Men Talented but bored kiddo

[erynq]

My son (just turned 10) started gymnastics about 1.5 years ago and within a month moved from bronze to silver to pre-team. He loves to flip and do big moves and learn new things. He switched gyms recently and is now in a more traditional team setting, working on Level 4 skills. He is frustrated that he doesn't get to do things he can do - like roundoff back tuck, or flyaway from bars - because they're not at his level. Basically, he is at a certain level on floor/bars, but not at that level on p-bars/pommel. He's bored and not feeling challenged, but also is not ready to move up because of his (age- and size-appropriate) lack of skills in certain areas. I guess I'm looking for advice on how to keep him engaged and excited in the parts that he loves without getting bored and burned out on the other things. His options for this next year are basically: 1) join team full time at Level 4; 2) go back to the old gym where there is no team and no real structure to the classes; he gets to learn big things but will not progress on the things he needs to work on to compete.

 

[Planched]

I would say it depends on his goals. I think that team can be really fun but it is very different from rec classes. If he wants to do big skills and be like the "big kids", then team can be really fun for him and he can make very good friends, but if he just wants to play and learn cool tricks and whatnot then rec could be very good for him. Again it depends on what he wants to gain from gymnastics.

 

[Carly]

It does really depend on what he wants out of the sport. If he goes back to the old gym, I would just make sure that it is a safe place for him to be doing those skills and learning bigger ones. If he wants to compete and stay at the new gym, maybe there is an open gym option that he can go to and continue to work on the bigger skills that he has.

 

[Dahlialover]

I’m so glad you came and asked this. This is a super normal issue for kids who come to competitive gymnastics with an advanced rec background. I went through this myself years ago, and I remember specifically resenting not being allowed to do flyaways and back tucks early in level 4. My son also struggled with impatience early in level 4. But here’s the thing, developmental gymnastics is run this way for every good reason and a few months of patience will be amply rewarded.

Level 4 is a super important level. It’s the year when boys learn the foundational skills that will allow them to learn big cool skills in the coming years. Developmental gymnastics teaches skills in a planned sequence. Flyaways and RO back tucks look cool, but they are easy to do with incorrect technique, which can be both a safety issue and a hindrance to future development. It is normal and appropriate for a coach to hold him back on these skills right now. Flyaways are a level 4 skill, so he’ll get there soon. But any responsible coach will teach this skill in a planned way using shaping drills and other methods to ensure safe execution and correct form.

It’s also important to understand the rhythm of the gymnastics season. If you are in the US, it’s championship season with State and Regionals over the next few weeks. After regionals comes “up-grade season” when they introduce new skills. It’s the funnest time of the year, and it’s coming soon.

For now, I would encourage you to be patient and trust the process. Kids can’t always see the big picture, but you can help him by helping him focus on perfecting the skills he is currently working on at gym. Watch some videos of the level 4 and 5 routines on YouTube, so he knows where he is trying to go. He’s going to learn so much in the next year. Before he knows it, he’ll be doing all kind of crazy skills!