WAG What intangibles could hold a child back?

[tuckfull]

It can be impossibly frustrating not to have communication from the gym, but try to just take it one practice at a time and see where your daughter can take her passion between now and next season. So much could change by then anyway...skill development, fears/injuries, new coaches...who knows. She just won Level 5 States a few weeks ago; she should be still reveling in that accomplishment and having fun up-training new skills!

 

[sevenatenine2]

I was basically just informed that she likely only has the potential to top out at 7-8.

It might be that the coaches see her skill level topping out earlier than the other gymnasts. If they see this child topping out at Level 7 or 8 they might not see any rush to get there, let her have success on the way through rather than skipping her through and then getting stuck and struggling. I would see them doing this for a hard worker who just isn't as physically talented as some of the others. Every gym has those kids who have succeeded through pure hard work, always score near the top of the team because they are more focused and try hard all the time but there comes a point where it doesn't matter how hard they work the more physically talented kids zoom ahead because when they do apply themselves it is so much easier for them.

The poster said "it might be...." and that kind of made sense to me to allow her to be wildly successful at 6 before being awesomely successful at 7, rather than rushing through, skipping a level that she might have had great success before finding her topping out point and staying there for years and years.

ALL athletes top out. It's the nature of the beast, and most top out far before Level 10. I certainly did.

I would be very frustrated with your gym in your situation, simply because you are a parent, you are paying customer, and you deserve the respect to be given the answer to the question why, in my opinion. You may not agree with it, and they don't have to get your approval before making the decisions, but I do think you deserve to be told why. Also, if they have a full calendar year to train what are essentially the same skills she's rocking at 5, I agree it doesn't make much sense to just send them to six versus trying for seven. I would have the same questions. I would try either an email or phone call to the gym asking a return call asap. If you don't get one, call back. Their idea may make sense, but they do need to communicate it to you.

 

[gymdog]

I was basically just informed that she likely only has the potential to top out at 7-8.

It might be that the coaches see her skill level topping out earlier than the other gymnasts. If they see this child topping out at Level 7 or 8 they might not see any rush to get there, let her have success on the way through rather than skipping her through and then getting stuck and struggling. I would see them doing this for a hard worker who just isn't as physically talented as some of the others. Every gym has those kids who have succeeded through pure hard work, always score near the top of the team because they are more focused and try hard all the time but there comes a point where it doesn't matter how hard they work the more physically talented kids zoom ahead because when they do apply themselves it is so much easier for them.

Someone gave you a hypothetical reason, when asked for hypothetical reasons with very little to go on, and that is the equivalent if you being informed your child is not talented enough to go beyond level 7? Oh boy. I think you need to step back. Even if that was true, which again it is not at all reasonable to take offense to completely wild speculation, it still wouldn't be reasonable to be offended or upset.

Listen, I'm a little better than average gymnast, there are tons of people a million times better than me. Like I said I'll only get worse but I still do gymnastics. What's the alternative, sit on the coach and bemoan the fact that I'll never be as talented as Gabby Douglas? Guess what, that's true, I will never in a million years be as good as her, there is literally no amount of punctuality or hard work that would change that. But again who cares? You think she thinks I shouldn't do gymnastics? No. No one cares. Any athlete in this sport respects the effort of the other gymnasts, gymnastics is just as hard for you whether you're rec and learning your first back hip circle or learning a double back. Everyone experiences it differently with the common experience that it's the hardest thing you'll ever do.

It is AMAZING for a child to start gymnastics, dedicate themselves to their passion, and then reach a level 8. Good for your daughter if she does reach level 8, I hope she will have a supportive team behind her that realizes the significance of that accomplishment.

 

[mariposa]

It sounds like you are unhappy at her current gym. Is she happy? Do you know what skills they compete the level 6s? Or what their requirement are for L7? Some gyms have strict requirements above the minimums and maybe the feel it better to aim for 6 and if you get what it takes for 7, great.

