WAG Which way do we go?

[kayjaybe]

I agree with the others to just slow down and relax. Put a year in (with this gym or another) and see what is involved.

My dd was probably one of the best in her L2 class back at age 5. Now at 12, she is still struggling to get to L7. And our team does have girls that place at L10 nationals and has about 35 kids on L8-10, so the coaching is there.

She hit a fear wall with the BWO on beam at old L6 and that has seriously hampered her progress.

Getting into a gym that could make things happen for your dd is important, but realize that is not the only thing. All the stars need to align -- flexibility, strength, discipline, limited fear & injury issues, ability, etc.

Give it a year and see where you and she are.

 

[MeetDirector]

Caties Mom -

As everyone else has said, slow down and breathe.

I didn't study every post on here, but I am sure someone has said to not do gymnastics at home. Gymnastics belongs in the gym with the right equipment and trained coaches; the only thing that can happen by doing gym at home is that they learn things wrong or get hurt.

Now, you need to get a picture of the gymnastics landscape. There is so much ahead of your daughter that worrying about National this and National that at this point is fruitless. This sounds to me a lot like the coach in the movie Stick It (can't believe I am using this reference) promising every gym mom that he would take thier daughter to the Olympics. Putting it bluntly, Ain't Gonna Happen.

Your daughter is starting Level 2, there are so many skills ahead of her and so much frustration to come. Take it one step at a time, don't push just because some coach has some notion that he can use your daughter to add to his resume. The world of compulsory gymnastics, which she has to get through no matter what, is based on repetition and more repetition until the smallest of skills are perfected; she may not like that and when she starts competing she may really not like it when she gets "tenth-ed to death" from all the little deductions.

You (and your husband) as the parents, need to get as educated about this sport as possible to include the paths available to her. Spend your time learning about what could lie ahead and leave the coaching to the coaches and, frankly, leave the gymnastics at the gym.

Good Luck

P.S. -
Just so you know, I am giving this advice having a daughter that has been in this sport since she was 4 and will graduate high school this spring. These lessons are hard-learned and I share this advice to help, not hurt.

 

[Iwannabemargo]

Okay,

(((Rolls up sleeves an dives in))

Firstly let me say welcome. Chalkbucket is an invaluable resource and well done you for looking for help.

Secondly, I would point out that I am in the UK, not the USA and so my child uses a different system, but having been hanging round the virtual water cooler I have picked up one or two things about the US system.

Your daughter is 8, that is fairly old for someone looking to progress to elite gymnastics, and as stated before the odds of her representing her country are miniscule, but that doesn't mean she can't learn so much from the sport and have a blast doing it.

The US system, from my outside perspective is a very high hours system. She may well skim through the first few levels ( over here the skills in the first 3 levels we would consider as rec skills, not really on the competitive pathway) so a strong gifted girl who is a little more mature can speed through those levels.

However one of the most important things she need is good FORM. That means hours and hours of drilling the basics in a well supervised gym and more importantly NO SKILLS AT HOME.

If she practices at home she will at best learn bad technique, and a worst could seriously hurt herself. Unless she has access to a fully matted gym and a professionally qualified coach, gymnastics should stay in the gym.

I know its difficult to enforce, but this is where you need to be the parent and say nothing more adventurous than handstands and stretching at home.

From a gym perspective, have a look at my meet scores, or meet score online if you want to see how you club does competitively. As others have said lack of higher level optional girls is a worry. And to me, twice weekly privates would be a no-no as well. Don't let yourself become a cash-cow - she should get all the coaching she needs in the right group in weekly lessons.

