MAG Speaking of the age changes...

[acam1103]

Can someone tell me how the age levels work for future stars? I don't have a child in future stars but one desperately hoping to get there so I was just curious. Did the age cut offs change for that program as well?

 

[skschlag]

Yes. The cutoff for future stars is the same. So you compete the age you will be as of May 31st.

 

[acam1103]

Thanks! Is it the age of the season before or after's May 31st? So for kids competing this coming Fall (of 2017), their age May 31st 2017, or 2018?

 

[skschlag]

It is the season they are on. So Future Stars will start the next season, so it would be 2018.

 

[acam1103]

Oh yikes - I'll start readjusting his dreams That "lost year" is much harsher than in JO!

 

[skschlag]

It caused issues for lots of boys this year...

 

[acam1103]

Yes true, I'm being biased toward the little ones because mine are young- I'm sorry!. I know the changes really affected a lot of optional boys this year.

It just seems that the kids on the young end of the age bracket will find it nearly impossible to compete FS at 8. A lot of kids can't compete at all until they are competitive age 7 which puts them in level 4 right before what would be their 8 year old FS year. From what I've seen of those routines I can't imagine going from Level 4 skills to those in a matter of months! Although I guess the superstars probably can. Personally I could not care less if my kid gets to FS but he's a bit obsessed .

My older "late starter" will feel the age change crunch down the road having not started competing until 10. No way he will catch up to those optional age brackets. Hopefully it doesn't discourage too many kids in the long run!

 

[skschlag]

Oh he will. And he does not have to compete 4. He can train 5...and just start there at 7.

My ds competed L5 at 7yo. At the time, the USAG age range was 7-9. So he was competing against kiddos that were 10 already, and he had just turned 7. So this has always been an issue. He competed FS as an 8yo, against kids who were already 9. It is just one of those things that happens in this sport. And honesty, as they get older, it all starts to level out.

And don't rule out your older one! I have seen kiddos start that late, and catch up. It is possible! And now, if they want, they can compete in the JD division, which allows them to do optional routines at their level. My son's gym has a lot of boys that do that, that started late as well. And some may catch up to JO levels soon!

 

[acam1103]

Thanks for the encouragement for my oldest - it can be tough being the ripe old age of 10 and the oldest on your team (especially with your two little brothers on the same level).

My just turned 7 guy competed level 4 this year. He's super strong and flexible but definitely didn't have the skills to go straight to 5 his first year. He will probably repeat 4 anyway but back at the start of the year his coach mentioned FS in the future (to motivate him to listen I think) and he is super focused on that. I'm glad my other three are more go-with-the-flow because his intensity (personality wise) is exhausting!

 

[skschlag]

Sometimes that intensity can pay off. You never can tell! And now summer training.. They can really take off! Ds cannot wait..2 more weeks and he will get to start the fun of season training!

 

[profmom]

The main benefit of Future Stars is the training, not the competition. My son never made it to nationals (also bitten by the age change and now aged out), but he became a better gymnast.

 

[samsmama]

Also, whether or not a boy does Future Stars doesn't necessarily correlate with success later on. DS's gym doesn't do FS at all, yet has several boys who make Nationals every year and had 5 get college scholarships last year. I'll admit I was a little too focused on FS when DS started out, and now I'm glad his gym doesn't do it. He's in the gym enough as it is as a L6/training L7. Every boy is different, but for mine, I think adding FS would risk burning him out.

 

[profmom]

We have a guy in our gym who just started and competed this year as a 9 year old. He's moving very quickly, so he's going to do the FS training this summer even though he's unlikely to have all the 10 year old skills in time for regionals next fall. However, conservatively, I am guessing he will probably get there in time to go to regionals at 11 and make nationals at 12 and 13.

However!! It's so important to remember that for boys, it's what happens later that really matters. Things can change a lot as they get into their teenage years. They have to survive the frustrating phase where they are growing and adjusting to it, which can come with a lot of aches and pains and injuries. Then they have to learn how to use their man strength. Some boys find that they move ahead quickly and leapfrog others once they get through puberty. We have a guy who was a fairly indifferent compulsory but who is headed for his third nationals next week and is expected to do well there. A boy who is too burned out and frustrated to make it through the puberty struggle won't get the opportunity to enjoy what awaits on the other side of it.

 

[flash]

My son never competed future stars and is now competing JE at nationals as a high schooler. I think too many parents stressed out about whether their kids went to future stars when my son was younger. Many of the ones that did are no longer in the sport . Future stars is a great program, but ultimately it is not something that is absolutely necessary for future success. It is one of many factors.

 

[acam1103]

Absolutely agree with everything everyone is saying. My middle son who is by far my most "naturally talented" athlete and most likely to be successful in any sport he sticks with, would probably burn out quickly with additional training like future stars, etc.

I'm not worried about long term success with or without future stars...or at all. Having been a gymnast for 12 years as a kid and barely eeking out of compulsories in that time, I just want my kids to have fun, be active and learn some important life lessons in gym. Was really just curious about how the age changes will affect the younger kids in the program since I have a kid so interested in it.

I appreciate all of the input from those of you who have been on this journey much longer than I have! I don't know how my mom survived parenting a gymnast without the Internet (or really how she survived parenting at all!)

 

[jenjean70]

Yes true, I'm being biased toward the little ones because mine are young- I'm sorry!. I know the changes really affected a lot of optional boys this year.

It just seems that the kids on the young end of the age bracket will find it nearly impossible to compete FS at 8. A lot of kids can't compete at all until they are competitive age 7 which puts them in level 4 right before what would be their 8 year old FS year. From what I've seen of those routines I can't imagine going from Level 4 skills to those in a matter of months! Although I guess the superstars probably can. Personally I could not care less if my kid gets to FS but he's a bit obsessed .

My older "late starter" will feel the age change crunch down the road having not started competing until 10. No way he will catch up to those optional age brackets. Hopefully it doesn't discourage too many kids in the long run!

My son's coaches are going to make him and a few others do Future Stars but he's not overly excited about it. He did it when he was 8 (wasn't excited then either) and he'll do it this coming year as a 12 year old....mainly because it's going to be held right down the street from our gym so no travel involved.

 

[jenjean70]

The main benefit of Future Stars is the training, not the competition. My son never made it to nationals (also bitten by the age change and now aged out), but he became a better gymnast.

I like FS because it focuses on technique and presentation which is NOT my son's strong suit.