Coaches What would you do?

[flips4fun]

Hi everyone,

I am writing because I'm looking for opinions on a situation I am in that is making my head spin. Here's the story; I have a very hard working, pretty talented Level 6 gymnast who turned 8 in December. Her current beam acro element is a back handspring. Last week I had to be gone all week for a travel meet with our higher level optionals. During the time I was gone the gymnast did something wrong and crashed pretty good three times on her back handspring. No injuries but stuff that makes the whole gym gasp. As I wasn't there to see it I am unsure what the issue was that caused the falls but I can bet it was the same thing all three times. Now the gymnast is totally terrified of doing her back handspring on her own. She consistently wants to either do them on a low beam or with a spot. She obviously wants to get them back. She is an easy to read kid and is really trying to make progress. But we have a meet this weekend and she is required to perform all skills being competed in practice during the week to be allowed to compete. So my question boils down to this: Would you have the gymnast not compete beam at all until she regains her confidence in her back handspring or (as my coaching partner suggested) would you allow her to compete a back walkover since the back handspring isn't actually a Level 6 requirement? I am totally torn as I can see the benefits and downsides to both options. Any suggestions?

Many thanks!

 

[sevenatenine2]

She's just a baby. I'd let her do the back walkover this meet and then work the back handspring in by the next one.

 

[raenndrops]

Let her compete the BWO.
BHS is not required... you know she is working to get it back, but for now, BWO works.

My OG competes Xcel Gold. She has a ROBHSBT on floor, but sometimes only competes a RO2BHS. Since these are both OPTIONAL levels, as long as she is competing a routine that fits the requirements, she should be able to go out there and compete.

 

[Jenny]

If she can show a routine suitable for level 6 she should be allowed to compete. She needs to go slow and get over her fear. Pushing her through it will not help in the long run.

 

[Gymsanity]

Yay, finally a post that doesn't require me to think! The BWO without a doubt!!!!!!!! Just make sure she hasn't lost her confidence with that as well as a result of the crashes. If so, scratch beam, and make her feel totally good about it, or I promise it will come back to bite you. Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

 

[aileenmaryf]

I would do the BWO and just make it clear that it is only a temporary fix, but that you know she is working hard on it. As long as she really is trying to make progress towards getting it back, I don't see why she shouldn't compete beam.

 

[iwannacoach]

If you want her to feel penalized for working hard enough to learn the skill faster than her peers, then don't let her compete beam. That wouldn't be my choice and I would let her compete with a bwo and not give it a second thought. Doing otherwise will just turn up the volume of the nagging voice in her head that presently whispers "you really may not have it" and draws her deeper into distress.

I'd suggest telling her to do a bhs session on any beam she wants, and make it a rule that she has to do the bhs as soon as she gets into a stretched stand and takes that last a full breath. The best chance to be successful on any skill is to work with a clear head, concentrate on the cues that make the skill work, and have no images or thoughts of not making it. It takes a lot of repetitions to get to this point, and to make that happen there can be no wasted time or energy on trips to the beam that produce a balk. Balks waste everyone's time and reinforce inadequacy.

 

[Faith]

Yep, let her compete beam. If she scratches, she may get into the mindset that she's bad at beam, full stop. Then it becomes something to be anxious about. Let her do a good routine with a BWO so she feels that's she's good on beam and boost her confidence.

As for the BHS, I'd just let her do it on low beam for as long as it takes. Or spot her on high beam. Enough repetition and she'll get that muscle memory back so she knows how it feels to go right.

 

[coachmolly]

Let her do beam with the bwo, and really work to make sure she doesn't feel bad about it- seeing it as a downgrade or step backwards. I had a kid with a fear issue a few weeks ago and another coach said to her "do you want to compete skills that are too easy for you?" I wouldn't recommend that. She needs to be built up and get her confidence back.
Keep working the bhs- lots of reps on low beams, gradually working her way back up- not letting her go farther than where she feels comfortable. She might work back up in one practice, or it might take weeks. But let her work at her pace and keep encouraging her.

 

[flips4fun]

Alright update time.

She competed the back walkover on Saturday. She did a pretty good routine and went 9.1. High fives and smiles all around!

On Monday, she did back handsprings on a low beam and did them well. In addition, one of her teammates (X) did her back handspring on a high beam for the first time ever on Monday. The little one was the first one to run up and hug/congratulate X. Then after practice she said, "On Wednesday I'm going to do them with X on the high beam!" Today is Wednesday so we'll see how it goes. I'm not going to push the issue but I will interested to see if her teammate getting it is really all she needs to see to want to do it again.

Thanks for all the replies and advice!