You can't ask strangers to predict why they are moving her to 6 instead of 7, it's impossible and you're getting upset over things being said by people who don't know your child, her gym or her coaches philosophies.

There's no guarantee another gym would put her at level 7, so if she is happy, I would probably take a step back and relax. If she's not, find another gym and go from there.

 

[LizzieLac]

In my state we do not have state champs at level (old) 4, but my DD was in the top 10 scores for all level 4s that year with 37 something...can't remember, so I guess it doesn't matter.

She then did (old) 5 and had a pretty good season, started in 33s then to high of mid-35s which got her 5th or 6th at states in her age group. I don't remember, so it must not be that important.

She was told she had to repeat (old) 5 and along with several teammates. I and the other parents were pissed. We all felt that the girls were being held back needlessly, that they had all of the skills. We were resentful and the girls were beyond disappointed.

That year DD killed (old) 5. Won tons of meets and won states. I don't remember the scores.

She then competed (new) 5 and killed it. Won tons of stuff, won states (including sweeping all events) and was always the high scorer on level 5 team.

She then was ready for optionals. Had her routines. Finally got her BHS on beam, had her giant-flyaway, working fulls and tsuks.

5 weeks before her level 7 season was supposed to start she broke her tibia and fibula mis-landing her tsuk. It was almost a compound fracture. We still don't know if she will miss the whole season. I have spent the last 2 months WORRYING about her health and her happiness. And I don't really know if she will mentally be able to come back.

Level 4,5,6 and all of those silly scores and placements mean nothing. Maybe none of it means anything, I don't know...

I apologize for bratty and rude. But I had a wake up call I wanted to share.

 

[gymdilettante]

The issues here are not about her level placement per se. They are the gym's refusal (not just lack of but refusal) to communicate and your lack of trust/faith in the coaches...regardless of how you reached this place, it seems unlikely to resolve itself. The three choices seem to be going to another gym, staying but trying to take actions to mend the situation, or staying and biting your tongue (ie the only action on your part would be to detach as much as possible. ..not advocating for this, just noting it). What are the other gym options around you?

You still haven't answered the question many people have asked as to how your daughter feels about her level placement and the way the gym treats her generally. I think this is a crucial piece of information because if she is happy, that is a plus for staying at the gym. If she isn't happy, I am wondering why you would stay (other than lack of other options) since you are obviously unhappy?

Here is the problem for us as Internet denizens trying to advise....we have no way know whether you're at one of those gyms that thinks it knows best and has a pathological communication issue or whether their hesitance to speak with you is because they expect you will try to pressure them to change their decision even if they do give a reasonable explanation. BUT the one thing that makes me think it might be an issue with the gym is the fact that they are making this decision a whole year out....why not train them all for 7 and then have everyone who isn't ready do 6 instead? I think it would also help if a coach would view your videos particularly any videos of her level 7. Without further info my inclination would be take her somewhere that will train her for 7 but be prepared for her to compete 6 if she doesn't get the skills....but like I said that's without knowing anything further than what you've said here...and regardless of what happens I do think you need to practice detachment as much as possible. I know it's hard but it will make your daughter's experience better and make you a more successful advocate when advocacy is required.

 

[wgymmom]

The issues here are not about her level placement per se. They are the gym's refusal (not just lack of but refusal) to communicate and your lack of trust/faith in the coaches...regardless of how you reached this place, it seems unlikely to resolve itself. The three choices seem to be going to another gym, staying but trying to take actions to mend the situation, or staying and biting your tongue (ie the only action on your part would be to detach as much as possible. ..not advocating for this, just noting it). What are the other gym options around you?

You still haven't answered the question many people have asked as to how your daughter feels about her level placement and the way the gym treats her generally. I think this is a crucial piece of information because if she is happy, that is a plus for staying at the gym. If she isn't happy, I am wondering why you would stay (other than lack of other options) since you are obviously unhappy?