 

[Iwannabemargo]

ooh, cross posted there @MeetDirector

 

[Natasha]

I strongly encourage you to NOT practice at home with her. It is way too confusing for kids to have a coach tell her one thing and a parent tell her something else based on something parent saw online. The coaches are trained in progressions to learn skills and as a parent you might be focusing on the wrong step of the skill which will actually slow progress and can easily lead to injury.
Now, we've all been there with our girls wanting to live gymnastics 24/7 especially when they first start and yes, it is impossible to keep them from doing cartwheels, walking on their hands, bouncing all over the house, turning every game activity into gymnastics. It happens and it won't hurt them as long as you have some safety rules in place. But, once you start directing that play, it is no longer play. Avoid the temptation of turning her play time into a coaching session. The 6 hours of practice and the 2 privates are plenty of coaching time for her. Her body needs time to catch up and to gain strength.
It is not uncommon at all for an 8 year old gymnast with above average talent to be able to go through levels 1-3 pretty quickly (as in a few months) and work on L4 skills, especially given the 8 hours a week of training. While it is exciting, it really is hard to judge where it will take her until she starts working the harder skills and has some more time with the sport. Each level becomes progressively harder in terms of time it takes to master skills. So, while it is not unheard of at all for an 8 year old to get a pullover the first time they try it, she will start to hit skills soon where she will have to really work to get skills and be patient. If you have an opportunity to watch optional level girls in practice working to get their skills you will see how hard it is…by the time you see it in competition (i.e. tv or tube) they make it look easy.

 

[MeetDirector]

ooh, cross posted there @MeetDirector

Iwanna -

You, and gymtigermom, made the point much better than I. Frankly, it can't be said enough - No Gym at Home.

 

[gymjunkie]

I don't agree that a gymnast needs to start at age 2 to make it to a high level. The older kids learn faster than the tots, so a talented kid who walks in the door at 5, will often look just like the kid who started at 2 within 6 months.

I agree that gymnastics needs to stay in the gym. I am a coach and still do not let my kids do gymnastics at home. We have conditioning equipment at home, but that's it. One of my least favorite things about coaching is having to continually correct bad habits learned at home by the pre-teamers!

 

[LMV]

I am nervous about having her practice skills at home but I cannot stop her so I thought it might be best if I got the equipment needed and spotted the best I could (again research I am doing on my own). And yes I am nervous about me not being the best one to practice with also but I just don't know about adding more gym time yet.

I am getty wary, very wary. Thank you .

I think perhaps you underestimate your abilities. Both my fourteen year old (currently a L10) and my four year old (currently playing in our gyms awesome preschool gym two days a week) understand that if they can't leave their gymnastics in the gym where it safe then they can, and will, leave the sport. I do allow my older daughter to do conditioning core and some strength and flexibility work at home but this is under the guidance and direction of her coach and is all appropriate and safe to be done in our home gym.

We prohibit gymnastics at home because of the safety aspect. I may sound like a mean mom but I'm actually just a mom who also happens to be an EM physician and has seen the impact and consequences of more than enough misadventures of childhood. Beyond the safety aspect, I know our daughters' coaches appreciate they aren't spending time at home chucking skills with poor form and entrenching bad habits. Muscle memory is very important in gymnastics but it can work against you if your kid spends their days doing back headsprings on the family trampoline.

 

[Natasha]

[QUOTE="gymjunkie, post: 337445, member: 15227"]I don't agree that a gymnast needs to start at age 2 to make it to a high level. The older kids learn faster than the tots, so a talented kid who walks in the door at 5, will often look just like the kid who started at 2 within 6 months.

I agree that gymnastics needs to stay in the gym. I am a coach and still do not let my kids do gymnastics at home. We have conditioning equipment at home, but that's it. One of my least favorite things about coaching is having to continually correct bad habits learned at home by the pre-teamers![/QUOTE]

My dd didn't start team until 8. She was placed on team with a group of girls who had all been in the gym since preschool and had 2 years of pre-team & tops like conditioning. By the end of the first season you would not have known that the other girls had been training for several more years than her and now training L9, only her and one other girl are still even in the sport.

 

[3LittleGymmies]

My head is spinning just reading all of this.

 

[MeetDirector]

My head is spinning just reading all of this.

Hence the reason that I strongly advocate that a parent's job in this sport is to understand the gymnastics road and process, but NOT the skills and training. The parents need to be the support system and, this sounds trite, "keep the home fires burning"; the parents DO NOT need to be extra coaches at home. Home has to be a sanctuary away from the frustration (there will be a ton) and pain (there will be some) of the gym.

