Gym Moms

[Jennifer in MI]

We just had an in-house meet last weekend.  Dd's coach wanted anyone who is moving up to score at least a 32 at this point.  (Two months until first official meet.)  Meg had no problem with it, so she's officially a level 4.  She's 8.

 

She currently struggles with bars.  She can't do her kip straight-armed yet.  She'll get it though.  

 

Nicole - all of our girls skip level 5, but they move straight into 6.  We have an Xcel program at our gym, but it's used mostly for older girls just starting out or those who want a smaller committment.

 

I wish we were going to FL this year!  We are doing a TON of traveling with Meg this year.  Las Vegas, Kalahari (Ohio), New York, and a bunch of MI meets.  Her state meet is in Traverse City, MI, which will require another hotel.  This is getting really expensive, really fast!!!

[ByGrace3]

We have an Xcel program at our gym, but it's used mostly for older girls just starting out or those who want a smaller commitment.

 

This is getting really expensive, really fast!!!

I have heard others say that about the xcel program...it's why I am a little worried. I am hoping dd doesn't end up scoring against much older girls.

 

And yes, super expensive! We mostly travel within a few hours radius, but it still requires hotels often, and we are doing one meet in NC.

[jenn-]

XCEL does not feed into the USAG optionals.  I am surprised they would test girls out of level 5 if they aren't ready to compete level 6.  I would be questioning the coaches on their reasoning why.

[Aurelia]

I've got a tumbler, but there aren't many of those around. DD's gym does power tumbling and cheerleading. She was on the national team last year, but we didn't want to do nationals this year because of the expense. She's on their state team instead, so she can still compete (which she loves), without having to travel all over everywhere. She's also taking a recreational cheer class and loves it.

 

She's still working on getting her back handspring on the floor, she has it and her roundoff-back handspring on the trampoline, but needs more arm strength. I've been working with her conditioning at home and she's done more handstands than I can count in the last couple of months. If she gets it, she'll move up a level on floor (she moved up on her other events because she got her back whip on trampoline & double-mini this summer), and she really wants to. She's getting very close.

 

Meet season starts next month, but I don't know if we'll make the first meet. It depends on how far away it is. 

[Pamela H in Texas]

So as I explained, we had to change gyms due to scheduling so my daughter didn't do last meet season.  Try-outs for Level 2 (could be moved up if ready once team classes started) were April or May. My daughter did fine on what they asked them to do (mostly checking flexibility, strength, taking directions, etc rather than skills thrown).  LOVE the coach.

 

It is humbling for me to have her doing level 2 when she did level 2 two years ago scoring 9s (except bars).  I realize the levels changed, but...

 

I expect that she will make very nice scores this season.  I can't even guess what level she'll move to in the spring. She still is not doing skills she was doing a year and a half ago at the old gym.  She just is strange with what she gets into her head about what she can and can't, will and won't, do.  And I am going to have to just let her have at it :)  

 

I'm pretty sure I'd be a crazy gym mom if I watched practices :)  I don't.  

Oh, but when they get a new skill three times in a row, they get to show the parents.  Tonight she did and got to show daddy when he got there to pick her up.  He was beaming when they told me.  Something about flying around the gym like super girl :)

[LMV]

Resurrecting the conversation! How are all the gym families?!? Has meet season started for your child? What level will they be competing this year? Anything new or exciting happening in gymnastics for your child?

 

We kick off meet season with an in house meet in December. My dd is fine tuning some things but looks like she will be ready...though she is still struggling some with her back tuck. Our gym has decided to let the girls score out of level 5 (which most including my dd did back in May) and then compete excel gold this year since they are not ready for 6.

 

Honestly, I don't understand it, but we just go with the flow.

 

Anyone have experience with the xcel program? I feel even more clueless than normal!

 

Anyone competing any meets in Florida is year? :)

 

DD14 will be embarking on yet another season of L10.  I've been told her piked Jaegar is solid awesome and now connected into her pak.  We'll see if I'm burying my head in DH's shoulder when she competes it.

DD4 is still playing in the pre school gym.  Her gym is good about being developmentally appropriate so bars are the only apparatus where she has a lot  skills that look like "real gymnastics" [as she puts it].  She has both of her hip circles, a pullover, and a strong cast.  DD14 says that she is actually scarily close to having a kip so we might have another bars girl or we may be raising a fish--who knows? 

 

I will agree with others that the idea of scoring out of L5 when you aren't ready for L6 is a bit baffling.  It was also my understanding that L6 requirements are actually a little easier than L5 which makes the idea more confusing.  Our daughters' gym does a year of L4 and a year of L5 with all the kids.  The kids who are doing well go right to L7 either to compete or score out to L8. L6 can be skipped without scoring out so our HC now uses it for girls who aren't ready to make the jump from L5 to L7 after a single year of L5.  In the past [when L5 was called L6] he often funneled these girls  through Prep-Opt [which has no become Xcel] to allow them to get their taste of optionals and not get frustrated as they worked to address the form and strength deficiencies which were keeping them from progressing to L7.

 

It was my impression that USAG now really wants Xcel to be a separate stream [somewhat of a competitive rec scenario] from JO and prefers that kids who are planning to go back to JO not hang out in Xcel while perfecting their giants.  Or at least this is what our HC believes so he is trying to "play fair" and have these girls compete L6 unless they request to make a lateral move into the Xcel stream. 

[LMV]

So as I explained, we had to change gyms due to scheduling so my daughter didn't do last meet season.  Try-outs for Level 2 (could be moved up if ready once team classes started) were April or May. My daughter did fine on what they asked them to do (mostly checking flexibility, strength, taking directions, etc rather than skills thrown).  LOVE the coach.

