Competitive Gymnastics for Young Girls: What to Expect.

Good job on your hub. I really enjoyed it. It has a lot of great info for parents to consider.

My mother was a gymnastic coach for many years- I've always enjoyed hearing about gyms, classes, and the sport in general, but I also know that it is not a sport to take lightly! Your advice is fantastic. Splendid Hub!

Great job! Congrats on the HOTD! Thanks for sharing the information. I only have 3 boys but my youngest is so flexible and agile I could see him going into gymnastics as he gets older. This is important information for anyone to have that has a child in the sport.

Good to read this useful hub. A lot of efforts is required to post such kind of informational hub. Good job done. Keep it up.

I really enjoyed and appreciate the good job you have done here, and God will give you more inspirations

Congrats on Hub of the Day! The checklist for selecting a gym is great!

Congrats on the hotd award. I stopped to read because this is something my daughter was interested in when she was little, but we never pursued it because of some conflicting schedules etc.

I do appreciate your write-up on this, and thanks for sharing.

Thanks for providing such detailed coverage of what to expect when making the decision for a child to be a competitive gymnast. My daughter is 2 and has been in gymnastics for about half a year now. Gymnastics seems like a great fit for her with her personality, frame, and natural abilities. I tried to start gymnastics with my son, 3, but I just don't think it is for him. So he never went past the trial class.

I would love to say I am living vicariously through my daughter because I always wanted to be a gymnast. But she will have the option to stop whenever she wants. I just love that gymnastic skills are transferable to so many other activities.

Congrats on getting Hub of the Day! This is a great resource.

Useful and informative hub. Gymnastics is a life choice similar to that of figure skaters. Gymnastics is absolutely beautiful and makes me want to do it every time I see it.

Becoming a gymnast was my dream when I was 9 but I was already too old to be trained properly. I tried to get Olympic tickets this year but missed out in the draw! I'm still waiting for the second round of tickets!

Congratulations on hub of the day. I need to pass this along to my niece who is thinking of gymnastics for her girls. You have succinctly stated information she needs to know. Thanks for sharing this.

I have actually considered gymnastics training. At my age, 28, I wouldn't make it very far, but the strength training aspect of gymnastics interests me a lot. Gymnasts have more strength pound for pound than any one else....

Well done article; especially encouraged by the section on the emotional side of the issue for kids.

gymnastics for young people is extremely harmful to their spines.My husband has treated many young children for curvatures of the spine that were either gymnasts or cheerleaders. Be very careful and make certain she gets good chiropractic treatments.

I read it because it is the Hub of the day.I had little knowledge of Gymnastics. After reading you I do know something about one of my favorite sports.

This is really informative. Every sport has its demands on the body and the mind. The effects can have greater impact on children.

I love watching the skills and competitiveness of gymnasts. But I did not know how tough it could be to get into the Olympics. 1:300,000 that's really difficult.

Congratulations on Hub of the Day! This was a well-written and informative piece with much valuable information.

My younger daughter got a tiny taste of competitive gymnastics at an age when many gymnasts are "retiring" from the sport. She was in high school, and it was an extra-curricular activity that was offered. That means, she was a beginner in the 10th grade! The competed with other schools, and because it was a public school activity, there was very minimal expense. Some kids did get hurt, and she herself took a nasty fall off the vault horse one day...luckily, nothing broken, but a good scare for me.

The instructor pretty much told them that they were in it just for fun at their ages...and she also said that every sport has certain long-term risks, stated a comparison thusly: "Gymnasts ruin their backs; ballerinas ruin their knees."

Nonetheless, we still enjoy watching the Olympic gymnastics competitions on TV...I do just wish they'd refine their terminology, and not refer to "women's" gymnastics when there are no women, but only young girls in the sport at that level.

Voted up, interesting, useful, and shared.

Hi KR. Not sure where to start, so i'll start by saying excellent hub! I am a canadian who left home at 14 to train under Dick Mulveyhill at the national academy of artistic gymnastics in eugene. I'm pretty sure you know of it. I was 1 of 8 elite gymnasts - and the sole canadian. You are so right about the good, and the bad. Sometimes - it can also get ugly re: eating disorders that can have impact on a girls entire life. While i was training (6hrs/day) 2 girls were sent home(to their states) because their bulimia owned them - instead of vice versa. One was a 2 time olympian - i won't name names. In my opinion - while it can, like you say so well - be a brutally tough sport - the amazing life lessons learned FAR outweigh the negative...IF you live through the experience...LOL...(it took me several days of just LOOKING at your hub to actually venture inside of it..yes..gymnastics has impact!)ps - i'm 50 years old, have 2 kids, do yoga once a week only - and still have a gymnast body - including abs! My muscles now have better memory than my brain! haha...ha...sigh..Thanks for sticking this hub so far in my face that i could no longer ignore it! lol Can you say memories? i know i can...

