Parents Conditioning before meets

[Lkgymom]

My L7 daughter has her last meet of the season before States on Saturday. She was actually looking forward to it. Was getting a new bars dismount, likes this venue, has traditionally scored well there and finally feeling steady on all of her skills. But last night her coach instituted an arms "boot camp." She couldn't do all of it, and was so sore, she had trouble running full routines on bars. Then at the end of practice, he called her and one other girl up to explain to the whole team why they whiffed it on conditioning. Public humiliation. I'm really mad - not only did he ruin her bars practice with this ill-timed excessive conditioning, he also ruined her positive energy. Would you say anything to him? They have a short practice tonight and just hoping it goes well to get back on track.

 

[gymmomx2]

That's really odd, experienced coaches taper before a competition. Is your DD's coach very young?

I would definitely address the public humiliation (or have her do it, depending on her age/comfort level with this coach) but probably not the conditioning part because that falls under coaching philosophy. Even though I disagree as a parent (and coach of a different sport), it probably wouldn't go over well to question him.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Yes I would say something.

 

[Lkgymom]

He is certainly on the younger side, but it's odd because he has done exactly that, taper, before EVERY OTHER MEET. She's 10 and I'm encouraging her to speak up more but not succeeding. I was wondering about taking on more of a "damage control" tactic - my daughter really looks up to you, needs your support, she feels at a loss after yesterday, what can we do to shore her up? Think that would work?

 

[gymmomx2]

He is certainly on the younger side, but it's odd because he has done exactly that, taper, before EVERY OTHER MEET. She's 10 and I'm encouraging her to speak up more but not succeeding. I was wondering about taking on more of a "damage control" tactic - my daughter really looks up to you, needs your support, she feels at a loss after yesterday, what can we do to shore her up? Think that would work?

Yes, I think if you take that approach he will hopefully be receptive.

 

[NY Dad]

My L7 daughter has her last meet of the season before States on Saturday. She was actually looking forward to it.

I agree with everyone else here.

Have all the girls all already qualified for States? Maybe the coach isn't recognizing the psychological impact this has and is focused on States.

he called her and one other girl up to explain to the whole team why they whiffed it on conditioning.

Has he done this before to your dd or anyone else? Either way, sorry to hear that happened. They all deal with enough stress.

 

[GymDad23]

I agree with everyone that being that young and dealing with the intensity of this sport is tough and sometimes you just need a little reassurance. But, coaches aren't there to coddle the kids and honestly, I don't think that this "humiliation" was anything to lose sleep over. My daughters team is fairly large and at the end of each or most practices they do conditioning. You can easily see those that half-arse it most of the time or are chit chatting, not paying attention, etc. It seems like to me they are just making an example of them and hopefully it will be the last time they are called out. Plus, if it was a day before a meet, then sure, I'd be a little ticked. But with at least a day in between, the recovery time on these athletes is greater. And, usually, those that are being singled out, usually are the ones that the coaches have higher hopes for and just want to get the best out of them.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Public humiliation is just not necessary. It's easy for the coach but not necessary.

 

[kitkat]

My daughter has a coach that sometimes does things that makes me shake my head. But when we came to him almost 2 years ago now. I agreed that I would "trust his process".
He has been the best coach in terms of plans, execution etc...
So even though I think he's crazy sometimes. I am "trusting" in the process.

Good luck.

My L7 daughter has her last meet of the season before States on Saturday. She was actually looking forward to it. Was getting a new bars dismount, likes this venue, has traditionally scored well there and finally feeling steady on all of her skills. But last night her coach instituted an arms "boot camp." She couldn't do all of it, and was so sore, she had trouble running full routines on bars. Then at the end of practice, he called her and one other girl up to explain to the whole team why they whiffed it on conditioning. Public humiliation. I'm really mad - not only did he ruin her bars practice with this ill-timed excessive conditioning, he also ruined her positive energy. Would you say anything to him? They have a short practice tonight and just hoping it goes well to get back on track.

 

[e'smum]

I agree with everyone that being that young and dealing with the intensity of this sport is tough and sometimes you just need a little reassurance. But, coaches aren't there to coddle the kids and honestly, I don't think that this "humiliation" was anything to lose sleep over. My daughters team is fairly large and at the end of each or most practices they do conditioning. You can easily see those that half-arse it most of the time or are chit chatting, not paying attention, etc. It seems like to me they are just making an example of them and hopefully it will be the last time they are called out. Plus, if it was a day before a meet, then sure, I'd be a little ticked. But with at least a day in between, the recovery time on these athletes is greater. And, usually, those that are being singled out, usually are the ones that the coaches have higher hopes for and just want to get the best out of them.

coaches can't and shouldn't coddle, but they should also be careful to not break spirits.

and obviously, to her daughter, it was something that she is "loosing sleep over". she was confident and now she's not. she's *10*. i don't think it was necessary to do that.

to the OP, i hope tonight's practice goes well and your dd gets her confidence back!

 

[GymDad9.9]

coaches can't and shouldn't coddle, but they should also be careful to not break spirits.

and obviously, to her daughter, it was something that she is "loosing sleep over". she was confident and now she's not. she's *10*. i don't think it was necessary to do that.

to the OP, i hope tonight's practice goes well and your dd gets her confidence back!

Agreed. And GymDad23 was awfully cavalier dismissing the OP's concerns with flawed reasoning.