 

It is humbling for me to have her doing level 2 when she did level 2 two years ago scoring 9s (except bars).  I realize the levels changed, but...

 

I expect that she will make very nice scores this season.  I can't even guess what level she'll move to in the spring. She still is not doing skills she was doing a year and a half ago at the old gym.  She just is strange with what she gets into her head about what she can and can't, will and won't, do.  And I am going to have to just let her have at it :)

 

I'm pretty sure I'd be a crazy gym mom if I watched practices :)  I don't.  

 

Oh, but when they get a new skill three times in a row, they get to show the parents.  Tonight she did and got to show daddy when he got there to pick her up.  He was beaming when they told me.  Something about flying around the gym like super girl :)

 

Gymnastics is a journey.  The road isn't always smooth or linear.  Also I believe that if she competes L2 this year it will be the equivalent of what was called L3 two years ago.  Between old L2 and old L6 everything just moved down a level.  Our daughters' gym never used to compete before L5.  Now they compete L4 because USAG has renamed their old L5 and calls it L4.  Best of luck to Tori this year!

[ByGrace3]

DD14 will be embarking on yet another season of L10. I've been told her piked Jaegar is solid awesome and now connected into her pak. We'll see if I'm burying my head in DH's shoulder when she competes it.

DD4 is still playing in the pre school gym. Her gym is good about being developmentally appropriate so bars are the only apparatus where she has a lot skills that look like "real gymnastics" [as she puts it]. She has both of her hip circles, a pullover, and a strong cast. DD14 says that she is actually scarily close to having a kip so we might have another bars girl or we may be raising a fish--who knows?

 

I will agree with others that the idea of scoring out of L5 when you aren't ready for L6 is a bit baffling. It was also my understanding that L6 requirements are actually a little easier than L5 which makes the idea more confusing. Our daughters' gym does a year of L4 and a year of L5 with all the kids. The kids who are doing well go right to L7 either to compete or score out to L8. L6 can be skipped without scoring out so our HC now uses it for girls who aren't ready to make the jump from L5 to L7 after a single year of L5. In the past [when L5 was called L6] he often funneled these girls through Prep-Opt [which has no become Xcel] to allow them to get their taste of optionals and not get frustrated as they worked to address the form and strength deficiencies which were keeping them from progressing to L7.

 

It was my impression that USAG now really wants Xcel to be a separate stream [somewhat of a competitive rec scenario] from JO and prefers that kids who are planning to go back to JO not hang out in Xcel while perfecting their giants. Or at least this is what our HC believes so he is trying to "play fair" and have these girls compete L6 unless they request to make a lateral move into the Xcel stream.

 

Our gym owner has said that level 5 is notoriously challenging for scoring and doesnot want the girls to be frustrated. Since these same girls were level 4's two years in a row due to the USAG levels changing. (Old 4, new 4) The did an in house mobility to score out of 5, and now will compete xcel gold, and plan to compete level 6 next year. Many of these girls "scored our" without flyaways so they are definitely not ready for 6. None of them have cast handstands on bars or back handsprings on beam.

 

My younger dd's coach is having to fight to keep her in Preteam. They want her moving up to team, but both her coach and I want her to stay where she is. I don't want her pushed at 4. Her coach plans to continue training her and have her skip 2 and go to 3, though she won't compete until 7 so she has plenty of time. She has a cast back hip circle and pullover on bar (and can do a pullover on high bar no problem). She is crazy close to a kip. She has a bridge kick over and a back bend kick over. She is crazy good already and I know the gym is eyeing her for TOPS as soon as she is a little older. I just don't know. She is my sassy crazy girl and I'm not sure she will be as committed as my not so natural older dd. funny how that works! But for now they are having fun so we go with it. :)

[Mom22ns]

It was my impression that USAG now really wants Xcel to be a separate stream [somewhat of a competitive rec scenario] from JO and prefers that kids who are planning to go back to JO not hang out in Xcel while perfecting their giants.  Or at least this is what our HC believes so he is trying to "play fair" and have these girls compete L6 unless they request to make a lateral move into the Xcel stream. 

 

Whatever they want, USAG still hasn't prevented gyms from using it this way.

 

The gym dd went to dropped level 6 and took girls from level 5 to prep-op to level 7 or 8. As the prep-op system developed and expanded into two levels, they often skipped levels 6 & 7 instead keeping them prep-op/excel because there is actually more flexibility in what is allowed in routines (they could do level B skills that weren't allowed at level 7). Dd did level 4, 5, prep-op, then level 7, but since then, that gym has totally eliminated all compulsory levels and switched to only doing prep-op/excel straight to level 7 or 8. They still don't do any compulsory levels - just test out. They have a test out meet at the gym each fall and run the girls through with a local judge. 

 

Dd switched to acro last year and has never looked back. She competed a level 7 pair and a level 8 trio and did great all the way through nationals. This year her coach wants her and her pair partner to go level 9, but there is one skill they aren't sure they will be solid on by meet season. Acro meets don't start until January, so the coach will decide then which level they will do. I'm just along for the ride. I pay bills and cheer at meets. As long as dd is happy, it is all good.

[kwg]

My ds just started recreational gymnastics class the beg of September but last week he got a letter asking if we wanted to go to pre-team.  I am reading all these new words here and feeling a bit  :confused1: ....LOL.   I usupposeit will become clearer -or not.  He seems to love it, but I never really thought of it as a team thing, just something we would do on Monday nights.

 

What are all these levels? What ages do kids compete?  Why is it so expensive?

 

 

This preteam class tho- some things are scary for him.  He is 7.  He hates pullovers, anything o the bars i think. Or anything really high. lol. So I guess we will see if he will even want to continue.  I will feel a little sad if he doesn't b/c he *was* having so much fun and I do think it is good for him.  I wonder if they pushed him too fast?  To only be in rec for 4-6 weeks.  Is that ok?

