WAG BWO - Making a smaller bridge?

[AgingHippie]

So DD is still not landing her BWO, she says the coach is getting super frustrated with her for not taking corrections. I asked if she understood what the coach was saying. She said the coach says to make a smaller bridge but that she doesn't know how to do that. Is this something a parent should relay to a coach? Please keep in mind we don't usually talk to our coach unless it's a note about missing a practice.....EVER.

 

[Sasha]

Maybe... I would first continue to encourage my daughter to be the one to speak up and politely offer that she hears what the coach is saying, but she is not understanding HOW to make the correction. Encourage her to ask "Can you help me better understand how to make a smaller bridge? What should I do exactly? Can you show me?"

If you have been trying this, but child is already asking and not being successful, or child is highly resistant and not bold enough to speak up, and this is serious enough to be affecting your child's enjoyment of the sport for weeks on end, then it might be time for a 1 on 1 with coach.

If you do speak with the coach, I would suggest the topic not center on this bwo skill and specific correction issue (high interfering cgm risk!), but more generally about your concern for your daughter's attitude (frustrations) about gym, and asking the coach's perspective on how she is taking corrections, etc., how her attitude in class has been, etc. If the coach is receptive to a conversation and listening, then it might be ok to share that your daughter gave you an example of something that frustrated her (the bwo thing) in the interest of just providing more color to the picture.

Otherwise, if this isn't systemic, and it's just this one skill that is giving her trouble and she's not 'in the dumps' about gymnastics in general and ready to quit, I would let it go for now.

 

[gymdog]

They want her to put her hands closer to her feet.

Usually hip flexor mobility limits this. Try stretching hip flexor at home. Make sure she is doing it correctly, not extending her lower back. You can look it up on Dave Tilley's blog Hybrid Perspective.

She should ask her coach (without saying anything about her mom, ask her coach from her perspective) "Coach, do I need to work on my strength or flexibility more to improve my walkover? I will work on some exercises to improve it." I wouldn't mind if a parent told me their daughter was talking about it, but it's better for the kid to ask themselves.

 

[gymdog]

Also, I agree with Sasha that if you do talk to the coach, the general approach about being frustrated on beam and asking how she is taking corrections might be better to open the conversation without the coach becoming defensive.

 

[gymdog]

Just saw this - good timing.

 

[AgingHippie]

Thank you so much.