WAG Does your gym do this?

[wandrewsjr]

I am at a loss to explain this one. Having a sit down with the team to talk about performance and execution at the meet, discuss what can be improved upon and what needs work? Understand. But to re-hash medal placements, going so far as to single out those who didn't place and make them stand in front of the group and list all of their "non" placements? As others have said it is nasty, childish, mean and pointless. I am pretty sure the girls who didn't medal got the message the previous day at the meet when THEY DIDN'T GET A MEDAL!

 

[Moxiegrl83]

No, our gym does not do this either. These girls work so hard, they are very much aware of their meet scores and how they do. No need to embarrass and rehash in the gym. Besides a few minutes of going over the meet before practice, and letting the girls know she's proud of them, they don't talk about the scores and medals in the gym much.

 

[Mom2twingymnasts]

So glad that our gym doesn't do this! I think it is a horrible idea! I would say something to the coach. Good luck!!

 

[wallinbl]

I think there has only been one time where there was some in practice acknowledgement of meet placements. The state meet managed to run out of medals with three entire sessions remaining, so several of our gymnasts placed, but did not receive medals. They were later mailed to the gym. When they came in, the HC took a few minutes at the end of a practice and stated the name of each event and placed the medals around the girls' necks. My daughter had missed that practice and had a private that weekend, and he did the whole thing for her (one medal/event at a time) with just the two of them in the gym. I almost laughed a little, but I could tell the coach was very earnest about the gesture.

 

[Canadian_gym_mom]

My original thought on this are that it is a horrible and demeaning exercise. That I would never agree to that happening or want to stay at a gym that does this. But then I think about the fact that our gym posts the results of all our meets on the wall at the gym, and I wonder if that is really so different? They make a big poster and list everyone's placing on each event and all around.

Thoughts? I guess it's a little less harsh in that the kids themselves don't need to stand in front of the group and tell everyone how they did, but for the one girl who didn't place on any events and had her placings listed up there, I wonder how it made her feel?

 

[Krystan]

My original thought on this are that it is a horrible and demeaning exercise. That I would never agree to that happening or want to stay at a gym that does this. But then I think about the fact that our gym posts the results of all our meets on the wall at the gym, and I wonder if that is really so different? They make a big poster and list everyone's placing on each event and all around.

Thoughts? I guess it's a little less harsh in that the kids themselves don't need to stand in front of the group and tell everyone how they did, but for the one girl who didn't place on any events and had her placings listed up there, I wonder how it made her feel?

I don't think it's nearly as bad as making the girls get up in front of everyone to announce that they didn't win a medal! Our gym will post first place finishers only on the board, and any team that places, that way you don't have the case of everyone-but-one being pointed out. As long as the girls aren't feeling put down or embarassed, I don't see a problem with it. Even some medal ceremonies go all the way out 100% for all-around, which can be a little tough on the girls that get "16th place" and such. They're no dummies and realize that means "last". It really seems better to just stop at 50%, for goodness sake.

 

[cbone]

Our gym doesn't recognize individual success other than to designate a compulsory gymnast of the year and an optional gymnast of the year. It bothered me at first, but after conversations with our HC, I've come to realize that the mindset is really to grow the kids into gymnasts who compete at the highest level in JO. When you look at it that way, a meet championship is just a very small stop on a much bigger journey.

On the other hand, we do display team banners.

 

[DisMom]

Our gym doesn't do the clapping thing, but there is something they do that I don't love. The first practice after a meet, they all go around and have to say what their AA score was and what their highest score of the day was. For example, "I got an All Around score of 35.5 and my highest score was a 9.2 on floor..."

Like I said, I don't love this practice. First, some of the lower level girls don't get that scoring is tougher at the higher levels. I heard a Level 4 say, "I can't believe Jennie's all around was in the 33s! I thought she was supposed to be really good! My All Around was over 36!" Well, yes. But Jennie is a L6...and that is a tough scoring level.