I've been an avid fan of gymnastics (men's and women's) since the days of Olga Korbut. The level of skills and techniques has grown by leaps and bounds and with it the demands made upon the athletes.

I would recommend this hub to anyone who is considering competitive gymnastics for their child. It's well written and packed with lots of information parents and athletes need to know before committing to anything.

Well done.

Kudos to you for Hub of the Day! I don’t know all that much about gymnastics, but this was an excellent hub for those involved in the sport. Hey, and I learned a new word—lordosis.

I’ve done a similar analysis, but not nearly as comprehensive as yours, on soccer. My daughter has played soccer since around 6 or 7 and now it looks like she is going to play next year in college. She also plays on a travel club and the first game is this Sunday. When it’s not soccer, it has been basketball, both during the winter and in a summer league.

One of the best things about sports is that it keeps the kids in shape. But more importantly, it keeps them out of trouble. Or helps anyway.

This is an excellent hub for anyone that has a child entering gymnastics. Your well-written, comprehensive hub listed all the important considerations, with the pros and cons. Congrats on your well-deserved nomination.

Thank you kr I shared your information with my daughter. My six year old granddaughter is pigeon toed. The pediatrician has recommended dance or possibly gymnastics to help improve balance and coordination. Your hub has very useful information.

Yes it would be very important for a lot of tolerance and acceptance for kids to flourish in sports such as gymnastics! Loved this hub!

Congratulations on your Hubnuggets nomination! Click here https://hubpages.com/community/Saturday-Night-HubN...

Thanks for the great hub! I have debating whether or not I want to put my youngest in gymnastics. I don't want her to get too caught up in the competitiveness but it seems like something she would like to do. I think I am going to. (http://altiusgymnastics.com)

We live in Region III where a lot of gymnasts make the Olympics. Although I have a son, a lot of the same things apply to boys also. Nick quit as the State Champ for his age group and placed 2nd in our Region. He was only 11 years old but wanted to be in sports with his friends at school. Both things were good for him, but in the long run, I know we made the right choice.

My daughter is 6 and began taking gymnastics in December. She is now on a level 4 team. The others in her group are all older and a bit ahead of her. At competitions in level 4, do they score by age or just by the level? I'm afraid I may should have waited longer about allowing her to start competeing.

My daughter is 8 and was asked to join the young team. Copper she started at a school about a year and a half ago then joined a new gym three months ago. She was in rec month one. Preteem month 2. And asked to join copper team month 3. I have worried about all sorts things from injuries to time to finances. Thanks for your article it was very informative. I am not sure about the level of her school. My daughter has the dream of many; the Olympics. If I invest time and money into all of this I want her to be able to go somewhere with her talent. I know the Olympics is a long shot but if so how do you know? How do you go about the training? How do you know if she started early enough? I probably have more questions too but could you answer some of these for now?

This was a good article and from my experience it was very true. Gymnastics takes a lot of dedication. I would love to see more (or any) programs where little girls can compete, but not sign their life away to the gym. My daughter is 9 and competes at level 3 and has for about a year. She's already getting burned out. She loves her team and the team spriit, but the 12 hours per week is killing our entire family! The meet schedule is too aggressive too, with meets once or twice per month from Sept to May. When I brought it up to her coach that she should start a watered down version, she acted as though I didn't appreciate the sacrifice part of the sport. She's NINE - I don't want her making sacrifices yet! So, I'm at a loss. She doesn't want to quit (and I don't want her to), but she complains about going to practice all the time. And the entire family is getting burned out on all the meets!

We are just now looking into putting my 6 year old in gymnastics. She has played soccer, but really wants to try this and we try to let our children try things out. My 12 year old is going to take just for fun and to learn some tumbling skills for cheerleading. Thanks for your comments. Was wondering what you mean by a "go and throw" gym? Want to make sure about that.

