WAG Which way do we go?

[gymbeam]

Would you be willing to post video of her?

 

[gymdog]

I don't mind male coaches as long as I get to stay and watch until I and Catie are really comfortable.

I would definitely advise you to do so. It's just sometimes a surprise because lower levels are often taught by females. Also it adds a layer to the scarcity of good level 10+ coaching because while there are female coaches at this level, they generally need to or prefer to work with a male because of the spotting required of bigger girls. But there also aren't tons of males who can spot and want to coach gymnastics. So when you add all those factors together it makes it difficult to find programs that have these levels.

 

[bookworm]

Now............to find a gym relatively near me with level 9-10 athletes............obviously not going to be as easy as it sounds.........because it is noone in town

The closest gym isn't always going to fulfill your needs...we drive 80 miles each way to ours , and have done so for years ...so you may have to prepare for a bit of a drive...good luck

 

[onelittledream]

OK..........so if I am going out of my immediate area how do I know what gyms have the 9-10 and above ranked athletes? Do I just call and ask?

 

[onelittledream]

Would you be willing to post video of her?

Yes I will be taking some video's of her practices this week. I was thinking that if the gym's I was asking for an evaluation wanted then I should have some to email to them. As soon as I can take some then I will post here too.........If I can figure out how, but with all the buttons above I am sure I will be able to

 

[my4buffaloes]

I just had a chat with a Canadian dad who's 11 year old lives in the US. He is selling his car so his kid can play hockey. Wow, you say. His kid must be that good. Well no, it is just that in the US kids sports are a huge deal, kids do not seem to just play sports there, it seems to be all about bigger, better, bolder. If your kid doesn't do sports this way they are left out, on the shelf. But lets not forget hardly any kids go to the olympics despite training elite level hours for years.

In the US sports are a really big deal, but sports are not for everyone. Many times parents of young kids can not see the bigger picture. Parents place such a huge emphasis on sports for their kids and the VAST majority of kids no longer participate in sports once they graduate high school.

People think that unless you start early you are left behind, so they panic and "sell their car" to pay for said sport. My 16 year old started a sport in 8th grade and has done well. He started another sport as a sophomore in HS and absolutely loves it. You don't have to start everything at an early age. And it is OK to just play a sport for fun. it doesn't have to be all or nothing all the time. Many parents don't realize that. Both of my boys have played soccer since they were 3 - in the 1 hour a week rec league. They love that, but never wanted more. Every child's path in life is different - every child's path in gymnastics is different. Just because a child likes something, does well at it or is temporarily succeeding doesn't mean we have to drop everything, sell everything and go all the way.

 

[munchkin3]

Any meet score online, or my meet scores. Depending where you are, you can see by state and look who is competing at what level, and where the gym scores. This is a start. You still have to pick carefully though, high scores doesn't mean she will be happy there.......
I have two gimmes in two different gyms, in exact opposite directions.

 

[motigymnasticsmom]

Catiesmom, run, don't walk from this gym. I surely wouldn't sign any contract at this point. Your DD will make it, just take a deep breath . Check on my meet scores.com for other gyms levels and how they score. I would look for other gyms too for a considerable ride, if your DD is that good, check other gyms out and explain to them the situation.

 

[munchkin3]

Yes, absolutely no contracts.

 

[onelittledream]

Yes, absolutely no contracts.

OK so contracts at a gym are not normal??

 

[motigymnasticsmom]

Contracts are normal for large/popular/elite gyms. I wouldn't sign one at this point. You will probably need a new gym by next year anyway

 

[still hanging]

It's a marathon not a sprint. REPEAT. My DD did a couple rec. classes and jump right to level 4 (old level 4). She was just strong, flexible and caught on quick. It's slowed down and thankfully it never crossed my mind to think of the future because as you will see there is so much to this sport..mental, physical, determination, desire, how they can actually handle competition, and lets not forget the changes of puberty and when they become more social. You both still have much yet to go through. Please wait until her first season is over or at least her first meet.

