Parents Skill and ability - 4 yr old

[gracyomalley]

DD sat in rec classes until she was almost 6. She had been targeted for "hot shots" (pre-team) at age 2. There were about 2 years of HC saying "she's got a place on team when she's ready". She was always the "best" in her class form-wise, and strength-wise (although we are in a small town, with no TOPS program - DD coach did note that she had the best press handstand even compared to the team girls at age 6). She was reasonably flexible too - could split both ways but not a gumby like some of the other little ones. Her coach waited until she was ready to basically spend 1-2 years total before competing old L5 before moving her to pre-team. Only then did she start bridges, etc. back walk overs only at age 7. She is on the young side still, but not the youngest...optionals by age 10. Has plenty of time to get to L10 by 14-15....even with a repeats in L8-9.

My whole point is that there are many ways to do this - and coaches often see something in a kid that they know may be talent that may not be what parents see. Some of the other girls in DD "group" were a year or 2 older and looked "great"as compulsories but have struggled more with optional levels than DD - and there is one girl who is 6 months younger than DD and flying into L9 this summer - and ALWAYS had both form and strength...as well as a fierce (sometimes not too nice) attitude about training. For each one of these girls the coach has had an individual plan - and altered it as need be, I'd gather (I of course only know the plan for DD...)

I don't know what in particular she waited for with DD in those early stages - except that she was the shortest girl in our entire state at L5 and L6...and is still taller than only 1-2 kids in the state at L8 (and she's almost done growing). Size really was an issue with vault and bars initially. But I do know that she has generally been in mixed age groups all along, and training with girls mostly older than her. We are lucky in that our optional team split into 2 gyms a couple years ago (yeah, I really do think this was lucky in the long run - although HC still has PTSD about it I think). Many of the older, more "sophisticated" girls went to the other gym - and that is part of why DD did not!! Her training group now is almost entirely 10-14....and the older girls are very responsible about being role models.

Long post to say - enjoy the early years - don't compare your child to others - first of all, there is ALWAYS someone better out there (as I tell my kids) at everything you are good at!!! Secondly, kids mature as gymnasts at different paces and coaches with experience know that.

Lastly, I do think the back bend/BWO thing is quite real (and I am a pediatrician) but unless your ortho doc is a sports medicine doctor with knowledge about gymnastics, they may not be aware. I wasn't until DD had lower spine pain with BWO at age 9 on beam - and both her coaches recognized the issue, re-trained them, but also had her do the minimal amount of them until this year - as in she did BHS BHS as her series at L7 for a whole year even though she was deathly afraid of connecting it. Her coach was in favor of the lower start value if it led to complete healing!

Her back seems fine now - and she has moved on...but do take it seriously - its a career ending injury for some - and chronic pain for the rest of life!

 

[mllea2]

Thanks for all comments. She really loves going, so that is all that counts. I guess time will tell, in the meantime I will just sit back and enjoy watching her.

 

[tooootsie]

Maturity DOES HELP a lot! My daughter was moved to pre-team at 3 and a half. Now she is 5 and on JO pre team training 6.5 hours a week and can do her ROBHS. She could do her BWO by the time she was 4.5 years old. They gain skills and maturity pretty quick as they go additional hours. I wouldn't stress about it. Just go with the flow and she will continue to grow as a gymnast

 

[Fliptwisttumble]

I will say that your daughter is likely to mature quickly if she is constantly working with girls above her age. Posters have mentioned about coaches and old athletes being cognisant of what is discussed in front of younger athletes, but I will say that the younger girls in our gym (DD included) who train regularly with kids 3-7 years older than them, and who are committed to a greater number of hours, grow up really quickly. They have to accept and come to grips with the challenges of scheduling, efficiency, understanding, etc. to deal with all of it.

It is my one regret with allowing my daughter to follow her dream..... I sometimes wish she wasn't so "grown up" at the ripe old age of 9. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't change it for the world..... but it's not a perfect plan.

 

[Ex member]

I can understand how you feel about your dd being younger then her team mates, my youngest dd is in a development group and is in a group with girls aged between 8 and 11 this year, my dd is 7 and on paper the age gap shouldn't be too much of an issue but the girls who are closer in age to dd are two school years ahead of her and the oldest are 4 school years ahead of her, dd does try and talk to the other girsl and finds it difficult but she is making an effort.

 

[Committed]

It definitely comes with age! There is a huge difference in ability from 4-5 and 5-6 and 6-7. My DD started old L3 team when she had just turned 5yo. The girls in her group were between 7-13yo. Luckily, the girls were all VERY sweet, and no inappropriate topics ever came up. DD had all the ability (and sometimes more) of the older girls, but she did not have form. I used to lovingly joke that she was like Kermit the Frog out there. She could do the skills, but she had arms and legs flailing all over the place! She held her own with the other girls, however, she would have problems figuring out what her corrections were. She didn't understand why her coach kept calling her a "floppy fish" and it hurt her feelings. She thought Coach was just calling her names instead of telling her to tighten her body. Thankfully, her coaches were very open and I could easily talk to them about concerns or questions I had.

In that year alone, she learned quite a bit about tightness and body control, but her balance was definitely lacking.
The next year, we joined a different gym and DD had more time to work on body control and "the basics". Her balance is much, much better, but still not fabulous. I'm sure it'll come with even more time and practice.
Good luck!