To the OP, Catie's Mom, you are trying to wrap your head around this, I get that (I was there many years ago). You are hearing here that you need to take it slow and easy and make sure you understand everything the coaches say. It is good to questions them; in fact, I would question them now on the need for privates at Level 2. Just so you know, Level 2 is not a mandatory level in the USAG system; in fact it is really a pre-competition level to build basic skills.

Good Luck.

 

[kayjaybe]

My unprofessional suggestion is that if she really wants to do something at home to advance her gymnastics, focus on flexibility and strength conditioning ---- IF she wants to do it.

Splits while sitting and watching TV, pull-ups on a bar, push-ups, planks & sit-ups --- all of these can be done safely at home and will help her build her strength which is essential for her to progress. That said, IIRC and she is practicing 5 days/week in some shape or form, that probably isn't needed, especially at this level.

You are both very excited now, but gymnastics is very much a marathon, not a sprint. Don't push to far to fast or you will both burn out!

 

[lovemygymnast]

If you're wondering if these coaches have "stars in their eyes" maybe you could look for another gym that does have elite athletes and then call to take her for a try out. Basically, take her to see what you and she think of the gym but also, see what recommendations they have for her. I agree with the others though. If they're discussing TOPS & HOPES with you after she's been in the sport only 1-2 months and they don't even offer that as a route, I'd certainly be seeking a more knowledgeable gym. Although, for the lower levels, she's probably fine. I definitely would research where they rank at meets though. There are tons of gyms who produce excellent compulsory gymnasts but have optionals who don't score well. So, I'd definitely research gyms first. Then once you're at a gym with coaches you trust and have a proven track record, then start making plans with the coaches about which track to go.

As far as TOPS, she would definitely compete as a 9 year old. There are TOPS testing videos by age on USAG website. It shows strength and skills testing. I believe the oldest to test is 10. HOPES is 10-13 but they start training young. I'm not saying it isn't possible but I am saying to check out the videos and educate yourself on these skills. My DD will test as an 8 year old next year and while I know she will have the skills based on what the coaches tell me, the skills are above her competitive level. Start educating yourself on the skills she's actually doing based on levels.

Keep us posted on her progress! It's definitely hard not to get excited and start worrying about their future in the sport but slow down, it's a marathon, not a race. Hope she does great!!

 

[gymgal]

I would be asking what the coach means by "nationally ranked". It could be elites, L10 national winners, TOPS qualifiers. Heck, they could be talking about the top 100 scores on MyMeetScores (which really means nothing). If they have no level 8-10s, I am not sure what they could mean - except possibly TOPS qualifiers.

As for your dd, let her compete this season before making any decisions. This will give you plenty of time to do a little more research on gyms in your area, the various levels and paths available in the gymnastics world - and most of all it will give your dd time to figure out if she really does like it. Your dd's current enthusiasm is similar to countless other girls who first start out, the vast majority of whom will move on to other sports and activities within a couple years. Just to give you an idea, less than 10% of the girls who compete L3 will stick with it to compete L10. Less than 1% will make it to elite. It's great that she appears to have talent but it takes SO much more to be successful in this sport. She has to be willing to go through all the boring strength and conditioning, endless perfecting of routines, push through fears and injuries, etc. Give it a season to see if this is something she wants to continue to pursue.

As for training at home... no. no. no. Tell her you have been doing more reading and have decided that for her safety and to make sure she doesn't develop any bad habits, she can't do it anymore. And if she does, then she can't go to gym. It only takes a couple reminders and your firmness on the subject before she will understand and stop all the gym at home stuff. I realize you have the equipment at home. perhaps you can allow her to do some conditioning with it instead - chin ups, leg lifts, etc...

 

[B&M's mom]

Catie's Mom,

You've gotten some great advice. Just a few thoughts. Before making any decisions, sit down and really think about what kind of childhood you want for your daughter. Gymnastics is really a sport for the young. Unless she's an Olympic Gold Medalist, she can't make a career out of being a gymnast. (ok she could do Cirque). Elite training is really hard not just on the gymnast but the entire family. Is your entire family prepared to give up vacations and other activities because your daughter has to be at practice? Are you financially able to spend thousands of dollars a year on training, travel to meets, doctors, physical therapists? If you have other kids, how are they going to react to the vast amount of your family's resources being spent on your daughter?

