Rick McCharles
Photo is super coach Peter Soul, Integrity Gymnastics, Ohio. His excellent fitness helped him recover from chemotherapy over the past year.
At Funtastics Gymnastics camp in Idaho I noted my coaching contemporaries are aging.
At 48-years-old, I’ve never been a better coach. My mind is strong but the body starting to fail.
At camp I had never been so disabled: broken hand, sore back and laryngitis. Most of the other “older” coaches were hobbled in one way or another.
One has pain in his shoulder even putting on a t-shirt. Another was limping from a running injury. Many of us were avoiding spotting if we could.
A friend retired from coaching last year after 31-years. Another is scheduling a double hip replacement.
Thank God for 21-year-old Rachael Tart (Funtastics) who already spots Yurchenko and Tkachev!
Older coaches need spend more time providing opportunities for new coaches. Our days are numbered.
2 comments ↓
Funny that you think that way.. I have coached at more than 15 different bay area gyms & my attitude has always to help out newcomers.. to the point that today I had my young students practicing gymnastics & acting like coaches spotting & correcting each other.. they felt so IMPORTANT & I tapped into an area most gyms don’t tap.. to teach gymnasts not only how to be gymnasts but to instill in them love for helping each other
I got it all in tape.. just to show the world a different an unique approach to gymnastics
Best of life to all
Nacho Nava
Excellent idea!
Teach the child, not the skill.
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