What's yours or DD rec to team story?

[kitkat]

My daughter started gymnastics and rec when she was 7.
Age 7 she competed level 2.
Age 8 she went to pre-competitive - completed level 5 for two competitions and level 6 for her last competition that year.
Age 9 she completed level 7.
Age 10 she completed Pre-National Elite (like level 8)
Now she is turning age 11 (soon) she we are not sure what she will be competing this year. Either level 9 or National Novice.
All depends on what skills she gets this summer.

Kat

 

[Flipflopz]

Dd was put in fast class age 4. Preteam age 5. Lev 4 age 6. Lev 5 age 7. Lev 6 age 8. Lev 7 age 9. Lev 8 age 10. Lev 9 age 11. And now lev 10 age 12. Her gym really doesnt skip levels much.

 

[Skadoodle]

My daughter started rec at 5 at another gym for a session. I was waiting to get her into our current gym for the next rec session and she signed up when she was 5 1/2. She was asked to start preteam after her first week there. After that it was 2 years of preteam. 2 years of level four. 1 year of L5 and now we are L6 transitioning to L7 in the spring. waiting for that first competitive season after preteam seamed to take the longest! Everything else just flew by!


Sent from my iPhone using ChalkBucket mobile app

 

[Ex member]

My dd's path to development group was an unusual one

My dd started taking disability trampolining lessons 5 weeks ago but has always wanted to do gymnastics, I enquired about dd doing disability gymnastics but was told there was a waiting list and that they were trying to get more sessions added for those on the waiting list.

Dd took her usual trampolining lesson last week and was they only one that turned up (probably due to the fact that it is the main summer holidays) and the coaches got her to have a go at some basic gymnastics moves, the coaches came up to me at the end of her session and asked if Dd wanted to join there disability development group and that she was better suited to gymnastics than trampolining - so in theory dd had 5-10 mins of gymnastics before being asked to move up and 5 weeks of rec trampolining.

 

[Gymnasticsgirl521]

DD had 1 year of toddler classes and at age 3 was selected to train down the team path. Seems like everyone's team journey is different.

 

[Seeker]

Dd was put in fast class age 4. Preteam age 5. Lev 4 age 6. Lev 5 age 7. Lev 6 age 8. Lev 7 age 9. Lev 8 age 10. Lev 9 age 11. And now lev 10 age 12. Her gym really doesnt skip levels much.

That is still a very impressive progression, esp considering she started so young (sometimes the younger gymnasts do wind up repeating early on). And to move thru L8 and L9 in just one year is very impressive. Now that she's reached L10 at a pretty young age, does she have an interest in moving towards Elite? Good luck in L10 this year!

 

[Flipflopz]

Thnx! Yes, she is hoping for elite in a big way!

 

[GYM0M]

I have 3 kiddos, my oldest daughter and my son started playing t-ball when they were 5 & 4. I coached the team. My youngest daughter was 3 and too young to join the team. She was born small and has always been MUCH smaller than her peers. (She is 7.5 now, and still shorter than the rookie 5 yr olds on her competitive team) Anyway, I made a comment about her playing t-ball the next year, and my husband wasn't having any of it. 'She's too small.' Amongst our arguments for fairness for all three of our children, I was instructed to find something where her size wouldn't hold her back, ALAS gymnastics! Her first day was terrible and we ended up in mommy-n-me for the first 4 months. Then she went into a rec class for the remainder of the session, advanced preschool for the summer, then in the fall she started in the level 2/3 class and ballet and tap. She was still 3. She continued in that regiment for the next 2 years. At 5.5, we moved her to a competitive gym and she was immediately put into the old L4 training group and on the TOPS team. 2 weeks after her 6th birthday, she competed in her first competition and finished with a 35+ AA. She TOPS tested this year as a 7 year old (anxiously awaiting those results) and is now training the new L4 for her first competition in 2 weeks.

 

[gymnasticswim4]

Turns out, that my path might come out a bit differently. Here's the full story:
I started gymnastics when i was five. Quit when i was seven (I was too busy). Then my friend, two years ago started gymnastics to help with her competitive dancing, and i decided that i wanted to try again, so i joined a rec class. Everyone there was so much younger than us (we were twelve). We did that class for a year, with a bunch of open gyms. Then we were moved on to advanced rec, with older kids, around our age (now about thirteen). We progressed a lot more quickly in that class, and when selection night came for the rec team, i was put on level one, and my other two friends were put on level two. I competed a year of level one. This summer I was put on the level two class, and I'm one of the kids that they are trying to move up by the end of the summer to level three. So if all goes well, I'll compete level three. Then be put on pre-team for the summer (i have now learned that it is for training to compete new level 4). After that, be moved up for level 4.

