ChicagoGymKids
Proud Parent
- Dec 16, 2016
- 3
- 1
Hi!
I am new to the forum but have looked on here from time to time and have found the advice given really helpful. So I thought I would present my question to you more seasoned gymnastics parents. I have tried to educate myself about gymnastics but am basically a nerdy english teacher who carts my kids to practice but really doesn't know the ins and out of gymnastics.
I have twin girls who are 7 that both LOVE gymnastics and would do it everyday if they could. I actually have two questions. First question about whether the practices at the current girl seem normal. Currently one is in a "team Prep" for the USAG track and another is on a "training team" for AAU. I decided to look into moving them to a new gym because of some stuff I thought seemed a little off at first about this gym and then some stuff that seemed outright wrong. But never being a sports person on any level I am not sure if I don't just "get it". My daughter on the USAG pre team got picked out by the owner in parking lot grassy area about 3 months ago when she was doing a press handstand. She was in beginner three at the time. The owner decided that she had "the right body type" and announced I should put her in her pre-team for Level 3. No evaluation or anything. It seemed weird but I went with it. Once practices started (3 days a week, 2 hours each time) my daughter would often come out crying. She was told to "go home" when she would cry during prolonged periods of holding a handstand, made to sit out and watch the other kids on her pre-team when she would cry during conditioning, and comments that she was picked partly for her "exotic look". My daughter is part Filipino. The final blow was when one of coaches said my other daughter (who has amore muscular body) had the "wrong body type" in front of her. My other daughter has also gotten plenty of criticism directed at her in her training team but is so hyper focused that she says it doesn't bother her. So my first question is, is this type of stuff normal? Is it typical of gymnastics training to give lots of harsh criticism and have a hyper focus on body type?
Ok, second question. So I had both of the girl evaluated at another gym that they had done open gyms at where the feeling was much more upbeat and positive. My daughter that was on the "training team" for AAU got into an equivalent "preteam" for Xcel. They said she would most likely be moved to Xcel in June as she was really close. Great. My other daughter, the one who was on the "pre team" for USAG got into Level 3. I honestly do not want to go down the road of highly competitive gymnastics. I really liked the idea of Xcel as an opportunity to compete but not be doing gymnastics every day.
My daughter has other ideas. She is begging to do it. The other problem is as a single mom, I teach and the Level 3 class starts literally thirty minutes after my last class ends, we would ALWAYS be late. And it's 3 times the distance as the old gym. Is Xcel a totally different thing than the USAG track? Would a kids who loves gymnastics be happy doing it, or feel they "missed something"? Could she move over to the USAG track later if she wanted to? Would the coach even let her "step down" to Xcel after she tested into Level 3? Should I try somehow to make this happen for her? I just feel once we start down this road it will be harder and harder to break away from.
I haven't made any decisions yet, either about switching gyms or what I should do or not do about this Level 3 class.
I apologize for most likely saying various gymnastics terms incorrectly. Any advice would be MUCH appreciated.
I am new to the forum but have looked on here from time to time and have found the advice given really helpful. So I thought I would present my question to you more seasoned gymnastics parents. I have tried to educate myself about gymnastics but am basically a nerdy english teacher who carts my kids to practice but really doesn't know the ins and out of gymnastics.
I have twin girls who are 7 that both LOVE gymnastics and would do it everyday if they could. I actually have two questions. First question about whether the practices at the current girl seem normal. Currently one is in a "team Prep" for the USAG track and another is on a "training team" for AAU. I decided to look into moving them to a new gym because of some stuff I thought seemed a little off at first about this gym and then some stuff that seemed outright wrong. But never being a sports person on any level I am not sure if I don't just "get it". My daughter on the USAG pre team got picked out by the owner in parking lot grassy area about 3 months ago when she was doing a press handstand. She was in beginner three at the time. The owner decided that she had "the right body type" and announced I should put her in her pre-team for Level 3. No evaluation or anything. It seemed weird but I went with it. Once practices started (3 days a week, 2 hours each time) my daughter would often come out crying. She was told to "go home" when she would cry during prolonged periods of holding a handstand, made to sit out and watch the other kids on her pre-team when she would cry during conditioning, and comments that she was picked partly for her "exotic look". My daughter is part Filipino. The final blow was when one of coaches said my other daughter (who has amore muscular body) had the "wrong body type" in front of her. My other daughter has also gotten plenty of criticism directed at her in her training team but is so hyper focused that she says it doesn't bother her. So my first question is, is this type of stuff normal? Is it typical of gymnastics training to give lots of harsh criticism and have a hyper focus on body type?
Ok, second question. So I had both of the girl evaluated at another gym that they had done open gyms at where the feeling was much more upbeat and positive. My daughter that was on the "training team" for AAU got into an equivalent "preteam" for Xcel. They said she would most likely be moved to Xcel in June as she was really close. Great. My other daughter, the one who was on the "pre team" for USAG got into Level 3. I honestly do not want to go down the road of highly competitive gymnastics. I really liked the idea of Xcel as an opportunity to compete but not be doing gymnastics every day.
My daughter has other ideas. She is begging to do it. The other problem is as a single mom, I teach and the Level 3 class starts literally thirty minutes after my last class ends, we would ALWAYS be late. And it's 3 times the distance as the old gym. Is Xcel a totally different thing than the USAG track? Would a kids who loves gymnastics be happy doing it, or feel they "missed something"? Could she move over to the USAG track later if she wanted to? Would the coach even let her "step down" to Xcel after she tested into Level 3? Should I try somehow to make this happen for her? I just feel once we start down this road it will be harder and harder to break away from.
I haven't made any decisions yet, either about switching gyms or what I should do or not do about this Level 3 class.
I apologize for most likely saying various gymnastics terms incorrectly. Any advice would be MUCH appreciated.