My 7 year old niece has been in gymnastics for 3 years. She amazes me. She prefers gymnastics to cheerleading. Thank you for the information. She is smart as a whip.

She walks around flipping and splitting at the most unusual times. She loves to show off.

Olala, this is so lovely...

This Hub gets me into the hard world of competitive gymnastics. I have seen it from several gymnastics schools here in the USA and in the world. China is usually among the hardest, and some critics denounce it as very harsh.

I have seen YouTube videos of coaches in China kicking, yelling at, and grabbing students until they get it right. One video showed a girl practicing her balance beam routine, and about midway, she was dragged by her coach, indicating that she must do it again till right. Fortunately, not all schools there and here have the bossiest ones like those.

Anyway, good Hub.

very useful hub, this will open door to parents who had a child who loves gymnast.. thanks for sharing!

i need to enter my kid

Thank you for this article. It was very helpful. My daughter is 5 and is trying out for the training team today. She was in a recreational Level I class and was promoted to Level II after 12 weeks. She absolutely adores it. This article helped me understand what is ahead if we choose to go this path. Thank you.

My daughter is competing Level 6, her coaches berate her and other girls at times In front of the entire team. I know gymnastics is a tough sport but this seems extreme. They told her she may not be able to compete in the next meet because they were not happy with her performance. While its true, she can do better, she finished second in her age group. Is this the type of coaching I can expect from competitive gymnastics?

thank you for your response. The competition they are considering not letting her compete in is the next meet, still level 6. It is not time to consider her for level 7 yet. I agree, placement does not determine progress. They sat all the girls down and the coach started yelling at a few of the girls in front of everyone. my daughter came home hysterical. Is there a method to their madness?

OMG you are so fabulous and without knowing exactly what is going on in our particular situation you hit the nail on the head. YOU ROCK! thanks for your insight, it is invaluable!

I love your Hub! I think I've read through the whole thing. My son is just turned 6 and is in level 2. There is almost no information out there about boys gymnastics -- It's a LOT different than girls. It seems like they really don't push the boys as early as girls, and I realize that it's because boys don't peak until around 18-20, whereas girls typically peak between 13 and 16.. But that's just a tangent.

My question is, I read somewhere (and I can no longer find the source) that children should spend about a year on levels 1-3 and then about a year at each level after. That would put a girl at level 10 by 13ish, which is absolutely perfect for girls wanting to go Elite and be ready for the Olympics at 16 but not ideal for a boy. Do you have any thoughts on how long a boy should be spending on the pre-comp levels?

My daughter is 5 and began gymnastics this fall. She moved up very quickly to Pre Team which practices 1 hr 2 times a week. She has always loved doing gymnastics, but recently she told me that she isn't having fun anymore. Her gym is very goal driven and her class is demanding. I don't want her to lose her love of gymnastics by making her stay if she isn't having fun. There is another gym in our town which is much more "FUN" based. I'm thinking of letting her try a class there to see if it is a better fit. Our gym now is great but if she's not enjoying herself, what's the point?! Any help would be greatly appreciated

Great Article!! My daughter just completed level 4 (36.5 overall) and she turned 8 in November. She will competing level 5 in the Spring. She worked extremely hard to get this score because she suffers from ADHD. She absolutely loves this sport more than anything but she has to work twice as hard as everyone else. It took her so long to learn routines,etc. I am a little nervous that level 5 is going to be too challenging for her. She will not be competing 5 if she doesn't know routines well. She is quite a bit older than the other girls in her group. In Texas, the girls start very young!!! I'm not sure if this will be the right sport for her going forward. She still struggles with grasping the vault and balancing on the beam. Is this something that takes time? We already spend 4 days a week at the gym. Thank you for help!

This article was great. As a kindergarten teacher, I appreciate information that is present in a very simple matter :). I am writing because I want to know how realistic to be with my daughter and gymnastics. According to your article, she is in a great gym. However, she started this past August at the age of 9. She is tall for her age....and since I am close to 6ft., I am sure she will always be tall for her age. She started on level 1 and after 4 months, she is on level 5. I don't want to feel like they are just moving her along for the sake of moving her. I also don't know how realistic it would be to keep her in this sport since she is tall and I assumed this sport were mostly for short girls. As for now, she doesn't have any real expectations like Olympics, she simply enjoys it. However, if she is really good, then I want to pursue it fully and at least hope for a scholarship to college. Can tall girls do well in gymnastics? Is it typical for girls to move through the levels so quickly?

