WAG Hs gymnastics vs club

[Deleted member 18037]

This is one reason that the highest risk 'standard' sport is high school football with a rash of deaths and life changing disabilities every year. Coaches don't have good training coupled with insufficient time to get kids in the physical condition they need to be.

Actually, cheerleaders have the highest risk of injuries especially concussions in our county. And sadly some deaths in lacrosse in our state as well. Heck the tag on lacrosse balls say warning may cause injury or death

 

[sgbotsford]

Interesting about cheerleaders. Muffed landings and no helmets.

I will admit I didn't check lacrosse stats, as lacrosse is not a common game. But, yeah, a lacrosse ball would have the same impact as a baseball at similar speed, and is far less predictable. I can see them being lethal, expecially in pickup games without gear.

It's *really* hard to get comparative stats on recreational activities. What you want is something like "Deaths per million hours" Trampoline (my interest) has a bad reputation, especially back yard trampolines. I've heard parents forbid their kids to go on neighbour's tramps, but they are fine with their kids BMX bike racing -- another risky kid activity.

It doesn't help that different modes of use have different hazards. With little kids, they often are on the tramp in herds, and an ill timed bounce sends heads clonking together, or a head meets someone's knee. 14 year olds think they are immortal, and miss the trampoline on the way down, or land on their head.

It would help this sport immensely if there was a single source good set of videos teaching good progressions so that kids could watch a 6 minute video, and go out and practice it.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

I will admit I didn't check lacrosse stats, as lacrosse is not a common game.

I’m guessing you aren’t from the Northeast or Mid Atlantic States. Lacrosse is big And growing.

Trampoline (my interest) has a bad reputation, especially back yard trampolines. I've heard parents forbid their kids to go on neighbour's tramps, but they are fine with their kids BMX bike racing -- another risky kid activity.It doesn't help that different modes of use have different hazards. With little kids, they often are on the tramp in herds, and an ill timed bounce sends heads clonking together, or a head meets someone's knee. 14 year olds think they are immortal, and miss the trampoline on the way down, or land on their head.

And yes tramps get a bad rap. The improvements made, ie enclosures, protected springs etc….

They are quite safe when used as intended. We had one for years. No injuries. We used as intended and no kid was allowed to jump unless under adult supervision. Our enclosure had a lock.

We have 2 BMXer neighbors. And I cringe when they ride their “regular” bikes without helmets

 

[sgbotsford]

Some insurence companies investigated the effect of the nets: No change in injury rates over a 5 year period since the law was implemented (australia) Reasons:

* Net not maintained. Cheap nets degraded in sunlight.
* Kids count on the net, and do things they won't attempt without it.
* Poor quality pads that aren't large enough to cover all the springs, or fall apart in sunlight.

I think kids can be taught how to use it safely without constant supervision, at least by the time they are 10. This requires instilling some common sense generally, as well as a "this is how you approach doing something new"

My biggest fuss is multiple kids jumping at once, followed by, having multiple kids trying to 'bounce' each other.

I would like to figure out a ground padding method that would reduce injury and not be impossibly expensive.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

I think kids can be taught how to use it safely without constant supervision, at least by the time they are 10. This requires instilling some common sense generally, as well as a "this is how you approach doing something new"

I think there is a range of age when kids can be responsible. Teens lose their ability to make smart choices a lot.

 

[Aussie_coach]

Statistics in my country show a significant INCREASE in backyard trampoline injuries once nets were introduced.

Thus increase in injuries is very significant both in number and severity.

I believe it’s because nets give a false sense of security. Kids think they can’t get hurt, so they take more risks. Parents get the idea that kids are safe so they are less likely to supervise.

So often I tell the kids “it’s not safe to jump like xxxx in the trampoline”. And they respond with “but I can do that in my trampoline because we have nets”.

I think the introduction of nets also coincided with the introduction of much larger backyard trampoline’s too.

The large trampolines make kids think it’s okay to have multiple people on at once and jump wherever.

Teaching kids to use a trampoline safely will never guarantee they use it safely. Their executive functions are immature, they don’t see their skills depleting as they get tired. Even the most vigilant child can have a lapse in judgement in different circumstances- friends over, excited about a new skill, tired.

Trampoline’s have an unpredictable bounce and create a lot of height and power. When an injury does occur, it’s more likely to be catastrophic, that tumbling on mats. Paralysis and death do occur much more frequently than any of us would like to see.

In a gym, when trampoline’s are used the gymnasts are constantly and closely supervised. There are spotters ready ti catch them, the trampoline’s are indoors and less likely to deteriorate from sun exposure or pets, the trampoline’s are checked for damage regularly, the kids are not allowed to attempts skills they are not ready for and the surfaces around the trampoline are matted.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

The large trampolines make kids think it’s okay to have multiple people on at once and jump wherever.

Teaching kids to use a trampoline safely will never guarantee they use it safely. Their executive functions are immature, they don’t see their skills depleting as they get tired. Even the most vigilant child can have a lapse in judgement in different circumstances- friends over, excited about a new skill, tired.

I have never read any instruction for use that doesn’t clearly state one person at a time.

And yes on our tramp, no jumping ever happened without adult supervision, including my gymnast kid solo. Because kids are well kids.

 

[sgbotsford]

In a gym, when trampoline’s are used the gymnasts are constantly and closely supervised. There are spotters ready ti catch them, the trampoline’s are indoors and less likely to deteriorate from sun exposure or pets, the trampoline’s are checked for damage regularly, the kids are not allowed to attempts skills they are not ready for and the surfaces around the trampoline are matted.

Not in my gym. In open gym periods, I sign in. There is often one of the instructors present but he may or may not be a trampoline instructor. Often he's at the other end, putting stuff away, vacuuming, or getting stuff out for the next class.

I have never seen a spotter. We have big well padded end decks. 4 of the tramps are set up so that you either hit a wall or land on the next trampoline if you go over the side.

 

[Aussie_coach]

Not in my gym. In open gym periods, I sign in. There is often one of the instructors present but he may or may not be a trampoline instructor. Often he's at the other end, putting stuff away, vacuuming, or getting stuff out for the next class.

I have never seen a spotter. We have big well padded end decks. 4 of the tramps are set up so that you either hit a wall or land on the next trampoline if you go over the side.

I can’t imagine letting kids use a trampoline unsupervised in the gym. I don’t think it would fly with Gymnastics Australia rules.

 

[sgbotsford]

There is a young teen session that overlaps with our adult session. The young teens are frequently on the tramps. Watching them, they clearly have had a fair amount of experience, as they are doing things I don't do. Since there is only 6 trampolines, and there is typically about 3 times as many activities going on as there are instructors, the tramps are not supervised closely.