 

[Deleted member 14190]

My L7 daughter has her last meet of the season before States on Saturday. She was actually looking forward to it. Was getting a new bars dismount, likes this venue, has traditionally scored well there and finally feeling steady on all of her skills. But last night her coach instituted an arms "boot camp." She couldn't do all of it, and was so sore, she had trouble running full routines on bars. Then at the end of practice, he called her and one other girl up to explain to the whole team why they whiffed it on conditioning. Public humiliation. I'm really mad - not only did he ruin her bars practice with this ill-timed excessive conditioning, he also ruined her positive energy. Would you say anything to him? They have a short practice tonight and just hoping it goes well to get back on track.

It is not uncommon to condition prior to meets,. Several programs do regular conditioning until prior to state, regionals and nationals. It is also not uncommon to call kids out if they are not conditioning properly. In my opinion.... (here it comes) as a parent I would want to know from my child why they are struggling in conditioning to the point that it would make them extremely sore.... I mean what has she been doing all this time? I realize your concern and fully understand the knee jerk reaction that occurs when you think your child was wronged... However! I think you are missing something critical here, which is an opportunity for your DD to explain this and put her on the spot. This is also an opportunity for you to ask the coach to possibly send you quarterly reports on strength testing of your DD. What is done is done, you cannot change that, but you can change the future and help your child become a better gymnast...... or you can complain to the coach and undermine everything they are trying to do...

 

[GymDad9.9]

It is not uncommon to condition prior to meets,. Several programs do regular conditioning until prior to state, regionals and nationals. It is also not uncommon to call kids out if they are not conditioning properly. In my opinion.... (here it comes) as a parent I would want to know from my child why they are struggling in conditioning to the point that it would make them extremely sore.... I mean what has she been doing all this time? I realize your concern and fully understand the knee jerk reaction that occurs when you think your child was wronged... However! I think you are missing something critical here, which is an opportunity for your DD to explain this and put her on the spot. This is also an opportunity for you to ask the coach to possibly send you quarterly reports on strength testing of your DD. What is done is done, you cannot change that, but you can change the future and help your child become a better gymnast...... or you can complain to the coach and undermine everything they are trying to do...

The OP's description of an "Arms Boot Camp" does not sound like regular conditioning, it sounds extreme, possibly excessive, and out of left field. On top of it, the child is singled out in front of her teammates to explain herself for failing to complete sufficiently. We have no basis of knowing what the child 's physical activity prior to that was that could help explain her falling short or even if the child is indeed lacking in her conditioning. Not to mention in the cumulative the impact on the child's psyche days prior to States. There is nothing in any of this that speaks to effective coaching of this child regarding this particular action. Besides, if the Coach was seeking to prove a point by illustrating conditioning shortcomings, wasn't that accomplished, so why was the public humiliation warranted? Finally, if the child is lacking in conditioning, where has the coaching been up to this time to get it corrected?

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Coach p the way I read it was he upped it less then a week from the meet.

Not a great idea.

Of course you need to kick it, but you do it over time.

Really much like doing reps and sets. You don't go from 1 set 8 reps to 4 sets of 20 reps in one jump and certainly not right before states.

 

[Deleted member 14190]

Coach p the way I read it was he upped it less then a week from the meet.

Not a great idea.

Of course you need to kick it, but you do it over time.

Really much like doing reps and sets. You don't go from 1 set 8 reps to 4 sets of 20 reps in one jump and certainly not right before states.

Sip
Op makes no indication that the whole group struggled , just the kids who lack strength . This tells me that that particular child is weak. And this is after all the internet and I tend to read between the lines.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Sip
Op makes no indication that the whole group struggled , just the kids who lack strength . This tells me that that particular child is weak. And this is after all the internet and I tend to read between the lines.

Point taken. And still no need to do the calling out thing.

 

[Lkgymom]

Point taken. And still no need to do the calling out thing.

OP here:
A few of the girls struggled, cried in the locker room after it was over. And all were overly sore the next day. DD tends to be one of the most consistent and hardest working girls in her group. Which the coach knows and had cited her for in the past. That said strength is a push for her. She just doesn't seem to build muscle as easily. I don't need weekly reports bc I know she is doing all she can and humiliating her only broke her faith with the coach. Now she doesn't feel he has her back in the same way.

That said it was a good meet. L7 personal bests in three events and total determination to figure out her flaws in the last event and bring that up by states.

 

[raenndrops]

I agree with everyone that being that young and dealing with the intensity of this sport is tough and sometimes you just need a little reassurance. But, coaches aren't there to coddle the kids and honestly, I don't think that this "humiliation" was anything to lose sleep over. My daughters team is fairly large and at the end of each or most practices they do conditioning. You can easily see those that half-arse it most of the time or are chit chatting, not paying attention, etc. It seems like to me they are just making an example of them and hopefully it will be the last time they are called out. Plus, if it was a day before a meet, then sure, I'd be a little ticked. But with at least a day in between, the recovery time on these athletes is greater. And, usually, those that are being singled out, usually are the ones that the coaches have higher hopes for and just want to get the best out of them.

It seems from OP's post that the conditioning was not at the END of practice... It happened BEFORE she went to bars.
And public humiliation of a 10 year old is just wrong.

 

[txgymfan]

Glad it was a good meet. Three personal bests is awesome. I would chalk it up to the coach having an off day and leave it at that.

 

[Lkgymom]

Glad it was a good meet. Three personal bests is awesome. I would chalk it up to the coach having an off day and leave it at that.

Very wise. Any more wisdom on how to get my DD ok with him again?