 

I watched him in class tonight and he had a blast.  But he will prob spend the next day or so ruminating about all the scary things he has to do and maybe he would just rather go back to his *other* class and *why* did he pay attention so well anyway.... :lol:

 

Anyway it has been interesting, if somewhat confusing, to read all these.

[LMV]

Our gym owner has said that level 5 is notoriously challenging for scoring and doesnot want the girls to be frustrated. Since these same girls were level 4's two years in a row due to the USAG levels changing. (Old 4, new 4) The did an in house mobility to score out of 5, and now will compete xcel gold, and plan to compete level 6 next year. Many of these girls "scored our" without flyaways so they are definitely not ready for 6. None of them have cast handstands on bars or back handsprings on beam.

 

My younger dd's coach is having to fight to keep her in Preteam. They want her moving up to team, but both her coach and I want her to stay where she is. I don't want her pushed at 4. Her coach plans to continue training her and have her skip 2 and go to 3, though she won't compete until 7 so she has plenty of time. She has a cast back hip circle and pullover on bar (and can do a pullover on high bar no problem). She is crazy close to a kip. She has a bridge kick over and a back bend kick over. She is crazy good already and I know the gym is eyeing her for TOPS as soon as she is a little older. I just don't know. She is my sassy crazy girl and I'm not sure she will be as committed as my not so natural older dd. funny how that works! But for now they are having fun so we go with it. :)

 

Isn't the flyaway the dismount for the compulsory L5 bars routine? It seems that it was the required dismount for the old L6.  I suspect our daughters' gym would have probably either given them the option to compete L5 mid season and beyond after they mastered their skills, or repeat L4.  I realize that they may feel like they are repeating for a second time at L4 but they really wouldn't have been. Although "our" gym never competed L4 until L5 was renamed L4 we do have some girls in our gym who are doing a second year of L4 this year and are really in the same situation your daughters group could have been in. Of course if the girls are excited to have their own routines then I can see the appeal and if their coach has had success with this approach in the past then he probably is cognizant not to sacrifice solid building block skills for score maximizing work arounds.  

 

Best wishes to both of your girls.  Do be careful with bridging skills with your four year old.  I always get a little nervous when I read about kids under five doing these.  At DD4's gym these are not even introduced or allowed until the kids come out of the preschool gym into the developmental program sometime after their fifth birthday.

[LMV]

Whatever they want, USAG still hasn't prevented gyms from using it this way.

 

The gym dd went to dropped level 6 and took girls from level 5 to prep-op to level 7 or 8. As the prep-op system developed and expanded into two levels, they often skipped levels 6 & 7 instead keeping them prep-op/excel because there is actually more flexibility in what is allowed in routines (they could do level B skills that weren't allowed at level 7). Dd did level 4, 5, prep-op, then level 7, but since then, that gym has totally eliminated all compulsory levels and switched to only doing prep-op/excel straight to level 7 or 8. They still don't do any compulsory levels - just test out. They have a test out meet at the gym each fall and run the girls through with a local judge. 

 

 

 

Oh, yes, I'm aware that as it currently stands there is no rule against running JO kids in/out/through the Xcel precious medals.  The sense our HC has gotten from region meetings, and congress is that USAG is working to make Xcel more of a recreation stream for children training fewer hours etc.  For this reason he has made the executive decision that we now use L6 for girls who aren't ready for L7 or need a low key year to work on something specific training wise.  One thing I will say for our HC is that he really does try to keep the playing field level and really prides himself on the sportsmanship that the girls show.  

 

I also recognize that some programs really eschew the compulsory levels. Ultimately, if that works for them then I think that is great.  However, at least in our area, most of the gyms that do that never really compete consistently well at L9 and L10 when those girls reach there.

[Ailaena]

Isn't the flyaway the dismount for the compulsory L5 bars routine? It seems that it was the required dismount for the old L6.

 

Yes, but the mobility score is only a 31, and omitting the dismount starts you with a 8.8.  Figure a score of 6.8, you can get something like an 8.1 on the other 3 events and make your mobility score.  Then you can do level 6, which is easier than level 5, giving kids a boost of confidence (making them feel specialer, maybe making them stay in the sport longer) and yet brings in an extra year of choreography money.

 

 

 

I also recognize that some programs really eschew the compulsory levels. Ultimately, if that works for them then I think that is great.  However, at least in our area, most of the gyms that do that never really compete consistently well at L9 and L10 when those girls reach there.

 

I never understood this until we were at a gym that had a zero-pressure/zero-care mentality for compulsory.  The little girls still worked out ridiculous hours, but competed poorly until level 8, where they rocked 8, 9,10, and elite.  Most girls ended up with scholarships, but the team was smaller than you would expect because many parents expect that excellent-scoring compulsory levels = excellent scoring optional levels.  Which is just not always the case.  Also, as the levels increase, participants decrease at an exponential rate, and many people never notice the optional kids,  Plus, unless you know what's going on, all of the big kids are just flipping around everywhere, anyways.

 

I just don't get Xcel as some sort of intermediate level for usag kids.  I think that's why usag started level 6, although most gyms I know are skipping it.  I think it is a level for very specific people - those who don't have flight on beam or fhs-front on floor.  It beats sitting out for a year and develops musicality, maybe?

[Pamela H in Texas]

kwg,  boys are pretty different.  Where girls start at level 2 (though many gyms do wait), boys don't until 8 and level 4 if I'm understanding correctly.  There are two levels under team at our gym.  They are both "preteams" basically.  One tracks into competing level 4 at 8.  The other tracks into level 5.  I know there are a couple meets "just to get their feet wet" when they are younger.