 

[raenndrops]

Both younger and older gymmie started at the same time... Younger was 17 months (a month b4 she was old enough) and older was 3.5 years old. They were in Baby gym and preschool gym. By 4.5, older gymmie moved up to the progressive program- and straight to Level 2 (For ages 5+, there are 3 progressive levels before team). Younger gymmie moved up to preschool level by 2.5 years. They both continued to progress.

At almost 6.5, older gymmie was invited to the L4 team. She competed 2 years of L4, 1 year of L5, 1 year of L6... She had a couple of major stumbling blocks that season (2011-12)- in warmup at a meet, she fell on her head/face on her back tuck. She was PHYSICALLY fine, but her confidence was shattered. The following August, she (temporarily) quit team. She came back 3 months later, after admitting that quitting was a big mistake. She competed this past season in Excel Gold and did well. In June, she finally did another back tuck (at open gym, on a trampoline). And just last week, she was connecting RO-BHS-BT on the air track

Younger gymmie also moved up to team at almost 6.5 and has competed L4 the past 2 years. She has CHOSEN to compete L3 this season at age 9. She is still missing 1 skill on bars, but she is sooooo close, and she will eventually get it and do well.

 

[SurpriseGymMom]

My dd started rec classes at 6yo. She isn't supremely naturally talented, but after trying out lots of different sports and not liking any of them, we were happy that she liked it enough to want to stick with it for a while. She progressed through the rec levels at a normal speed, there were skills she had to work at as well as things that came easier to her. When she was 7 the tops people asked if she was interested, but both her coach and I agreed she wasn't ready physically or emotionally. Right before she turned 8 she started asking about joining tops and claimed to really want to do it, I told her unless she stopped goofing off in class and started taking things more seriously I wouldn't let her try out. She had to prove to me that she wanted it by taking class seriously for 3mo before I let her try out, and she did. Her coach and I agreed that she was ready, the tops people had actually contacted me again right about this time to ask about her and it all fell into place. She was not a natural for tops, she had a bit of a struggle with strength and after 5mo on tops the coach suggested she try team instead, old L4. This was right on the tail end of the season and she wouldn't compete, just start training.. The coach said dds skills were much better than her strength and I absolutely agree with that, however I'm very happy that she did tops as I feel it prepared her well for team.
The old L4 team was made up of previously competing members and newbies, as they acquired skills they were moved to the "higher" group. Dd worked really hard on getting to the higher group and made it.... Then the coaches invited the more skilled group to do level 4/5, the rest of the group would be new L3. Dd is a L4 and absolutely loving it! She turned 9 during the summer, just got her straight arm kip and high bar kip and I'm absolutely amazed at what she can do... She has improved so much during the past couple of months, and its all hard work and dedication which is something I wasn't entirely sure was up her alley. This stuff doesn't come easy to her, she's a compact, curvy girl but she loves it and I'm absolutely thrilled that she has found her thing. We're both really looking forward to competing for the first time this season, and whatever happens happens. I'm not expecting her to ever become a L10 or anything, but as long as she is happy and progressing, I'm happy!

 

[Ex member]

I was not sure whether to post or not but here goes anyway..

Youngest DVD's path from rec to team has taken 3 years going from Pre School Gym (they started advanced pre school classes when did started full time school) to rec where she is now starting her second year - over the past year the gym has gone through coach changes leading to a new head coach for girls team, new development (pre team) groups, these were accessed through testing once per term in the rec groups (only just found out it works that way), did somehow missed testing earlier this year. Had a meeting with head coach to let him know dd was interested in moving out of rec and was told that he had did on the list for his new group that is starting soon. So dd is technically still in rec but only for the next month or two.

 

[Flipflopz]

I wanted to add dd had a nasty broken limb in level 6 and was out for 8 months.

 

[2gymnastand1soccerplayer]

My oldest dd (16) started gym at around 18 months.No real reason except she was a very hyper 1.5 year old. We started with mommy and me classes, preschool, then regular rec. when dd was 6 she was asked to join competitive( small gym no preteam) competed level 4 2months after asked to join team. We've had a lot of set backs in her gymnastics career due to injuries and mental blocks ( couldn't do her backhand spring for 3 years. She was training level 8) because of this, this year dd decided to compete level 6( stopped training level 8 after she lost her confidence in her gymnastics) Although fighting her mental block for three years she never gave up on gym (even though she said she was going to quit many of times)

My youngest dd ( 7) got into gym because she of my oldest dd. asked to join preteam last year at 6 ( new gym due to a move, this gym is bigger) and now competing level 3.