im a level 4 gymnast to about to a copticen in spring in chesterfield mo

Thank you for the great advice! As far as the vault is concerned, her run is a bit funky and she studder steps when approaching the springboard. She has difficulty with multi-step situations--the arm circle and the jump really throw her off. She also pikes at times. I think she picked up some bad habbits early on that were not immediately corrected and during the competition, he mind defaults back to them. With beam, she has improved a ton but she still struggles with balance. In addition, her arms are never by her ears-they are always in front (any exercises you can recommend would be much-appreciated!) and on turns, her arms are low. She struggles in general with her arms as she doesn't have the shoulder flexibility to hold arms as far back as they need to be. Her hands are sometimes in a claw position when she's turning. She lacks grace--she doesn't know how to hold hands in a ballet position. I have tried to help her a bit at home, but she forgets at the gym and it's often overlooked bc of the large class size. She also struggles with handstand on beam--she cannot hold it. I don't think she has the core strength to do so. We have taken private lessons which are expensive, but they do work! Are there any drills at home that she can do to work on handstand on beam and overall work on beam on vault. We have a short beam at home. Thanks so much!

Just had gym end of year awards.

In past years awards gold silver bronze were given out based on years comp results. We have anew girl who has a gymnastic gift she is in the overs category so has medal wise done better than the younger ones but points wise not so well. I understand the coaches wanting to encourage her on. But end of year competition results had my daughter 6 points above her and another unders girl 1 point up yet said child took silver. Am I being obsessive or should I voice my concerns.

I have been a huge fan of gym since when i was 4 it is a great achievement to what you've do to other kids life

Hi, My daughter has a coach similar to Sharon's (earlier post) daughter it sounds like. I would like to clarify if some of the things the coach says is inappropriate. I have never been in competitive sports. DD is in 5th grade, on level 5. According to DD, coach rolls her eyes, tells her she is going to break her neck if she does so and so, asks the kids if they have an attitude and tells them they are not trying hard enough and therefore are wasting their parents money.

I feel like it is wrong but am afraid of being the overbearing mother enabling her child to whine. This coach is only 19 or 20 years old and i suspect no training of working with kids. Other parents complained last spring and the owner 'talked' with the coach. Things were better for a while but seem to have gotten bad again. My daughter is sensitive, but has no complaints about her other coaches or teachers for that matter. Any guidance would be appreciated. Thank you.

Oh, no the coach said "don't do that or you will break your neck" and all the other stuff i mentioned. I had already emailed the owner and am planning to meet with her. Not sure if we should have the coach present but I would think it would be helpful.

Sorry my message was misleading, I can see how you would think that! Still, what do you think about the comments?

This is kind of a random question. We recently competed in an event and the meet director made a special allowance for my dd. I asked our gym for the meet director's address so that we could send a thank you card and the coach happened to walk by, heard me ask, then yelled at me and told me it was inappropriate for an athelte's parent to contact a meet director for any reason. Is this true? It was not a big deal, just a nice gesture on the director's part and we wanted to return in kind.

Constant blogger really enjoy your thread and I’m always looking forward to the newest post. ^.^ Keep up the great work. I’ll be checkin’ up!

Hi, this was a great article, thank you!

My daughter is 9 and has recently moved up to level 5, she will compete this weekend to hopefully score into level 6 before the down grading of the levels this year. Her coach is very good and recently relocated with her fellow coach husband from the gym where Aly Raisman trained at.

Our problem is very similar to a prior poster, the coach coaches by fear and intimidation and compliments are rare. Threaths were common until I (hopefully)put an end to it (as in "get out of my class","you can go back to the level you came from") , I explained that the threats only made my daughter shut down and want to quit.

My daughter loves gymnastics and has natural talent for it, my concern is that she does want to slow down in order to try other things, and I think her fear of her coach is at the root of that. She is currently going 16 hours a week (4 days) which her coach feels is not enough. This gym is the only gym I'll be able to take her to due to time restraints, and I am worried that she will not be welcomed back if she takes a "break". They coach with heavy emphasis on conditioning, many times using 3 of the 4 hours on it, the girls condition with ankle and wrist weights and my daughter has muscles I could only dream of. I like that she is getting stronger, but it makes it hard for her to enjoy her practice. Most of the girls are crying during conditioning and if any of them fail, they all have to repeat their movements. She is terrified to ask to use the bathroom or to get a drink, she also complains of chronic stomach pains prior to practice (I usually ignore this as stress pains). She is very flexible and the coach will often lift her legs over her head and place her butt on her head when she lays on her stomach, hyper extending her back, this is a move that causes her back pain later that day. When questioned the coach proclaims that she knows what she is doing.