 

It is very expensive, even more so for boys because they have to travel more and earlier, it seems.  Better to decide now if you want to deal with that.  

A lot of kids are very scared of things, but if he is willing to try, then it may be okay.  And he may decide all those things aren't so scary once he makes progress on them.

[maize]

I appreciate all the discussion about levels and such, I find the whole levels system confusing and it is good to hear experiences and perspective from moms who are in the middle of it. I have three children currently participating in beginning/recreational gymnastics. DD11 does gymnastics primarily as cross-training for dance, a way to build flexibility, core, and leg strength. I doubt she will ever do more than recreational levels. DS9 enjoys gymnastics and is close to moving to pre-team, but he doesn't at this point show a preference for it over other activities he has participated/does participate in (dance, soccer, basketball...) I have no idea whether he would eventually want to do it more seriously. DD6 is the one who loves gymnastics and could become serious with it. I worry about that because I don't know how to do two serious competitive activities at a time; older sister's dance has taken up a huge proportion of the available time and funds this fall. I really want DD6 to have her own thing, and I don't think it is dance like her sister. For now though I'm rather relieved that she is not progressing particularly quickly and we can stick with being at the gym once or twice a week.

 

My kids have actually been going to two gyms; the closer one doesn't have a great reputation competitively in the area (based on discussions with moms who have been involved for awhile) and the teachers they have for the beginners are not very experienced. People tell me my kids should be learning skills a lot faster than they are. But it has the advantage of being close and offering nice discounts for multiple siblings.  There is another gym about half an hour away that has a much better reputation--we haven't tried it out but it is on my radar for "someday maybe". A third gym, about twenty minutes in the opposite direction, started offering homeschool classes this fall so we signed up and I'm actually really, really pleased with what the kids are getting there. The gym owner is teaching the class, and is clearly an experienced coach who has all the kids in the class progressing really nicely. He split the class at the beginning so the older, more experienced, or more enthusiastic kids are all in one class and he says he has never had a class move so fast. It is mostly boys--lots of energy. It's been really, really good for my somewhat timid girls as they follow right along and do everything the other kids do. We've decided that at the end of this month we will take a break from the first gym and just stick with the homeschool class (we've just about run ourselves ragged with activities this fall, partly intentionally as I have a baby due Feb 1st and I know we will have to pull back for a time) but we're needing a breather. My only hesitation is that the homeschool class is mixed gender and not focusing specifically on all the skills ds9 or dd6 might need to progress towards teams. The skills they are working on though they are making good progress.

[ByGrace3]

Hey everyone! Meet season is underway! How is everyone doing??? Tomorrow is dd's second meet of the season-- competing xcel gold...was just wondering how everyone else's seasons were going....and wondering if anyone will be at the same meets. :)

[plansrme]

My HS junior/level 10 had what is probably a career-ending injury Christmas week. We both cried for three days. She had surgery last week and is recovering well, but she misses it. Her head coach hired her as a team coach within hours after she got hurt, and that has been a godsend, literally. She has not completely closed the door on coming back for her senior season, but we will see. In the meantime, she is happy coaching and is looking at taking the judges' tests. The younger girls at her gym adore her, as do their parents, but that just makes it all the harder to leave. I really don't know what she would be doing with herself if she had not moved straight into coaching. Her coach--bless his heart. Love him!

[ByGrace3]

My HS junior/level 10 had what is probably a career-ending injury Christmas week. We both cried for three days. She had surgery last week and is recovering well, but she misses it. Her head coach hired her as a team coach within hours after she got hurt, and that has been a godsend, literally. She has not completely closed the door on coming back for her senior season, but we will see. In the meantime, she is happy coaching and is looking at taking the judges' tests. The younger girls at her gym adore her, as do their parents, but that just makes it all the harder to leave. I really don't know what she would be doing with herself if she had not moved straight into coaching. Her coach--bless his heart. Love him!

Oh goodness I am so sorry! So very glad she is ok. I can't imagine how difficult it is, but I am glad she is finding joy in coaching. Hugs!

[Mommy22alyns]

My HS junior/level 10 had what is probably a career-ending injury Christmas week. We both cried for three days. She had surgery last week and is recovering well, but she misses it. Her head coach hired her as a team coach within hours after she got hurt, and that has been a godsend, literally. She has not completely closed the door on coming back for her senior season, but we will see. In the meantime, she is happy coaching and is looking at taking the judges' tests. The younger girls at her gym adore her, as do their parents, but that just makes it all the harder to leave. I really don't know what she would be doing with herself if she had not moved straight into coaching. Her coach--bless his heart. Love him!

 

 

Oh no, I am so sorry!  It's fantastic that she can coach though.

 

Rebecca's meet  season is over (states was Dec. 7).  She will be training for a year and won't compete again until Jan. 2016.  I don't know if she will be a L6 or L7. I've had a lot of consternation over what level she's going to do. She had a pretty successful season at L5.  She won 3 meets and made state champ on bars and beam!  

 

I hope to hear more about the Well-Trained Gymmies.  :D

[maize]

I have two who want to get into teams, but the gym they have been at doesn't seem to be very good at moving kids along; they're still stuck in beginning classes with poor coaching even though they are motivated. I think we just need to switch gyms, but the one we were going to switch to (they evaluated ds9 and said they could put him in the preteam class) just changed ownership and all the schedules have been switched up so I'm not sure it will work for us right now.

 

I know a lot of kids start much younger, do any of you have kids on teams who got a somewhat later start? DS9 and DD7 are my aspiring gymnasts.

