For Parents ROBHS Training

[Empowered]

Last year when my DD was on the Tiny Team I noticed that half the Level 4 competing group could not do their ROBHS at this time of the year. By the time the first meet rolled around only one of that group of 5 competed the skill, 2 of them did not compete the skill at all last year.

Now my daughter moved up to Level 4 in May with a group of 4 new girls, none of which had worked the skill at all. And now here we sit, less than 3 weeks out of their first meet and not one of the new crop of girls can do one. I don't stay and watch practice, but my daughter says they haven't worked on them in the last two weeks. Some days they don't even work standing BHSs. Most of the parents are now having to foot the bill for private classes to try and get their daughters the skill which considering they're already in the gym 10 hours a week is making for some tired, frustrated girls.

I am just wondering how common it is for a gym to be this lax on a skill that really is the culmination of the floor exercise for that level. It just seems to be an odd approach though as I have always said I didn't do gymnastics myself so I don't have a wealth of knowledge. To see it two years in a row though, I just wonder what the thinking is of our coaches (and believe me trying to get one to talk to you face to face to explain anything is like pulling teeth from an angry, angry shark).

Also for reference, it isn't like this is an extremely young group of girls that we're talking about in relation to level 4. They are all 6-8 years old.

 

[bogwoppit]

SOunds odd to me. WHy don't you get a group of parents together and buy a group private to work BHS only. In that format it could be cheap, effective and get the job done faster than everyone having individual privates. Setting up work stations for a group is very effective for BHS.

I would aslo address your concern to the coach, simply said your DD is not working her BHS that she needs for L4, when are they planning on addressing this skill. 10 hours a week is plenty of time in the gym, many L4's train way less. I assume they have all the other skills.

 

[mariposa]

Sounds odd to me as well. At DDs old gym, you couldn't compete on any event if you didn't have all the skills and had to compete ALL events. At her new gym, you can't compete floor if you don't have your ROBHS, but if you aren't ready on floor but are ready on the other 3, you can compete 3 events.

I think my DD had her ROBHS before she had her floor routine. I would want to know why they aren't working more on it. Also, what is their plan for meet season? Will they be spotted on it? Bog's idea of a group BHS private would be good, but at 10 hours a week, they should be able to get these girls ready for the meets. Sucks to have to pay more money for something they should be teaching during practice.

I remember being at a meet once where most of the girls didn't have it and some didn't even know how to run towards the coach correctly to be spotted, it was very strange. They weren't well prepared for other events either, but the coach seemed extremely friendly and encouraging, so I just figured his philosophy must just be to let the girls go out there and have fun.

I do think you are right though, the ROBHS is a huge skill for level 4, the biggest in the L4 floor routine, you think they would be working it more often. 10 hours a week is plenty of time for level 4s to get their skills. Many gyms you have to have your L4 skills before moving up to L4 (that is how it is at DDs current gym). My DD moved to L4 without having most of her L4 skills and it was a struggle all year for her. She was trying to remember routines, do skills she had only just begun to master and it was obvious in her scores. She did have fun though, but she was a young 6 and scores didn't mean anything to her, older girls might not have the same attitude and be sad to go out there and not score so well.

How do the girls score in general? On other events are they meet ready? How do the girls at other levels score? Do they send the L5/L6s out there without some of their major skills (kips, back tucks, front handsprings, etc)? Would be interesting to see how they do overall and if they eventually get their stuff together or not.

Good luck getting this resolved. Maybe if all of you approached the coach or owner about your concern it could help.

 

[iggy1988]

I too consider this odd. 10 hours should be more than enough time to have them meet ready, especially considering the season is only 3 wks away. You should not have to spend money on privates for basic, necessary skills. I don't mean to infer that a ROBHS is basic, I just mean a staple of competition.

We do privates for my DD to focus on the small details. Things that can get overlooked in a practice setting with 10-12 other girls.

I wish you luck...

 

[canadiangymmom]

I'm sorry you're dealing with this added stress so close to competition time. I don't know of any other gym that operates like yours, and aren't working on skills that are mandatory in compulsary routines. That being said, Bean has only been to 1 gym, so take that with a grain of salt

Our gym works on individual skills until they're as close as they're going to get to perfect, long before ever working routines.

If I was in your shoes, I'd be asking some questions, and likely, doing my homework about other gyms in the area.

Good luck to you and your little girl.

 

[Aussie_coach]

I too vote that this is definitely odd. Really at this level they need to be doing back handsprings everyday. Ideally a child should be able to do a skill 6 months before they need to compete it, so this time can be spent perfecting it.

