Parents Unpopular Opinions

[Deleted member 18037]

. Out of the hundreds of team gymnasts I've dealt with over the years, I can only think of 2 who wanted to wear shorts with theirs.

How many of the hundreds have you actually asked?

How many of the hundreds have been given choices and chosen the one they actually wanted?

How many of the hundreds have been given shorts told its fine to wear them and personally chosen not to?

 

[Deleted member 18037]

1- High hours aren’t necessary

2-Time off is ok

3-Gym should not be a child’s whole life. This would make a child more able to deal with blocks, bullies, injuries. If they have other places and people in their world. A bad day at one place (the gym) is a bad day in their whole world

4-Parent-coach conferences 2-3 x a year.

5- No more then one meet a month especially in lower levels.

6- Meets on weekends only and should not require missing school for more then 1/2-1 day.

7-0 tolerance on brats, primadonnas and bullies parent and gymnasts, regardless of talent.

 

[Dahlia]

The college gymnasts LIKE wearing their leotards high and exposing as much booty as they can get away with. If you don't believe me, just ask them. They pull them up and then roll them under. I have sat very close and watched them do it right in front of me.
Club gymnasts, for the most part, LIKE wearing leotards that are feminine and sparkly, and not with shorts or leggings. I have been around hundreds of gymnasts for years, and I would say 98% of them like the leotards as they are. And for practice, the more strappy, the more cut outs, the higher the leg, the better in their opinion (not mine). If parents really feel strongly about the leotards, then they need to stop buying the revealing ones and stop letting their girls wear them high, strappy-backed, and cut out.

My Dd would love to wear shorts in competition. But her gym doesn't allow it. She does wear shorts at every practice as do pretty much all of her teammates. The girls that don't tend to have not hit puberty yet. In our gym the little girls love sparkly leos. The older girls care a lot less. My Dd has always hated sparkly comp leos because they are itchy. I can't speak to college gymnasts, but I do agree it should be a choice and not the norm.

 

[mom2newgymnast]

The college gymnasts LIKE wearing their leotards high and exposing as much booty as they can get away with. If you don't believe me, just ask them. They pull them up and then roll them under. I have sat very close and watched them do it right in front of me.
Club gymnasts, for the most part, LIKE wearing leotards that are feminine and sparkly, and not with shorts or leggings. I have been around hundreds of gymnasts for years, and I would say 98% of them like the leotards as they are. And for practice, the more strappy, the more cut outs, the higher the leg, the better in their opinion (not mine). If parents really feel strongly about the leotards, then they need to stop buying the revealing ones and stop letting their girls wear them high, strappy-backed, and cut out.

I think many college gymnasts do seem to like it. But I agree that it should be their choice. My daughter is not a fan of that look for herself.

As for club gymnasts, I also agree that many do like the competition leotards the way they are. My daughter won’t practice without shorts, but when I mentioned the possibility of wearing shorts at a meet, she said no way, that competition was different and she didn’t want to wear them there. I think most of her teammates feel the same way. And she loves the bling! But I am glad that shorts at meets are allowed now and hope more gyms choose to allow them too.

What you are describing at practice though is not the norm at our gym. I don’t recall seeing anyone wearing strappy, high cut, open cut out type leotards. Maybe it’s a regional thing? Like I don’t think I’ve even seen a Sylvia P type on any of my daughters teammates. Mostly they wear meet leos or plum/gk.

 

[cmg]

To expand on why I said optionals aren't worth it for most kids:

The most important benefits you get from gymnastics are all things you get long before optionals. Practice handling success and failure, persistence, goal setting, practice handling high-pressure situations, great fitness and body control, etc. By the time you reach L7, you've already gotten all this; nothing new you learn from there on out has any relevance whatsoever to adult life.

.... but it is a hell of a lot of fun.

EDIT: one more unpopular opinion.
Speaking as somebody who has recently started an electrical apprenticeship with the IBEW: a coaches' union could do wonders for the entire industry. Coaches are often young, passionate, and have little to no employment experience; this makes them extremely prone to being exploited as workers. A coaches union could set standards for coaching hours, conditions, pay, and benefits. It could also help with coaches education by way of classes and apprenticeships. It could provide many many more benefits as well.

I used to work with the IBEW, good for you for reaching out and starting a new career. I love the idea of a coach's union. Unions have a bad rap in the US but there is a growing trend to organize. Back in the day there was a reason Unions got formed, and it was because businesses did not pay or treat their employee right.