[Runningmom80]

My DD just started gymnastics.  The leotard thing is going to do me in.  She's skinny so none of them fit!  If they are tight enough in the legs, they are way too short in the torso.  Any recs for very skinny girls?

 

(She's 4.5, 29lbs and wears a 2t in pants, 3t in shirts.)

[Jennifer in MI]

I'm so sorry about the injury!!!  What a huge disappointment.  I'm glad to read that she can coach though!

 

Runningmom80 - my daughter has that problem.  She usually wears a leo that's a little big with gym shorts - the really tight ones.  Works well.

 

After Meg had a very successful year last year, she's moved up an age group and a level.  She struggles with vault so much!  So, she isn't placing as well in all around competitions this year.  Poor kid.  She's still motivated and loves it though!  Her first meet she got first on beam and 3rd all around (in the 8 and under division).  Her second meet (yesterday - in the 9 and under division - even though she's still only 8!), she got 3rd on beam and 8th all around.  (What is it with kids getting 9.8 and 9.9s at the beginning of the season???  Holy cow!!!)

[Mommy22alyns]

I have two who want to get into teams, but the gym they have been at doesn't seem to be very good at moving kids along; they're still stuck in beginning classes with poor coaching even though they are motivated. I think we just need to switch gyms, but the one we were going to switch to (they evaluated ds9 and said they could put him in the preteam class) just changed ownership and all the schedules have been switched up so I'm not sure it will work for us right now.

 

I know a lot of kids start much younger, do any of you have kids on teams who got a somewhat later start? DS9 and DD7 are my aspiring gymnasts.

 

 

Rebecca started gymnastics at 3, but we were at a small-town, non-competitive gym, so she didn't join team until she was 9.  I think your kids' ages are just fine, especially considering male gymnasts peak later.

[Aurelia]

DD just joined a recreational "real" gymnastics class today and it's apparent she needs work on her upper body. I already knew that, but the gym where she does tumbling doesn't work upper body much at all - it's nearly all leg and core work. She's super excited that she can do gymnastics with different apparatus, since she's been dying to try out beam and bars for months, but I couldn't find a gym within driving distance that didn't charge an arm and a leg or have really terrible coaching. This one seems like it might be the best of both worlds. Fingers crossed!

 

She wants to stay at her tumbling gym, too, but I told her she'd have to move to a recreational class instead of the team because I can't afford all the team stuff for one gym, plus tuition (even though it's reduced for home schoolers) at another (or two - she's trying out an aerial circus arts class this week). She seemed fine with it. Her main concern was that she could keep working on her back handspring. (Seriously, that was her only question about every gym we have looked at. I've never known anyone who was so driven about one particular skill.) She hasn't been able to compete at a single meet this season, anyway, since she broke her ankle RIGHT before the November meet and was just fully released from doctor's care on Friday. 

 

My hope is that she will build up enough upper body strength to be able to move up a level or two at her tumbling gym, if she chooses to be on the team next year. She's bored with walkovers, but doesn't have a solid handspring yet, which is required for the next two levels. Or maybe she'll love gymnastics or circus so much she doesn't go back. I guess we'll see. 

[maize]

Hi guys! I'd love to hear what your gymnasts are up to this year.

 

My kiddos are wading in a bit deeper, ds10 and dd7 just got invited to the preteam program which is exciting for them but messes up my carefully coordinated schedule. I have no idea how we are going to manage when they actually move into teams (assuming both go that route, which they may not).

 

I'm really happy with the new gym, this is actually the fourth gym we have tried but the first where I have been impressed with the teaching at the beginning levels. One gym in particular the kids just were not making progress, they enjoyed the classes well enough but were not really learning the skills.

[rebcoola]

My DD9 decided to go to team (XCEL bronze) at the last minute in September.  I know nothing about the sport.  We love our gym the owner/head coach has been doing tumbling privates with both DD's and she is tough but also just loves my kids.   It's also super nice having my girls in their own things (the other does cheer team) but at the same place & some of the same times.  

[Georgiana Daniels]

It's been a frustrating year for us. My dd's first meet isn't until January, but I'm not sure she's going to be ready. Bars has always been a challenge for her, and now for L7 she is having more struggles (giants.) Then when she wasn't getting them, her coach would give her rope climbs, which in turn ripped up her hands more, making bars harder. One day he even sent her home. I do understand that he was trying to find a way to motivate her, but that type doesn't work for her, even if it works for others.

 

But she still loves gym and wants to stay and overcome. I do admire her for that!

[Aurelia]

DD is still doing recreational gymnastics at one gym (level 3), and is on the Junior Olympic team at the tumbling gym. We won't know if she actually qualifies for JO until April, but the kids in her classes are all training for it. She moved up a level in both floor and double mini, but her coach wants her to stay at her previous level on trampoline because the next level in DD's age group is super-tough and huge. I'm still trying to decide if I'm ok with that (DD really doesn't like it - she'd rather get 20th place in a more difficult routine than 1st in one that's "boring") or if I should ask if she can move up and just see how she does. Her first competition is at the end of this month, if she doesn't get hurt again. 

 

She's come a long way in gymnastics. When she started in January, she couldn't even get 2 feet up the rope, and now easily climbs to the top. I can't remember all the skills she's working on - handspring step-outs and pullovers, maybe? But one of the coaches is really helpful and takes time to actually work with DD, which is awesome. She usually gets lost in the shuffle because she's not very assertive. They're getting ready for their December "recital." It's basically to show off to the parents and grandparents what they've learned this session. I think DD is more excited about the leotard that goes with it (gym leo for all the kids that participate) than anything else.

