Why the huge drop off between 5 and 6

[Gymdad2]

Right on Dunno - and one more. MONEY! Each level is more expensive, at least it has been in my experience.

 

[gymmomtoo]

If the girls at the lower levels weren't competing, they wouldn't be registered with USAG (or at least I wouldn't think they would be... why pay the registration fee if you're not competing?) so they wouldn't be a part of this survey.

True,! Perhaps I need to think more before I post ;-)

 

[Pickle's Mom]

I wonder if gymnastics is really that different from other sports.

For example, Cucumber plays soccer. And when he was in the U7 division, there were 16 teams in our club. This year, there were 12. By the time we get to the 12 years old division, there are only 2.

I think it's great that kids try things and then want to try something else. I know for Pickle, gymnastics fills a need that isn't being met elsewhere, but when she gets to HS, there are so many other options that she might want to try (editor of the paper, model UN, computer club, etc.). Right now as a 4th grader she can't imagine quitting, but who knows how she will feel as an 8th grader?

 

[MaryA]

I wonder if gymnastics is really that different from other sports.

For example, Cucumber plays soccer. And when he was in the U7 division, there were 16 teams in our club. This year, there were 12. By the time we get to the 12 years old division, there are only 2.

I think it's great that kids try things and then want to try something else. I know for Pickle, gymnastics fills a need that isn't being met elsewhere, but when she gets to HS, there are so many other options that she might want to try (editor of the paper, model UN, computer club, etc.). Right now as a 4th grader she can't imagine quitting, but who knows how she will feel as an 8th grader?

I agree. I think that that probably all activities see a drop-off in participation over the years, especially when the kids hit middle and high school. I bet your average piano teacher has way more 2nd graders plinking out "Go tell Aunt Rhodie" than they have high school kids perfecting Brahams.

That said, it is almost impossible for me to imagine DD giving up gymnastics, or her sister giving up dance. But with twin tweens, probably the next half dozen years or so are full of things that I can't imagine.

 

[Krystan]

I wonder if gymnastics is really that different from other sports.

For example, Cucumber plays soccer. And when he was in the U7 division, there were 16 teams in our club. This year, there were 12. By the time we get to the 12 years old division, there are only 2.

I think it's great that kids try things and then want to try something else. I know for Pickle, gymnastics fills a need that isn't being met elsewhere, but when she gets to HS, there are so many other options that she might want to try (editor of the paper, model UN, computer club, etc.). Right now as a 4th grader she can't imagine quitting, but who knows how she will feel as an 8th grader?

I think this is true for most sports (and also things like dance), because for the most part, the older/better you get, the more hours are required. Since there is a limit to the number of hours in a week, kids need to "specialize" or pick their favorite as they get older. Where a second grader might do dance, gymnastics, and soccer a few hours a week each, once a L5/L6 has practice 10/12 hours per week, they need to pare down or pick the one they like best. I know dance hours will go up the higher you get, as will soccer (if you go travel vs. rec) and many other sports. The better you get, the more hours of practice required, the fewer activities you can do simultaneously. Dd's friend made the dance team this year and is at dance 8 hours per week and decided to drop gymnastics because she likes dance more. Not that she doesn't also enjoy gym, she just can't do both. Gymnastics seems to be particularly brutal in this regard, so an athlete needs to be willing to give up other stuff. In addition to all the other issues previously mentioned!

 

[Mack_the_Ripper]

It's funny - I always had as much time as I wanted to devote to practice before now, and I was limited by our max number of hours. Now I'm one of the optionals and we can practice pretty much as often as we like...but I'm applying to college next year and I've got a billion tests and, hey, I do want to get a date to prom after all...I always thought of myself as being very dedicated to gymnastics but it seems life just piles on. Sometimes I wish I could just wipe school away and practice instead!