 

[gymbeam]

Yes I will be taking some video's of her practices this week. I was thinking that if the gym's I was asking for an evaluation wanted then I should have some to email to them. As soon as I can take some then I will post here too.........If I can figure out how, but with all the buttons above I am sure I will be able to

You can put them on you tube and link here- that may be easiest. You could also just video splits, jumps, handstands and simple skills at home - even that gives people with a trained eye quite a bit to go on and perhaps enough to give you a little better advice. I'm not one of those people though! LOL. I'm still excited to see her though!

 

[munchkin3]

OK so contracts at a gym are not normal??

NO!!!! Not at this point. If she were 10 YO level then yes, ..... At that point, the gyms investments in the athlete to reach national level may warrant a contract. But no way at the point your DD is.

 

[LJL07]

you will find many people on here who drive up to two hours each way to get to their children's gym - that's just part of the parental commitment required for high level gymnastics, and if you want to get really scare check out some of the fees threads................ (((shudder)))

It's true. Maybe that's why so many parents find it hard to just sit back and let gymnastics just be "fun." It is very expensive, time-consuming fun. But bogwoppit is so right that there are many girls with talent who drop out for a gazillion reasons, so it's just not a good idea to count on college, elite, the Olympics, etc.

 

[gymjunkie]

My thoughts on the new info...

1) The scene in the Gabby Douglass story was nothing more than Hollywood fiction. There is no way a truly experienced coach/gym would react that way to the kid in that scene (not getting pissed off that she was behaving like a wild child in their gym and also reacting as if they had never seen talent before).
2) Elite potential means nothing to an experienced coach, because potential means nothing until that potential materializes. This takes more than 2 months!
3) An experienced coach does not get stars in their eyes over over ANY 8 year old, because they know from experience that by the time that kid is 12, they will very likely have a) quit the sport b) left your gym in search of gym-utopia c) developed paralyzing fear d) gained 100 pounds, etc.
4) If she truly does have a rare talent, starting at 8 will only hold her back if she is with inexperienced coaches at a gym that can't take her anywhere.

I think it's good that you're having her evaluated at another gym. I would take her to a few and report back after the evals.

 

[bookworm]

OK so contracts at a gym are not normal??

I've had 2 gymnasts go all the way through level 10 in a couple of gyms and never signed any contract...so I certainly would not be signing one for a Level 2 athlete....

 

[munchkin3]

Word of advice, find the best gym within 200 miles, and take her for an evaluation.
Once they give you the REAL picture, then take her back home and go through the compulsory system and then see in a year where she is at.

 

[MeetDirector]

Catie's Mom -

First, stop beating yourself up about "being late" bringing your daughter to this sport.

Next, don't make any decisions in haste nor anger. Your dd is new to this sport and there is time. You need to really understand HER goals (not your goals for her) and then begin your search to find a gym that can help HER meet those goals. She has barely dipped her toe into this giant lake called gymnastics; nobody knows, nor can predict, where she will be in a year.

You need to understand this world of competitive gymnastics; what is required, what is not. For example, competing at level 2 is not required; the first level in the USAG system that requires a competitive score is level 4. Furthermore, if the pre-team program (or training team, or whatever it is called) is good, there should never be a need for private lessons, especially regularly scheduled privates, at any level before level 4.

No contracts at a gym at any compulsory level, period. My dd is a level 10 at a very good gym and we have never had a contract. Think about it, you are paying the club every month; unless the contract deals with the gym delivering a specified service to you there is nothing they can mandate you to do.

Good luck, and don't hesitate one second to come on here and ask questions.

 

[Sidnito]

Catie's Mom,

It took us an entire season of Level 2 and constant pestering of the coach at our former gym to move my daughter up through the levels up to L5 until we realized she wasn't in the right place. This place made lots of money on privates and had all the mom's fighting over time on the calendar to get their daughter a private lesson. We left and long story short she is 9 yr old training Elite at her new gym and we couldn't be happier. I should also mention, we got privates for free at her new gym to better prepare her for TOPs and transition to Elite program.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.