I think certifying coaches and perhaps creating apprenticeships especially at the higher level is a great idea. I would add in that the coaches training should include how to properly handle fear issues (although this tends to start in the lower levels), nutrition, and general mental health programs. Creating higher quality coaches is a real issue in gymnastics because of the technical aspect of the sport. USGA needs to really do a better job of qualifying their coaches to create a safer environment for all athletes. The problem is improved training costs money and if gyms had to pay a certain amount for certified coaches those cost would be passed down to parents in an already expensive sport. Not sure of an easier solution, but great ideas. I know most businesses with unionized employees pay a certain amount into training programs, so maybe that is a way to start.

 

[JPC13]

USGA needs to really do a better job of qualifying their coaches to create a safer environment for all athletes.

Indeed. The USAG fees that thousands of girls pay every year need to be going to something that proactively improves the sport -- standardized training and certification of coaches is an absolute no brainer. Going to a USAG gym's competitive team should mean that you're going to receive a minimum level of coaching quality, and it shouldn't be up to a million random coaches to figure out how to do that for themselves.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

My Dd would love to wear shorts in competition. But her gym doesn't allow it. She does wear shorts at every practice as do pretty much all of her teammates. The girls that don't tend to have not hit puberty yet. In our gym the little girls love sparkly leos. The older girls care a lot less. My Dd has always hated sparkly comp leos because they are itchy. I can't speak to college gymnasts, but I do agree it should be a choice and not the norm.

Exactly.

My kid has worn shorts to practice since she was 3, she is not a fan of just Leo’s. She just deals at meets because she has too.

Any kid that I know that has hit puberty wears shorts to practice.

Regarding the glittery over done ones. I know a lot of kids who can’t stand them. Sensory and skin irraration issues with seams and bedazzling stuff

 

[Deleted member 18037]

I forgot one, Leo’s prompted

NO light colored leos on the bottoms. Again any kid in puberty fears them. And depending on the Leo’s the potential peep show aspect, which you might not see until photo…… Nope. Dark color bottoms only

Our High school state team last year had a light color Leo. Most of us first timers to High School states. And those that weren’t it was the first time the bottom wasn‘t dark. This year we are all on the Leo choices/possibilities. Every kid and their associated parents were worried about potential periods. And many of the pictures were embarrassing, as if they had nothing on.

 

[Caesarea]

1. Time off (like a week or two vacation) is OK.
2. Gyms need to allow sick days, period. Attendance policies that force gymnasts to come to practice sick before they are only allowed two missed practices in a year or whatever are ridiculous, especially for the younger ages who get sick A LOT.
3. NCAA needs to enforce leotard rules because gymnastics is a SPORT and not "show me your butt in your floor routine because your leotard is way too small".

 

[Tmacs]

I have a couple unpopular opinions....
1. I think every gymnast should be required to do more than 1 meet at levels 4 and 5 before moving on to optionals. Yes, they might have all the skills, and yes (more often) they can throw those skills, but I have seen so many gymnasts who scored out of 4 and 5 in the same weekend or within a few months of each other who then crash and burn in optionals. They end up repeating or mentally blocked or quitting or getting injured. There's a reason compulsories is designed the way it is; each level builds on the level before it, adding increased difficulty to the routines and skills themselves, building up the gymnast's strength, endurance, understanding, and muscle memory. (Like the back extension roll on floor is the same movement as the free hip on bars.)

2. I think leotards are great, but lately the trend is to have open backs with straps and cut outs and high cut hips. I don't like watching practice and seeing so much booty, its not appropriate. So my unpopular opinion is that practice leos should have guidelines the same as competition leotards. (remember, this is my opinion)

3. I think girls that have qualified Elite ( and haven't competed in a classic or championship yet) or are former elites should compete in an Open level so that it levels the playing field for everyone else. It's hard to compete against gymnasts that train(ed) 25-30 hours when you only train 16-20 hours or less. Its not quite fair.

4. my last one (for now, lol) is that young gymnasts (under the age of say, 12) should be limited in how many levels they can skip/score out of to avoid over-training, injury, burnout, and inflated egos! (in other words, the path to level 10 or elite should require a minimum number of years competing in club so that their is no pushing or rushing with excessive training hours, and so that they are also emotionally, mentally, and physically ready for the demands that will come with the high-level training and high pressure meets).

(ETA: I don't think Instagymmies should be repping or ambassadors for more than one leotard brand at a time.) Thanks for this fun thread!

I agree with so much of this! Skipping multiple levels is usually a recipe for mental blocks or injury. Yes, there are the phenoms that handle it just fine but the majority do not.

 

[LJL07]

I have a couple unpopular opinions....


3. I think girls that have qualified Elite ( and haven't competed in a classic or championship yet) or are former elites should compete in an Open level so that it levels the playing field for everyone else. It's hard to compete against gymnasts that train(ed) 25-30 hours when you only train 16-20 hours or less. Its not quite fair.