I have been her biggest supporter at home, her dad (my ex) disagrees with the coaching and wants her to quit, I am getting tired of the constant pep talk to get her back to each practice, should I continue to push in the hopes that she will overcome her fear of the coach? Or should I let her take a break so she can decide what to do?

I am sorry this is so long, I have sacrificed a lot for her gymnastics, I work nights so I can take her there and get school work etc. done, her younger sister has lost out on continuing gymnastics as I can only afford one in competitive team sport. I do not want this to be about me though, she truly loves the sport and I feel that she would regret it later if she did quit. She will be a tall girl and I have no olympic aspirations for her, I do want her to be the best she can be though.

Thanks, -A

This design is stellar! You definitely know how to keep a reader amused. Between your wit and your videos, I was almost moved to start my own blog (well, almost...HaHa!) Great job. I really loved what you had to say, and more than that, how you presented it. Too cool! check it out

Hi, My daughter started gymnastics a little late she is 11 and a level 5 she can do many of the level 6 and 7 skills as well and LOVES gymnastics. Her first year competing was last year and her first meet was her lowest score and it was an AA of 31.5 Her gym is now wanting to go to the excel program and would like her to switch from USAG JO but I am horribly torn about doing this I feel like it is limiting her before she has the chance to reach her full potential would you give me your opinion.

Thank you so much for the advice, the gym is going exclusively to Excel and that is the only reason they want her to switch programs. I feel the same way that the rec league is just not the same. We have decided to switch her to a gym that will offer the JO program as she has not by any means hit a plateau and is still growing quickly.

My daughter loves gymnastics and has recently moved up to a level 6. She is 8. However her gym does not have a pit nor do they have a standard trampoline. Are these essential for mastering skills? thanks for the advice!

I am a new gymnastics parent and my daughter is moving up fast. Our goal is to be on a competitive team one day. Just just moved to the pre-team today. I was wondering if they place in the meets do they receive money or just medals. I have heard how expensive it can get and so I was not sure but that would help with expenses if they do. And thank you so much for this, I have had many questions and you have helped me so much. Thank you.

I genuinely appreciate this article. My 6-year old daughter has been invited on team at two different gyms and I've been struggling with how to properly consider and analyze this choice.

I realize this next question is completely out of the box: Is it possible for a gymnast to take private lessons at a gym (or gyms) and compete AAU and/or USAG without being part of a team? Thank you. ~mtt

krsharp05,

I will first like to thank you for this article, it is truly inspiring to me. I am the mother of a four year old who is on Team Level 1, training for 2 hours, twice a week . Everything that was mentioned in this article is true to the "T" and is more than helpful!! However, I will like to ask you for your advice.

My mother and I sit and observe my daughter each class. Being that she is 4, the only child, and won't be in Kindergarten for another year (late birthday), I am finding it difficult for her to stay focused and show any further progress. In fact she is regressing from when she was on pre-team.

Her team coach is very hard on her (more so than any other team member). Being that she is the youngest on the team, I will think that she would have a little more patience with her. There is another little girl on her team who is 5 but seems to be treated much nicer by the same coach. The reasons that I have concluded for this treatment is:

1. My daughter is not taking directions/corrections and applying them,

2. My daughter likes to play around instead of watching the girls in line before her to determine what is next, utilize their corrections, and learn from their mistakes,

3. I yell out to the floor a lot to tell her to tell her to get focused or to pay attention. I even give her corrections when her coach is focusing on other team mates when she is doing something wrong,

4. Being 4 she constantly looks at me for approval, which, leads the coach yelling at her numerous times throughout the 2 hour classes to not "look at mom" "turn your head" "stop looking over their". At times she is not even looking at me, she is looking dazed in what I call "la-la land".

With this being said, what should I do, switch gyms and start fresh or what? How do I repair the relationship with her coach?