Here is the problem for us as Internet denizens trying to advise....we have no way know whether you're at one of those gyms that thinks it knows best and has a pathological communication issue or whether their hesitance to speak with you is because they expect you will try to pressure them to change their decision even if they do give a reasonable explanation. BUT the one thing that makes me think it might be an issue with the gym is the fact that they are making this decision a whole year out....why not train them all for 7 and then have everyone who isn't ready do 6 instead? I think it would also help if a coach would view your videos particularly any videos of her level 7. Without further info my inclination would be take her somewhere that will train her for 7 but be prepared for her to compete 6 if she doesn't get the skills....but like I said that's without knowing anything further than what you've said here...and regardless of what happens I do think you need to practice detachment as much as possible. I know it's hard but it will make your daughter's experience better and make you a more successful advocate when advocacy is required.

Gym options are basically nil. We drive a significant distance in to this gym already, and any other options would likely double the commute time.

DD is happy because all she wants to do is train and compete. She had some poor treatment from a former coach but has blossomed under a different one. (I do not want to get into details of the coaching situation to maintain privacy - right now it is quite unstable.) She has said she would feel frustrated if she was not allowed to compete up to her ability and if she was made to do a L5-like L6 or held back for the other girls in the group.

I basically DO practice detachment. It may not seem like it here, but um, I joined here to talk about gymnastics. I do not hound her about practice. I do not say, "Well why aren't you working on X?" I do not put expectations on her - she is quite driven, motivated, and focused on her own. I have specifically made inquiries to people in charge about her placement and training three times in 2.5 years. I do not, as I said, watch practice.

And yes, all I want is for them to train her with an eye for 7, with 6 being the fallback position. I get it if she is slow to get these new skills, doesn't get her giants, whatever. But I want 7 to be the goal. IMO, 6 is setting the goal too low.

And for whatever it matters, she already has a solid, competition-ready BHS on beam. It was competed successfully in 4 meets, with high 8's and two 9's.

 

[rosettasmom]

The problem with a forum such as this is that you don't have the ability to hear the intent or tone often times. Many people have offered you hypothetical answers (which is what you asked for). I didn't infer any Malicious intent, but perhaps you did?

I did however infer quite a bit of hostility and a passive aggressive tone in yours. Again, perhaps not intended, but it was how you presented it. Try going back and re reading this in a day or two, you may find that you are able to look at it from another perspective. I truly think your hostility is ill placed, but your frustration has clearly reached a point where you are about to blow. This is a much better place to unleash those feelings and dump them out of your head before you do actually speak to a coach or say something regrettable out loud that you can't take back.

 

[profmom]

If this is really important to you, then you need to communicate this to the gym, not to pseudonymous strangers on the internet. Instead of asking questions to which you get answers you perceive as evasive, tell them what you want and see what response you get.

How do you know that they are planning for her to compete L6 next year? I'd agree with others that it doesn't make any sense at all to be predicting levels this far out.

I know you are having some problems communicating with your DD's gym, but the level of anger you have at them is ultimately going to be detrimental to your daughter's progress if you don't clear the air. Kids pick up on these things (as well as adults) and they have an impact.

 

[gymdog]

Gym options are basically nil. We drive a significant distance in to this gym already, and any other options would likely double the commute time.

DD is happy because all she wants to do is train and compete. She had some poor treatment from a former coach but has blossomed under a different one. (I do not want to get into details of the coaching situation to maintain privacy - right now it is quite unstable.) She has said she would feel frustrated if she was not allowed to compete up to her ability and if she was made to do a L5-like L6 or held back for the other girls in the group.

I basically DO practice detachment. It may not seem like it here, but um, I joined here to talk about gymnastics. I do not hound her about practice. I do not say, "Well why aren't you working on X?" I do not put expectations on her - she is quite driven, motivated, and focused on her own. I have specifically made inquiries to people in charge about her placement and training three times in 2.5 years. I do not, as I said, watch practice.

