Parents Sports after gymnastics

[Tmacs]

There are two sisters in our area who were level 7 gymnasts when they quit. They switched to track and are now nationally ranked pole vaulters who keep breaking records. They attribute their success in part to gymnastics. It encourages me when I hear of success in other sports with a strong gym foundation! And if your daughter is thinking about quitting, I strongly suggest trying track and field! High jump, long jump and pole vault are especially good events for gymnasts.

 

[pt coach]

I also recommend trying shot put and discus (and hammer if available in your state). My daughter discovered that her speed, coordination and strength made her a good discus thrower and a pretty decent shot putter. She will do discus, hammer and hopefully javelin in college next year. At the state track meet she enjoyed reconnecting with former teammates who qualified for event like long jump, pole vault, hurdles, sprints etc. It was like a mini reunion!

 

[Deleted member 26368]

My DD is an Xcel gymnast who really wants to try track, though she's not interested in quitting gym. This is good to hear, as it gives me some ideas of what to look for!

 

[pt coach]

My DD is an Xcel gymnast who really wants to try track, though she's not interested in quitting gym. This is good to hear, as it gives me some ideas of what to look for!

My DD did level 7 and 8 while also doing track and then switched to Diamond for her last two years of high school because she wanted to focus on track. It was a great decision for her and she wishes she had made the move a year earlier (although she did like competing level 8)! Most of her Diamond teammates also do other sports or school related activities.

 

[mommyof1]

Free hip to handstand on bars is supposedly excellent training for pole vault.

 

[Racpp]

My girls are at a Y program that maxes out at what many club level 3s practice. Nearly every middle school and high school gymnast there also does at least one school sport and track is by far the most popular. We have pole vaulters, long jumpers, high jumpers, hurdlers, long distance runner, throwers, sprinters; our gym team could form their own track team and have nearly every event covered.

There are also swimmers, softball players, cheerleaders, volleyball players, and cross country runners for their schools. We’ve had gymnasts transition to wrestling and basketball in. One took up rowing in college another made a college diving team without any experience because the coaches saw raw talent. Coaches seem to always be excited to have gymnasts because they know they can expect strength and balance and body awareness and work ethic.

 

[cp13]

Diving is great for gymnasts too. They pick it up quick because of their air awareness and good form. It's a bit hard to learn to land on your head after being conditioned to land on your feet but it's a lot of fun and easier on your body than gymnastics.

 

[novagymmom]

I'm anxious to see what my daughter will try in HS. She's thinking field hockey in the fall and basketball in the winter. I'm trying to encourage track/pole vaulting but she has her doubts. We'll see!

 

[raenndrops]

We have retired gymnasts from our YMCA team competing in several sports:
1. A former L8 (class of 2021) placed 1st in Pole Vault at Regionals with 12'8", then went to the State HS Track Meet and placed 6th, earning All-State honors. She will compete pole vault in college.
2. Her younger sister, former L7, placed 6th in Pole Vault at Regionals.
One of our 2020 Grads, a former L8 is competing Pole Vault in college.
3. Another former gymnast (class of 2021) transitioned to soccer in high school. She did well and will be competing Soccer AND Lacrosse (which she has NEVER done before) in college.
4. OG (class of 2020) competed track and volleyball in high school. She did hurdles, pole vault, and Long Jump.
5. Several of our current AND former gymnasts are / were cheerleaders (sideline and competition).
6. One of our Platinums (former L7, class of 2022) does cheer, lacrosse, and high school gymnastics in addition to being on our team.
7. 7 other current gymnasts did middle school track this year.
8. As far as I know, at least 6 of our former gymnasts are cheering in college.
9. At least 5 of our former gymnasts are wrestlers now in addition to whatever else they are doing.

 

[Amanda]

I am curious for those of you recommending diving and pole vaulting- would you think that a gymnast prone to mental blocks in gymnastics would transfer them to these sports? My daughter is afraid to try because she is SO tired of dealing with mental blocks.

