Anyone watching the Olympic Gymnastic tryouts?

[cati]

xx

 

[princess lovers mom]

is it on TV...what channel...my daughter spends hours (really) doing handstands and walkovers in the living room...I'm sure she would love to watch

 

[cati]

It is on NBC )any NBC channel would have it). It is on tonight and tomorrow. Enjoy..

 

[princess lovers mom]

thanks...yes now we are watching...the monopoly game with Dad just took a back seat....

my DD is 8 and just started gymnastics at our YMCA...they have a pretty big team ...she was invited to join "pre-team" after just one session of regular calss and is so excited...she is anticipating moving to team in the fall if summer goes as planned...

we also have a few gyms in the cities around that have programs for gymnastics....our Y starts kids at 4, but most kids competing are 8 and up


watching them learn the skills gives you such an appreciation of how easy the girls on TV make it look!!!

 

[cati]

xx

 

[missypie]

Yes, we watched it...Carly Patterson falling off the beam made my heart stop.

DD is 8 years old and is training to compete as a Level 5. She took recreational gymnastics and at a young age she was asked to be on the pre-pre-traning team. At the time, we did not take it seriously (we would only do one day a week with her as a preschooler), so she is "behind' the girls who have a serious Olympic shot.

You start competing at Level 4 and go up to Level 10, then Elite (what the Olympic gymnasts are). So you really need to start very young if you want a "future" at it.

As a Level 5, DD practices from 4:15 to 7:15 pm, 3 nights a week. When she makes Level 6, she will add another 3 hours a week. We've managed to squeeze in dance every year so far, but I think soccer will have to go.

 

[cati]

Yes, my heart stopped also when she fell off the beam. I just felt so sorry for her. Which one are you pulling for if the one you like gets into the olympics. I dont know anything about any of them, so I have not made an opinion yet.

I bet your DD will catch up quickly with the other girls. My DD's coach told me that they would be able to tell by the time she was 7 or 8 whether she would be able to compete or not. They dont accept them until they are that age for competition around here. I dont know if that is good or not. Sounds like if she ever wanted a shot, she would need to start earlier. Is this correct?

 

[PRINCESS VIJA]

I started to watch it at the end, can someone tell me about Pamela Anderson and her relationship with the one gymnast?

 

[yecats]

I used to be a gymnast as a child and was attempting to work my way to the Olympics (1980's) but broke some bones which ended my career. I love to still watch the spot but frankly don't miss the hours practicing. Carly P. did something that shocked her as well but she has been very consistent and should be allowed onto the Olympic team.

As for Pam Anderson, she provided 20K for one of the gymnast to continue training and was there to show support.

To those that have children who truly want to practice gymnastics, be warned that plenty of injuries will follow. It is a very competitive sport with more that walk away disappointed rather than consistent winners. Children who truly want to achieve the high ranks will have to learn to give plenty of their childhood away in their lives. When others are out playing, the gymnast is in practicing then homework then sleep and this exist everyday of their lives. However, these are the true achievers who in the end have confidence, discipline and will continue to push the most out of themselves throughout their lives. Their are other cost to: have you seen tall gymnast? My orthopedist told my mother that the sport shaved a good several inches off of my height and then he said that my body would feel the end result of all of those years (since 4 yrs old to 11 yrs old) as early as my 30's. This is true, there are many days where I wake up and my ankles, knees and lower back know what I used to do. These are all things that should be considered should your children wish to try for the Olympics. My dream ended at 11, at least I grew several inches the next few years after.

 

[HollyJoy]

I love watching gymnastics, and BOTH my girls take Gymnastics!!! They're pretty good! They can both do a mean cartwheel and roundoff... they both have recently learned to do a one handed cartwheel! They are in heaven!

 

[gymnasticsmom68]

We were watching, my daughter does gymanstics. She'll be competing level 5 next year. The whole time it was on she was practicing backwalkovers on her beam. My house it just one big gym.

 

[tonyswife]

I am also watching. I competed for many years. Although most of the time that I was a competitor, the levels were different. They were called "classes" and went from 4 to 1, the elite. Shortly before I stopped competeing they changed the levels to 1-10 and I was competing at level 8.

I coached for several years after that. I did work with some of the team girls but I really preferred to work with the very young kids. Gymnastics is a lot of hard work, but there is a HUGE natural ability factor as well. When I was coaching, I could tll with in the first few classes whether or not a child was going to be strictly a recreational gymnast, or if they were going to progress through our program. The girls that have the natural ability learn the basics at lightening speed, the are naturally coordinated and poised, they are naturally strong, they are naturally petite.

I don;t know if I buy the theory that gymnastics "stunts" growth to the extent that it's blamed for stunting growth. To be successful, gymnasts need a specific body type and I think that it's more genetic than anything else. They tend to have narrow hips but broad shoulders and they are short. I think the extensive work out schedule can delay puberty, but I don;t think it will actually prevent you from getting taller if that is what you are genetically programmed for.

My DD is 2.5, I plan to put her in a parent participation class in the next few months. But, it will be DH that brings her. I think I would not be able to resist the urge to "coach" her and I want her to enjoy it, not hate me. If she loves it, i will support her in it, but if she does not and she would prefer to play ice hockey, that will be fine with me too.

 

[cati]

xx

 

[bcvprincesses]

My girls can't wait for tonight. We have a tape from last night and my girls have already watched it twice today.
Cati I really have no advice for you. We have the best coaches where my girls take gym. They are strict and loving at the same time. My girls want to live there. I guess that is a good sign. I have a 5 year old that will be level 4 and a 7 year old that will be a level 5. They go 10 to 12 hours a week and love every min. of it. I think the only thing that matters is that the kids really love it.

 

[phamton]

Originally posted by tonyswife

they are naturally strong, they are naturally petite.

I don;t know if I buy the theory that gymnastics "stunts" growth to the extent that it's blamed for stunting growth. To be successful, gymnasts need a specific body type and I think that it's more genetic than anything else. They tend to have narrow hips but broad shoulders and they are short. I think the extensive work out schedule can delay puberty, but I don;t think it will actually prevent you from getting taller if that is what you are genetically programmed for.

ITA and have never heard that gymnastics stunts growth. That's like saying playing basketball makes you tall. Most basketball players are tall becuase the shorter ones usually drop out. Same with gymnasts, the taller ones usually can't cut it and leave the sport. If someone's growth is stunted it would most likely not be from taking gymnastics but from eating disorders. If you don't maintain some body fat, then puberty and growth spurts are delayed. Once normal eating occurs, growth and menses returns.

It is much more difficult to compete with the big skills if a gymnast is tall. My daughter was 5'8" and competed at level 9, but it took a lot of hard work especially on beam and bars. My husband was a 2-time All American in college gymnastics and he is 6'1". He coached gymnastics for 25 years. He coached NCAA women's college gymnastics and then owned a private gymnastics club. He also coached a girl for the USA Olympic trials in 1980 and several who were in the USA championships. Last year, he was awarded a lifetime achievement award from GAT (Gymnastics Association of Texas). The reason I listed all these achievements is because when I mentioned the "gymnastics stunts growth" comment, he said he had never heard of that before.

 

[nuke]

Can someone explain how the team will be picked? I understand that the top two from tonight automatically go but then what about the rest? Is it announced anywhere who is going to the "gym" to train and then when will the final team be announced?

I'm used to the old way where you saw the team immediately following the trials.