[Dmmetler]

DD10 isn't nearly as advanced-she has some physical struggles. She's working on level 1-3 rec tumbling (one class because there are a lot fewer tumblers than gymnasts) and level 3 Champion Force cheer (rec, equivalent to level 1 USASF). She's working on her back handspring and RO-BHS. For the most part, she has it-but is scared to try without someone there to spot her. Confidence is a big issue. She also is basing in cheer for the first time this season, which she's both excited and nervous about.

 

It's a good sport for her-she is strong Academicslly, so the gym is one place she works, and she loves the team competition of cheer.

[ssque]

I just switched over to a Crossfit gym and boy is it kickin my butt. The instructor is such a nice guy and doesn't push me too hard, but gives enough encouragement to keep me confident. The instructor is more than half the battle when finding a good Crossfit gym. I've definitely lost some weight and have acquired better balance, speed, and strength.

 

The instructor blends gymnastics, yoga, and weightlifting all together with a lot of mobility work. Once my kids are old enough I will bring them here to train them for sports.

[Sk8ermaiden]

DD is still in gym, progressing through the preteam. The moment of truth will come in December. She's supposed to move up to the next level, and has all her skills and then some, except vault, oh the vault. So she's in weekly private lessons for it right now which she does not enjoy and cost a fortune. I'll be happy when they're over. 

[fdrinca]

DD just finished her first competitive season (Level 2), and it's been an interesting year in terms of social growth. The girls are her team are...well...mean. We're just not used to mean kids. It's been rough :( But the gym is moving girls up at the start of the year, so she's hopeful some new teammates will help the social dynamics of her team.

 

DS is getting ready to begin competition (Level 5). His kip is 90% reliable, although don't ask him about the pommel :)

[ByGrace3]

Dd5 is training level 3 and one day a week is on the excel bronze team and will compete 2 outside bronze meets this year.

 

Dd10 is in a bit of a quandary. She is planning to go level 6 --- had the in house meet today and did pretty well other than falling on her backhand spring on beam. Her flyaway that she competed without issue last season is giving her fits but hopefully will be back in time for meet season in January. I feel like she has grown a lot since last year and is doing well. Her coach is now considering whether is would be best for her to go 6 as planned or do another year of excel gold where she will have a chance to do much better. They are pretty much leaving the choice up to dd. She is torn. She really wants to do well. She has never placed well in AA and has a chance if she goes excel. If she goes 6 it will be like last year-- hopefully medaling in 1-2 events per meet but low in AA due to bars and vault. Excel would give her a successful season and a good chance at regionals.

 

Most of her team is going 6 or 7 so that is a factor as well...I want her to do well but it kills me that excel gold has such a large range of skills and dd competing higher level skills so can easily get beat out by kids competing much lower level skills. At least level 6 is a more level playing field.

 

She competed excel gold last season and scored 32-34 so repeating wouldn't be terrible....her mock scores today for level 6 (which should be relatively accurate?) were: vault:8.4, beam: 8.5, bars: 8.9, and floor 9.4

 

Any thoughts or words of wisdom?

[Sneezyone]

My DD is in a similar position, not a high scorer but moving up to compete level 6 in Jan. She has 36+ potential but hasn't been able to put it all together in one meet yet. Her level 5 high was 35.95. We haven't had our mock meet and don't know what to expect in 6 yet. I think, for some kids, being able to compete their own routines (less comparing with others) boosts their confidence. I know DD is thrilled to do her routine on floor and she smiles the whole way. Our gym doesn't do excel tho so the only way for my girl to have that is JO. In your case, I'd still choose JO just because of the skill-range issue.

[Jkacz]

DS9 (level 4) competed in his first real meet ever today. He did rec level until this year so this is a whole new world for me. There was a little bit of a screw-up and I'm not sure I did the right thing. He was listed to go 3rd in each event but the assistant coach put him up 2nd in the first 2 events. It was caught on the 3rd event by the judge for that event and fixed after that. At awards I realized that the scores were mixed up between him and the other boy who was supposed to be second but went third. DS scored a 8.8 on pommel and the other boy scored a 8.0. They scored same on second event so no problem there. I mentioned it to the head coach on his way out and he looked at me like I had 2 heads. I probably shouldn't have said anything but I want to make sure it doesn't happen again.

 

DS ended up 2nd in pommel. He took 2nd in floor where he added the bonus press to handstand and second in high/horizontal bar where he did the pullover without assistance and added the bonus back hip circle. 3rd place all around. I'm not sure if his place on pommel or all around would have been higher if the scores weren't messed up. The boys are different age brackets so it's hard to tell and scores haven't been posted. I've made sure not to say anything to DS because I don't want to upset him.

 

For you gym moms out there, does this happen frequently? And how do I make sure it doesn't happen again?

 

Jenn

[Dmmetler]

DD had her first cheer competition of the year. They didn't get a bid, so they're not going on to the next level this season, but they turned out a nice, clean routine, and DD's tumbling passes went well.

[Sneezyone]

DS9 (level 4) competed in his first real meet ever today. He did rec level until this year so this is a whole new world for me. There was a little bit of a screw-up and I'm not sure I did the right thing. He was listed to go 3rd in each event but the assistant coach put him up 2nd in the first 2 events. It was caught on the 3rd event by the judge for that event and fixed after that. At awards I realized that the scores were mixed up between him and the other boy who was supposed to be second but went third. DS scored a 8.8 on pommel and the other boy scored a 8.0. They scored same on second event so no problem there. I mentioned it to the head coach on his way out and he looked at me like I had 2 heads. I probably shouldn't have said anything but I want to make sure it doesn't happen again.

 

DS ended up 2nd in pommel. He took 2nd in floor where he added the bonus press to handstand and second in high/horizontal bar where he did the pullover without assistance and added the bonus back hip circle. 3rd place all around. I'm not sure if his place on pommel or all around would have been higher if the scores weren't messed up. The boys are different age brackets so it's hard to tell and scores haven't been posted. I've made sure not to say anything to DS because I don't want to upset him.

