Parents Slow progress at lower levels

[Gymgirlsmomma]

My daughter told me that she doesn't think she is good at gymnastics. She is only 7, level 2. This will be her first year competing, but she has been in a succession of pre-team type classes for more than 2 years. She is training with a group of girls that are training level 3 and she is the only one in her group training level 2. She has been working level 2 skills for over a year. She does have some level 3 skills, mostly on bars and beam( fhc, double bhc, half turn in passe, handstand), but is not being allowed to work on any level 3 floor skills. Her vault is still very much a work in progress. She is frustrated because she is not being allowed to work the same skills as the rest of her group. For example she has only ever worked backhandsprings over a barrel, rarely is even doing that. The other girls all have backhandsprings ( not competition ready imo) learned through privates, learned at home on a tramp, or at other gyms. The coach has her work on different skills such as leaps and rolls while her friends work on their backhandsprings. How is she going to learn this skill if she is not allowed to work it? Do we ask for privates? I'm not trying to push her to level 3, but I feel like this is not good for her self esteem or her progress. I dont think changing groups is an option. The group below her are all doing level 2, but they are mosly newly moved up from pre-team and it would mean moving our schedule completely around. I am hesitant to question the coaches plans, as this is a well known, very successful gym. But I'm wondering if girls like her that progress a little slower are just left behind and eventually quit? How do I help support her and advocate for her without being a pushy parent?

 

[raenndrops]

If working with the Level 3 group is better for your schedule, explain to your daughter that she's doing different stuff because she is a different level.
Last year, we had 1 level 5 training with the level 4s most of the time ... and sometimes with the Xcel Gold-Platinum group. You do what is appropriate for your level, no matter what the other gymnasts are doing.
The level 4s and level 5s often rotate with the Level 6+s, but with their own coach when possible.
We don't have the 4s working skills they aren't ready for even though they are technically rotating with level 8s.

Maybe talk to the gym, but try not to stress or let your dd stress.

 

[RALG]

My daughter told me that she doesn't think she is good at gymnastics. She is only 7, level 2. This will be her first year competing, but she has been in a succession of pre-team type classes for more than 2 years. She is training with a group of girls that are training level 3 and she is the only one in her group training level 2. She has been working level 2 skills for over a year. She does have some level 3 skills, mostly on bars and beam( fhc, double bhc, half turn in passe, handstand), but is not being allowed to work on any level 3 floor skills. Her vault is still very much a work in progress. She is frustrated because she is not being allowed to work the same skills as the rest of her group. For example she has only ever worked backhandsprings over a barrel, rarely is even doing that. The other girls all have backhandsprings ( not competition ready imo) learned through privates, learned at home on a tramp, or at other gyms. The coach has her work on different skills such as leaps and rolls while her friends work on their backhandsprings. How is she going to learn this skill if she is not allowed to work it? Do we ask for privates? I'm not trying to push her to level 3, but I feel like this is not good for her self esteem or her progress. I dont think changing groups is an option. The group below her are all doing level 2, but they are mosly newly moved up from pre-team and it would mean moving our schedule completely around. I am hesitant to question the coaches plans, as this is a well known, very successful gym. But I'm wondering if girls like her that progress a little slower are just left behind and eventually quit? How do I help support her and advocate for her without being a pushy parent?

Sounds like you may want to consider taking another look at your schedule and asking if she can move to the level 2 group if she is competing level 2. She has the opportunity to be a leader in that group maybe which will really help her self confidence. At that age being the only one doing of not doing something is hard. My daughter is repeating bronze (partly due to skills
, partly because she was out 3 months with a broken arm, partly confidence). Her former teammates moved to silver and she’s now with mostly kids coming from preteam but she’s really gained a lot of confidence already.

 

[GymDadWA]

She's 7, I'm sure she wants to be a high level gymnast someday, as such she is learning shapes and developing strength and flexibility to do skills. She will be able to do the skills properly by having proper shapes, strength, and flexibility. Just be encouraging and don't worry about what skills she is allowed to do.

Yes I'm sure someone could show her how to do a back handspring, so that she could figure out how to tumble backwards, but unless she is doing it correctly to gymnastics standards, it will just be a skill she will need to unlearn and learn properly later.

Go to a trampoline park, you will see lots of kids doing "back flips" most/all are not done so properly or safely in a way that would lead to higher level tumbling.

 

[GymParent0]

If working with the Level 3 group is better for your schedule, explain to your daughter that she's doing different stuff because she is a different level.
Last year, we had 1 level 5 training with the level 4s most of the time ... and sometimes with the Xcel Gold-Platinum group. You do what is appropriate for your level, no matter what the other gymnasts are doing.

My daughter told me that she doesn't think she is good at gymnastics. She is only 7, level 2. This will be her first year competing, but she has been in a succession of pre-team type classes for more than 2 years. She is training with a group of girls that are training level 3 and she is the only one in her group training level 2. She has been working level 2 skills for over a year. She does have some level 3 skills, mostly on bars and beam( fhc, double bhc, half turn in passe, handstand), but is not being allowed to work on any level 3 floor skills. Her vault is still very much a work in progress. She is frustrated because she is not being allowed to work the same skills as the rest of her group. For example she has only ever worked backhandsprings over a barrel, rarely is even doing that. The other girls all have backhandsprings ( not competition ready imo) learned through privates, learned at home on a tramp, or at other gyms. The coach has her work on different skills such as leaps and rolls while her friends work on their backhandsprings. How is she going to learn this skill if she is not allowed to work it? Do we ask for privates? I'm not trying to push her to level 3, but I feel like this is not good for her self esteem or her progress. I dont think changing groups is an option. The group below her are all doing level 2, but they are mosly newly moved up from pre-team and it would mean moving our schedule completely around. I am hesitant to question the coaches plans, as this is a well known, very successful gym. But I'm wondering if girls like her that progress a little slower are just left behind and eventually quit? How do I help support her and advocate for her without being a pushy parent?