And yes, all I want is for them to train her with an eye for 7, with 6 being the fallback position. I get it if she is slow to get these new skills, doesn't get her giants, whatever. But I want 7 to be the goal. IMO, 6 is setting the goal too low.

And for whatever it matters, she already has a solid, competition-ready BHS on beam. It was competed successfully in 4 meets, with high 8's and two 9's.

BHS on beam is not usually the factor for most gyms, giants are.

I guess you can ask your gym about why they aren't training her for 7. That's about all we can advise you to do, with the caveat that there is presumably a reason for their decision already.

 

[LizzieLac]

I basically DO practice detachment. It may not seem like it here, but um, I joined here to talk about gymnastics. I do not hound her about practice. I do not say, "Well why aren't you working on X?" I do not put expectations on her - she is quite driven, motivated, and focused on her own. I have specifically made inquiries to people in charge about her placement and training three times in 2.5 years. I do not, as I said, watch practice.

And yes, all I want is for them to train her with an eye for 7, with 6 being the fallback position. I get it if she is slow to get these new skills, doesn't get her giants, whatever. But I want 7 to be the goal. IMO, 6 is setting the goal too low.

And for whatever it matters, she already has a solid, competition-ready BHS on beam. It was competed successfully in 4 meets, with high 8's and two 9's.

Please understand that anything I say is coming from a place where I was you 2+ years ago.

I used to pretend the detachment too. But your words on here are not of a person being detached. I used to do that too. I stayed away from the gym, I even avoided anything but how is the weather kind of conversation with the coach. But in my mind and my heart I was resentful that the coach made my DD (also a little older) repeat a level. She had limited time in the sport and with repeating would be lucky to reach level 9 by her senior year. She needed to train hard, not repeat, and there was no time for fears. How dare he not follow along with my (or DD's) game plan.

And at the end of the day, it is all just training. You can't train for a certain level to be the goal. You strain to get stronger and progress to more difficult skills. Period. I also did not understand this.

In many ways you just train and when it comes competition time you look at where you are and that becomes the level you compete because those are the requirements you can meet safely and with a certain amount of success. Our coaches commit to very little in terms of getting to what level by when. I never understood it at the time, but I do now. How can they predict anything really?? Very good gymnasts "get stuck" all of the time. Fears, trouble with 1-2 skills (I won't even mention serious or not so serious injuries that sideline them). When the girls my DD trains with started really working giants, coach thought they would "get them" with some consistency in a month. Well, guess what? It just didn't happen. It wasn't for lack of trying on anyone's part.

I have two main points in all of this...#1 I was bitter about my DD repeating, felt it slowed her down. But I was wrong. She was still training for the future, adding on in terms difficulty. Repeating just allowed her to compete without the stress and anxiety of "am I really solid on the skills the judge is about to see?" It set her up for more focus on training than competing and that served her well for the following 2 years. She struggled for some time to get her BHS on beam, but eventually did and also got that giant.

You have the option to look at this an opportunity. IF YOUR DD is getting solid training, what does it matter if it is 6 or 7? Dunno once said to me "the skills are the skills. You train to achieve them and you get them when you get them." Maybe doing 6 before 7 will serve her well in the long run.

Point #2. In the end, nothing I said, did, or felt mattered. My DD made progress when she was ready to make progress and as long as I felt the coaches were training her to progress (forget levels) then it was all just fine.

Then, she broke her leg, and none of my inner wranglings of the last 2-3 years mattered. She may never get to do level 7 if this injury stays with her mentally.

I hope I have not offended you.