4. my last one (for now, lol) is that young gymnasts (under the age of say, 12) should be limited in how many levels they can skip/score out of to avoid over-training, injury, burnout, and inflated egos! (in other words, the path to level 10 or elite should require a minimum number of years competing in club so that their is no pushing or rushing with excessive training hours, and so that they are also emotionally, mentally, and physically ready for the demands that will come with the high-level training and high pressure meets).

(ETA: I don't think Instagymmies should be repping or ambassadors for more than one leotard brand at a time.) Thanks for this fun thread!

I agree with your unpopular opinions! There was a lot of debate in a lengthy thread about the elites and former elites competing against girls who are not in that type of training program. In my (unpopular) opinion, it is like competing (or comparing) apples and oranges against each other. My daughter was on the state team at regionals last year, goes to school full time, trains less hours, etc, competed her skills cleanly and had a great meet, but she was competing against girls who were competing "down a level" who are homeschooled and have done hopes qualifiers. Physically the girls look different. They are much better conditioned and doing a good 10 hours more per week. And then there was the debate about former elites dropping down to 10.

I love unpopular opinion #4 too. I am so tired of the dozens and dozens of 10/11 year old level 9/10 elite hopefuls on instagram and social media. There are so many of them now. It really doesn't seem that special these days. If you have a child with medium amount of talent and the willingness to do nothing but gymnastics all the time, condition the heck out of them, do privates, and get them to a super extreme top tier gym, they will make it to 9/10 and maybe even HOPES. I understand it is a personal choice, but if the sport regulated the physical and emotional well-being of very young kids better, there would be less injuries and emotional/physical burnout.

 

[katrid11]

I like this thread.

I am in agreement with many of these ideas.

my personal one is Forced Mobility. If a gymnast scores high 2x or more, they should be forced to move up to the next level (not all gyms are good at this). So lets say you get 37+ AA 2x in L4 - then you must go to L5 for next season. JOGA in NJ does this and the coaches all claim it is great - keeps the high scoring girls challenged to learn new skills and level's the playing field for medals for the others.

repeating a level has its place for safety, skill/strength development, and mental health. It should not be a tool for gyms to create a State championship dynasty or for marketing.

 

[Ty’s Dad]

You guys do realize relieved JO/DP has an advantage over elite at a regular meet right?

 

[LJL07]

You guys do realize relieved JO/DP has an advantage over elite at a regular meet right?

Help me to understand how a homeschooling hopes athlete is at a disadvantage over a non-homeschooling JO/DP athlete training less hours at a less demanding program at regionals or any JO/DP invitational meet. I’m talking about level 7-9.

This is a thread for unpopular opinions so I understand that this opinion might be unpopular.

 

[Ty’s Dad]

Help me to understand how a homeschooling hopes athlete is at a disadvantage over a non-homeschooling JO/DP athlete training less hours at a less demanding program at regionals or any JO/DP invitational meet. I’m talking about level 7-9.

This is a thread for unpopular opinions so I understand that this opinion might be unpopular.

At meets they have a higher chance of messing up and getting deductions thats why they’re elites, they do way more in each routine.

 

[Ty’s Dad]

Help me to understand how a homeschooling hopes athlete is at a disadvantage over a non-homeschooling JO/DP athlete training less hours at a less demanding program at regionals or any JO/DP invitational meet. I’m talking about level 7-9.

This is a thread for unpopular opinions so I understand that this opinion might be unpopular.

I don’t care about what the thread is. Some of yall need to realize this not doing nothing but offending elite parents. You want more hours ask and pay for more hours and stop complaining about a competition. Nothing in life is fair people making a thread about hours, privates, homeschooling, who has an advantage is ridiculous

 

[JPC13]

I don’t care about what the thread is.

Chill out. A gymnatics forum has you writing like Yoda, it does. If you're getting offended, you have exceedingly thin skin.

 

[LJL07]

At meets they have a higher chance of messing up and getting deductions thats why they’re elites, they do way more in each routine.

No. They did not. Not on level 8. I saw a few double back dismounts off bars and some 1.5s on floor. Maybe a few bhs blo on beam, but very very few. I think you are talking about level 10.

 

[Ty’s Dad]

No. They did not. Not on level 8. I saw a few double back dismounts off bars and some 1.5s on floor. Maybe a few bhs blo on beam, but very very few. I think you are talking about level 10.

I was talking about level 10. But even at level 8 your upset at the same level of difficulty because they have more hours?

 

[gym_dad32608]

Yes this thread should be labeled popular unpopular opinions. Most of the opinions posted on this thread, are pretty much de rigueur for this message board. Such as girls training elite shouldn't compete with DP, girls should compete in shorts and no one should train more than 12 hours a week.