All-Star Leaving Gyms Because You Feel You Belong On A Certain Team?

[aggie1983]

thank you, thank you,thank you to the parents above who are not pushing their young cp to be on a higher level just because they might have the skill to make it. When your cps are 9, 10 or even 13 or 14, they still have years ahead to progress to those upper levels (God willing, assuming no injuries.) Let them enjoy the comraderie of being on teams more their own age and the hopefully less pressured environment. And let them solidify those skills before moving up. If they are on those upper levels at 13, what do they strive for at 16?

 

[Katybugmom]

I hope we have a competitive team because it will be hard on me if I hold her back and the other team rocks and hers not so good. But only time will tell.

 

[kristenthegreat]

Flipping yourself over backwards, landing briefly on your hands, before falling on your feet without knocking yourself unconscious does NOT a back handspring make. That would be a backwards flip. Just because your head doesn't hit the mat when you back 'tuck', doesn't mean you 'have' the skill. Consider that, please, parents and athletes!

 

[simplymom]

I think the problem is over inflated egos that people have a problem with. Scenario: Gym abc is going small senior 5. Girl "A" is the 21st best tumbler at that gym with true L5 skills. If she were to move to gym xyz, she would be the 20th best tumbler and make their small senior 5 team. Assuming both gyms are equally good with equal chances of going to Worlds. Would you still have an issue with her changing gyms?

 

[SheCheers]

From being around other parents, it's very obvious to me that they equate level 3 with having a running tuck. Period. They don't think about jumps, stunts, dance even...they don't see the difference in difficulty. They don't think Susie needs any prior experience flying to be a level 3 flyer, she just has to be able to pull a scorp on the floor. Maybe coaches should have quarterly parent education seminars...lol

 

[newcheerdad]

I am probably in the minority of parents who would try to keep their 9 year old on a lower level, even if she had the skills for a higher team (if it wasn't age appropriate). I was on the fence about her even being on a Jr team but since there were a few other little ones her age it turned out okay. It probably would have been different if it was just her and a bunch of 14 year olds. Part of the fun of doing a sport is the journey...I would rather her do a level a year or two and then move up. That way she makes memories with friends and gets to experience all the levels! I'm sure kids on level 5 teams do the same but competing level 5 for most of your time in has to get boring after awhile....or not.

It's funny, because we actually had a conversation with our gym owner about this subject not too long ago. We might have one or two 8-year-olds compete on youth teams this year, but even that's not a given. It's a little more lenient when you get to the junior and senior levels, but even then it's rare to see an 11-year-old on a senior team. I appreciate that, because it's making this go round of tryouts pretty stress-free because she's almost undoubtedly going to be on the mini team. In the long run that's probably a good thing.

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From being around other parents, it's very obvious to me that they equate level 3 with having a running tuck. Period. They don't think about jumps, stunts, dance even...they don't see the difference in difficulty. They don't think Susie needs any prior experience flying to be a level 3 flyer, she just has to be able to pull a scorp on the floor. Maybe coaches should have quarterly parent education seminars...lol

I think about this with my daughter - she's got a solid standing 2 bhs and is pretty close to having a robhs tuck, but watching her perform other skills I wouldn't think that she's ready to be on a higher level team this year. I think another year on a level 2 team (especially being a leader and more prominent in the routine) would help her a lot more than just jumping up to the next level. She can always work on her tumbling skills in privates so next season she'll be really ready to move up.

 

[cheerisgood]

Another pet peeve that I have is when right before tryouts, athletes who have not done ANY tumbling in the routine during the previous competition season because they have 'lost their tumbling', decide to get private lessons to get their tumbling back so that they can tumble for tryouts so that they can make a Worlds team-just like they did before last year's tryouts. They will then tumble at tryouts and make a Worlds team and once practice starts, the tumbling will end for those few individuals. Not fair for those who work hard all-year-round, especially those who have to throw multiple tumbling passes in the routine to make up for those who won't throw the tumbling that they had when they tried out for the team.

OMG, you took the words out of my mouth!! I HATE when this happens....all season long they sandbag it, hurt, headcase, whatever you want to call it, then come tryouts their little miss tumble pants! You can only hope the coaches see this an place them accordingly. attitude and work ethic are just as important!!