 

[twinmomma]

To me this conversation is no different than the whole "I don't want to pay for gym if my kid isn't going to be elite" conversation. My son does baseball and basketball, and I don't ask these questions. He goes to practice, he learns, he gets better. Some days he struggles, some days he doesn't. I rarely have a conversation with his coaches about his "progress." I trust his coaches. Do I think they are going to get him to MLB? Not likely. Just like I highly doubt DD is going to be an Olympian. You've indicated your daughter is happy, enjoying training, working with a coach she feels better with. So what if she doesn't skip L6? Maybe it means she'll have an amazing L6 season.

What becomes REALLY easy in this sport is the constant comparison to other kids. Watching DD struggle to get her kip (and still struggle for consistency and form) is frustrating when you see another kid in her group master it much sooner. You just have to remember, your kid is YOUR KID. And She's going to progress based on her own plan. It sounds an awful lot like you want to be the one driving the bus instead of your daughter and her coaches. There's NO reason to believe she will top out at 7 or 8, and even if she does --- SO WHAT? Did she enjoy it? Did she learn valuable life lessons? Make friends? Learn the value of working toward a goal and how to cheer on her friends even when she is struggling? Is she learning how to manage her time getting homework in with training and all the other things preteen girls have to do? Then guess what? What level she tops out matters not a bit.

LizzieLac is right. Some perspective is in order. It's ok to be concerned and ask for feedback from the gym on what the plan is for your daughter. That's perfectly acceptable. But at a certain point you have chosen to put your trust and money into this for her, and you have to let her just enjoy being there, whatever that looks like.

 

[wgymmom]

BHS on beam is not usually the factor for most gyms, giants are.

I guess you can ask your gym about why they aren't training her for 7. That's about all we can advise you to do, with the caveat that there is presumably a reason for their decision already.

I know this. Goodness. I was just throwing it out there as ONE example that she has ONE L7 skill.
If a girl has solid giants, but no BHS, will she compete L7 then?

I received an email from the program director stating specifically that DD was going to be training L6 starting in January. The girls are being called L6's. They seem to think that the girls HAVE TO compete one L6 meet. I was told that "most likely" DD would be competing L7, but it won't be decided for almost a year. I have been told "most likely" before, and what happened is that it didn't happen. So I do not entirely have faith that DD will do anything but a full season of 6. I was also given zero indication of what skills they will be working towards - I did ask directly, but received no answer. You all keep missing this. I have asked politely and directly. I get stonewalled, evasiveness, or nothing whatsoever. I also get a bit of rudeness in there - how DARE I presume to ask questions or request anything? I could ask until I'm blue in the face, and I would get nothing. I have no idea if they're going to treat 6 like 5 or like 7. My kid is my kid, yes, but unless there is something that I am missing- which is why I asked the question - she is NOT being treated as an individual. What little coach feedback I have ever gotten has come from assistant coaches, and both times, they said that DD is one of the strongest gymnasts.

As I said, our current coaching situation is very unstable, and I have no coach to talk to, only the program director. If I could have gotten an answer from PD, I wouldn't have come here.

Unfortunately, as I said, I have no idea of what exactly they are or are not training. I have no training videos, nothing showing her working on L7 skills, just that BHS (which doesn't matter, I get it).

 

[profmom]

I'm sorry but your reaction just doesn't make sense to me. If they are training her for L6/optionals starting in January and they've told you it's most likely she'll compete L7 but they can't commit to anything at this very early stage, almost a year out from next meet season, that is a completely reasonable standpoint.

I don't think your issue is with the level at all. It's with something else -- perhaps you just want them to tell you more about how they are going to train her but that's not how they operate. Perhaps it's something else, but more speculation about what we can't possibly know isn't going to help you.

Regardless, it looks to me like you have two choices. You can either figure out a way to make your peace with this, relax, and let your daughter train new skills and see where she ends up, or you can decide right now that you cannot trust this gym and switch. If you stay where you are and maintain your feelings of anger and distrust, you will undermine your daughter's relationship with her coaches and her gym every step of the way, and this isn't going to end well. You've already made it very clear that you don't think further engagement with the gym management will give you what you want, and continuing to reinforce your anger here is, I think, quite counterproductive.