 

[kaloss]

Dd started gymnastics at 5, level 1 in Feb 2013. In May she was moved to HotShots (preteam for little ones until they're old enough to compete), moved to team on her 6th birthday (end of August) and is competing level 3 this year. She fractured her foot around Christmas and is just getting over mono. She'll likely stay in level 3 next year.

 

[meganliz77]

My DD started gymnastics one year ago in February 2013 at age of 5- now 6. Family bought her a months worth of lessons for a present. She went to her first rec class (and quite honestly couldn't do a cartwheel). She has ALWAYS been freakishly strong, fearless and very petite.

The next day got a call at home from the gym-- they wanted her to move immediately to Fast Track class. I didn't really know why (couldn't do a cartwheel lol) or what it meant. She was there for 3 months and then they moved her to team in June 2013. Trained all summer and competed this year Level 3 and now training level 4. Apparently she's got "something"

It's been a crazy ride and huge learning experience for our family! It really is a family commitment. I'm so proud of everything she has accomplished in such a short time! She loves gymnastics and I love watching her

 

[gracyomalley]

A nanny took DD and oldest DS to a gym open time when they were 2 and 4 respectively - and was asked if DD (2) would like to do a class..seems she already showed exceptional upper body strength...at was the size of 1 year old....they came back that summer for a mommy and me with DD and a rec with DS....I gave birth to DS #2 during that time. DD bided her time in rec until 5 then was put on the hot shots team - then up to L5 at age 7 (we don't do old L4/new 3 or any lower levels...). It took some time for her to grow big enough to get over the vault table! She'll be officially a L8 in one week...at age 11. Not fast, not slow...just right for a talented but sometimes fearful girl. Based on her growth she'll top out at 4-9 if lucky...strong as an ox, though!

DS the older goofed off in rec for years, until he was the only boy left at his level and finally agreed to move to a gym with a team, and all the boys equipment - and by that time DS #2 was right up with him, although 4 years younger (he did his preschool at the gym - as by then we were there all the time and he's very bouncy!!!). They were accepted on team in November that year, competed L4 right away in January and now are finishing L5 a few years later - they had to learn pbars, pommel and rings at the new gym so L4 was easy but they had to take some time at L5. After regionals they'll be L6/7....

DD and younger DS have always been in the youngest age groups (until this year) for their level, but DS older started competing L4 at almost 11 - and thanks to a gym that didn't care about age, and coaches who believed in him, is rocking into L7 this summer...he'll get to the optional levels for several years in high school if he wants to...

There is no one path and no gym should turn away kids for being too old if they work hard and are good team members - or think the little phenom will always be just that...we've had both in our house!

 

[sce]

I started dd at 18months. This was the youngest for mommy and me at the local gym. She climbed everything and needed the environment of the gym to really explore. We went off and on through her pre-school years. He older brother got serious about gym when eh was 6yo (she was 4yo.) So she spent a lot of time watching at the gym too. The more she watched the more she wanted to do more. They start developmental classes at 6yo. She progressed pretty quickly from level 1 to 3 (old level 3 which they did not compete) at our gym. Spent a year at 3 before being invited to pre-team (by the she was 8yo.) She spent a little over a year on pre-team and was just invited to the team (new level 3). She is thrilled ot get on the team and hopes to be ready to compete in the fall.

It is a smaller city run program, with only 1 developemental track. Beginner is now level A, B and C then pre-team and team. So no separate rec program.

 

[gymbeam]

Last April, my daughter started rec. gymnastics at age 7.75 and then 6 weeks later moved to Excel Bronze team. Its been such a fun first year of gymnastics. I have definitely "drank the Kool Aid"…I'm here, aren't' I? LOL!

 

[GymnastMomX2]

My DD started in mommy and me when she was 18 months old - 3 years. Then broke her collarbone on one of those blow up water slides so we took about 4 months off. She came back at 4 and did preschool classes and got invited to the level 2 team at age 5. She did two years of level 3 at ages 6-7 and then two years of (old) 4 at ages 8-9. She just finished her (new) 4 season this year and also just turned 11. She is scoring out of level 5 in a few weeks and then we will finally have an optional gymnast! It's funny because she's now caught up to the girls who she competed with back when she was an old 4 who got moved up before her. So for any of you parents who are stressing because your child has to repeat a level, just don't. It will all work out in the end.