Women Sharing goals

[caidpark]

So we parents always joke about we'll know what the coaches plans are for our girls the day of the first meet. While I've learned to trust the coaches, I still find it frustrating to not know what the aim is.

My daughter just turned 8. She competed level 3 last year, but did one day a week of uptraining and tested out of level 4 at an in house meet.

At the parent meeting for level 5 at the beginning of summer the girls were put in two groups. The one will be training a few extra hours a week (this is the higher group). About a week into summer my daughter was moved to this higher training hour group.

Now I'm left guessing what level the coaches plan on her competing this year. I know she'll have to do a minimum of one meet level 5. Is jumping from level 3 to possibly 6 in a year as dramatic as it seems to be in my head? When would you expect the coaches to give you some insight?

 

[Committed]

It takes some time for adjustment .... but I definitely heard that plan before. I'm waiting until after this meet season to really start thinking about it.

 

[GYM0M]

Not really, but it does seem like the coaches would give you a heads up about 'the plan.' Especially since 6 is optional and she will need her own floor music, routines, and possibly a different Leo. Good luck! Sounds like she is progressing very well and works very hard!

 

[Deleted member 14190]

Well it's possible, but sounds like you need to aim a little lower for the sake of your own sanity (I mean the in the kindest way). Most of our parents don't know until we sign them up for an optional meet... But I also like to leave the door open as long as I can. So if your gym follows the same philosophy then you will find out when your DD is ready when,,, well,,,, she is ready!

 

[dreamergymnast]

Well, I jumped from a 2 to a 4(if you don't know the big difference, in L4 you use the vault table, and you work high bar. L2 is just low bar and a vault mat.) Everyone thought that was elaborate. But yeah, I've heard of that before. Good luck with L6

 

[LinnieC]

I can relate... I SO wish I knew what was going on in their heads when it comes to where the girls are going come fall.... Or even the general direction!!! LOL

 

[Natasha]

With the new L6, the difficulty level is about the same as L5, so it's not that big of a jump, depending on the "gym specific" requirements for L6 at your gym. Also, in most places the Optional season doesn't really start until January, so you still have about 6 months, which means a lot could change.

 

[BarCoach]

The coaches may not know yet either. I have a couple girls who I really can't tell yet. I know where I'd like them and am just waiting to see if they get their skills.

 

[caidpark]

So it definitely seems they are pushing for her to compete at minimum level 6 for most of the season. They started working on her beam mount today, so she was ecstatic when she realized this means she'll get to compete optional....pending the test out of level 5.

 

[iwannacoach]

You want to know what???!!!

Geeeeeez..... Half the time we don't even know what your daughter wants (it's a secret she won't share). The other half of the time we're reacting to how the kids respond to corrections and training regimen.

 

[my4buffaloes]

If you had asked me 2 weeks ago what levels my dd's were going to be this year I would have said that both were going to repeat their current level. Ask me today and I would say one will for sure move up and one will likely move up. The skills have been coming quickly as of late and I don't think anyone expected it. How can even a coach predict?

As for letting you know their goals? Isn't the goal always to move up?

 

[raenndrops]

As for letting you know their goals? Isn't the goal always to move up?

No, the goal isn't necessarily always to move up.
We have girls who are uptraining higher skills, but they will NOT be moving up. The goal is to keep them excited and learning, but to develop them as gymnasts and allow them to succeed at their current levels.
We have one girl who competed L3... she has the floor skills (with light spot on BT) to compete L5, but doesn't have the L4 bars or beam yet. She is close to her kip and can squat on 40% of the time. IF she gets the kip, L4 it is... if not, she will repeat L3 and score 9s all season.
Her twin sister will most likely repeat L3 no matter what... she is more tentative and is farther from L4.
We also have a pair of sisters 2 yrs apart in age. Competed Old L4 and New L4 together. Younger has most of the L5 skills including the BWO on beam - unspotted and SOLID! She MAY move to L5 while older sister competes Middle School (and either L4 again or keep her MS routines and compete Xcel Gold/Platinum - will depend on beam).

If a girl is scared of the skills for the next level, it would also not make sense for the goal to be to move them up. They have to be COMFORTABLE with the skills to succeed. YG has been perfectly content to spend 3 years at one level... but she is getting tired of it now, lol.

 

[my4buffaloes]

Yes I see your point about goals. My dd goes to the gym every day with mini goals. But ultimately most people want to move up. Or get the harder skills needed to move up.

 

[Gymsanity]

As stated above, right now we really just don't know with many of the girls. However, that in itself should be communicated to the parents. I always announce a cut off date (August 1st this year) that they need to have ALL their skills. The skills must be safe, consistent, and not make my eyes bleed when I watch! It takes the pressure of 'what level?' off of me, and puts it on them. I'm just as happy with a successful level 3 as I am with a level 10, so I really don't care what level they are.