Parents When to switch to a more competitive gym?

[shelovestoflip]

I'd move now. Even if she doesn't want to do gymnastics forever, it sounds like she has some talent now so why not have her in a place that can nrurture the talent she has?!

 

[gymgal]

I would wait until her meet season is over since you already paid for it. And it will give you a sense as to whether she'll wants to compete in the future. I would also ask the owner/head coach about the future plans for team. It may be that they are eventually looking to expand to a new building as the teams grow and advance.

 

[leotardmakermum]

My bit to add would be that if you're going to move, do it nicely. If you've appreciated the staff at the current gym, make sure they know. Let them know why you're leaving, what you regret about it, and what you've appreciated from them.

I was talking with my daughter's coach one day and she was wondering if one of the girls in her squad had left. She hadn't heard from them for some weeks. It turned out the girl was just injured, but it did make me think the coach had obviously lost gymnasts in the "silent, and we won't tell you" way before. Personally, I think coaches and gym management deserve more respect than that.

Also, you don't know where you're going to see these people again (somewhere on the competition circuit, as judges of your daughter, even?), and if you'll ever want to move back to that gym one day. Best not to burn any bridges. When we moved gyms, we made sure we did it as nicely as possible, and we managed it. They were disappointed to lose our daughter, but they have been incredibly supportive because of the way we did it and because we explained our reasons.

FWIW, I'd also move sooner rather than later. Get in the best gym programme possible as early as possible. Even if she's not going to go on to compete, you'll know that she has had the best chance to experience the joys of gymnastics.

Added later: This is possibly more appropriate for a competitive gymnast, actually. I was forgetting that your daughter is only 5 and in a rec program. Probably not necessary to let them know why you're leaving etc unless you've already built good relationships with the staff. But being nice is still important whether they're a competitive gymnast or a rec gymnast.

 

[Committed]

Well, I was finally able to call the other gym to ask questions (it's been closed for winter break). It looks like I have 'old' information. They are holding try-outs for L4 on May 1st, but my DD will have to have ALL L4 skills. That's several months away, so I'm hoping that DD will get there. Just before break did they start "training up."
If she had to do pre-team. Her training would stay 4 hours.
If she moved to team- it would be 6 hours, but still just 2 days a week.
Cost is about the same (better cost per hour).
There are just 2 negatives - 10 min further of a drive (I know, no big deal, but her current gym is literally 5 minutes away!)
And the comp. season is Fall ... which interferes with soccer. However, when she got to optionals, it would be spring.

OH.....and one more plus. They will start competing L3s!! Of course, it's the NEW L3 (old L4), so DD would be able to compete this summer, not waiting and training another year. Which, still wouldn't be bad, I just wouldn't want to hear all the whining about when she would compete again (she loves competition).

FINALLY.....Of course we would leave on a good note. We've been going to her gym for 4 years. She knows almost every single coach and dance teacher. Plus, I'm not sure if I want to switch my little boy out of there yet. Maybe keep her in ballet 1 day and my little boy in his class.

So, in April/May, it looks like I'm going to try the other gym to get her evaluated to see where she would be placed and figure out her options from there.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, everyone for your responses. I would never have made the call and gotten my new information if so many of you hadn't recommend we look for better options for my daughter!

 

[gymgal]

sounds like a great plan! good luck!

 

[OzZee]

Sounds like the new gym is a really good option.
Personally I'd say change her once the comp season you've paid for is over.
But I would also speak to the head coach at the current gym about what their plans are. From what you've said this is the first year they have done WAG and they are just setting up. Is this a program they are planning on continuing? And if so how are they planning on increasing/improving equipment (think you said now that they have level 4's they are getting a set of uneven bars?) and also bringing in more coaches/training current coaches to coach higher level wag.
It may still not be the best fit for her as she obviously has a lot of talent to have those skills at 5 (though that doesn't seem to be that unusual in the US whereas in Australia it is, even in pre international stream classes/development a 4/5 year old would not be doing back flips and they'd only just be starting bridging exercises at 5.) and even if they have great plans for the program they may not be able to meet your dd's needs.
But I think it's worth considering what their plans for the future are, rather than just looking at what they have right now in their first year of offering this program. Especially as your dd also is interested in another sport a less competitive environment may be a better fit.

