Do you think there's an "elite personality'?

[Blackie6]

This is an interesting topic and it kind of goes hand in hand with a thread that I was curious about as well:

Link Removed

I think that there are some personality traits that help gymnasts endure in the sport of gymnastics but I do think that getting to the Elite Level has a lot to do with the right coaches, timing and luck.

I once read Shannon Miller's biography that her mom wrote and she said that Shannon was very timid and quiet as a child. She also cried A LOT at practice over everything. Had she been at a different gym with other coaches that did not allow crying or were more strict, would Shannon have progressed as far as she did with the sport? I also read somewhere or heard on a documentary that Kerry Strug was a bit unpredictable in practices and nicknamed "scary Kerry" because she would bail out of skills. If you look at all elite gymnasts they all have different personalities and I really don't know if there is a common trait running through them.

Future Elite--I think many gym moms see a lot of potential in their kids and say that they are more serious than others or gym is "their life". But the reality of them actually making elite is very small. It is best to take gymnastics one year at a time and not worry too much about the future. Think of it this way, if we have never tasted filet mignon before but only heard about how great it is and that is all we think about, then eating ground beef or other cuts of steak or meat will always taste "not as good" because we are waiting for the taste of filet mignon that we haven't even experienced yet. That may not be the best analogy but that's all I could think of.

Very interesting comments MD Mom! I never knew that about Kerry or Shannon! Soooooo many things go into the making of an Elite! Maybe it's not just about personality at all, it's coaching, parenting, the gym itself, the friends, the teamates...maintaining a healthy balance....a mysterious make-up that one will never be able to predict!

 

[gymjourneymom]

Well, 1st let me welcome you to CB!!! Always nice to have involved parents posting here! Sounds like your DD is very talented & driven. But as others have already stated so well...remember this sport is a marathon!!! Take it slow & let your DD take the lead of where she wants to go in the sport. Her desires may change as time goes on. One can be a wonderful gymnast & really enjoy their time in the sport, without ever going elite. Take it one day at a time, without a lot of pressure & enjoy the journey JMHO.

 

[gymdog]

Well, I think what you describe is pretty common for any high level gymnastics. Realistically speaking it is pretty rare even to make it to L10...to make it to elite, much more rare, but L10 we're still talking pretty long odds of avoiding injuries, burnout, and fears that derail progress. Pretty much every L10 was focused and determined as well, whether they tried for elite or not. Probably even most girls who made it to optionals at all.

But I have known people with pretty different personalities and experiences. Elite gymnasts who have attention deficit issues and didn't do well as very young competitors but had a lot of physical talent they grew into, etc. Girls who were very outgoing and girls who were very shy. Obviously there's going to be a common thread of the child liking gymnastics, being good at gymnastics, and wanting to get better at gymnastics, so showing a lot of focus. But those are "necessary" not "sufficient" qualities...in the end there are things completely out of control of the gymnast like injuries or life/family circumstances, or they may develop fears that they get tired of battling, etc.

 

[Blazing15]

Here daughter is 8. Here is her introduction to the board.

Hi. I am new to the board. I've been spending too much time in the gym to get on the computer! DD is 8 and in the "Fast Trackers" program which requires a big commitment from gymnasts and parents. She doesn't care, though, because all she wants to do is gym! Right now she is practicing 25 hours per weeks and is working Level 6-8 skills. Her coach is still deciding what level she will compete this year. They say she has so much natural talent that she should be able to skip some levels.

Good to meet everyone.

 

[Coacharella]

I am sure your daughter is full of talent, drive,ambition. ANd I do see you say that this is a mutual goal....But at 8, can she truly "understand" what it takes to go ELite? Maybe she can, who knows. I dont know your daughter, But I am just comparing her to the majority of 8 year olds I have worked with. Yes she watches it on youtube, she watches it on TV, and even sees it at her own gym. Experiencing it may be way different though. It may be difficult for a child to wrap their head around elite. THe competition aspect of it may look great but there is alot of negative in there too I am sure.

I mean, I am not trying to offend you or your daughter, I reallly am not. I just don't know the whole situation, but I have always said...we are just coaches, not fortune tellers. Who knows what the future holds for each athlete? It is ALWAYS important to have goals, my kids fill out goal sheets and I firmly believe this helps them see what they are working towards. But goals should be measurable, and attainable, and in a time frame. Example.. at 8, goals could be that in 6months she would like to have L? bar routine skills all achieved.But large goals like making elite, national, olympian level... change due to many factors...injury,change of heart,a tough coach, a not tough enough coach, etc

I just hope the best for your daughter. I know every Mother wants to be best for her daughter or son. I completely get that. But to be succsesful in gymnastics, be a "Parent who adds no Pressure". If you go on to the WOGA website and read their parent policies, those are great ways to be a `Gym Mom`.

