How do boys think?...
BOYS DON'T THINK...THEY JUST DO...so you better be doing something FUN!
What a great subject...everything you just described happens at almost every gym across the whole country.
As far as pommel horse, use it however you want. Do support walks across the top of it, do handstand walks around it with their on top, jump off of it and practice sticking, throw footballs at it. Every beginer hates pommel horse so don't concetrate on it (and my favorite event was pommels). Pommel horse can be perfected when they get moved up. I'm not telling you to ignore it, but 5 min. on it is more than enough. Basic skills on pommel horse are front and rear supports, leg swings, hand walks, and leg cuts. Have your team spend 2 minutes to teach you those. Also, make sure your gym has a bucket to learn circles. If you don't know what a bucket is let me know and I'll tell you how to build one.
Rings is easier than pommel horse, but the same concept. Don't watch the team boys and copy them. Watch them to learn skills and generate ideas for your class. Many of the boys have no real interest in the team. Find out what they are interested in (each one of them will be different). Tommy likes to skateboard...that's an easy one...we're going to spin on a single ring at this station to help you out with your 180's, 360's, 540's. Joey is the football stud...at that station we are going to try to throw a NERF football through a ring...if you miss you have to do 3 pushups. Remember, doing pushups for missing is not a punishment; it's part of the game. Billy wants to be on the team...that's the station where you are teaching your skill of the day. And then there's Johnny...not an athlete at all (or maybe overweight or challenged)...make sure you change every station so he can be successful and make sure you don't draw attention to it. Many boys parents, especially Dad's and single Mom's are looking for discipline and respect. If someone laughs at Johnny, then scold him sternly...bring your class together and explain teamwork...tell them that they are a team and they need to help Johnny so the team will succeed.
How about contests...different skill levels...no problem. Have them compete against themselves from week to week. Joey does 3 pull-ups...next week he has to do 4 to beat his record or 3 to tie. Johnny is doing a bent arm hang as long as he can...he gets 2 seconds...next week he needs three.
I can go on forever so ask me some more questions.
Boys want to flip, so let them. Just remember, to a boy, a front flip onto their butt on a pit mat is the same as a back handspring. Don't chuck them through to much stuff, it'll just give them bad technique later on.