 

[JessLW]

I wouldn't worry too much about the current gym. With their current setup, they know they can only take kids so far and it seems pretty obvious that the interested/talented ones will move on eventually. I've just put my 3 year old in a similar-sounding gym and I think it is perfect -- for a three year old! Any gym that is more focused on recreation is going to be well accustomed to the idea that some gymmies are going to outgrow their program. Hopefully they'll be supportive of their move.

As for soccer, I think most gymnasts have found that eventually, gymnastics does rule out doing other sports at any sort of competitive level. That decision doesn't have to be made at 5 of course, but going forward, I think it is the very rare high level optional gymnast that could also say, be on a travel soccer team.

That all said -- sounds like gym number 2 is a good option. Good luck with tryouts in May!

 

[DisMom]

You (and all of us...lol) are definitely getting way ahead of ourselves with this and with travel soccer. But since that was just brought up and I commented on that before, I will add that not only does my dd do intense travel soccer along with Level 6, but all of our local optional girls also play travel soccer (well, all but one). And lots of the team girls also play lacrosse.

My two cents...it is SO important for gymnasts to participate in a sport other than gymnastics. The burn out rate of gymnastics is so high for all of the known reasons: (1) too much time and when they get to be teens they want more of a life; (2) fear of the newer/scarier skills; (3) injury; and so on.

So my take is that my gymnast should do another sport. Otherwise, she runs the risk of getting to 8th or 9th grade or something and she'll have no experience with any other sport. And in this day and age when kids start sports so young, a kid just isn't going to walk on to a high school soccer team without having played for a few years. She would hate to not have any sport or not be a part of team. So I say keep them in those other sports. For the majority of young gymnasts, those other sports are going to end up being their main sport and gymnastics will fade away.

 

[LizzieLac]

You (and all of us...lol) are definitely getting way ahead of ourselves with this and with travel soccer. But since that was just brought up and I commented on that before, I will add that not only does my dd do intense travel soccer along with Level 6, but all of our local optional girls also play travel soccer (well, all but one). And lots of the team girls also play lacrosse.

My two cents...it is SO important for gymnasts to participate in a sport other than gymnastics. The burn out rate of gymnastics is so high for all of the known reasons: (1) too much time and when they get to be teens they want more of a life; (2) fear of the newer/scarier skills; (3) injury; and so on.

So my take is that my gymnast should do another sport. Otherwise, she runs the risk of getting to 8th or 9th grade or something and she'll have no experience with any other sport. And in this day and age when kids start sports so young, a kid just isn't going to walk on to a high school soccer team without having played for a few years. She would hate to not have any sport or not be a part of team. So I say keep them in those other sports. For the majority of young gymnasts, those other sports are going to end up being their main sport and gymnastics will fade away.

I think for some gymnasts there is not other sport! My DD is just not good with sports with balls, and she never was able to get the whole "team" dynamic of things like soccer. The only thing she would replace gymnastics with is dance. She is also very active in 2 choruses in school and loves music and the school plays. So, I would be fine if she played no other sports, as long as she had other interests to be involved in and exercised so she was in good health. Not everyone has to be an "athlete."

 

[Faith]

My two cents...it is SO important for gymnasts to participate in a sport other than gymnastics. The burn out rate of gymnastics is so high for all of the known reasons: (1) too much time and when they get to be teens they want more of a life; (2) fear of the newer/scarier skills; (3) injury; and so on.

So my take is that my gymnast should do another sport. Otherwise, she runs the risk of getting to 8th or 9th grade or something and she'll have no experience with any other sport. And in this day and age when kids start sports so young, a kid just isn't going to walk on to a high school soccer team without having played for a few years. She would hate to not have any sport or not be a part of team. So I say keep them in those other sports. For the majority of young gymnasts, those other sports are going to end up being their main sport and gymnastics will fade away.

I agree, but I also think with a background in gymnastics they can switch to pretty much any high level sport, or just carry on having fun in a related discipline, like acro, floor and vault, trampolining etc. So I wouldn't necessarily be worried about them not doing other sport concurrently with gymnastics.