As I have mentioned several times, my daughter is only four and I do not want her to lose her love for the sport (which she is starting to do). Nor do I want this treatment to continue. At this age, I think that gymnastics should be fun, yet challenging. So if I have to choose a challenging gym, versus, a fun gym that is only semi-challenging, which one should I choose?

Any help will be greatly appreciated, thanks.

Hello! We are considering joining a great gym with a strong program. Everything seems like a good fit, but after a 30 day trail, we are expected to financially commit for 1 year. For no reason ( illness, injury, dismissal, move, etc) are we allowed to withdrawal without continuing to pay. Is this a normal expectation?

Thanks for your reply. Turns out, they have revised their policy and team manual. Now there is just a one month deposit required in addition to 30 day notice. That seems more reasonable to me. Something else has come up now and I am not sure how to feel about it. We just completed the level 3 season (former gym)and are on trial at this new gym. We were told that they would like her to stay on level 3 for now to build her strength and master some skills. She qualified for Texas South State last month (former gym) so I don't think we are too far off track. With that said, she has the opportunity to improve and be re-evaluated for level 4 in the Summer. Needless to say, we are disappointed and I am afraid my daughter will be really discouraged. She has already been on level 3 for a year and she is bored with the repetition so far and other kids will be moving up and she won't. She is already the oldest (10 years old) on level 3 and now that will stand out even more. So my concern is, is this a right fit for her? She loves the gym, is a hard worker, but its such a huge commitment. I want to be realistic about it and not just shell out $500 a month to "just see" . We went from being great gymnast at a gym we were not happy with to not measuring up at a great gym. Is it common for girls to repeat levels? Is 10 years old too old in the gym world for level 3/4 ? Any insight is appreciated. Thanks!!

Hi

My daughter is in nj usag gymnastics level 3. She is 7 years old (but competing as an 8 year old b/c her birthday is in December). She has been practicing 11 hours per week and works very hard. Recently she has told me when she is not doing exactly what the coach says for example wiggling on the balance beam (which she does try not to do) they tell her to "get away from them". She also gets told to do v-ups when she wiggles on the beam. She is now reporting that she does not want to do this next year and wants to do usaigc instead. I do not see her moving to olympic levels, but what is your take on this track for girls. She is one of those kids...who can get stunts quickly like her mill circle and backhandspring..but her quality is not there. She places only in the top 50% each meet, usually falling 1/2 way in...for example 12th our of 24, or 8 out of 16 girls. Her overall scores fall in the 35's. She has 2 girls on her team who constantly get first and I think she is also discouraged because of that. Just not sure if I should encourage her to stay or move to usaigc...where in her opinion the girls have more fun?

Hello. I'm not exactly sure how I came across this, but I'm SO glad I did. My daughter really began gymnastics when she was 6 (summer of 2011), and was doing a Hot Shots class. They then moved her to Level 2/3 in the winter of that year (she was 7 at the time). I'd gotten a new job (Feb of 2012), and because of the hours, it got to be a bit overwhelming for her. And right before she was able to test for Level 4 (Mar/Apr 2012), she quit. I was disappointed, but I listened to her and let her. She watched the Olympics and got inspired again, and went back to that old gym in August of that year. She wanted to start at the rec class, but they watched her during the "play/rec" time, and suggested she go back to Level 2/3. She did, and stayed in that level for a month and a half, and was asked to join Level 4 (Oct 2012 - she'd just turned 8). Unfortunately, because of when she came into the team, she was unable to compete. The next year is when they changed the levels, and unfortunately, they were going to make Trinity go back a level (Level 3). I understood but didn't, and I wasn't pleased because I felt that would set her back.

We relocated to a Region 8 state (Georgia), and she's now on Excel Silver. I didn't and still don't really understand this Excel thing, but I feel as if my daughter is too skilled for Silver. She competed in her first meet in December, and scored a 38.20 A.A (Vault - 9.750, Floor - 9.525, Bars - 9.575, Beam - 9.350). I truly think and feel my daughter needs to be challenged, or she's going to get bored. And I don't want her to. I composed all of her events and made a video of it, and posted it on Youtube. Someone did comment and asked if they were gonna move my baby up to Xcel Gold this month. I sent a screenshot of the msg and sent it to her coach in an email, as well as some questions. I saw you mention something about the Xcel program being for gymnast who are lacking, in so many words. But my daughter isn't. Her coach did speak to me about my email, and explained that my daughter could compete Xcel Gold now, but his goal is not to put her in Gold when the meet season is over. He wants to put her in Level 5. I'm trying to be patient and sit back and let them do their job, but I feel like my baby isn't being challenged :( She'll watch the optional levels during practice do a flip (roundoff back tuck for instance), and come home and do it until she masters it (which she did). The gym is a great gym. The owner of her old gym has a friend who's a coach in GA and this gym came recommended because of how well they do at meets. A couple of other gyms also recommended this gym, prior to her committing to the gym. Should I just sit back and be patient and wait and hope they move her up? Is there a method to this madness? Any advice would help.

