Too Late?

[GetaGrip]

I know that this question has been asked many times on Chalkbucket, but I would personally like to know. Is it too late for me to become elite?

I am 13 years and 3-4 months old, and always find myself the youngest in the senior age group. I competed level 4, 5, and 6 and qualified for states in all of them. I am competing level 7 right now, and I started competing level 4 in the winter of 2008. Even though you could say that I am older, I'm still not afraid to do any skills or fall. I have all my level 7 skills, almost all the level 8 skills, and a couple level 9 ones as well on tumble track or with a spot. I love gymnastics so much that I don't even understand why people wouldn't want to become elite!

About my gym. We have two level 10's, one of them throwing double backs, double fronts, and consistently getting above a 9.5 on vault. We have 2 level 9's, 5 level 8's, 10 level 7's, and an uncountable number of 4-6's. Two of my coaches were former gymnasts that reached level 10, one of them being a judge. However, the scores we receive at our gym aren't so great. In our gym, a 32 is average, 33 is good, 34 is exceptional, and beyond that seems unreachable. I recently switched from a gym where I would get 34-6's normally, and now my scores are on the lower end of the spectrum. But still, somehow I manage to place on nearly every meet I go to (I got 2nd at level 6 zones).

Honest feedback please!

-GCG

 

[Mack_the_Ripper]

1. Doing well at compulsories does not mean doing well at high levels.
2. Qualifying for state in the state I'm in essentially means you can do all of the skills fairly well and have an attention span as long as your routine. You need a 7.5 average score (across all events) to qualify for state here. Pretty much everyone older than 8 who is proficient makes it.
3. You just started optionals.
4. I understand you need to keep reaching for a goal and that your extremely fast progress through the levels means you need to keep stretching and stretching yourself.
5. I think you should try to enjoy the level you're at - if that's more level 8 than level 7, ask your coaches about competing level 8. But don't let yourself keep reaching higher and higher and neglect your current level - I don't just mean getting lax on the easier skills. I mean you have to be focused and commited to the level you "have to" compete.

 

[dannolynn]

I hope this doesn't come across in a negative light, because I am trying to be encouraging...

I think if you want to become an elite gymnast, go for it. Work hard, and try to achieve your goal. Nobody in the world is going to be able to tell you whether or not you will make it. Anything can happen. There is no use looking for some kind of guarantee now whether or not you can be elite. Because there is no guarantee. You can't decide what you want to do in gymnastics... gymnastics decides for you. You might get injured, you might hit a block and not be able to progress with your skills, you might get the skills but not be good enough at them to be elite. Skills come when they come, not when you want them to.

I'm not sure it's going to help you to ask questions like this. The normal reaction of people will be to say that you're too old, or that very few gymnasts in general become elite, and etc. But honestly... what does it matter? If you have a goal and you want to go for it, and if it is worth fighting for, why should anything derail you? Is something only worth working toward if you're guaranteed success at it? You love gymnastics and want to be elite, that's great. Work toward it. Get the support of your coaches and your family and do the best you can.

On the practical side, like Mack_the_Ripper said, you have to focus on each level you go through. Even if you end up being elite someday, you still have to go through the steps to get there. I say, just decide what you want and go for it. Even if you never actually reach elite level, will your time be wasted?? You will be doing something you love, getting good exercise, learning about discipline and hard work, and you could maybe even get a college scholarship. Stop worrying about the outcome so much and just do everything you can to reach your goals, but remember the end result isn't everything. Appreciate the opportunity you have to do gymnastics, and don't focus so much on the goal that you forget to enjoy the process of getting there!

 

[BlairBob]

Elite, not likely unless you plan on training to your early 20's and can manage that somehow.

L7@13 means there is a chance that you could get to L9/10 by your junior and senior year if you can stay healthy and not have too many roadblocks.

How many hours and days are you currently training? Are you still only training 12 hours (which means probably 4 days of 3 hours or 3 days of 4 hours). I'm thinking it's 4daysx3hours.

Interesting, I know of your gym quite well. I have gone to open gym there occasionally and I wouldn't be surprised if I met you while I considering coaching there at one point in time (I tried out there a few days a few years back and didn't accept a position) since I worked with the compulsories and optionals while I was doing trial coaching.

 

[GetaGrip]

Mack_the_Ripper:

1. I understand that.
2. For levels 4-6 we need an 8.5 average to qualify to states, and from 7-10 an 8.0 average.
3. I've been uptraining for optional levels for a while now, and I've had my giants and clear hip handstand and other important skills for a while now.
4. Actually, I haven't been getting much time to practice harder skills lately. I've just been sticking to my normal routines and trying to get them as clean as possible.

dannolyn:

It didn't come out negative at all

BlairBob:

I'd be willing to train into early 20's.

I'm not afraid of the skills needed to do L9/10, I'm just not allowed to throw them yet. I really don't think that I get afraid at all, especially when I NEED the skill.

I am still only training 12 hours. I used to train 15, but I had an injury, and my coach made me come less. In fact, the gym only offers up to 20 hours a week max, and that would be if I went every day, and twice on Wednesdays.

Seriously? You knew my gym? That's so cool! I only joined recently, so I don't think that I've heard of you.

Thanks for the comments!

-GCG

 

[Mack_the_Ripper]

I'm sorry that I came off really negative: last year I really wanted to score out of L5, but I wasn't "tracked" for that, and thus was never given time to work higher level skills. I've had some trouble with breakdowns and fear issues, so the coaches were being very careful with me. As a result, I worked myself to the bone doing all the skills I could practice without a spot or on the low beam - i.e., everything that I wouldn't get hurt trying to get. I got all my L6 skills except my flyaway and RO-BHS-BT, and they still didn't let me move up or work on those skils.

I was very frusturated because I've only got 4 (now 3) years left to compete before I graduate high school. I had to realize that the most important thing for me is to enjoy what I'm doing at the moment and give myself 100% to my current level - not just timewise, but also in mental terms. I can't keep reaching ahead of myself or I'll lose all my joy in gymnastics. Even if my coaches set the training pace a bit below what I'd like to be working at, that's the pace I'll have to deal with.

I would talk to your coaches about working higher level skills with an eye towards rapid progression. If they don't think that's a good idea for you, listen to them. But keep dreaming! Just don't let your dreams become your sole focus in gymnastics, cause that's not very fulfilling! Also, in case you do become elite, we're going to need your autograph...