Coaching question

[xxStumpyxx]

I would like some information regarding coaching, age requirements, qualification level etc and what the guidelines are to coach your own group, not rec level but development and competition groups etc. The question I am trying to ask is what is the minimum age and qualification level needed to have your own group.

Thank you.

 

[Iwannabemargo]

I believe level 1, as long a there is a level 2 in the room (@Jenny , @marie83 ?) and 16 ?

 

[xxStumpyxx]

Level 1 is ok to teach a development group? Do you need level two to teach certain skills?

 

[coach1234]

So, you can take your level 1 at 16, this is just an assistant and is the very basics things like circle up, forward and backward rolls, forward and backward walk overs etc...

Then you can take your level 2 (17 to do the course and 18 to get the qualification I believe) this is when you can "run your own gym" you are then qualified to run your own gym and to do slightly harder things such as clears, Giants, somersaults etc..

So the answer to your question is you can have your own group at level 1 as long as someone is giving you direction on what to do and is over watching you, then you can take your own group and put more detail etc into the kids at level 2

 

[Jenny]

Clears and Giants are level 3 on wood bar.

Rest is good description of what each level can do. Level 1 is assistant and should be directed.

 

[xxStumpyxx]

My questions are based on a slight concern, by daughter and a couple of girls her age have been removed from their current group and placed in a new group with a 16 year old coach that hasn't got level 2 qualifications. The girls are already practicing Giants, back handsprings, squat on bars in their current group, they change next week to their new group. My concern is that this young coach will not be qualified to teach the above skills and these girls will go backwards, I maybe wrong and taking compete nonsense here as I nothing about coaching levels to be honest as I never needed to, the are other girls joing the new group who are the same age but not the same ability. All this change has been brought about due to the gym deciding that the way all the girls groups have been running is not working, there has been a big shake up.

 

[xxStumpyxx]

So, you can take your level 1 at 16, this is just an assistant and is the very basics things like circle up, forward and backward rolls, forward and backward walk overs etc...

Then you can take your level 2 (17 to do the course and 18 to get the qualification I believe) this is when you can "run your own gym" you are then qualified to run your own gym and to do slightly harder things such as clears, Giants, somersaults etc..

So the answer to your question is you can have your own group at level 1 as long as someone is giving you direction on what to do and is over watching you, then you can take your own group and put more detail etc into the kids at level 2

Thank you, very informative.

 

[coach1234]

Clears and Giants are level 3 on wood bar.

Rest is good description of what each level can do. Level 1 is assistant and should be directed.

Yes I meant on metal

 

[coach1234]

My questions are based on a slight concern, by daughter and a couple of girls her age have been removed from their current group and placed in a new group with a 16 year old coach that hasn't got level 2 qualifications. The girls are already practicing Giants, back handsprings, squat on bars in their current group, they change next week to their new group. My concern is that this young coach will not be qualified to teach the above skills and these girls will go backwards, I maybe wrong and taking compete nonsense here as I nothing about coaching levels to be honest as I never needed to, the are other girls joing the new group who are the same age but not the same ability. All this change has been brought about due to the gym deciding that the way all the girls groups have been running is not working, there has been a big shake up.

I wouldn't be too concerned just yet, you said yourself that the reason for the change in groups is because they don't believe that the current groups are working and they want to improve the girls in your gym, so I wouldn't have thought they are going to move gymnasts into a group which they are going to be going backwards as this is the opposite to what their aim is just wait and see you may be pleasantly surprised

 

[xxStumpyxx]

My gut instincts are telling me that I may be pleasantly surprised, fingers crossed. What you have said makes perfect sense. I have now been told that the main coach working with the girls is either the head coach (HPC) or another higher level coach, so maybe everything will be fine.

 

[Triadian]

I would agree with what people have already said. Look on this change with a positive attitude and you may be pleasantly surprised. Age is just a number and in alot of cases young people are usually ex gymnasts themselves so have the luxury of once being in the same position as the child they are coaching and generally make good coaches. As to qualifications I wouldn't worry too much because as she is not a level 2 I would expect the head coach (or someone with a higher level of qualification) to be overseeing the younger less experienced coaches and if they are doing their job correctly then they should provide the young coach with lesson plans to follow so she will be able to help them achieve their full potential.

http://www.british-gymnastics.org/coaching/coaches/courses this shows a sketchy outline of each course level and the syllabus on each one it may help to give you a better idea.

 

[xxStumpyxx]

One more question, sorry...
Hyperthetically is it ok for an unqualified coach to teach a group on their own (development) if there is a qualified coach in the gym but not with the group?

I hope this does work out ok as the new coach seems lovely, the current coach is also fantastic.

 

[Triadian]

It does depend what skills the unqualified coach is teaching. If they are a level 1 artistic coach then any skills from level 1 or level 2 would be acceptable but not any from level 3 etc. If they were being "shadowed" by a higher qualified coach then I would expect that coach to be supervising them and ensuring they don't coach higher than they were capable of.

 

[xxStumpyxx]

Supervising means with the group doesn't it? I was just wondering if would be ok for the unqualified coach to teach on her own if there was a qualified staff member in the gym but not actually with the group. As I understand you need two qualified coaches in the gym when there are gymnasts in there training. I do know at competitions you need a level 2 coach with you in most situations, level 1's are allowed on the competition floor to help with warms ups etc but cannot coach moves above their level unless they hold a recognised qualification and they can provide pastoral care and even level 2 coaches are only allowed to coach up to a certain level depending on modules completed.

This is all fascinating stuff, stuff that us parents don't think about, usually we normally just assume that all coaches are qualified and leave it at that, I think this one got alarm bells ringing for some parents as the coach is young and as far as I am aware not old enough to hold a level 2 qualification, can start working towards level 2 when you are 17 and you can become a proficiency award coach at 14.

To be brutally honest I don't know anything about the qualification level of this young coach and the coach could be nearly 17 and be about to start level 2. I will go into this with an open mind and see how things work out.

 

[Iwannabemargo]

as far *** I am aware, and given my experiences have not been at top "professional gyms" it means in the room, and a small gym could run with one level 2 and a couple of level 1's.

 

[xxStumpyxx]

as far *** I am aware, and given my experiences have not been at top "professional gyms" it means in the room, and a small gym could run with one level 2 and a couple of level 1's.

Thanks, that is what I thought.

What is meant by a "professional gym"? Compared to a small gym? What is the criteria for a Professional Gym?

 

[Iwannabemargo]

none, just my word, a lot of gyms struggle to find qualifies coaches and so run on one or two and lots of helpers, many who are unqualified volunteers.