I’m ever so proud of Fran today, (though feeling very slightly guilty!) After only 3 months or so at gym they’ve pushed her up a class, into the Novice class, which is a by selection rather than a recreation class, (“Novice class competing general level for floor and vault competition for boys and girls” says the website). I feel bad because she has wanted to do gym for years and i pulled her out of one class for being too arsy (the gym not her) and did do it again for so long; hope i haven’t spoilt her chances. Anyway they tested her today and the jist afterwards was that they’d move her up, get her strength up and let her try competing, maybe even as early as November, and then they think she’ll go a good bit further than that and move into the squad at some point.
She, not surprisingly, is thrilled, although she would have loved squad straight away, but she needs more skills if she is going into it at 10 and i’m much happier if she keeps it as a hobby for now, as she’ll have to drop more things if she does more gym. There is no way we could add 8 -12 hours a week of gym to current dancing/music/Brownies etc, nor into our budget. I’ve been reassured by various people (thank you Sarah E, i forgot to reply but appreciated it!) including a friend from school who did British Squad training, that things are far less weight obsessed now, and this gym seems to have an excellent attitude, but i’m perfectly happy to take it gently. But she’ll adore the chance to compete and knowing she is being actively encouraged to go further and being watched will fire her enthusiasm. I watched her testing tonight and she can really haul up her performance when she needs to.
Maddy and Amelie are apparently considered good and being watched too, though we had tears from Maddy tonight which i don’t fully understand but think has something to do with her feeling ‘sensorily’ distressed by her leotard. Long time since we’ve had that issue with her. I’m pleased for them all and feel quite pleased too that this will lessen our dependence on dancing; i think gym may well suit them better.
So now Mondays have jazz at 4pm-4.45pm, then we have a snack, Gym for M and A from 5.30pm-6.45pm while F, J and i go to work or home and then Gym for F from 6.45pm to 8.30pm. I’m gonig to have to drive up and down one stretch of dual carriageway about 8 times in 3 hours. *snort*
do you not have sensory clothing issues on a regular basis then? Ours are pretty much standard, and I’d kind of assumed that was how it worked for everyone.
No, we used to. Maddy couldn’t deal with seams or labels or crinkles for years – but also needed clothes to have an external texture too, which was challenging at times. It has been largely absent since she left nursery, but i’ve noticed it a lot more lately – and wonder now if it has been triggered by her discomfort with her leotard.
still at least it’s dual carriageway not stopstart into town with traffic lights? or am I clutching at straws here!
It’s straw-ish… 😉 Still at least for now it is only an extra 1/2 hour a week; they made me laugh. They said “totally up to you, we know you have other kids to consider” but how can you say no when they tell the child first!
Oh well done Fran 🙂 She’s been preparing for it for years, lol!
Well done Fran. And you for the ferrying about.
Sounds good. Hope M’s leotard problem gets sorted.
Yay! Well done Fran!
I’d imagine what she would need to move over into the squad would be strength and flexability more than anything. When I look at how much conditioning my girls do, especially E who is in the squad at the lower level (R is now training at the level below that, so 2 hours a week with an eye to competing still when she is 8, they call her group County Grades, and Es group Club Grades then there is also Elite group) then I’d think if Fran wants a head start on it, it’ll be sit ups and squats and pull ups at home.
The thing I’ve noticed though, at our club at least, there are so many different options, and you can compete at so many different levels, that it can be as serious or not as suits. They also move people between the different groups frequently.
Tell her well done from us though, I know how much she enjoys it 🙂
well done Fran 🙂
We have leotard issues here so I buy them cotton ones to train in and they borrow the horrid ones for exams etc. I can’t even touch them myself to got them out of the bag!
Excellent news btw. I agree with Em on the at home stuff, works wonders having them do daily bits at home to keep everything moving and we notice a better bend and stretch. I know we do ballet and kyokushin but it’s the same principle really.
I’m fed up already about how much driving around I do every evening but as you say you can hardly say no when they’re goo and keen.
Well done Fran! I am really pleased for you. Keep up the good work.
Glad to be helpful! Hope Fran continues to enjoy gym – and we have a comp we are preparing for in November so if it is the same one, we’ll see you there!