Competitive Gymnastics -- When did your DD begin?

[Anonymous]

It seems awfully young for me to put my child into a pre-team program at 5, but I look at the kids who are 6 in the pre-team and they are leaps and bounds ahead of the kids doing regular classes. I really just want my DD to have fun, but she's obsessed with gymnastics and I don't want to foreclose an opportunity if there is some necessity that she starts young.

[Anonymous]

If you can remove your mom eyes and look at her objectively, how naturally talented is she?

Are you tall people or is your family full of short, thin people?

Competitive gymnastics has such a tiny window requiring a certain specific body type and a great deal of natural aptitude to be successful.

If your child is coming from a genetically larger/bigger boned/tall family pool, and is not 100% driven and fearless with natural strength and flexibility, then just wait and let her guide the increase in training.

Very, very few gymnasts achieve at an elite level.

Even if she does not advance quickly in competitive gymnastics, she can still develop skills that will help with things like dance, diving and cheerleading just by sticking with a recreational program.

[Anonymous]

OP here: Our dd has the body type and the determination. I'm not sure about the skill, but pre-team is an option, so I guess she has the potential to have some skills. I do not see her making it to the elite level; I don't think that she has the natural ability, but I could see her doing perfectly fine during the early years. This is part of the problem that I have at this stage. I hate the thought of her spending hours and hours at a gym knowing that it probably will be short lived and taking away from other things that she also loves. She is begging me to go to the gym multiple times per week and she is sort of hanging out in the regular classes not being challenged.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here: Our dd has the body type and the determination. I'm not sure about the skill, but pre-team is an option, so I guess she has the potential to have some skills. I do not see her making it to the elite level; I don't think that she has the natural ability, but I could see her doing perfectly fine during the early years. This is part of the problem that I have at this stage. I hate the thought of her spending hours and hours at a gym knowing that it probably will be short lived and taking away from other things that she also loves. She is begging me to go to the gym multiple times per week and she is sort of hanging out in the regular classes not being challenged.

Why don't you try the pre team then and see how it goes?

[Anonymous]

Which gym?

[Anonymous]

I have a boy, but it's the same path. He was on preteam at 5 and competed level 4 at 6.

We have no idea how far he will take it or whether he will be short or tall or one that makes it or one that doesn't. All we know is that he is happiest when he is at the gym, and there is nothing he'd rather be doing.

He is learning to make goals, and learning that he has to work hard to achieve them. He is learning how to manage his time so that he can fit his homework in around practice times. He is learning how to work with different coaching styles and how to make friends with boys of all ages.

These are things that will stick with him throughout his entire life, whether gymnastics does or not.

If she loves it enough to commit to it, I say let her give it a try.

[Anonymous]

I'm conflicted by your post. On the one hand you say this is what your daughter wants, on the other how would a 5 year old know what it means or takes to be a competitive gymnast? So, part of me feels like you are projecting this desire on your daughter.

I've known competitive gymnasts in elementary vs college (both D1 and D3). Of 3 childhood friends, 2 retired by age 12 due to serious back injuries. There are many health reasons (mental and physical) to not enroll your daughter in competitive gymnastics at age 5. Let her continue to have fun with the sport. There is plenty of time for competition later in life.

[Anonymous]

I thought you got recruited for preteam. Has her current instructor said anything?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here: Our dd has the body type and the determination. I'm not sure about the skill, but pre-team is an option, so I guess she has the potential to have some skills. I do not see her making it to the elite level; I don't think that she has the natural ability, but I could see her doing perfectly fine during the early years. This is part of the problem that I have at this stage. I hate the thought of her spending hours and hours at a gym knowing that it probably will be short lived and taking away from other things that she also loves. She is begging me to go to the gym multiple times per week and she is sort of hanging out in the regular classes not being challenged.

Why don't you try the pre team then and see how it goes?

I don't understand why you would keep her in regular classes? I agree that she isn't going to learn much. Your dd doesn't have to be an elite gymnast to have it be a worthwhile sport. I mean, we don't have these expectations when we sign our kids up for soccer,etc. My dd is on the pre team track. At our gym there are less competitive recreation league team opportunities. They don't require as much of a commitment.

[Anonymous]

5-6 is OLD in the gymnastics world.
My DD was in the pre-competitive program when she was between 2-3. You need to let the gym know that your DD is interested team, not recreational. They will assess her and let you know what the next steps should be. Team and pre-team are usually invitation only, but you should let them know you are interested.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:5-6 is OLD in the gymnastics world.
My DD was in the pre-competitive program when she was between 2-3. You need to let the gym know that your DD is interested team, not recreational. They will assess her and let you know what the next steps should be. Team and pre-team are usually invitation only, but you should let them know you are interested.

B$llsh!t. Where are you from? China? Russia?

[Anonymous]

I'm a former competitive gymnast, and I started on a pre-team around 6/7, if I recall correctly (started classes at 5). I did not make elite, but did compete at a pretty high level, and I absolutely think it was worth it. I loved the sport when I was little, and I still do it now.

If your daughter is interested and has been invited to the pre-team, and she wants to do it, I say go for it. If you have reservations about the program, try out other programs in your area to see which you think is the best fit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a former competitive gymnast, and I started on a pre-team around 6/7, if I recall correctly (started classes at 5). I did not make elite, but did compete at a pretty high level, and I absolutely think it was worth it. I loved the sport when I was little, and I still do it now.

If your daughter is interested and has been invited to the pre-team, and she wants to do it, I say go for it. If you have reservations about the program, try out other programs in your area to see which you think is the best fit.

My DC is a competitive gymnast. This is what I see. Occasionally you see a 5 or 8 year old on pre-team. Pre-team isn't a huge commitment - twice a week for about three hours, low gym fees, no expensive leotards, no expensive private sessions.

[Anonymous]

Former gymnast (level 9) and coach/instructor here. I joined pre-team and started competing at age 8, but I coached kids as young as 5 on pre-team. If your child is interested and invited, why not try it and see how it goes?

[Anonymous]

OP, she's at the average age for it. She can always step back and do regular classes if she enjoys gymnastics but not competing once she has the knowledge of how to push herself.