How do your DD's cope with soccer and gymnastics, as in the level of hours? Getting enough rest etc? Mine is doing 2 sports, so while she absolutely loves it and will not drop any of it, we only have one night off training a week. I just worry about burn out, although I do think that has as much to do with the training itself- for DD at the minute it's all fun, stress free, no-one's pushing her. I remember as a child only having Wednesdays off, and desperately begging my mum to go to Brownies! I do wobble over whether I'm doing the best for her sometimes even if it is what she wants...

 

[MaryA]

I think for some gymnasts there is not other sport! My DD is just not good with sports with balls, and she never was able to get the whole "team" dynamic of things like soccer.

Yes, I have NO idea what DD would do if/when she quits gym. She has other interests (mostly of the nature/birdwatching/environmental variety) but no other sports or clubs that she has shown any interest in. I guess maybe when she's in high school there will be more activities for her to choose from to help keep her busy if she's not still in gym. I would think that, with some lessons to help her learn the strokes, she might enjoy and do well at swimming, just because she's so strong, and she loves the water. But whether or not she would actually consider that, I have no idea.

Sorry... I have strayed very OT. DD is a level 7 now anyway, so really, other activities are pretty much off the table, even if she did have other interests. I can't imagine adding even one more thing to her schedule. There aren't enough hours in the day already! NOT a Monty Python fan but I'm imagining the man who exploded after eating one "wafer thin mint." That is my daughter's life right now, especially as we're about to get into the thick of meet season.

 

[GymBee97]

Just a note too if you are planning on having your DD go down the Gym team road then it becomes all consuming not just for the gymnast but for the whole family. Having a child on a competitive gymnastic team is a life stye altering experience. The higher the level the more consuming. Things like other sports have to be able to fit in to the gym schedule not the other way around. Many B-day parties are missed, many school dances are missed (not saying all but many) in leu of a gym meet, practice or whatever the gym needs the gymnasts for. Most competitive gymnasts choose this and understand at some ponit too that this is just how it is if your going to do competitive gymnastics. Also plant that money tree because as your DD moves up in the levels it just gets more and more expensive (especially as they start to add meets that require hotels and airfare).

 

[LizzieLac]

When DD first started competing in gymnastics, we went the Prep Opt route because she was already on a swim team. She had practice every day except Sunday! And every few weeks she would have a meet on a Sunday. It was too much, and that was before middle school homework! She was exhausted and eventually it stressed her out. She decided to quit swimming for gymnastcis and then joined the JO team.

My caution about the multiple sports is the stress that some kids will NOT display but still feel. My DD was very expressive and I knew she was about to implode! Not all kids will verbalize this. Also, time for school work and normal kid activities is important for avoiding burnout. The key is knowing your kids and what they can handle.

 

[maryRS]

I agree with you and your sentiment about keeping the girls in other sports. But, it's difficult to juggle. We've only been able to do it because we are at a Y, and she generally trains at least one less day per week than your typical same level gymnast at a private gym in our area (as the levels increase, our hours increase but no where near what private gyms do). So, while I do agree with you and for all the same reasons, it can be tricky. In our situation we also had to find a middle of the road soccer team. Her siblings have played high level soccer, and while she is capable, well, obviously those soccer coaches don't take to well to her missing because of gymnastics. These days, everyone wants their sport to be the main focus. So her team is competitive, but not super competitive. No elite tournaments, and she plays a division lower than a lot of her school friends, who don't do gymnastics or dance etc. It's all a balance and a compromise. I always said that if one day (she is 12 now, level 7) she wants to move to either a better soccer team or a private gym, she'd probably have to give up the other sport. For now it's working

You (and all of us...lol) are definitely getting way ahead of ourselves with this and with travel soccer. But since that was just brought up and I commented on that before, I will add that not only does my dd do intense travel soccer along with Level 6, but all of our local optional girls also play travel soccer (well, all but one). And lots of the team girls also play lacrosse.

My two cents...it is SO important for gymnasts to participate in a sport other than gymnastics. The burn out rate of gymnastics is so high for all of the known reasons: (1) too much time and when they get to be teens they want more of a life; (2) fear of the newer/scarier skills; (3) injury; and so on.