And this past week-end, my daughter had a really rough meet. And her best friend had a disastrous meet! And they wanted to do what their coaches say and just let it go and put it behind them...there is always another meet. But how can you let it go when you then have to get up and announce it to the whole team at practice the next day?

The best friend didn't show up to practice today and I am pretty sure it was because she didn't want to have to announce her disastrous AA score.

 

[Pineapple_Lump]

The best friend didn't show up to practice today and I am pretty sure it was because she didn't want to have to announce her disastrous AA score.

This is exactly why punishing or humiliation (intentional or not) after a meet is a bad idea, kids will stop showing up and that is much worse than a bad meet.

 

[kayjaybe]

I talked to several moms on our team about this. Most agreed with me that it is a bad practice. One mom didn't know it was happening. Another mom seemed OK with it. She said that is what they do with her son's wrestling meets. She asked her dd about it and her dd was fine with it.

But....I then asked her if her dd had ever had a meet where she had not gotten a medal (she hadn't). I also asked if on the wrestling team were there 16 kids getting up saying they got trophies and 1-2 kids left sitting (no, generally about half were winning). She then started to see my point. (The fact that about 25 people on here agreed with me helped, too...so thanks. )

So, I'm going to try to set up a meeting with the HC to talk with him about it. He is a very nice guy, is generally focused on what is best for each kid, and is a dad himself with a dd on the team (she is very successful), so I hope he'll take my thoughts on this under consideration.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

just plain stupid...

 

[Muddlethru]

Looong ago, many moons ago, I went to a catholic private school run by the Benedictine nuns. Every time I did not do my homework, I was unduly punished and humiliated. It never caused me or motivated me to do my homework. I did not even care anymore. Corporal punishment was the way to go back then. As proven through the years, it is not a deterrent. I think most people do better with positive, honest reinforcement.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

look what we have in common. ha! and you think my Father would have learned his lesson as he grew up in "Christians Brothers" k-12 in the same state. we both laugh about rulers and such to this day. common bond.

 

[TGymnastics]

My gym dose not do that. I think it would make the girls feel bad every time that their teammates beat them out for a medal. If they don't get one the don't! It's not the Olympics it's one om petition these girls do!

 

[mariposa]

Nope, DDs gym definitely doesn't do that. I would not tolerate that either. I remember when my daughter was a 6 yo level 4 and medaled on everything at a meet with a 33AA. Her 11 year old friend had an amazing meet, got several 9s and almost a 36AA and did not medal on anything. So my kid would have stood up with her 8s and 5 medals and her friend wouldn't have, even though she had a great, solid meet. No way.

 

[ginnymac]

I mentioned this thread to my 13yo DD and she said, "why would coaches make kids do this to their friends?"

 

[jasminekayla]

Wow. I can just imagine how my daughter would feel. Its bad enough everyone knows "who didnt get a medal" if they take a team picture after the meet and there is no medal around the neck but then to do it in the gym too.

 

[Natasha]

Not only does our gym not do this, but our owner/PT optional coach will ask the girls on Monday how they did. If they even start to mention placement or scores, he simply says "Tell me in a different way" or "Tell me what you did" They then discuss skills, hit routines, etc....
And yes, placements with different age groups means very little.

 

[momofthreegirls]

I think it's terrible that your gym does this. It takes kids who are already feeling sad that they didn't medal, and further humiliates them in front of their teammates.

As far as different age groups and placements... I have two level 4 DDs - one is 6 and the other is 9. A 32.75 got my little one 2nd AA and a big trophy. My older had 35.5 AA and didn't get a trophy. And my little one was 1st on floor in her age group with a 8.275, and my older one scored a full point higher and took 3rd in her group. We had major tears from my older one after awards, and if we had to relive that in the gym the next day, I would be really angry. (I did lecture my DD about good sportsmanship and also explained about the differences in age groups.)