Having the name`FutureEliteMom`even may be viewed by some as a form of added pressure. This is absolutely not to say your daughter knows this is your screen name (or even understands what that means), but just that the mind set she will become elite exists in your head. Like another poster said, take this sport one year at a time.It changes in a blink!

 

[gymnastbeth]

=She knows it will get us closer to our goal of going Elite.

That only seems wrong... It should be HER goal, not her mom's. And at 8, I really don't think so knows what it takes to be elite.

ETA: Oops! Someone already said that!

 

[gymjoy]

I happen to know several elites.
They each have a different personality.
The only things they share - a love of gymnastics and non-pushy parents.

 

[gymnastgets10]

On the flip side, I think a gymnast can 'have what it takes' to be elite - talent, the right attitude, work ethic, the right coaches, etc - and not make it because of circumstances beyond her control. This probably happens a lot, which is why, according to Link Removed thread, there are only 40 elites in the country when there are so many talented girls out there. So I don't think there's necessarily an 'elite personality'; because there's a lot of outside factors like health and timing involved.

 

[Linsul]

I have been at this for a long time. most of the parents that i have known in the sport didn't know jack. over time, they didn't want to know jack. and when their child got good they wanted to know how much more jack would cost. and how much more time jack wanted. jack made them tired most nights so they finally got their teenage son/daughter a car so that they didn't have to look at jack all week long. and when their careers were over they couldn't believe what jack had done for their sons or daughters.

100% win, lol'd so hard! That jack....!

 

[triptwister]

I am an elite coach from the seventies. Here is the plot...

10 percent natural ability. 85 percent effort. 5 percent luck.

That said,

Whether acquired or inborn:

An elite athlete has an ability to cope with and control anxiety in healthy and productive ways. Over time, it gets to a level that feeds off of other elite athletes and keeps on increasing beyond human comprehension.

Confidence becomes an ever growing reality. In spite of shortfalls, bail-outs, injuries, set backs, failed attempts, falls in competitions, etc. Injuries are not perceived as terminal. The elite personality works through injuries the same way as training. Step by step until they get past it. Injuries are viewed as part of the sport. Overcoming injuries becomes a part of all their skills and abilities.

Somehow, the elite athlete feels they can and will succeed when called upon.

Elite athletes acquire the perspicuity that allows them to gain the greatest advantage from knowing about their sport. This includes finding training methods that work for them, finding and using equipment to give the greatest results, playing the rules to the greatest advantage, tuning into coaching that helps them the most, etc. The intelligence IQ about the sport grows very high.

An elite athlete learns to be resilient and mentally strong. This means not breaking down under pressure. It means bouncing back from set backs and overcoming challenges. It is a state of mind that means the athlete does not give in to failure. It is or becomes a character trait.

The athlete is determined to stay in control and remain focused in the face of pressure. Even when no one else does, this athlete believes in themselves and remains motivated. Failed attempts may seem to add even more fire to the passion and focus to succeed. The elite athlete thrives on and enjoys the pain of training and the pressure of competition. Under pressure and higher competition, they thrive. When you think they can't possibly do it, they turn around and make it happen.

The elite athlete has focus and learns to block out distractions. This is like reading a book on a train and not looking out the window till the train stops at your destination. Its like watching TV in a loud and busy waiting room. Its like sitting in a crowded stadium and having a conversation with a friend whom you spotted six rows down. Focus also means a one track mind. Once that train is on the tracks it doesn't stop till it gets to where its going. It means completing all goals. The elite treats goals as if they are a life and death situation.The elite learns to set goals and achieves them. Or the athlete will work to achieve goals set by their coaches.

The elite athlete is unusually optimistic and winning is an expectation or very high hope.

The elite athlete is a perfectionist. They learn to persevere and adapt their perfectionism to meet higher and higher standards.

Excellent and compatible coaching is also a factor. The elite personality seeks self education and self reliance but will feed off of and respond to productive and accurate instruction.

The elite gymnast is a daredevil. They seem to live without fear or learn to subdue it.

The propensity to be all these things may appear early in an athlete and seem to be inborn qualities of their personality. Or they may become a part of their personality over time.

 

[bogwoppit]

What is an Elite coach?