 

For you gym moms out there, does this happen frequently? And how do I make sure it doesn't happen again?

 

Jenn

This does happen occasionally. The longer you compete, the less it matters though. Most meets are run by parent volunteers who are doing their best. Especially at the entry levels, the more important thing is your child's individual performance and progress.

[Mommy22alyns]

We have an intrasquad practice meet the 19th and our first "real" meet Jan. 8-10.

 

We had really bad coaching upheaval this year, and Rebecca wasn't given proper training and attention until mid-July.  All the girls in optionals are struggling with something.  She has not gotten her giants yet.  She is really close and her form is there, but she's overthinking it, according to her HC.  Everything else is really good, according to him.  I won't see it all put together for a couple of weeks.  She'll be L7 for sure, but might have to scratch bars her first meet.   :(

 

Our new HC is a "name" in the gymnastics world, so I'm not revealing it, but he has coached elite and Olympians before and gotten dozens of girls to college scholarships.  Rebecca attracted his notice right away, so we are pretty excited and shocked about this.

 

HC says the real goal is to qualify to states, do well at states, and make regionals.  A very different focus than compulsories, so there we are.

 

We're going to be running like crazy come Feb. too - three meets that month, all requiring hotel stays.   :ohmy:

 

 

Edited December 6, 2015 by Mommy22alyns

[Mandamom]

Dd5 is training level 3 and one day a week is on the excel bronze team and will compete 2 outside bronze meets this year.

 

Dd10 is in a bit of a quandary. She is planning to go level 6 --- had the in house meet today and did pretty well other than falling on her backhand spring on beam. Her flyaway that she competed without issue last season is giving her fits but hopefully will be back in time for meet season in January. I feel like she has grown a lot since last year and is doing well. Her coach is now considering whether is would be best for her to go 6 as planned or do another year of excel gold where she will have a chance to do much better. They are pretty much leaving the choice up to dd. She is torn. She really wants to do well. She has never placed well in AA and has a chance if she goes excel. If she goes 6 it will be like last year-- hopefully medaling in 1-2 events per meet but low in AA due to bars and vault. Excel would give her a successful season and a good chance at regionals.

 

Most of her team is going 6 or 7 so that is a factor as well...I want her to do well but it kills me that excel gold has such a large range of skills and dd competing higher level skills so can easily get beat out by kids competing much lower level skills. At least level 6 is a more level playing field.

 

She competed excel gold last season and scored 32-34 so repeating wouldn't be terrible....her mock scores today for level 6 (which should be relatively accurate?) were: vault:8.4, beam: 8.5, bars: 8.9, and floor 9.4

 

Any thoughts or words of wisdom?

 

OUr excel teams practice less than the JO teams so as a result, I would stick with JO. In our gym, excel is a team for mostly cheerleaders who still want to do gymnastics as opposed to those who want to be gymnasts. 

[Mandamom]

My daughter has had her first meet and will be competing this afternoon. She won her first meet but she was the only one to do all 4 events. At least she qualified for states. Next to see if she can get a regional qualifying score by February. 

 

She's dealing with a wrist issue and we're now a week out and still don't have MRI results. Very frustrating. 

 

Since the last meet about 1 month ago, she's practiced about 4 full practices and several partial practices. We'll see how she does today. 

 

We had a horrific coach injury in our gym last week. One of our 53 year old former gymnast coach's was doing a back handspring on the trampoline and ended up temporarily (hopefully) partially paralyzed. She didn't fall off; she just kind of fell on her head on the tramp. Turns out she had prior back issues and surgery which may have played a role in the injury. She's headed to a rehab facility soon and she's expected to have a mostly full recovery but it could take a year or so. Prayers for her. 

 

Now, to book travel for our NYC meet in January. 

 

Hoping everyone has a great year. 

 

 

 

[rebcoola]

DD had her first  intra-squad practice meet XCEL Bronze no scores where given out they'll get a detailed sheet of what they hit or missed.   She had been sick all week and was pretty nervous.   She did well overall she totally hit her Handstand dismount on beam she was scared to death of this in September.  

[Sk8ermaiden]

That's great Rebcoola. It's amazing how quickly they can go from scared of a skill to nailing it!

 

 

 

DD moved up a level on the pre team today. And even though it's tripled her hours (to three), the level after that triples again. And it just keeps climbing until before long they are at the gym 2:30-7:30 every single day except Sunday. And I'm not saying she'll get that far, but even 9 hours a week at 6/7 years old seems like a lot to me. I know it's actually on the low side for team gym, but...I don't know if we can do it. 

 

She's got the most incredible coach she has had for the last 3 years. You really can't find many like her coaching littles. So I'd like her to stay through this level, but I think I may be shopping for Xcel gyms soon, or USAG gyms that are not quite so terribly serious. She's talented and hard working and she's not going to want to leave. Parenting is really hard sometimes. 

[Sneezyone]

That's great Rebcoola. It's amazing how quickly they can go from scared of a skill to nailing it!

 

 

 

DD moved up a level on the pre team today. And even though it's tripled her hours (to three), the level after that triples again. And it just keeps climbing until before long they are at the gym 2:30-7:30 every single day except Sunday. And I'm not saying she'll get that far, but even 9 hours a week at 6/7 years old seems like a lot to me. I know it's actually on the low side for team gym, but...I don't know if we can do it.

 

She's got the most incredible coach she has had for the last 3 years. You really can't find many like her coaching littles. So I'd like her to stay through this level, but I think I may be shopping for Xcel gyms soon, or USAG gyms that are not quite so terribly serious. She's talented and hard working and she's not going to want to leave. Parenting is really hard sometimes.

