A good article from coaching legend Mas Watanabe on his GymSmarts Community blog:
The other day I was watching the workout of our level 5 and 7 teams during my break.
The level 5’s were working on vault and they were doing the front handspring drill. The drill was to develop good blocking action by using the under arm swing when they punch the board. I was impressed because the entire group was doing the same under arm swing and all the girls were reaching their hands to the table very quickly. Most of the girls were getting a quick turn over of the body from the board and getting a fairly good blocking action.
Of course their handspring vaults weren’t even close to perfect, but the consistent emphasis of good technique was very evident.
Then I looked over to the bars, there were level 7 girls doing back giants, but some of them were still working on their three-quarter giant.
Here too, I was very pleased to see that all the girls were trying to use a proper tap swing to make the giant. Some of their body positions were not good yet, but the tapping action was there. Also, the girls who were struggling with the three-quarter giant were also using the tapping action to kick stronger and lift the swing higher.
I could tell that they will eventually learn a good back giant if they continuously try that way.
Educating all the staff so they teach the specific technique on key skills is not so easy. Many of the younger coaches do not have much coaching experience. …
read the rest – In-house Staff Education
Mas coaches at the excellent Byers Gymnastics Clubs in California.
How is the Staff training at your gym?
Level 4 Canadian beam clinic 2007
2 comments ↓
Well, I see Marcel in his level 4 now!
I used to have a very good coaching education program in my gym. The gym where I coach now does not employ one at all. To me this is almost the most critical role of the Head Coach. I had developed a Coach In Training Program alongside my apprenticeship program to create a learning system that provided payment and incentive, albeit limited for up and coming coaches. Most kids in my gym back then, by age 12 or 13 were already in the gym as apprentice coaches. I was pleased to see so many of the kids I coached way back when, still actively involved in the sport as coaches, and some nearly full time. Sadly, I don’t think over the past several years the learning part was maintained as before so technically, they have not had the same opportunities. The program is still there, and with Chris back in place, I expect the technical side to return to the earlier days.
Susie Gallagher! she is in that picture! shes a coach in nova scotia!
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