Please help, feeling very upset :(

[superflipgirl]

So this is really a cheerleading issue, but since it is specifically related to gymnastics/tumbling I'm going to ask here. I'm feeling very upset about it and I really need advice.
So during my first year of high school, I made the varsity cheer team and, still being a gymnast at the time, tumbling skills came so easily to me. I could pretty much do everything I could do on a spring floor without shoes, on a cheer floor with shoes. I could do a roundoff back handspring on the basketball court even! But this year, to make a long story short, I made jv cheer even though I was on varsity last year. And we almost never did tumbling in jv cheer. So I started taking private lessons at a cheer gym, and I could still pretty much tumble the same way I had last year. But, I was only taking one private lesson a week, and my coach is really really tough. He makes you do skills over and over again, which at the time was no problem for me, but it was very tiring. And then eventually it started to catch up to me. I suddenly had trouble doing skills on the cheer floor that I could do no problem the year before. And then, it caught up to me during tumbling lessons on the spring floor. Now a few weeks ago, I was struggling with my back handspring, which I've had for 5 or 6 years! It suddenly just seemed really scary. Now I could do it, but it took time and trying so hard "not to think about it." It didn't feel like I could do it naturally. I went today, and did one back handspring on the floor and then got scared. My coach got really mad, said he knew I could do it(which I can, I don't blame him!) and we weren't working on anything else until I did it. And I just couldn't. I was crying and then my dad and him talked and we decided to start working them from a diagonal mat again, just like I did when I was first learning them. They came pretty easily, and I hope to be able to do it on the floor again next week.
However, this is just bothering me so much. I've been doing back TUCKS for 4 years now and I don't know why this back handspring is suddenly so hard. My dad asked if we should keep doing it, am I really getting any better or is it just making me scared. I'm not going to give up or I'll just get worse and worse but I don't know what else to DO! I try so so so so so hard not to think too much about it but I'm still scared. I don't know why I suddenly can't do this anymore. Please help, I'm in tears typing this now!

Also I apologize if you don't like the fact that this is a cheerleading situation instead of gymnastics but since it's really about tumbling and the fear, etc. similar to gymnastics I thought since the people on this board are so supportive and nice and give great advice, someone would be able to help me.

 

[GymBee97]

no need to apoligize. tumblilng is tumbling.

I would bet you have grown, changed shape a bit and are starting to get that womanly body. When things shift lots of things change. Also you can't go from being a gymnast practicing 4 + days a week for hours a week to just an hour or two and expect the same results. Even skills you have had can be lost with out the same amount of practice. I also see in gymnasts who hit that grade 8 - grade 10 years find fear in doing these skills as well. Its like all of a sudden they are starting to question why they are bouncing 6 feet in the air tumbling and twirling and not wondering why they haven't been scared before.

it's all part of growing up. As for moving from Varsity to JV ask your coach for some time to discuss this. You have to be unemotional when you do this and ask them what you need to change to get back on the varsity team. Remember every year is different with a whole new group of students and the schools want their best choices on the varsity teams. there could be a bunch of new students that just have that one more skill better than you do and you just have to adjust.

Lastly think about this - is this what you really want to do? Alot of kids when entering High School think they want or are doing sports because mom and dad expect them to do it. There are lots of great teams, clubs and activities available to you. Have you thought or been thinking about other activities you are interested just as much. Cheer like gymnastics shouldn't be the end all for any one and you should be open to other opportunities that come your way.

 

[superflipgirl]

Oh sorry........this cheer incident happened in August, and cheer is over for the year. I'm not asking for any advice about the varsity/jv issue, I'm just explaining so everyone knows what's going on. I'm actually one of the best tumblers on the team, and one of the only ones with gymnastics experience. The reason I made jv is because during tryouts I kind of just forgot about good form when doing pretty much everything BESIDES the tumbling portion. Anyway like I said, I'm not asking for any actual cheer advice, I'm just talking about tumbling.

 

[sunshinegymnast]

I'm going through something similar but it's on beam. I used to be able to throw back walkovers on high beam like it was walking but now I'm not sticking any, even with spot on high beam...I sorta know what you're going through :\

 

[Kiwi]

I agree with Gymbee97. You are at an age when your body is changing a lot, and not only that, your brain is changing a lot as well. The reduction in hours could also be a factor. What you are doing sounds good, going back to how you first learned them and taking small steps to rebuild your confidence.

 

[GymnastAlice]

The answer is you are growing up, which means your body is changing which is a good thing just not for gymnastics. If you watch MIOBI, Payson occurred the same scenario and she was an inch close to becoming the national champion! Do not worry about this just let you body grow so you will become a healthy women. And do not let your coach do this to you! Quit private cheer and go to an out of school cheer club where you are more comfortable. And as for your BHS do not worry about it keep on working up to it and see if you can impress your coach. Remember you have the rest of your life to plead and cry but now is not the time. Hope my answer helped you. Alice x

 

[gymnast4]

This same thing happened to me like 3 months ago where I was scared to do my back handspring, even on a trampoline, or with a spot. It went on for like a week and I really wanted to quit, but dont!!!!! What I did was put a barrell mat (if you have one or just get a spot) under you while you do your back handspring until you get comfortable then do it without. Now I have them on floor too!!