 

[amiandjim]

My daughter retired from gym last August at the beginning of her level 7 season and switched to dance. Did she win every competition? No. But, she and her team placed often and you literally couldn’t tell the difference between her and her teammates that had been dancing since age 3-4. In

 

[txgymfan]

Gymnasts are also recruited to be Weightlifters and Aerial Skiers. Bridget Sloan former world AA and NCAA champion does CrossFit ( see her Instagram account). Alicia Sacramoe , Olympic Champion is a personal trainer. Trinity Thomas competed high school diving while she was an elite gymnast. Olympic gold medalist Amy Chou competed pole vault while in medical school ( you know, as a stress relief, no big deal).

 

[Sk8ermaiden]

My daughter just moved on and she is doing weightlifting and dance.

Before her gymnastics hours were so high, she used to do silks and lyra, and she has returned. She was always way better at those things than at gym and gym gave her so much strength and body awareness that she learns the hardest aerial skills quickly and easily. Lyra is her main love now.

She tried pole vault and it was an instant, hard no. She is an ADHD gymnast who really struggled to remember all her corrections at once, and hated running. And pole vault is like a sport built on those two things exclusively.

 

[Tmacs]

I am curious for those of you recommending diving and pole vaulting- would you think that a gymnast prone to mental blocks in gymnastics would transfer them to these sports? My daughter is afraid to try because she is SO tired of dealing with mental blocks.

I would think diving and pole vaulting might still have the “fear” factor but things like long jump and high jump or hurdles probably wouldn’t. See if there is a track club or even “all-comers” meets. I know several cities that do these as a way to try track.

 

[txgymfan]

My daughter just moved on and she is doing weightlifting and dance.

Before her gymnastics hours were so high, she used to do silks and lyra, and she has returned. She was always way better at those things than at gym and gym gave her so much strength and body awareness that she learns the hardest aerial skills quickly and easily. Lyra is her main love now.

She tried pole vault and it was an instant, hard no. She is an ADHD gymnast who really struggled to remember all her corrections at once, and hated running. And pole vault is like a sport built on those two things exclusively.

What is “Lyra” ? Lyrical dancing? Ariel silks are beautiful. I loved the routine Pink just did with her daughter.

 

[MILgymFAM]

What is “Lyra” ? Lyrical dancing? Ariel silks are beautiful. I loved the routine Pink just did with her daughter.

Lyra is a suspended hoop- it was always my daughter’s favorite at circus camp. Ha.

 

[B&M's mom]

Based on my daughter's experience, diving can still raise mental blocks on certain dives. She has a teammate who balks at certain types of dives but diving does have different dives that can be used so there are work arounds. The girl managed to place third at the college conference finals at 1 meter and fourth at 3 meter. Both of my girls went from gymnastics to diving and loved it. My older switched her junior year in HS and is diving for her D1 college team. While she essentially walked onto the team, she has done really well and was awarded scholarship money. The coaches have appreciated her willingness to work hard, listen to corrections and try! My youngest had a very good HS career but doesn't want to pursue it in college.

 

[cogymmom2dd]

One of the former L9 gymnasts at our gym is a D1 collegiate pole vaulter. My DD has aspirations of being a successful pole vaulter and sprinter. Girls wrestling and rowing is also very popular in my area for former gymnasts.

 

[GymParent]

I've known girls excelling in diving, wrestling, weightlifting, dance, track & field, and competitive cheer after gymnastics. My nephew went from level 8 gymnastics to being on the varsity diving team as a middle schooler.

 

[Pirouette]

My Xcel Platinum has done pole vault and XC all 4 years of high school. (minus the 2020 track season that wasn't). She loves it. At the last meet of the season, coach threw her into the 300 hurdles and she did well - beat a bunch of experienced hurdlers - and now she wishes she had tried it earlier. Oh, well!