Parents Coaches question

[munchkin3]

So, how do you handle your class when they become real pains? for the 12-14 age range, boys or girls, how do you discipline and keep everyone in line. The talking, the long bathroom trips, the attitudes?
This is the age where problems can arise easily. When your teens/tween become lazy and complacent, how do you motivate them and get them back up and running?

 

[Deleted member D3987]

rope...

 

[munchkin3]

seriously. I have lost my ability to judge what is acceptable and what isn't. It is a very tough sport.

 

[ladybird]

rope...

I am pretty sure he means climbing it, not tying them up with it

 

[munchkin3]

I KNOW!!! HA HA.....Any other methods?

 

[gymdog]

Ask them to go to the bathroom before class. Don't let them go in groups. They have to wait until the other person is done. Alternatively if you have any bathrooms that are single person bathrooms in your gym, direct those as the ones to be used.

As far as motivation, I dunno, by that age if they don't want to do it I'm not sure. Usually the kids I've had that age want to do it. I'm assuming we're talking about rec?

With younger kids a point system works, but not sure about older kids. Maybe let them pick among three activities/warmups/conditioning options and have a vote so they're more invested.

I pretty much only teach 3-5 year old classes though so take that with a grain of salt.

 

[vagymmomma]

Our coach had to draw a heavy line with cell phones for the older girls. There was too much texting, so now the girls know the phones will be confiscated during practice. The girls weren't happy, but problem solved. The coaches will tape for them if they need video for websites or college recruiting.

I would assume similar clear rules would be effective for other areas as well. If a coach think it's disruptive behavior, it probably is.

 

[flipflopsalto]

Things are tough at that age school is tough gym is tough parents are tough... Try and speak to them like adults and not children. I have heard coaches us their "little kid" voice with kids this age and it never works.

 

[Sasha]

I second Flipflopsalto's advice to treat them more like adults. Sticker/award charts and such reinforce the model that they are perceived as little kids and the standards for their behavior are consequently lower. Treating them like adults sets the expectation that you expect behavior approaching the maturity of adults.

If you had an adult class, and people were being too chatty while you were giving instructions, or taking breaks to talk on their phones, what would you do?

Remind everyone that it's important for each person to be able to hear instructions and your corrections, so keep the chattiness down. It's also disrespectful to be too chatty while in any class environment. Give reminders for slips, but if it continues, call out the chatternbox and talk to them 1 on 1 about their desire to learn gymnastics, and how you can't help them if they're not paying attention or distracting others around them. If it still doesn't stop, involve the parents and discuss the same and how his/her chattiness is affecting your teaching.

For phones/breaks/bathroom , again, just explain the rules. If a kid is avoiding class time with excess breaks, again talk to him/her 1 on 1 and inquire about their desire to gain skills and be in gymnastics and how you can't help them if they're taking undue breaks. If it continues, again, time to involve the parents.

Above all, make it clear to all that if the pattern of disrespect and not paying attention continues, they may not be invited to continue in the class, or at the very least, you will only be focusing your time on the students who DO show you that they care enough to present and attentive. The others will not be invited to try new skills and will not make much progress as a result.

My 2c as a parent!

Good luck!

 

[Deleted member 14190]

Hard to change an existing group.... Conditioning works along with a paper to have signed by the coach at the end of each workout, saying you worked hard.

 

[Aussie_coach]

Ahh, what a lovely age group!

You need to set clear limits of course. One at a time can go to the bathroom, and they can not go during hated exercises, they need to wait until after. No cell phones to be touched during gym at all.

But this age get excited when they are learning new skills and feel like they are achieving. If they feel like they are not doing well they play around. Help them set goals themselves, let them tell you what is important to them, what they want to do with their gymnastics and what they want to learn and you work with them to help them achieve their goals.

Do lots of fun drills to help them feel like they are doing the harder skills and give them lots of positive feedback. To his is so important as they are veryself conscious and judgemental of themselves at this age. They need help to boost their confidence.

Make sure their training does not stagnate, make sure they are always getting to learn new things.

 

[SurpriseGymMom]

I have no advice because i'm not there yet... I teach up to 7yo!
but, one thing stuck out at me, forgive me for going off on a tangent.... but some kids use their cell phones while on the floor??? That would so never fly at our gym, phones and everything else stays in your cubby/locker while you are out on the floor, period.
the team coaches sometimes have their phones to video progress/milestones/flaws, but never the gymnasts....

 

[MaryA]

DD has a Instagram (what? friend? follower? I can't keep up with this stuff!) from her old gym. She told me on the way home last night that this person posted a picture and called it "Mid-practice selfie!" DD remarked how you would NEVER see a mid-practice selfie from anyone at their gym! Zero tolerance for that!