and knows what they're good at and where they're weak. The routines the girls get are very different, and many of the girls would have difficulty doing another girl's routine. I know people use outside choreographers, but I would think that someone that works with your daughter every day would be at an advantage over someone with limited familiarity.

 

[Natasha]

Our girls get to have their routine's choreographed after they have all their skills, tumbling passes, and series. The girls look at it as a "reward" for having all their skills. It also serves as a little extra motivation for them to work hard and work through mild fear issues. August and September is when most of the girls schedule their floor choreography sessions with our coach. She choreographs beam during their regular practices.
And, the extent of parental "partnership" is paying for the choreography session. Although our girls do get to pick their own music, so parents can give their input if wanted.

 

[Granny Smith]

To know how it works in your gym, ask parents of optional gymnasts to see what the process is. Every gym is different and what one gym does, another gym can do the compete opposite.

In my dd's gym, most optional routines last about 2 yrs. So I know that my dd is due for a new routine this yr. I'm already putting the money away for it. I have no say in music or choreography. My contribution is purely just handling over the money. HC picks the music & does all the choreography.

 

[gymmomof1]

To know how it works in your gym, ask parents of optional gymnasts to see what the process is. Every gym is different and what one gym does, another gym can do the compete opposite.

In my dd's gym, most optional routines last about 2 yrs. So I know that my dd is due for a new routine this yr. I'm already putting the money away for it. I have no say in music or choreography. My contribution is purely just handling over the money. HC picks the music & does all the choreography.

Dds gym is similar only they bring in a choreographer from Ohio lol who picks the music out with the girls. Since shes had this routine for 2 years its possible she'll get a new routine this summer. However there are a lot of new optional girls so maybe she will keep it 1 more year and I can have more time to save up lol.

 

[NewtoGym]

cbone - also, be prepared that your DD and her best friend might not move at the same level. There is a good chance one may move up and the other may not. Or one may move a lot faster when the skills get harder and the other may not. It is all part of the process. Good times! ;-)

 

[wispusa1]

The coaches at our gym do their own choreography except for my dd. she is a level 8/9 artistic and level 6 rhythmic gymnast so they bring in an outside coach who has experience coaching both. The judges love the rhythmic moves they have put in her floor and beam. It's something they never get to see