Comments on: why we coach kids … http://gymnasticscoaching.com/new/2010/03/why-we-coach-kids/ tumbling, tramp, diving, acrobatics, circus, cheer, dance, martial arts, X sports ... Sat, 11 Feb 2012 13:42:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Success is Not Always Measured in Medals http://gymnasticscoaching.com/new/2010/03/why-we-coach-kids/comment-page-1/#comment-156459 Success is Not Always Measured in Medals Sat, 13 Mar 2010 15:44:27 +0000 http://gymnasticscoaching.com/new/?p=15261#comment-156459 [...] Why we coach kids [...] [...] Why we coach kids [...]

]]> By: Nicole http://gymnasticscoaching.com/new/2010/03/why-we-coach-kids/comment-page-1/#comment-156428 Nicole Sat, 13 Mar 2010 04:56:44 +0000 http://gymnasticscoaching.com/new/?p=15261#comment-156428 I have a student who did her first pullover with a spot a few weeks back. She's petrified of being upside down. But I built up her trust in herself and in me, and when she went over the first time, the whole class erupted in cheers for her. I've been coaching for 18 years and I still jump and yell when someone gets anew skill, whether they're rec or team. I have a student who did her first pullover with a spot a few weeks back. She’s petrified of being upside down. But I built up her trust in herself and in me, and when she went over the first time, the whole class erupted in cheers for her. I’ve been coaching for 18 years and I still jump and yell when someone gets anew skill, whether they’re rec or team.

]]> By: coach Rick http://gymnasticscoaching.com/new/2010/03/why-we-coach-kids/comment-page-1/#comment-156398 coach Rick Fri, 12 Mar 2010 20:19:21 +0000 http://gymnasticscoaching.com/new/?p=15261#comment-156398 Well said, Wordsmith. I recall Rec kids who had NEVER BEEN INVERTED. And what a joy it was to do their first tripod head balance. Or inverted hang. Well said, Wordsmith.

I recall Rec kids who had NEVER BEEN INVERTED. And what a joy it was to do their first tripod head balance. Or inverted hang.

]]> By: wordsmith http://gymnasticscoaching.com/new/2010/03/why-we-coach-kids/comment-page-1/#comment-156391 wordsmith Fri, 12 Mar 2010 18:34:37 +0000 http://gymnasticscoaching.com/new/?p=15261#comment-156391 Sometimes gymnasts, in their struggle to excel in the environment of competitive gymnastics, forget how truly amazing they are. They get so wrapped up and worked up over not being able to do advanced skills with perfect body-shapes and knit-picky execution that they lose a certain perspective on the fact that 99.5% of the population on the planet can't even hold a handstand and have never experienced the simple pleasure of flipping backward. I sometimes try to bring people back to that feeling of exhilaration that the first backhandspring or first giant gave them. One of the greatest joys I've had as a coach was teaching this one girl a forward roll. Just a simple forward roll. Something that even the clumsiest of kids usually can flop themselves over on. This once-a-week-Saturday girl couldn't even do that. (Apparently, her parents never allowed their kids to run around the house or run rough shod outside- just a complete lack of coordination). Tried lots of different methods, to no avail. Cheese mats, egg rocks, candlestick rolls, sit ups, arm-strengthening stuff, leg work- name it! We tried, and tried. After about two 8 week sessions of this, one Saturday I finally took her over to the edge of a platform with a resi porta-pit there. Platform was only slightly elevated above the soft porta-pit. Basically, I had her squat down and then dumped her over. After a few tries at this, she started allowing her body to dump itself over, all by her own volition. Not too long after experiencing this, we took it to the floor and she could get herself to forward roll. The rest of her class, wherever we went, from bars to beam, she was forward rolling herself all over the place to get from point A to point B station. It was funny and cute, and felt rewarding. Something so innocuously simple that every gymnast takes for granted- like walking and breathing- was like winning the Olympics for this kid. If that kid ever went on to actually be in artistic gymnastics as a competitor, I would hope she retained the feeling of joy and accomplishment of that first forward roll, whenever she still did a "simple" forward roll; even as she works on her handspring double front. Sometimes gymnasts, in their struggle to excel in the environment of competitive gymnastics, forget how truly amazing they are. They get so wrapped up and worked up over not being able to do advanced skills with perfect body-shapes and knit-picky execution that they lose a certain perspective on the fact that 99.5% of the population on the planet can’t even hold a handstand and have never experienced the simple pleasure of flipping backward. I sometimes try to bring people back to that feeling of exhilaration that the first backhandspring or first giant gave them.

One of the greatest joys I’ve had as a coach was teaching this one girl a forward roll. Just a simple forward roll. Something that even the clumsiest of kids usually can flop themselves over on. This once-a-week-Saturday girl couldn’t even do that. (Apparently, her parents never allowed their kids to run around the house or run rough shod outside- just a complete lack of coordination). Tried lots of different methods, to no avail. Cheese mats, egg rocks, candlestick rolls, sit ups, arm-strengthening stuff, leg work- name it! We tried, and tried. After about two 8 week sessions of this, one Saturday I finally took her over to the edge of a platform with a resi porta-pit there. Platform was only slightly elevated above the soft porta-pit. Basically, I had her squat down and then dumped her over. After a few tries at this, she started allowing her body to dump itself over, all by her own volition. Not too long after experiencing this, we took it to the floor and she could get herself to forward roll. The rest of her class, wherever we went, from bars to beam, she was forward rolling herself all over the place to get from point A to point B station. It was funny and cute, and felt rewarding. Something so innocuously simple that every gymnast takes for granted- like walking and breathing- was like winning the Olympics for this kid.

If that kid ever went on to actually be in artistic gymnastics as a competitor, I would hope she retained the feeling of joy and accomplishment of that first forward roll, whenever she still did a “simple” forward roll; even as she works on her handspring double front.

]]> By: fargo http://gymnasticscoaching.com/new/2010/03/why-we-coach-kids/comment-page-1/#comment-156379 fargo Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:04:13 +0000 http://gymnasticscoaching.com/new/?p=15261#comment-156379 Similarly, when I first started coaching I remember one of my wee ones finally landing her first cartwheel on beam and I was ecstatic, probably more excited than she was. That feeling always kept me going as a coach! Similarly, when I first started coaching I remember one of my wee ones finally landing her first cartwheel on beam and I was ecstatic, probably more excited than she was. That feeling always kept me going as a coach!

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