If she's been doing pre-comp for 2+ years and is behind, maybe your expectations of your child at this point are too high. My child is the same age, walked onto pre-comp with no gymnastics background, competed 8 months last year and can do level 3 and vault lvl4. There are kids in her group that can barely do level 1 skills after 3+ years. It's clear that the gym is just taking their money imho.

Certainly if the gym is turning out high level athletes, I'd assume they know what they're doing.

 

[AnotherGymDad]

She's 7, I'm sure she wants to be a high level gymnast someday, as such she is learning shapes and developing strength and flexibility to do skills. She will be able to do the skills properly by having proper shapes, strength, and flexibility. Just be encouraging and don't worry about what skills she is allowed to do.

Yes I'm sure someone could show her how to do a back handspring, so that she could figure out how to tumble backwards, but unless she is doing it correctly to gymnastics standards, it will just be a skill she will need to unlearn and learn properly later.

Go to a trampoline park, you will see lots of kids doing "back flips" most/all are not done so properly or safely in a way that would lead to higher level tumbling.

A coach once explained to me that in recreational classes they teach kids how to *do* skills, while in competitive training they teach them how to *perfect* skills - and that the latter takes a lot more time and effort and repetition and building from the ground up and doesn't yield instant results that look impressive on the surface but have nothing but bad habits underneath.

 

[GymParent0]

A coach once explained to me that in recreational classes they teach kids how to *do* skills, while in competitive training they teach them how to *perfect* skills - and that the latter takes a lot more time and effort and repetition and building from the ground up and doesn't yield instant results that look impressive on the surface but have nothing but bad habits underneath.

Well, it's like a "A" player in Hockey playing with House League kids, but can't keep up with the "AA"
players, who cannot keep up with the "AAA" players, who cannot keep up with the Junior A players, that cannot keep up with the Div 1 College players, that cannot keep up with top European Pro Leagues, and those guys cannot keep up with NHL players.

There's levels to the game, obviously, and a good coach builds a quality foundation. Kournikova learnt this at the pros when she couldn't make the jump from Juniors to WTA tour.

Hitting a tennis ball is different than hitting one at 110 with spin. Anyone can learn/teach to hit the ball, only specialists can teach you how to reach 110 with spin

 

[happygymnasticsmom]

I would just let her know that shes on a different level. Nothing wrong with that. She's her own unique person!

 

[Gymgirlsmomma]

Sounds like you may want to consider taking another look at your schedule and asking if she can move to the level 2 group if she is competing level 2. She has the opportunity to be a leader in that group maybe which will really help her self confidence. At that age being the only one doing of not doing something is hard. My daughter is repeating bronze (partly due to skills
, partly because she was out 3 months with a broken arm, partly confidence). Her former teammates moved to silver and she’s now with mostly kids coming from preteam but she’s really gained a lot of confidence already.

Thanks for the advice. The level 2 group is full, so not an option to go back to that group.

 

[Gymgirlsmomma]

She's 7, I'm sure she wants to be a high level gymnast someday, as such she is learning shapes and developing strength and flexibility to do skills. She will be able to do the skills properly by having proper shapes, strength, and flexibility. Just be encouraging and don't worry about what skills she is allowed to do.

Yes I'm sure someone could show her how to do a back handspring, so that she could figure out how to tumble backwards, but unless she is doing it correctly to gymnastics standards, it will just be a skill she will need to unlearn and learn properly later.

Go to a trampoline park, you will see lots of kids doing "back flips" most/all are not done so properly or safely in a way that would lead to higher level tumbling.

Thanks. I am sure this is what is going on. She has been working shapes a long time. If I had to guess, I think her coach is worried about her take off. She is not a particularly high or powerful jumper and she thinks about everything she does, which makes her slow. I do think she could use some one-on-one work, so we do have some privates planned. It's just hard to explain slow progression and shaping to a kid who has been wanting to throw a back handspring for 3 years. I also found out most of her friends have been doing privates for months, so not sure how to process that.

 

[GymDadWA]

Unless it is specified in the team handbook level 2 and 3 gymnasts should not be doing private lessons. Some gyms specifically state that each gymnasts will be doing X number of privates per season, but normally that is related to gymnast specific routine work or upper level skills, not basic tumbling.

An entire team should not need to do private lessons for a BHS or other similar level skills. That is not normal.

 

[GymParent0]

Unless it is specified in the team handbook level 2 and 3 gymnasts should not be doing private lessons. Some gyms specifically state that each gymnasts will be doing X number of privates per season, but normally that is related to gymnast specific routine work or upper level skills, not basic tumbling.

An entire team should not need to do private lessons for a BHS or other similar level skills. That is not normal.

We got denied, not allowed to do privates. It discourages the kids from their lower level routines they said.

 

[Gymgirlsmomma]

We got denied, not allowed to do privates. It discourages the kids from their lower level routines they said.

They are not all specifically doing privates for back handspring. They actually seem to discourage asking the coach for privates, but coaches will recommend them for some girls. They do expect near perfection to compete a level and the girls are very successful at meets at every level. I don't expect we will be doing privates a long time, just to catch up a bit.

 

[GymParent0]

They are not all specifically doing privates for back handspring. They actually seem to discourage asking the coach for privates, but coaches will recommend them for some girls. They do expect near perfection to compete a level and the girls are very successful at meets at every level. I don't expect we will be doing privates a long time, just to catch up a bit.

I think privates would help everyone. 1 on 1 time focusing on a skill from a good coach goes a long way.