Parents Little one wants to quit completion team due to a fall

[Bebeautiful1]

My 8-year-old daughter is on a competition gymnastics team and recently had a fall while doing a squat on. Since then, she’s been devastated—it’s like something in her shifted emotionally. She now wants to quit gymnastics entirely and seems to have developed a serious fear block.
I recently took her to a new gym, hoping a fresh environment might help her move forward. The coaches there immediately saw her talent and invited her to join their team. She agreed—mostly because she believed she’d only be practicing, not competing.
For about a week, I watched her thrive again. She was smiling, jumping, and acting like her old self during team practices. But the moment the coaches started discussing competition, she shut down and said she didn’t want to do it anymore.
Would you recommend I get her some mental health support to help her work through this fear? And do you think it’s worth encouraging her to try again—with the right support—just to see if she can overcome the fear and rediscover her love for the sport?

 

[RTT2]

I would let her move on from gymnastics and encourage her to try other sports and activities that might bring her joy without the fears.

 

[gymcoach34]

Coaches answer here-help her work through it! Lots of support, some private lessons, time, etc. will get her through this. This will help her learn to work through fears and obstacles as she moves through her life.

 

[Bebeautiful1]

Thanks that’s what I was thinking. Because she could also development and realize at an early age skills to help deal with fear that most people don’t learn until later in life. Which will make for a great career path even if she doesn’t continue with gymnastics.

 

[Carly]

Could you switch her to a rec class or pre-team so she doesn't have to compete this season and then reevaluate next year?

 

[Bebeautiful1]

I’m looking into that awaiting the coach to respond. Was thinking that would be a better course.