Do you coach your dd or work with other teams?
I coach approx 35 girls on competitive levels 3 - 8, with my co-head coach. She also has a daughter, just younger. We coach in rotations so I don't coach my daughter exclusively all practice. She also takes rotations with our Jr. Coaches as well.
I would love to pick the brains of other coach/parent professionals. I've found it one of the most difficult things to work through, although also the most rewarding.
My intention was to hook her, because I wanted her to have the chance for the positive experiences and opportunities I had as a gymnast. However, I've always maintained that it will always be her choice. I talk quite frequently, but lovingly, that if ever this is not something she wants to pursue, the choice is completely hers. I know she is just as passionate and proud of gymnastics as I was, although not nearly as focused.
Our biggest battles are keeping her from falling into the "gym brat" role. When I'm coaching her she is my gymnast and part of team, not my daughter with attitude towards mom. She tends to try and get away with things I wouldn't tolerate from other gymasts. Just last week, she had to sit in the hall for not falling in line and following directions like the rest of the team. However, I've fallen off and disciplined her as she would be disciplined at home, nose in the corner, take away privilidges, type of stuff that I wouldn't do to a student in the gym. It's a hard line to walk.
Part of the problem is she is such a pleaser/peformer. She likes to know someone is watching and going to praise. She's that way in school too. Does well, knows the stuff, but if noone is there to prove it to, why should she try. That's my insight into her.
She's not a natural talent. Talented, yes, but not the best. She wins occasionally, but usually is about 4th or so. Better than most, but not the best. She has progressed a bit faster than those she started with, but mostly because she has more time in the gym, as I have her in both competitive team and performance group. During summer she's in the gym 5 days a week, not necessarily training days though, just tagging along with mom. During school 3 days per week, team for 2hrs, performance team 1 hr). She's definitely proof that the more time in the gym, even if not all instructional, the faster the progression.
As for me, I took my gymnastics through Class 1 (Level 10 for those that don't date their gymnastics back to the 80's) with a college scholarship. I vowed during college I wasn't going to coach... two years after graduating college I had my fingers back in the sport, and soon was coaching again full time.
My hobby is digital scrapbooking, digital art, and photography at an intermediate level... kinda like my daughter's gymnastics, better than most, but not the best. I'll post some artwork in the gallery soon.
Our next meet... State Championships, Dec 13th. All but one of our gymnasts have qualified, but not hard to do in Wyoming. Within our gym we call our two seasons, Championship season (Oct-Dec) and National season (Jan-Mar; where we might go abroad more).
Glad you decided to start posting. I'm sure you have lots of insight to offer! My DD is 13yr old level 7. What level is your DD?