 

[gymmomntc2e6]

I have to agree with the other posters here that this is strange. At DD's gym they have to have all of their skills to move up. They also up train. My DD will be competing L4, there are 3 other L4's. DD is the only one without her ROBHSBT. DE does have her squat on jump to high bar, and her flyaway with a very light spot. All of them have their cartwheel & BWO on beam. They have also started going over the vault table.

HC does not hold girls back to medal, just lots of uptraining in the mix.

I would be concerned and want this addressed. It is not fair to send these girls to competition unprepared.

 

[Panda-girl's Mom]

When my daughter joined the level 4 team 2 years ago they did not train alot in the summer they just kind of put them on the team. They were between 5-7. They did not get the skill until halfway through meet season. They could not compete floor until they got it. Unfortuantely my daughter was the last one to get it, so she had to scratch the floor when all her team mates were doing it. Anyway I questioned the head coach about privates and she told me just wait and my daughter got it for the next meet. Anyway not only me but all the other 4's started to question how things were being done some even were getting daughters privates at other gyms. After the season was over all the other 4's in her group left the gym and went somewhere else except one other girl. In hindsight 2 years later I could see that the head coach knew that they were young and just wanted to get them out there and get used to competeing. All the girls in her groups have moved up at different paces depending on their skills. My daughter did repeat level4 but other girls moved to 5 and one is even training with the 7's. My daughter has never had a private lesson I do not think the head coach believes in them. Anyway I would talk to the coach and find out what the plan is and I would be alittle concerned if they are pushing private lessons ecspecailly if you are paying for 10hrs a week.

 

[TnTTaxi]

We have a large group of L4 girls this year and only 2 do not have the ROBHS. Our first meet is also 3 weeks away and I am under the impression that if you do not have all the skills the will not be allowed to compete that event. So it is very surprising that they are not even working on it. My DD has done privates to fix the little things in the routines, but I would be frustrated if I had to do them for major skills if the whole group does not have it.

10 hrs is more then enough to get theses things accomplished, I would talk to the coaches and see what their plan is, they have one I'm sure. Good Luck

 

[Empowered]

Unfortunately at this gym you aren't encouraged to ask questions, you are encouraged to write your check and let the coaches do what they do. The girls are allowed to compete floor without the ROBHS, but they lose .6 off the top of the score for not doing the skill plus I would imagine countless extra tenths from the judges for not being ready.

She has every other skill so this is just a major frustration. They are in the gym 3 hours M & W and 4 hours Friday. They spend a full hour M & W on warm-up and then 30 minutes on each event, give or take a few for breaks. On days I get there for the last 30 minutes I have seen them spend literally the entire time on the slide down into split through the prance. That is 20+ minutes on 10 seconds on dance. I know the dance is important, but who cares how well she prances (and she does love that prance ) if she can't do the big skill.

She was so discouraged yesterday because they were told they would work ROBHS and what they worked was RO - stop, spotted BHS to push-up position and they worked it for the last 5 minutes of floor. I just don't get this gym, but with our location, we're stuck here for the time being. I guess I just needed validation that I am not crazy and this is odd.

 

[Megley]

It surely does seem that they should have been working on this basic skill over the summer and devoting at least some time to it each week. I think the latter drill you describe is a good one, but five minutes is not enough time. Our gym has always used the summers to work skills. Once the girls have their skills, the coaches work on the finer points of the routines and on improving the skills. 10 hours is more than enough time to work on the ro/bhs. I too would be concerned with three weeks to go. I know the thought of having to pay for privates is irksome (to say the least) when the gym should be doing the job for what you are paying them, but it may be worth it just to be sure she has the skill before she competes.

Meg

 

[iggy1988]

I guess I just needed validation that I am not crazy and this is odd.

I think you have received plenty of validation. I think everyone who posted agrees that it appears to be a bit odd. I wish you the best of luck. I know it would stink but I would spend the money on a private to get the skill even though as a matter of principle you shouldn't have to.

 

[shellchelle]

I agree with everyone else. It is an odd situation, and you are right to think so. It will be a shame for all of the girls to lose .6 right off the bat for not having their BHS because they are not being taught the skill. And, it is shameful that parents who are already paying for 10 hours a week are not getting their money's worth out of the coaches.

DD will be competing L4 this season. Last year she competed L3, and the coaches had all L3 gymmies compete the FX with the ROBHS since there was no deduction for spotting the skill in L3. The girls all have the skill now since they worked on it all last season before moving up.

Good luck to you and your daughter. I hope that whatever happens she still has a fun season!

 

[cathiann]

She was so discouraged yesterday because they were told they would work ROBHS and what they worked was RO - stop, spotted BHS to push-up position and they worked it for the last 5 minutes of floor. I just don't get this gym, but with our location, we're stuck here for the time being. I guess I just needed validation that I am not crazy and this is odd.

It's definitely odd. Do they start working the skill more after competition season starts??