At DDs gym, they do 14 hrs/week for levels 4-7, 4 days/week, and they get more done in that time than DDs old gym which required more days. The 8-10s here go 5 days instead of 4 for a total of 17.5 hrs. That's waaaay less than most gyms in the U.S. and yet our girls place very well, move up every year and we have approx. 20 L9/10 gymnasts. So, there are good gyms that do FUN!, competitive, progressive gymnastics AND prioritize quality over quantity. I'm told "Dunno" at chalbucket forums is good at making these sorts of recommendations. Happy hunting!! Edited December 9, 2015 by Sneezyone

[Sk8ermaiden]

At DDs gym, they do 14 hrs/week for levels 4-7, 4 days/week, and they get more done in that time than DDs old gym which required more days. The 8-10s here go 5 days instead of 4 for a total of 17.5 hrs. That's waaaay less than most gyms in the U.S. and yet our girls place very well, move up every year and we have approx. 20 L9/10 gymnasts. So, there are good gyms that do FUN!, competitive, progressive gymnastics AND prioritize quality over quantity. I'm told "Dunno" at chalbucket forums is good at making these sorts of recommendations. Happy hunting!!

 

How funny! I PMed Dunno last week. I really appreciate him taking the time to help, but I suspect he may not be as familiar with lower-key, lower-pressure gymnastics. I know he normally recommends our current gym (and we do love it). The gym he recommended is, if anything, more intense than ours, and I'd be in the car  three hours a day (which...I could just leave her where she is since hours are the concern.)

 

 

I feel the same way about our younger girls. I'm in a chalkbucket social group for the 6-7 year olds and all their daughters are going 12-20 hours a week and mine just moved from one to three. But our gym has a long history of winning and producing lots of level 10s and a few elites. Soooo...I value their philosophy that littles don't need to live in the gym. If only they had an Xcel team...

[La Condessa]

My dd6 has just been moved up to pre-team.  How long does it take them to adjust to the longer hours?  She has only been to three practices with the team so far, and absolutely loves it--but afterward she just loses it.  The last two times she got home, ate an enormous dinner, and then broke down sobbing from exhaustion.  It was hard to get her to calm down enough to fall asleep.  Friday night was rough, and then at about 4 in the afternoon on Saturday it happened again, just sobbing that she was soo tired, but I couldn't get her to sleep until 7.  It just makes it harder that the practices keep her up later than she is used to.  She is doing two practices a week from 4:30 to 7:30, and her previous bedtime was 7 to 7:30.  She's also touchy and irritable with her siblings.  I'm worried that this is too much for her. 

Edited February 2, 2016 by La Condessa

[JumpyTheFrog]

My dd6 has just been moved up to pre-team.  How long does it take them to adjust to the longer hours?  She has only been to three practices with the team so far, and absolutely loves it--but afterward she just loses it.  The last two times she got home, ate an enormous dinner, and then broke down sobbing from exhaustion.  It was hard to get her to calm down enough to fall asleep.  Friday night was rough, and then at about 4 in the afternoon on Saturday it happened again, just sobbing that she was soo tired, but I couldn't get her to sleep until 7.  It just makes it harder that the practices keep her up later than she is used to.  She is doing two practices a week from 4:30 to 7:30, and her previous bedtime was 7 to 7:30.  She's also touchy and irritable with her siblings.  I'm worried that this is too much for her. 

 

Can you shift her whole schedule so she gets up and goes to bed an hour later? Also make sure she has a healthy snack to eat during practice so she's not starving and exhausted by the end.

[JumpyTheFrog]

Tigger is repeating level 5 (boys) and is doing much better this year. At the January meet his score was eight points higher than the meet the same weekend the previous season. I think he has a good chance of doing well enough at the state meet to make regionals this year. I hope he does because regionals will be in place I'd like to go for vacation.

[La Condessa]

Can you shift her whole schedule so she gets up and goes to bed an hour later? Also make sure she has a healthy snack to eat during practice so she's not starving and exhausted by the end.

 

I'm trying to shift her schedule, but thus far she has just kept waking up at the same time in the mornings even if she's stayed up later at night.  We do a big snack (with protein included) before and something to take with her, but I'm wondering if I should just feed her a whole meal beforehand?  She ate more than I did for dinner after her last couple of practices.

[JumpyTheFrog]

Yeah, try feeding her dinner before practice and a snack after.

[fdrinca]

My dd6 has just been moved up to pre-team.  How long does it take them to adjust to the longer hours?  She has only been to three practices with the team so far, and absolutely loves it--but afterward she just loses it.  The last two times she got home, ate an enormous dinner, and then broke down sobbing from exhaustion.  It was hard to get her to calm down enough to fall asleep.  Friday night was rough, and then at about 4 in the afternoon on Saturday it happened again, just sobbing that she was soo tired, but I couldn't get her to sleep until 7.  It just makes it harder that the practices keep her up later than she is used to.  She is doing two practices a week from 4:30 to 7:30, and her previous bedtime was 7 to 7:30.  She's also touchy and irritable with her siblings.  I'm worried that this is too much for her. 

 

It's a tough transition. A group of girls were just moved to DD's group, with a big increase in practice time. Two were crying as they were leaving the gym :( DD still has nights where she will come home and break down over things that would normally not effect her.

 

What's worked for us is encouraging our DD to sleep in, getting to bed earlier on non-practice days, and making sure that she goes right from practice to sleep at night. We have a 30 minute drive from our gym, so she'll listen to an audiobook and get mentally ready for sleep. I also have her dinner at that time, if she's not eaten it before practice.