P.S. Sorry for being so long winded. I'm just so elated to see a blog from a coach that is sharing such wonderful info, and actually giving feedback. Thank you so much!!! :)

Hi and thanks so much for responding.

I will sit back and wait until the next season. I'm one of those mom's who has a lot of questions, and sometimes doubts. But I'd rather be well informed then not informed at all. But not to the point of where I don't want the coaches feeling like they're not doing their job. I know that they know what they're doing. Well her coaches at least. I just hope that I'm making the right move by keeping her here. I know every mom thinks that their daughter is talented, but mine really is. Her coach even acknowledged it. It's just hard to sit back and see her bored :( But I'll be patient and wait for the season to end, and see what happens next.

I do want to ask a question though. As far as you saying I should be patient but attentive. Can you elaborate on that for me please? I know what attentive means, but I'm asking in reference to this. Am I being attentive to my daughter, like being there for her and her needs? Thanks again! :)

P.S. I created an account, so my name shows as TrinisMom w/ the Georgia location.

My daughter is 6 years old and competing USAG "new" level 3 this year. This is her first year doing routines or competing at all. She does really well but seems to fall to the bottom of the "extremely talented group". The coaches are getting ready to pick for TOPS and it is apparent she is not in the picking. She only trains 7 hours a week and largely competes against other young TOPS girls who train 12-16 hours a week. At her first meet she was 8th out of 20 and at her second meet she was 5th AA (35.825) out of 14. Do the coaches when looking to move gymnasts up look at their consistency in competing? There are 11 girls in her age group at our gym and only 2 girls score better than her (both are over a year older and 1 is repeating the level). She gets disappointed to not get 1,2 or 3rd but it is hard to compare someone who trains twice as much or someone who has already done this level once. Is it possible anymore to go elite or hopes without first being in the TOPS program? It is extremely difficult know that your child is on the cusp of the more fast paced program but not quite there. Any advice on what to do or expect or how to deal would be appreciated. Thanks!

Gymnastics is fascinating and so is your hub. Good article.

I have posted on here before and I love following this. My daughter has been in gymnastics for 15 months she made tag team but unfortunately we had to move before it started. When we moved to other town we just kept her in a normal class now they moved her to USA team level 3. She loves it but I'm concerned as to whether it was the right choice to skip tag she has never been to a meet before do you think that it's a good idea to skip that step. Her classes went from 2 days a week for 50 minutes to 2 1/2 hours 5 days a week. It's an adjustment I just do not want to get tired of it. Both gyms she has gone to says she is natural so I don't want her to get worn out

We had an issue with a coach and the strictness of the rules for our daughter at age 5 in a level 3 class. We told the gym we would like to pull her out of but they reminded us that we signed a 1 yr contract. Would this contract hold up in court?

Hello, I love all the advice you are giving....I'm hoping I can get the same. My daughter just turned 11 years old and is in level 5 team. She has been in gymnastics since 3 years old. Never really had a chance to "miss it" I guess. She is not the kind of kid with the "talent", skills don't come easy for her...I believe she was invited to team because she is an extremely hard worker. The gym she was in got too intense, she was not one of the "favorites" (many of you moms probably know what I mean by that) so she was falling behind very fast. I finished the year there (contract) and moved her to another gym. Since she fell behind, her confidence was extremely low. We decided she should stay at the same level for another year, so she could gain confidence. She built confidence throughout last year, she made states for the first time (ever). She placed 5th at a couple of meets which made her feel good (normally she would not place or place even lower). So this year she went up to level 5. She is doing well in the gym, but after 2 meets she has not made states yet. She is also starting to say things like "I'll never make states" or "I work so hard and still I can never get first, second or third place" . She has good coaches in this gym, although once in a while she'll hear a comment from a coach that says "maybe you should be a level 4" ....I notice the coaches sometimes put her to train with the level 6's and she seems to freak out every time they do that....she almost seems to shut down...and although she tries, is very scared of trying the new skills. I think the coaches see something in her, last year, her scores were the 3rd best of her team at almost every meet. They say she's holding back and I believe that too. She says she likes gymnastics, but she doesn't practice at home at all (most parents say their kids do). She always says she doesn't want to quit...but I don't always see her excited about going to the gym...however, while she's in class, she is always smiling and happy. She only cries if a coach yells at her (and that is very rare, since she's always working so hard...). So it is very hard for me to figure out how to boost her confidence in gymnastics. Her highest score was a 34.8 last year. The highest she has ever placed at a meet is 5th place. I'm afraid she will quit only because she feels she's working her hardest at the gym and still she can't win or place 2nd or 3rd. We also try to do about 1 private a month sometimes 2 if I can afford it...but lately the coaches have been so busy that I haven't been able to get a private for over a month. How would you advise me on handling this situation? I have no idea what to do at all!!! Any advise would be very helpful.

