Coaches Can you just stand there?

[hawaii_gymnast]

I get it all the time, mostly for back tumbling on floor and flyaways. How to you try the get your kids away from it especially the ones who have wanted someone to stand there for over a year?

 

[Bumblebee462]

OMG! I go threw the same thing ... I will give them a 2 time spot ( I stand there ) and then they need to go on the third. Things have gotten so bad with my girls ... I tell them if you don't go after two attempts your done ... balking and not going for stuff slows down progress and accomplishes nothing and if you allow it, they will continue it every time. It's like allowing a kid to do a skill with bad form (reinforcing that bad skill) I also tell them if they fall behind because they are not going for their skills, they need to go to mandatory privates (now their parents have to pay for their actions). I will not take away from the other girls learning because one kid won't go for it. If they chose not to do the privates then they don't compete that event until they are ready. I lay it all out to them just like that. I tell them if they have got to want to do the skill more then they are afraid of it. I'm not going to tell them to do anything I don't think they can do.

 

[catou]

We mostly work in circuits as I'm coaching a lower level (about new level 3) and I have this one girl who will just walk away. She just won't do the drill or the skill if she's afraid. I try to tell her in advance, I'll spot you 3 more times, then you go by yourself. To this day, it hasn't work. But she's not the self-motivated type of girl and it's driving me crazy.

I usually refuse to just stand there. There's a point where we have done our job (let's say the kid has the physical preparation, has gone through all the drills possible, was doing them well, and is consistently doing great with a spot) and the only way to help the kid is by stepping off (not sure of that word, hate it when I can't put in english words what I'm thinking in french ). Sometimes I'll let them go back for a drill or a drill in an environment where they are comfortable... but the problem is still there. In my case, it's been going for more than 6 months. The skill (backhandspring on a 8 inch mat, finishing on the belly) can easily be done on a bigger and softer mat. She is even doing them when she's fooling around and thinking I'm not seeing her. But on an 8 inch mat, nothing I've done has helped.

Something that has worked with some girls is the wow sticker. I give them a wow sticker when they succeed something for the first time. I also sometimes give one for other reasons. It might be for being respectful to another gymnast, for listening well and making corrections fast, but also for going for a skill that is scary. I don't give them often, it makes the stickers even more specials. I know it's just a sticker, but well, they are girls and they are 8 and 9.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

these issues must be worked out in the practice sessions. put your foot down. give them a month. let them know that no one will be standing in next meet. and then stand your ground. if they fail, well, they fail. it's part of gymnastics. eventually they will go on their own.

 

[Aussie_coach]

It's all a process, you work it bit by bit. You can stand there and then just be a bit further away each time. A lot of the time just seeing you not too far away it can be enough. You can add supplementary mats to help them feel comfortable too.

 

[Short Balding Guy]

How about if I address looking at it from the aspect that the athlete needs to have courage to perform the back skills for the first few times? By definition, Courage is the ability and willingness to confront fear, pain, danger, uncertainty, or intimidation.

If you, the coach, see that the skill and technique are good to perform the skill then rationally it is not dangerous. But in this case, the athlete's mind does not see it the same way. A strong mind is a mind in control. A baulking athlete is an athlete with an "out of control mind." In order to provide some control to the athlete's mind you can start by assuring and working confidence in the build up skills/drills/and spotted attempts. Providing execution que words, words during the skill, you can provide a structure to the mind. With structure this is one way the mind can feel in control and can communicate efficiently with the rest of the body.

I ask our athletes, "who is driving the bus?" We speak about them having to drive their own bus. On the bus is that anxiety, the fearful, the tentative, assertive, the smart and the confident/courageous athlete. When this needs review, we write down all the different athletes on a white board. We have discussions how to identify who is "driving." Our work then is to get the confident/courageous athlete to drive and banish the others to the back of the bus. The girls, when they are having difficulty will frequently admit that they are struggling to "drive the bus." We then go to drills/other surfaces and spotting to get back into the "driver's seat."

The "driving the bus" metaphor does not really apply to the non-drivers, but all seem to understand putting the different emotions and thoughts in " order."

As I write the above, I know my suggestions to building courage are not achieved quickly. Slow and steady has been my experience. Best, Eric -

 

[hawaii_gymnast]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I try to take it slow and back away slowly but some won't have it. I also don't let them compete the skill unless they can do it consistently and safely without someone standing there. One girl actually surprised me and did RO BHS BT without me even standing anywhere near her. I guess it will all come together in the end.

 

[caraburn]

Visualization can be a huge help in these situations. Some kids will not take it seriously, but if they do it can be a big help. If they can't shut their eyes and envision themselves doing the skill perfectly, then they will run into problems. Mental training takes practice just like physical training to get better at it, but if the child tries hard it can really be beneficial in the long run. Another approach I take, particularly on beam is take it in steps. Don't spot a bunch and then just walk away and say go, that makes it very intimidating. Tell them you are still there and put a hand there or tell them you will catch them in the middle but they have to go without you touching them (and ALWAYS do what you say, never try to trick the gymnast they will lose trust in you!), then when they go without any touch I will gradually take steps backwards and stand farther and farther away from the gymnast until they feel they are confident to go alone. You can't force anybody to not be afraid, if they are too scared to go you can't force them and you can't punish them for being afraid, it is a natural occurrence. Try to be patient and give them the help they need but work with them so they feel more in control.

Another tip that I learned from somebody else is to sit down with the gymnast and make up a timeline with their input of what steps they want to take to achieve the skill and when they want to have mastered those steps.

 

[raenndrops]

OG went through a similar thing with wanting a coach to stand there as she did her ROBHSBT. Of course, the time before that when she had done one without a coach standing there, she had landed on her head/face. Went through a lot of issues with it after that. Only went for it even with a spot one other time... then wouldn't do it for 18 months. When she finally got it back, it was an accident and she doesn't even ask for a spot anymore.