All-Star Moving an athlete from novice to elite

[Ecb2016]

As a general question, what things as a coach would you look for when deciding if an athlete is ready to move from a novice team to an elite team? My athlete has been on a novice team for a couple years and moving to an elite team next year is all she talks about. I know tumbling is not all that matters, but she has a bwo consistently and a fwo independently about 75% of the time. She is 7. I hate to see her disappointed , but I understand that’s part of the sport. She expected to make an elite team last year, though I can say in hindsight the novice placement made sense. Any insight appreciated

 

[argibson5]

i know for my gym, tumbling is a big part, but also how quickly they process new choreography, and a very large part is based on their maturity.

 

[CoachHannah]

i know for my gym, tumbling is a big part, but also how quickly they process new choreography, and a very large part is based on their maturity.

I would second this. 7 is very young, but there’s a clear divide at that age between the girls who do it just for fun and girls who are really serious about getting good at cheer and moving up! You’ll see the difference in how kids take correction, how they focus or mess around during the tryout process, and the girls who will go home and practice the material to be sure they really know it/are in privates or group classes to get better. Maturity and commitment cannot be understated for kids this young, since a lot of the time, you can teach skills to kids who really want to learn them.

It definitely helps that she has some tumbling skills already, though the hard part is most everyone else will also have those skills - at that point she can only stand out through good, pretty technique! (Goes back to working on things at home or in privates.)

 

[Ecb2016]

i know for my gym, tumbling is a big part, but also how quickly they process new choreography, and a very large part is based on their maturity.

Thank you!!

 

[Ecb2016]

I would second this. 7 is very young, but there’s a clear divide at that age between the girls who do it just for fun and girls who are really serious about getting good at cheer and moving up! You’ll see the difference in how kids take correction, how they focus or mess around during the tryout process, and the girls who will go home and practice the material to be sure they really know it/are in privates or group classes to get better. Maturity and commitment cannot be understated for kids this young, since a lot of the time, you can teach skills to kids who really want to learn them.

It definitely helps that she has some tumbling skills already, though the hard part is most everyone else will also have those skills - at that point she can only stand out through good, pretty technique! (Goes back to working on things at home or in privates.)

Thank you!! She does take privates and she takes corrections very well. She practices at home all the time and is very dedicated. She does get distracted easily (she’s diagnosed with adhd ) but she tries hard and wants to please her coaches. I’ve been told by coaches and others her form is pretty or good, so I guess at this point it’s a trust the process situation she’s focusing on her Valdez and front walkover and is going to ask her private coach to go over try out stuff. We’ve talked and she understands she may not make an elite team next year

 

[catlady]

Watch the team(s) she would be eligible for next year and observe the skills they are competing. When it comes to the athletes in the gym, the coaches are watching them all year long and have a good idea of skill level, coachability, and maturity long before tryouts.
Good stunting skills, the ability to work well with her teammates, and showmanship are also big factors. Best of luck to her!

 

[kayemm]

As well as the individual skills, she could work on linking her tumbles together as that's important at an elite level. So working on double backwalkovers, bwo switch leg and cartwheel through to bwo, and when she is getting that frontwalkover more consistently, also working on fwo through to cartwheel.

Good luck!!