P.S. My apologies for the lengthy message...but I'm trying to give you as much info as possible....

Don't understand the judging ,seems the bigger an older girls don't get judged fairly as the smaller ones. Every competition I have gone to seems the host sites girls always gets better scores than the visiting teams . This is unfair judging . I have enjoyed going to the competition very much but I am losing interest in going with the judging going the way it has.

i want to compeet

Thanks for your post. Great stuff. I have a 6 year old daughter who has been asked to join a competitive team. She loves gymnastics and even we asked her whether she wanted to try other sports she says she wants to stick with gymnastics. As a parent, I think I must support her and she should give it a try since she wants to do it. My concern is the amount of hours training.

Can you start gymnastics at 11 and still go to the Olympics

thanks so much for takng the time do give us so much info!

my daughter is 7 in level 2 and has her 1st state competition coming up here really soon. we just found out that it will be held on the same Sunday she has a special church presentation she has been working on for months. my question to you is, how important is the state competition? if she opts out will it hurt her going forward? are there points she gets from state? or does it qualify her for anything ? she pretyty much comoeted everyother competition so far.

I do competitive gymnastics, I am 11, and I won gold in the state finals this artical is really fun to read!

Thanks for the article. I am very interested in your opinion and hope that you can help me out in this dilemma.

In your observation, how many years does it take to train from L9 to L10 and make it to JO National and place? Is one year realistic?

In your observation, are colleges interested in more years of L10 experience over fewer years but good performance in competition? I am asking as I see many college commits with many years of L10 competition but not necessary archiving high scores until later years, but yet colleges are choosing them over 1 or 2-year L10s who might have done similarly well in a shorter time frame. It seems so partially because they get committed early in Freshman year and no spots are left for later bloomers. What is your opinion on that?

Lastly, would you recommend scoring out L9 and going straight to L10 so as to get one more year of L10 on the resume and get started on recruiting efforts, even though this can possibly be a pretty good L9 year and the L10 results probably won't be stellar? I worry waiting another to start would mean end to college gymnastic dreams.

Thank you for your insights.

I enjoyed this article and the information you provided. I wish I had found it three years ago. My daughter has competed for 3 years and simply loves the sport. However, as a family we have become exhausted with the time and financial commitment. We have spent comparable to three years college tuition. I wish gyms would offer a recreational program that allows girls to learn skills at a competitive level. They don't seem to exist in Florida. Any ideas for the enthusiastic gymnast that doesn't want to put in the 15+ hours of training a week?

My daughters just started gymnastics. They are 3 and 5. My oldest turned 5 a few months ago. Is two days a week too much for a 5 year old? She would go every day if she could. The gym only offers 1 day a week for 3 year olds.

This article really helped me with my library research report

Thanks. My daughter is pre team and just four and it is time to commit. I am not a gymnast and so making this decision when she is young seems early, Your info helped. Knowing it is not super competitive at this age is nice. She is in a very awesome gym with an awesome coach and she loves it, I just want her to keep loving it!

Can you outline the difference in AAU and Team Levels?

Thanks for sharing the information. Really I don't know the play name but today I am clear.

Gymnastics is the best game of Olympic play ground. I hope day by day increase of player Gymnastics program.

Hi. Can you explain the L10 bars requirement? I heard there is a single bar release requirement. Or can all the flight elements by bar to bar? Thanks very much.