WAG NY Times Magazine article on coaching methods

[mommyof1]

What If Everything We Know About Gymnastics Is Wrong? (Published 2021)

In the wake of a seismic scandal, Chellsie Memmel and other gymnasts are done with inhumane coaching — and the idea that they have to peak in their teens.

www.nytimes.com

 

[RTT2]

I read that yesterday and thought it was a great article. I would love to see a massive cultural shift in gymnastics away from pushing very young girls toward the top and breaking most of them along the way. Chellsie Memmel is a fantastic example of what is possible if female gymnasts are actually allowed to continue to grow and develop into mature athletes rather than being pushed out by overtraining/injuries/mental breakdowns at an early age. I was a little surprised Dave Tilley from SHIFT wasn't interviewed.

 

[mommyof1]

I am older than Chellsie but I want to be just like her when I grow up.

 

[kendo348]

The part from this article that I’m still thinking about a day later is the paragraph about how the elite coaches seem to be regularly and cuttingly sarcastic toward their athletes. I know there are respectful elite coaches out there - some mentioned in the article - but if that is the norm it makes me sad. I know that it’s just one of many bad/worse things the athletes deal with, but it’s something that doesn’t get talked about. The damage that can be done through sarcasm, especially from an adult to a child, is often overlooked because it’s “funny.” It can slide under the radar even in front of parents as not quite emotional abuse, but it certainly has an element of lacking respect and its frequency as noticed by the author must be wearing.

I don’t know if there is or is not much to discuss about this, so if not I guess I’m just throwing it out here for thought.

 

[txgymfan]

I’ve been posting about Chellsie’s comeback on here for months. I’m thrilled she is getting the national attention that she deserves. She has even picked up a few sponsorships. He ankle injury was unfortunate, hopefully she can do well enough to make it back on the national team. I would love to see her make worlds or even a smaller international competition. She is an amazing role model.

 

[mommyof1]

The part from this article that I’m still thinking about a day later is the paragraph about how the elite coaches seem to be regularly and cuttingly sarcastic toward their athletes. I know there are respectful elite coaches out there - some mentioned in the article - but if that is the norm it makes me sad. I know that it’s just one of many bad/worse things the athletes deal with, but it’s something that doesn’t get talked about. The damage that can be done through sarcasm, especially from an adult to a child, is often overlooked because it’s “funny.” It can slide under the radar even in front of parents as not quite emotional abuse, but it certainly has an element of lacking respect and its frequency as noticed by the author must be wearing.

I don’t know if there is or is not much to discuss about this, so if not I guess I’m just throwing it out here for thought.

This is terrible, but my first thought when I read that part was "isn't that how many adults talk to kids all the time?"

 

[kendo348]

This is terrible, but my first thought when I read that part was "isn't that how many adults talk to kids all the time?"

You are right, and I’ve been thinking about it in that broader context as well and the scale of it makes me sad. It’s not something people usually view as very negative, but hearing it for hours every day from teachers, coaches, parents can really end up influencing the outlook that children adopt and the way they talk to themselves. Like I mentioned, there are worse things happening out there… but this is still one thing I would pay attention to in a coach-child relationship.

 

[JBS]

The damage that can be done through sarcasm, especially from an adult to a child, is often overlooked because it’s “funny.”

Yes... this is something that coaches need to be educated about. Sarcasm is pointless in coaching.

Al Fong has a great program that he is starting...

MENTOR PROGRAMS | Al Fong

www.alfong.com

I recommend that everyone signs up for it (it's for parents too). It's his CYC... Change Your Culture.