Coaches Jr Coach would really like advice.

[Deleted member 9865]

Hello all

I'm stuck, and would really appreciate some help/advice
I love gymnastics so much, I know right now that I'm going to invest my life into the sport.
Because I'm so passionate about it I dedicate all my time to coaching, but I live in Ireland and unfortunately I don't have much / any opportunity to work with amazing coaches.

One of my main problems is that I'm only 17, I would really like to know whats my best option, to go somewhere and be an apprentice coach would be amazing. I would happily go any where in the world.

Any advice or help would be much appreciated.

(if it helps, I've a few years experience with multipliable ages, and working with competitive MAG and WAG gymnasts.)

Please and thank you

 

[Valentin]

Hi

Like yourself i started of coaching in New Zealand. Equally unknown nation for gymnastics. Like yourself i started when i was 18, with no gymnastics knowledge but a ton of passion for the sport. So what did i do?, for one i joined a club, and got a job coaching Rec (which soon moved to competitive MAG + WAG, due to no other coaches haha). That is first thing. Make sure that you at least get a job locally to keep building up your experience. Doesn't matter what you are coaching (if you can coach competitive along with rec that is best).

2- I am not sure if Ireland has a coaching education program for coaches, but i know the UK has a VERY extensive program. If Ireland does or you can join/use the UK one then you really have to start working on it now. Go to all possible clinics, courses, etc.. offered.

3- Keep active on these forums. I learned A LOT! early on from many knowledgeable coaches on these forums. For a list of great forums and gymnastics sites visit The Gym Press Library (this is exactly why i started the site). Go back through the archives.

4- Write out questions you want answers to, and start researching and search for the answers.

5- If you can purchase videos from GymSmarts or The Gym Press Videos there is a TON of wealth of knowledge out there.

That is basically what i did, till now. Now i feel that after 8yrs of coaching competitive MAG and WAG, i have enough experience and knowledge to apprentice under a great coach. However in those 8yrs one sad truth is that great coaches are FARRRRRR in between. I personally know of coaches who do a great job, but they aren't all that amazing as coaches. However you next step would be to look for a job either locally at decent club. I would also join an adults gymnastics program (or start doing gymnastics yourself, if you have not already done so). It helps later on with coaching. However i do suggest that instead of just! learning tricks you focus on learning tricks like you would want to teach them. For example with good form and technique, not just chuck and hope.

This is really my best advice to you at the current moment and position. Once you get some more experience, if i were you i would look to moving to the UK, where there is LOTS of good gymnastics. Some of the best UK gymnastics is currently produced by Paul Hall from Huntingdon Gymnastics Club, he has like 2-3 National team members. If you probably email him and ask him about apprenticeship or just coming in to watch and learn. Surely you could organize something.

 

[Valentin]

Hi

Like yourself i started of coaching in New Zealand. Equally unknown nation for gymnastics. Like yourself i started when i was 18, with no gymnastics knowledge but a ton of passion for the sport. So what did i do?, for one i joined a club, and got a job coaching Rec (which soon moved to competitive MAG + WAG, due to no other coaches haha). That is first thing. Make sure that you at least get a job locally to keep building up your experience. Doesn't matter what you are coaching (if you can coach competitive along with rec that is best).

2- I am not sure if Ireland has a coaching education program for coaches, but i know the UK has a VERY extensive program. If Ireland does or you can join/use the UK one then you really have to start working on it now. Go to all possible clinics, courses, etc.. offered.

3- Keep active on these forums. I learned A LOT! early on from many knowledgeable coaches on these forums. For a list of great forums and gymnastics sites visit The Gym Press Library (this is exactly why i started the site). Go back through the archives.

4- Write out questions you want answers to, and start researching and search for the answers.

5- If you can purchase videos from GymSmarts or The Gym Press Videos there is a TON of wealth of knowledge out there.

That is basically what i did, till now. Now i feel that after 8yrs of coaching competitive MAG and WAG, i have enough experience and knowledge to apprentice under a great coach. However in those 8yrs one sad truth is that great coaches are FARRRRRR in between. I personally know of coaches who do a great job, but they aren't all that amazing as coaches. However you next step would be to look for a job either locally at decent club. I would also join an adults gymnastics program (or start doing gymnastics yourself, if you have not already done so). It helps later on with coaching. However i do suggest that instead of just! learning tricks you focus on learning tricks like you would want to teach them. For example with good form and technique, not just chuck and hope.

This is really my best advice to you at the current moment and position. Once you get some more experience, if i were you i would look to moving to the UK, where there is LOTS of good gymnastics. Some of the best UK gymnastics is currently produced by Paul Hall from Huntingdon Gymnastics Club, he has like 2-3 National team members. If you probably email him and ask him about apprenticeship or just coming in to watch and learn. Surely you could organize something.

 

[Wally]

Nathan
The world is so much smaller now than when I started coaching. I can now jump on the internet and watch pretty cool videos of others coaching around the world. I still really enjoy spending time on line.