What can you live with? And -- most important of all -- what will make your daughter happy? Please try to be open to the idea that you and your daughter may be in very different places on this one.

 

[skschlag]

Unfortunately, we can't answer what the gym has planned for your dd. I think people have been trying to give examples of what might keep a child at 6, not knowing your dd or you or your gym. just things that they have seen in the past. Nothing specific to your dd.

It seems that you might be taking your frustrations on your gym out here, and that is fine Vent away. However, no one here can really do anything. Leaving is an option. I agree with profmom, anger and resentment are going to make things harder for your dd at this gym.

It does sound like they are training her for 6/7. Maybe they are calling them 6s, so that if they get moved to 7, it is more of an exciting moment. If they say 7, and some have to do 6, then it becomes an issue of "holding back my dd".

Good luck. I know it is hard. We have all been there in one form or another at some point.

 

[Ali'sMom]

She will be 12 in March. Very old. And at this point anything beyond about a level 7 is completely out of reach. I'm not looking forward to telling her to find another dream or goal.

I get that you're completely frustrated, that's what I'm hearing, I'm not hearing you upset with the people posting here (as a matter of fact, I'm picturing you with your hands up in the air out of frustration), so I will add this in here as a little support.

I have a 12 year old Level 4. We do school year levels. She's a 4 in 6th grade. She's decent. She's not a phenom, but she's not scraping the bottom of the barrel by any means.
She was very excited that she "could" be a Level 5 in 7th grade, a 6 in 8th grade, and hit "the real optionals" (her words) - level 7 - by high school. In my opinion, she has every possibility to get beyond that. For my own daughter, I kind of see 2 years of 7 and 2 years of 8. If you're daughter is more driven, and she were the same age, but at my daughter's level, I'd definitely see that she could hit 10 before high school is over.
In my opinion, there is no reason to find another dream, not if this is what she loves.

Good luck!

 

[profmom]

Let's see, Skschlag, between the two of us, if my addition is correct, we have a collective experience of seven years of L5 gymnastics . . .

If they are in a program that's moving them forward and they're happy, really-honestly-truly-cross-my-heart . . . level doesn't matter.

 

[skschlag]

Let's see, Skschlag, between the two of us, if my addition is correct, we have a collective experience of seven years of L5 gymnastics . . .

If they are in a program that's moving them forward and they're happy, really-honestly-truly-cross-my-heart . . . level doesn't matter.

Sigh...that sounds about right! LOL! and that is just 3 kiddos...

 

[gracyomalley]

I am the first to admit this is a very hard sport for a parent to not get caught up in, and compared to a team/ball sport, the individual skills/levels/scored make it an almost constant challenge to keep our perspective. Add to that the vastly different approaches different coaches have, the vastly different trajectories each kid travels and the fact that somewhere in the middle of their journey kids will grow (either fast or slow), go through puberty (either smoothly or with lots of physical bugs), mentally hit a cognitive level where fears and self-confidence issues become a large component of whether they progress quickly or lose some skills temporarily, etc. Add to that injuries, changes in gym structure, and a coach giving a parent a "most likely" scenario that leaves room for options is truely the most honest answer that can be given.

A 12 year old starting to train optionals is pretty much average for age. Our gym has a couple of 9 year old optionals, and a few 16 year old L6/7s. DD hit optionals (old 7) at age 9. Competed successfully (placements, scores, etc) for 2 years, learned 3/4 of her L8 skills this summer (no uptraining at previous gym) then her growth/vestibular/self-confidence issues led to a standstill in progress...followed by a completely miserable girl. Best thing coach ever did was tell her (and me, who really needed to listen) that it didn't matter one bit what level or skill she competed, but that her long term happiness was the ultimate goal. DD took a break, HC welcomed her back at "whatever level/skill she wanted to work". DD did counseling, saw a PT about vestibular issues, MISSED gym and MISSED her friends. DDs coach is waiting for DD to lead the way - and DD is slowly returning to the skills she felt beyond her. DD LOOKED like she might be "topping out" (her old coach gave her that impression, as in if she couldn't get over a block she might be "done" - at age 11), but now honestly realizes herself that each thing she struggled with was really "there" if she could break it down - and that its up to her to continue or not.

