Parents, Have You Accepted Your Daughter's Ability Level In Gymnastics?

Parents, Have You Accepted Your Daughter's Ability Level In Gymnastics?

As I meet with families, I occasionally come across situations where I can see that the parent has much more lofty choices than the gymnast in regards to picking potential college teams.

Sep 14, 2017 by Jill Hicks
Parents, Have You Accepted Your Daughter's Ability Level In Gymnastics?
As I meet with families, I occasionally come across situations in which I can see that the parent has much loftier aspirations than the gymnast in regards to picking potential college teams. I can see that the gymnast is uncomfortable and struggling with how to handle the situation. The pressure of wanting to please the parent and yet knowing they do not have what it takes to reach the schools on the parents list is difficult.    

In order to be confident in the recruiting process, it is imperative that the gymnast and parent are on the same page when it comes to looking at schools and picking the right range for her gymnastics skill level. It is natural for the parent to want to have high expectations for their child. But when it comes to recruiting, it is very important to have a realistic perspective.   

The sport of gymnastics is very hard to understand, and I can see why many parents struggle with helping their gymnast pick the right colleges to pursue.  Gymnastics is a very technical sport, and the names of skills and start values can make it very confusing to understand and evaluate. This is why I recommend you have an honest discussion with your daughter's club coach. You can ask the coach where they see your daughter in regards to recruiting, and how he or she projects your daughter's future.

Stay focused on these items:


1.  You want your daughter to be on a team she can contribute to athletically.

2.  You don't want your daughter to feel added pressure to live up to a standard she is not capable of achieving.

3.  Your daughter needs to know you have full confidence in her goals and desires.

4.  Try to take a step back and look at the bigger picture, taking into consideration the club's recommendation.

5.  Keep the lines of communication open with your gymnast as she goes through the ups and downs of moving through the levels of gymnastics.


JH Consulting is an advising business for parents and club gymnasts. Parents hire Jill to help them navigate the college recruiting process. You can call her for a FREE consultation by going to www.jhicksconsulting.com for contact information.