As a coach which gymnasts would you bend over backwards for?

[10.0]

I have a hypothetical. You are a busy head coach with a family you have a gymnast that is pretty talented but works her rear off and has stated her goals to make it to level 10 which could be possible. You also have another gymnast who came along and is naturally super talented but very raw this girl is younger and could someday be an elite in your eyes.

Both gymnasts would like to do privates as classes are large and both need them. As a busy coach would you offer them to gymnast 1 gymnast 2 or both equally? Why? Oh and if it comes into play both parents are equally supportive and not pushy.

Oops I forgot to add, would you value one more than the other? Gymnast 1 would require your time and effort (more than gymnast 2 as gymnast 2 is very naturally talented) and you would have nothing to show for it, other than a greatful happy gymnast. Gymnast 2 could quite possibly make a name for your gym. In this scenario the parents do not know eachother and want seperate privates you either can make time for one or the other or some how both.

 

[gymcoach34]

I would give them both the same opportunity-maybe to do a semi private together to save time?

 

[CoachGoofy]

I would offer them both the same opportunities. It's abhorrent to do otherwise.

I get more satisfaction, personally, from working with kids who work their butts off, but I am proud of all my gymnasts.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

treated the same and NO privates.

 

[NewtoGym]

Dunno - why no privates? I would be very interested in knowing the reason...Thanks!

 

[Deleted member D3987]

if you can't get it done in a structured work-out then they'll never get it done. privates=$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$=wasted=$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

[gymnut1]

I would treat them equally.

 

[gymjoy]

While I absolutely agree with Dunno about no privates, if you do pursue it then you have to treat them both equally. They both deserve the oppurtunity.
That said, if one of them stops working hard or stops caring then they do not deserve the opportunity you are offering them. Also, if a parent turns into a crazy parent somewhere along the line then you should call the privates off as well, or you'll just feed the beast.

 

[Tumblequeensmom]

I have to say that this question really disturbs me. Why would you have to feel one deserves more than the other? As long as the gym has "normal" gymnasts and parents... and the gymnasts are progressing and most important HAPPY... the gym will STILL make a name for itself, at least locally, by word of mouth. Every one looks up scores after meets, parents know which gyms are doing a good job w/their gymnasts and which ones are not. The gym world is NOT small by any means.

The thought that a coach would deliberately not give his or her best, just because a gymnast doesn't have, or want, elite status, is very upsetting to me as a parent.

 

[10.0]

It is very disturbing. I don't wish to give away too much info. as you never know who might be reading but lets just say the private thing comes into play because the "team" has a huge range of levels and is huge in general. This gym has not had higher level gymnasts in a while and are more into allowing as man students as they can cram in the class to make the max amount of money, which is fine but the higher level kids they now do have get jipped as they don't have enough time to work high level skills and the classes are also short.

The only choice is privates but the gymnast that works her bum off has been told the coach is too busy to do privates but over heard her telling this other gymnast that she is the only one in the gym with any talent and while others might try hard she is the only one capable of going anywhere and that she would be offering her privates to make her an elite. So the one gymnast is now heart broken feeling that the coach only values raw talent over hard work. So in fact the question was not a hypothetical but I wanted to present it that way for more honest answers.

 

[fishchimes]

The only choice is privates but the gymnast that works her bum off has been told the coach is too busy to do privates but over heard her telling this other gymnast that she is the only one in the gym with any talent and while others might try hard she is the only one capable of going anywhere and that she would be offering her privates to make her an elite.

That's horrible!! The only thing that will do to a gymnast is inflate her head! No wonder the other girl is upset. That coach needs a reality check.

 

[cher062]

That's horrible!! The only thing that will do to a gymnast is inflate her head! No wonder the other girl is upset. That coach needs a reality check.

I have to agree. I've seen coaches that "favor" the talented kid and ignore the average kid. It's not pretty. and any coach that doesn't strive to treat all the same needs to re-evaluate what they are doing. there is nothing worse than a coach that has given up on a kid. I know as that happened to my DD - her coaches gave up and just didn't bother to give her the attention she needed to advance. Now with new coaches and a new gym she is really flying along in skills. A coach's goal should be to help ALL gymnasts be the best they can be even if they aren't going to be that "gym Queen" every coach hopes will cross their path. They should try to make it so every gymnast feels great, has fun and feels a sense of accomplishment. Not everyone is going to be a Nastia.

As for the 2 girls I would suggest a "class" for these 2 together and work with them together. both will gain something from working together.

 

[gymjoy]

That coach needs a smack in the head. What a fool. And I'd bet dollars to doughnuts his it girl does not ever make elite. Heck, I'd bet she barely makes optionals. Stupid, stupid, stupid coach. Just boggles my mind.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

wow! what a bunch of crap~! & that ain't how you get to the elite level...bwhahahahaha....lol....

