Xcel meets - hair

[LiveLoveTumble]

So, I might join the Xcel team at my gym. I know that at meets, the girls on the regular team have to wear their hair in a bun to meets. Do the Xcel girls have to do that too? Because if so, I don't know what I will do, since my mom is hopeless at doing hair, and I can't do a bun in my own hair that will stay. Could I just wear a ponytail, or is a bun required?

 

[gymgal]

Every gym is different in how they want the gymnast's hair. DD's gym doesn't care what it looks like as long as it is neat and out of the face (rules of competition require that). I would ask the girls on the xcel team what they do and if buns are required, don't stress over it. Usually, there are 1-2 moms willing to help out the hopeless hair moms. I fix hair for one of the girls on dd's team. someone will help you too.

 

[MaryA]

As a formerly hopeless hair-mom, if you find you do need to wear it in a bun, tell her not to worry. There are a ton of YouTube videos showing different methods of doing buns. Watch them together until you find one she thinks she can handle and then be patient enough to let her practice. Or else you watch them and learn to do them yourself. I still can't French braid, but I can now manage a pretty little bun in 10 minutes or less. For me, the hardest part is getting the pony tail centered in the middle of her head. After I manage that, it's pretty easy.

 

[Esoteric]

My little one figured out how to do her own bun for "bun day" practices at the age of 8 very simply, but it stays put! She does a pony tail, sprays the hair, combs through and divides into pony into 3 and just does a braid. Sprays again, wraps braid around base of pony tail, secures with an elastic, then a few bobby pins, sprays again, then plops a scrunchie over the top. It always looks great, and she can do one herself in under 10 minutes start to finish. If it seems overwhelming, explain to your mum and she may be able to visualize. DD has thick hair, so for meets I do the same thing, but make 2 braids and wrap one around first, secure, then wrap the second and secure. This proably isn't necessary- but I would hate for her to have an issue during a competition.
Even if you don't need a bun- I think they look wonderful on gymnasts. Good luck.

 

[Quadqueen]

definitely ask the girls on the team. Our gym does not require a bun. A simple ponytail may be fine for you.

 

[GymGirl's Mom]

JO does not require a bun- your gym does. Ask your gym if they require a bun for X-cel. DD's gym's only hair requirement for competition both JO and X-cel is that hair is pulled back away from the face in some way- braid, bun, ponytail, spiderweb thing, etc.

 

[gymboymom]

My dd needs a bun for ballet. One of the other mom's told me to get a bun net at a hair supply shop. They work great and make it so simple, even for pretty short hair. I would ask it they are allowed if you need to have a bun.

 

[GymBee97]

bun or no bun - there isn't a rule one way or the other at a national, regional or state level. Usually that is a gym rule. Our first gym insisted every girl have a bun. Kids with short hair actually had a fake bun pinned in so everyone looked uniformed. Gym we are at now it just has to be off the face so a pony tail or bun will work but no straggling hairs so the part that is pulled back tight has to be sprayed and clipped. The pony tail has to be neat. Some girls braid it in one big braid or a bunch of little braids. Some make ringlets, some flat iron it to death then every things gets sprayed too.

At my DD's current gym they all decide the week before how they want their hair and then all have that style. So all the L4's will have one style for that meet. All the optionals will have another style and so on.

I actually like the uniform look to the team when they all have the same hair style.