Parents Very first gym meet ever this weekend

[mouey77]

DD is excited and NOT nervous, but I am! Gah! It seems like a lot of pressure!! Any tips to talk ME down from this anxiety? Lol! DD is like, "I've got this."

 

[3LittleGymmies]

Have FUN! Your daughter will do great and even if she doesn't, there is a 100% chance that she will improve greatly by the end of the season. Be proud of her no matter what. Don't worry about everyone else's scores. I have seen parents sit there and keep track of every other child's scores so that they know how their child did before awards are given. I could never do that, it would totally stress me out! I just enjoy watching ALL of the girls compete and I have even cried a tear or two over kids who aren't even mine.

 

[gymmiemom]

Try not to show her how nervous you are. I am always so nervous before a meet, but I try to keee it light hearted. DD never is, she has all the confidence in the world lol. Don't worry about how she places. I guarantee you that even if she doesn't do as well as she expects you WILL still be so proud of her. I have never been dissapointed in DD. Actually my proudest moment of any meet was last year at state when she face planted on vault, stood up dried her tears, looked at her coach and said, "its ok, I was trying to hard to run and missed the board, I can do it" and went back at it again at a whopping 6 years old. She still came in 4th AA and placed on everything but vault.

I don't track anyones scores but hers and that is just so she can see how much she has improved over a season.

No matter the results dinner/ice cream/some special sort of treat after the meet!

 

[GymMom67]

No, don't try to keep track of all the scores. We do keep track of our own team's scores, just so I'll know how all the girls did. When my DD competed old Level 3, they didn't give out any individual awards, so I had planned on trying to keep track of all the scores so I would know how she did in comparison, but I gave that up after about two minutes. It was just too much and I was spending all my time watching the scoreboard, and not watching her! Now, I don't even buy the program most of the time.

Just relax and have fun. Watching them compete is one of the most fun, exhilarating, stressful things you'll ever do. LOL

 

[Deleted member 15064]

Enjoy your first meet!!!

You probably won't agree with this tip but I didn't/don't film or take pictures during DD's competition just so I can be in the moment.

Just think of it as a day for her to get used to all the busyness, craziness, noise of a meet (and you too!).

Have fun

 

[Ruth]

This is what I tell my new team dd: it's not about you winning for yourself. This is about you and other girls on your team trying to do their best for the chance of getting high scores for the team. At the end top 3 scores will be added up- and the gym with highest score wins 1st place. I tell her try to win scores for the team. And if you do well your scores will be given to your team if not, then you have your team mates to back you up. No big deal it's a team effort to get 1st place

 

[gymmomtoo]

Can't imagine not filming--I love seeing the video now of DD competing when she was just little.

As others said--try and relax, don't remind her of skills or anything--just tell her to smile, listen to her coach and have fun. Afterwards, tell her how good she did on something (if she struggled, I know you can find something good--her attitude, if nothing else). And remember the phrase "I love watching you do gymnastics!"

 

[Bajanswife]

I do enjoy not filming, but I can only do that when my Dad is there to do the filming for me! I can't imagine not having a video of her events - she competes a maximum of 3 times a year, and the contrast between each meet in terms of the improvement is amazing!

When we travel to meets there is a small group of parents from our gym all sitting together, and a couple of people always write down our team's scores so that the ones who are filming etc. will have them noted. We go a long way to compete and it's a big deal for us, so we also pay attention to the high scores of the others in the session, just so we have an idea how our girls are doing in comparison and whether we are likely to be taking medals or trophies home - I guess we are too impatient to just wait for the awards ceremony! I know if we competed often we would not make such a big deal out of each meet.

 

[mouey77]

I might be way too nervous to film, but DH will probably want to film. Thanks for the advice about not keeping track of everyone's scores. I think it would end up confusing me anyways bc it sounds like they will do the awards within each level by age groupings for this meet. DD knows these routines backwards and forwards, but there is still that fear of what if she falls off the beam or bars (probably my fear, not hers)... They have apparently been coached that if they fall off the beam to keep going with the routine and don't start over. I have never been nervous like this before my oldest DD's soccer games or piano recitals. This is crazy! Thanks everyone, and I know we will be proud of her no matter what!

 

[mouey77]

And I like the idea of talking up the team score at this age. It takes some of the individual pressure off a bit!