So my take is that my gymnast should do another sport. Otherwise, she runs the risk of getting to 8th or 9th grade or something and she'll have no experience with any other sport. And in this day and age when kids start sports so young, a kid just isn't going to walk on to a high school soccer team without having played for a few years. She would hate to not have any sport or not be a part of team. So I say keep them in those other sports. For the majority of young gymnasts, those other sports are going to end up being their main sport and gymnastics will fade away.

 

[maryRS]

What I have found with the girls, and even the girls who do private gym, middle school here brings on a huge lure of school activities. I think they enjoy the school camaraderie and want to do what their peers are doing, and in many cases, find out that they are good at it. My daughter is running track in the spring and is so excited (I'm dreading how weekdays are going to look lol). She did not do a fall sport at school but says next year she is playing soccer or field hockey at school. I know it's a lot, but I have to let it be her balance. I guess I'd rather have her bone tired and so busy everyday as she enters those precious teen years - as long as it's stuff she wants to do.

Yes, I have NO idea what DD would do if/when she quits gym. She has other interests (mostly of the nature/birdwatching/environmental variety) but no other sports or clubs that she has shown any interest in. I guess maybe when she's in high school there will be more activities for her to choose from to help keep her busy if she's not still in gym. I would think that, with some lessons to help her learn the strokes, she might enjoy and do well at swimming, just because she's so strong, and she loves the water. But whether or not she would actually consider that, I have no idea.

Sorry... I have strayed very OT. DD is a level 7 now anyway, so really, other activities are pretty much off the table, even if she did have other interests. I can't imagine adding even one more thing to her schedule. There aren't enough hours in the day already! NOT a Monty Python fan but I'm imagining the man who exploded after eating one "wafer thin mint." That is my daughter's life right now, especially as we're about to get into the thick of meet season.

 

[Committed]

Thanks for the advice. DD is very athletic and is "in love" with soccer. She will start softball next month, to try it out. My philosophy is to have her try all the sports she wants to and then pick one or two that she can't live without. I want her to have a good base knowledge of other sports so she could rejoin in the future if she decides to go back to it. Luckily, gymnastics is a great whole-body workout and she's good great coordination and conditioning!

For the next couple of years, I think that 4-6 hours a week (2x in the gym) is fine. But we would definitely need to reevaluate once gym hours go up.

 

[lhmom]

My DD has gotten to play soccer, basketball and softball since being on team. The key for us has been finding leagues that are more recreational. For instance, DD is playing basketball on Saturdays with one practice during the week (her off-day at gym). It's pretty laid-back and doesn't require multiple practices or weekends taken up by tournaments. It's also how we picked a soccer league (we went with AYSO rather than one of the clubs here). She gets to enjoy trying other sports without alot of added stress.

 

[nameless]

my lil one does 7 hours a week L3 team and still has time for 4-5 hours of cheer (including games).. she gets upset when she can't do an extra gym rec class weekly.. burn out can def happen, i'm sure, but hasn't happened to mine.. when she transitioned from 2 hours/wk to 7 hours a week i think it just made her thirsty for more.. she's a goofy bouncy lil thing, too, but they know she's 5 and they don't expect her to act 8.. and like your daughter (ROBHS thread) she acts like it is no thing.. she's a humble lil lady who just absolutely loves the sport!

 

[raenndrops]

Yes, the new 2013 changes require L4 to be 7yo... but that is because the new L4 is really the current L5. What happened is that they are combining L1 and L2 into the new L1. Current L3 will be called L2. Current L4 (when most gyms start competing, like you said most gyms do in your area) will be called L3 and she only has to be 6 to compete Current L4 / New L3 next season. Most gyms will consider someone who transfers and offer an informal tryout to see where they should be.
I would suggest moving her sooner rather than later- if you can handle the time commitment. If she has her BHS, she should be training Level 4, even though she can't compete until she is 6. By switching gyms, she can also train uneven bars

Good luck.

 

[Committed]

Yeah, and she's turning 6 in April, so she will be able to compete the NEW L3 this fall.

I'm getting so uptight about moving her. Her current coach is so excited to train her. She wanted to train DD for the NEW L4, but I told her that DD isn't eligible. I tried to hint that I was looking around, but I don't want to put it out there until I've really started talking to the other gym.