I raise these questions because it sounds so exciting when a coach tells you how talented your child is but this is not an easy life for anyone in the family. And dealing with the school situation is even trickier.

Don't rush to make any decisions. Your daughter is apparently going into L2, that's a very early level. See how she does and how fast she progresses to the next level. Get her involved in dance, music or whatever so if you decide to let her go that route she understands what she's doing. She'll let you know what route she wants to take and ultimately, if your family decides that it can deal with everything that comes with that road, the decision will be clear.

 

[Faith]

it is also very expensive, with a lot of sacrifices (for the whole family) along the way.

 

[GYM0M]

I, too, have an 8 year old TOPS gymnast, qualified for the Diamond team last year and is currently training for national testing that is in TWO WEEKS! We have been in the sport for a while so the short span of time your dd has been in the sport is impressive. However, what I have noticed is that while it doesn't take long for the girls to catch up, the new girls don't take to well to the intensity of the program. My opinion is that these girls have not had time to develop a love AND a passion for the sport. This is a very crucial part, again just my opinion. You have been thrown into a crazy whirlwind. Good luck and if you want any specifics on anything, feel free to pm me!

 

[happychaos]

I would be asking what the coach means by "nationally ranked". It could be elites, L10 national winners, TOPS qualifiers. Heck, they could be talking about the top 100 scores on MyMeetScores (which really means nothing). If they have no level 8-10s, I am not sure what they could mean - except possibly TOPS qualifiers.

YES!!! A gym with no Level 8-10's cannot have any MEANINGFUL "ranked" gymnasts. There is a gym in our area that competes AAU and USAG. Their gymnasts are mostly in the bottom 1/3 at every USAG meet. However, this gym brags endlessly on it's website about how well it's athletes and teams do in AAU competitions, including AAU nationals. An unknowing parent would surely be impressed with the fancy and important sounding awards they have won.

Caties mom, if you feel comfortable sending someone from chalkbucket a private message, they could probably check a few websites and figure out if your gym really has any "ranked" upper level athletes, and how they perform. You could perhaps try one of the "verified" coaches. I'll bet RAENNDROPS would help you figure it out! She is a sweetheart!

And, I don't mean for this to be a knock on AAU, YMCA, USAIGC, or whatever. I love that there are options for girls to compete with different commitment levels/ages/abilities, etc. And being nationally ranked in AAU is a big deal, and very meaningful to the girls who work hard to get there. It just isn't relevant to a girl who wants to get to the very high levels of the sport. And a coach may or may not be totally upfront about that.....

 

[munchkin3]

You haven't even gotten to the point when she will come home and collapse on the couch to rest, and eat at the same time....it is SUCH a long road. It is simply not possible to make ANY of these decisions in a few months. Gymnastics is still new and fun.

Sit back and relax. It will be obvious in 1 year. Give it a year.......then decide.
You have to see if she likes competing, if she can handle the endless 'polishing, Dealing with injuries, dealing with loosing a stupid skill and gaining it back, dealing with coaches, other girls getting things quicker......

I have been in this sport for 7+ years. Mine are definitely NOT going to any national team.......I have seen some kids with the potential to and their stars, planets, sun and moon must align just so, in order to make it.....I hope they do because their parents have invested EVERYTHING to make them get there......

 

[Flipflopz]

Love the comment about gymnastics being a marathon. Dd is 13, a lev 10. She is still hoping to go the elite route. She never did Tops or Hopes, the gyms we were at didn't do that. She started mom and tot age 2. She did levels 4-10. Most girls she began with have left the sport. LOTS of people dropped out at level 9. Some never got there. She wants to be a Div 1 college gymnast. She has been injured and suffered drama. I never know from day to day what her end result might be. But I support her the very best I can in her dreams. The road to elite is long and uncertain. Dd is not the gymnast at lev 10 that she was at lev 4, 5, 6, 7, etc.. I honestly (having been in the sport as long as we have) can't see how someone can predict elite at level 2. Maybe if you are talking Nastia, because of her family's success and long time involvement in the sport. My two cents.