I mention all this to simply show you that each kid/parents journey changes and that what may or may not happen in a few years is really up for grabs. What I have learned is that DD really "loves gymnastics", as she told me yesterday, but that "its just a kids sport mom, and now that I know WHY those skills were difficult - vestibular for her - I don't have to feel bad about doing them well but it not feeling right. But its still just a sport" I was so caught up in what I saw as opportunities for her - not necessarily to be an olympian, but to succeed, push forward, reach her dream, etc, that I was adding to her stress even while staying out of the gym, not commenting, etc.

It is important to have a gym/coach/team philosophy that allows kids to be who they are and continue to enjoy and grow in this intense and expensive "kids sport". My DD new HC is a much better match in this way, although as the gym is much bigger, there are disadvantages as well. But DD is being valued for the child/young woman she is, not just the gymnast - and she still LOVES GYMNASTICS.

Whatever level your DD competes next year, if gymnastics is a healthy, happy place for her to grow and learn, then it really is "all good". If her goals are to get to L10, then at her age she will do the work and not give up - but the road may be quite bumpy....and she may get there or not. I am working on being able to celebrate the little things (like your DD lovely BHS on beam - WHICH DOES MATTER...but my DD never fell on a series, always with BHS, in 2 years of L7, but still hit a wall and "lost" her series for 6 months...) that's what people/coaches are trying to tell you - not that your DDs successes in the past don't count, but that each step is very different, and although its easy to say that a kid who struggles at every compulsory level, learns skills slowly, scores in lower 30s due to form, etc, is probably going to conitnue to struggle and move slowly and at some point may well give up, the other side of the equation is not so clear...

This group can be very helpful and supportive. People involved come from gyms all over the country/world with very different perspectives. It is, however, just an internet forum. No point in getting upset if its not helpful to you - but I hope we can be!

 

[GYM0M]

Just my 2 cents, FWIW, & I've been told my opinions don't count for much! But anyway, here it goes: the cliche': all gymnasts progress at a different pace, a different plan, blah, blah, & blah....... The truth: there is some reason your dd coaches 'SAY' she's a L6. Now, reasons could be: she won't be ready for L7 which I doubt bc of the information you've given and you seem passionate enough to allow your dd to dedicate herself fully which is important, or it could be that she will not be successful as a L7 again I doubt for the above reasons and your dd sounds to be determined and driven, OR (& this makes some assumptions not listed in the thread & by no means do I say this derogatory) your dd is the type of gymnast that equates her level as a sign of success. Absolutely nothing wrong with that. I know many gymnasts that do the same, mine included to some degree. That being said: if the coaches were to tell her 'you are now a L7 & will compete in 2016' & she couldn't connect her series on beam or she didn't get her Giants or she developed a fear of the vault or she got injured or she developed a deeper passion for something else (& the list could go on and on) and she ended up being NOT a L7, but instead L6, she could perceive this as failure! However, if she is told she is a L6 and will compete as such but gets all of her skills and barring other interruptions she is able to compete L7, ah! What an accomplishment! Like I sd, just my 2 cents, but I hope it makes you feel better as this is just one perspective and there are so many more just like this based on your dd personality that could ring true. I'm so sorry u are frustrated though! (I recently bought a flask for me n another mom from the south part of our state that our daughters met at a TOPS camp and had them engraved 'I can't keep calm! I'm a gymnastics mom!' Lolololol! So I feel your pain! & don't get me started on disappointment! Have had our fair share this year, but it has all worked out for the best!)