 

[lilgymmie7]

I have to say that this question really disturbs me. Why would you have to feel one deserves more than the other? As long as the gym has "normal" gymnasts and parents... and the gymnasts are progressing and most important HAPPY... the gym will STILL make a name for itself, at least locally, by word of mouth. Every one looks up scores after meets, parents know which gyms are doing a good job w/their gymnasts and which ones are not. The gym world is NOT small by any means.

The thought that a coach would deliberately not give his or her best, just because a gymnast doesn't have, or want, elite status, is very upsetting to me as a parent.

I totally agree! This is what led us to DD's gym. After facing many challenges with older DD while she was in gym, I wanted to find a solid well run facility. I did not want to make the same mistake of moving younger DD to other gyms. I was lucky to find her gym, but really this gym has a great reputation and has produced many great gymnasts. I realized I would not be faced with many of the same struggles as before. Also, this gym has a way of either finding a way to make 'trouble' go away or smoothing up rough 'spots'. Just a nice way of saying that they don't put up with 'crazy' parents. Amen to that.
They have told me they think DD has talent, but I respect the way they have handled her altogether. They have a lot of very talented kids along with very driven, hard working ones as well. I have yet to see the coaches give one more attention than the other. There really is no wonder why they are able to do what they do, "There Job of training ALL gymnasts." That's what we pay good money for.

 

[BlairBob]

Talent at the lower levels is fine and dandy. If they are still around and kicking butt in L8, then that talent will matter. Until then, it doesn't.

L10 means they can still get a college scholarship. Elite means they will probably get nothing but burnt out and eventually may get a college scholarship if they are healthy enough at 18.

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

It is absolutely unacceptable to treat kids differently based on their perceived talent levels, and any coach who does so is an insult to the entire profession of coaching and the entire sport of gymnastics.

 

[lilgymmie7]

It is absolutely unacceptable to treat kids differently based on their perceived talent levels, and any coach who does so is an insult to the entire profession of coaching and the entire sport of gymnastics.

I couldn't agree with you more, but sadly it is reality in some gyms. When my older DD started gym, she did have coaches that showed extreme favoritism. These coaches are still around, but they seem to bounce from gym to gym. They have one 'original' gymnast who is also hopping from gym to gym with them. This girl has parents who 'push' their DD to be a favorite of theirs by doing so much to stay involved. The coaches have picked up various girls with a promise to the parents that they will make them elites. To this day, I have yet to see even one elite come from their coaching. When I pulled DD from them, it was like an almost water fall of girls leaving their gym. Fortunately for those girls who left and went to great gyms, they are now doing all so well. I feel for these 'other' girls that are with those coaches still because they aren't headed any where with them. I heard that the coaches demand their levels 7-10 in the gym for a total of 35 hrs. What?
A phenomenal little girl left them as a Level 5 and is now at DD's gym. Luckily she is now with coaches who are in it for the sport and the individual growth of all their gymnasts. I am thankful for that every day!

 

[10.0]

The sad thing is she cannot change gyms either the next closest gym is 3 hours away (small area/town) and her parents are not willing to relocate or drive 6 hours round trip to train or pull her out of high school to home school as much as she enjoys gym school comes first as her parents realize gymnastics might not be her ticket to college.

The other problem is they have learned this naturally talented gymnast has a back yard trampoline (big surprise) and trains herself how to do hard skills then shows up to the gym and shows this coach her sloppy versions, the coach is very pleased and then helps her to refine the trick. The other girl does not do this and requires being coached on how to properly do a trick.

And even though this coach is their coach she often is too busy and hands the class off to other coaches so if you don't know how to throw something you don't get to unless you do privates as even when this coach does teach she won’t spot as there as so many kids and different levels (they do all optional and level 6 together.)

The coach would also prefer not to spend any time teaching the tricks but rather that the kid be able to "chuck" it and then fix it. Most recently it has been double backs, the "talentedâ€￾ gymnast taught herself how to do them on her home trampoline and now can do them on the gyms tumble track, the other girl can only do timers and do them into the pit. The saddest part is the coach has given up on this girl as she thinks if talented gymnast can do it she also should be able to by now.

She has tried to “coachâ€￾ her but her idea of coaching is “Do a double back.â€￾ No progressions. It just gets worse and worse. I would have to guess that if you are a gymnastics coach your job would be to coach gymnastics not have kids learn stuff at home and refine it at gym.

 

[kyla978]

not to brag or anything i believe i am very much like those gymnasts i work hard i plan to be a level 10 also many people say i have a special talent the many people dont have! i am a level 5 gymnast and i believe it could happen