 

[lilgymmie7]

Triptwister it seems like you have just described my child. I do think this child is driven in so many ways, but it isn't just in gymnastics. Last year she was determined to ride a two wheeler before she entered kindergarten. This year she was determined to really learn how to swim by herself. She taught herself how to do both by HERSELF because of her drive. I am so happy every time I see her do for herself. Irregardless to what happens with her in gymnastics, and she is pretty talented, she will have all this to carry into adulthood that will allow her to do whatever she wants! She is my little spark plug!!

 

[triptwister]

An elite coach is a teacher dedicated to successfully developing and coaching elite athletes who achieve bona fide elite status. Before that, a coach is a wannabe.

 

[NotAMom]

10 percent natural ability. 85 percent effort. 5 percent luck.

trip, I have to so disagree on this. Nothing (and I repeat NOTHING) in this world is just 5 percent luck. I am not a pro or elite anything. I just have the age to know that as a fact.

 

[gymcoach26]

An elite coach is a teacher dedicated to successfully developing and coaching elite athletes who achieve bona fide elite status. Before that, a coach is a wannabe.

This really struck a nerve with me. I hope you are not implying that unless you coach elite you are basically a waste of time. I certainly do not coach elites and I would never want to. I feel a huge sense of accomplishment knowing I made a difference in MANY kids lives not just a few "elite" kids. I would rather teach the fundamentals and foundations in order to provide kids with a great builiding block for their gym career. Wherever they chose to take it, that is fine. Since you "were an elite coach" I think you should have a little more respect for us "wannabes" because without us, your elite students would never have gotten to that point and you wouldn't be able to brag about coaching elite. I enjoy teaching my students to be passionate about gymnastics, even if that includes making it fun for the little 2 and 3 year olds. If there wasn't a passionate "wannabe" teacher that first taught your wonderful elite students, they wouldn't have made it out of the preschool program. I think you are forgetting every kid has to start somewhere and the coach they start with probably has the biggest impact of all.

 

[cher062]

Do you think that elite gymnasts have a certain personality type that you can see from a young age? It seems like they are different from other kids. I know my DD is way more focused and serious than other kids, and she doesn't mind spending her hours in the gym and then doing extra TOPS training and private lessons. She knows it will get us closer to our goal of going Elite. Most kids couldn't handle what she does. I know that. There's just something special about her, and I think that maybe there is a certain personality type that is cut out to be an elite athlete. What do you think?

I don't know about an "elite Personality" but I think there is a team gymnast personality and the Elite is just that same personality in overdrive.

I think a competitive gymnast in general doesn't mind spending hours in the gym doing extra trining and private lessons. My DD doesn't have the Elite goal (she is happy doing the regular optional levels and hoping to make her highschool and college teams when she gets there) and has this same drive your daughter has. I think that is what makes a gymnast in general. I also see that those who compete and love this sport also tend to have high marks at school, have great leadership qualities and are usually VERY organized with their activities (not necessacerily their bedrooms - LOL)

 

[Granny Smith]

I am not saying what type of coach is better, but I would think that it would easier to coach a child who naturally talented/gifted who tackles the sport effortlessly than to coach the child who has the drive, but lacks the natural gift and might run into a few mental blocks.

Also, just because you start out one way, doesn't mean you'll stay that way. Puberty can easily derail a child who is trying to go elite. A standout child, doesn't always translate to a standout teen. But let's face it, the elite coach would never have those obstacles because that child would have been weeded out before the elite coach really got their hands on them. Just saying....

I respect elite coaches and the job they do, but they are not the end all be all. There is far more to this sport than obtaining elite and it is very small minded to think that it is elite or you're a failure. Sorry, I'm not drinking the punch.

 

[thnkGd4kds]

Hmm. Perhaps an even more valuable discussion would be what personalities and level of involvement parental involvement there have been in elites who have remained relatively healthy physically and psychologically while competing at the elite level and after. Seems to me that parents are a huge factor in this equation and can push their kids to the point of breakdown no matter what the gymmie's talent or personality and in spite of the parent's good intentions, which we all, I'm sure, have. Not that pushiness necessarily has anything to do with you, FEM; it just seems so relevant to this discussion.
If people interested in how a parent can effectively be involved in and supportive of their gymmie's gymnastics haven't already read the sticky here on cb about Doc Ali's code for parents, I highly recommend it (and not because I wrote it ).

 

[MdGymMom01]

If people interested in how a parent can effectively be involved in and supportive of their gymmie's gymnastics haven't already read the sticky here on cb about Doc Ali's code for parents, I highly recommend it (and not because I wrote it ).

Here it is:

Link Removed

Great thread btw thnkGd4kds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Glad you started it! We need some balance on this board!

 

[Future Elite Mom]

I think that perhaps this is not the best board for me.