 

[JoyAvenueMom]

Get there earlier than you need to, it helps with nerves (yours)
Ask someone to film for you (trade with another parent)
DOUBLE check the flash is turned off.
Watch what you say, you never know whose parent is sitting near you, no reason to hurt feelings or start drama.
Make sure any siblings have something to do...you spend a LOT of time waiting.
Normally, events are always competed in the same order: Bars, Beam, Floor, Vault (although they may start with any event) Knowing the order will help you know "what is next" in case you need to move for a better view.

 

[MeetDirector]

Someone already said it I'll say it again - get there early or at least get in the vicinity of the meet site early. The last thing you want is to be trying to find the place at the time when they are supposed to be stretching. Also, don't try and figure out why her score is what it is; just go with it (a little adult beverage might help too). She will know what she got deducted on. And lastly, don't get in the car and right away start to dissect the meet; take your lead from her whether or not she wants to talk about it. Just tell her how proud you are and ask where she wants to eat.

Good Luck (to both of you).

 

[Gym Beam]

Bring a seat cushion. Enjoy the ride!

 

[mouey77]

Adult beverages are a wonderful idea! I actually have to work at session 1 as the floor score flasher. I guess I am qualified for this job? We all had to sign up for shifts. She's not til session 2, so I'll be hanging out quite a while before she arrives. I will advise DH to get there early with the girls for seating purposes. Goodness knows how he will do her hair!! Maybe I should do it before I leave at the crack of dawn just in case.

 

[IreneKa]

Adult beverages are a wonderful idea! I actually have to work at session 1 as the floor score flasher. I guess I am qualified for this job? We all had to sign up for shifts. She's not til session 2, so I'll be hanging out quite a while before she arrives. I will advise DH to get there early with the girls for seating purposes. Goodness knows how he will do her hair!! Maybe I should do it before I leave at the crack of dawn just in case.

I just went through the same thing. I was helping out in session 1, and DD was in session 2. I told DH to bring DD a little earlier, so I could do her hair. There was an award ceremony before the end of session 1, and the beginning of warm ups for session 2, so I had about 15 minutes to do her hair. It would have been a lot neater if I did it at home, but it had to do. And yes, if the gym is small, get there early. I almost got into a fight with another parent over seats, and I'm usually a very quite person. LOL

 

[seoulmama]

I have to laugh about the hair! I work one Saturday a month and inevitably, there's a meet on a Saturday I can't find someone to switch with meaning dh is on hair detail. 2 years ago, he found out that his barber has twins and is an excellent hair braider. Guess where he goes before meets?!

Hope your dd has a great meet! I second(or third) about an adult beverage! Getting there early always helps me-dd usually finds a friend and goes off, which is great for her. Remember to tell her how proud you are and how much you love watching her before she goes!

 

[GymMomXcel]

Good luck! The first meet is so cool! No matter what happens, I hope she has fun and enjoys the moment. Be sure to tell her great job, above all else that you do and say! This just boosts their confidence and makes their little gymnast hearts so happy to know their parents enjoyed watching them and admire the hard work they put in and that you're proud.

I hope that YOU enjoy it, too! Think about bringing a little cash incase they are selling "grams" that they give to the gymnasts while they wait for awards. They love that.

 

[GymMomXcel]

Also, do not fret about scores. I know it's hard and I get nervous for my DD, as well! I just want her to do well so that she feels good.. So it's hard not to, but let the scores go. You'll relax a little more just enjoying the amazing things your DD is out there doing that not every kid can do.

 

[gwenmom]

I don't remember who told me last year if you can get through the first meet without the three t's-tinkle, tears and throw-up then you had a good first meet. I still thank that parent for that advice and have passed it down to a couple nervous new parents this year.

 

[juststartingout]

You know what's funny, my daughter and I were more nervous at her 3rd meet than her first. At her first meet she was new to the gym and had never performed, no one had any expectations on her or how she would do. At her second meet she placed 1st on everything except vault where she was second, the coaches made a huge deal. At her 3rd meet we were both super nervous because we felt the pressure for her to do it again. What I've learned from last season is to play down meets as much as possible. It helps calm her, but also me. Before every meet I tell her that I love her no matter what and to just do her best and have fun. I tell her that as long as she gives 100% I'll be proud no matter what the result.