I have an athlete who is a Level 3 that struggles with her round off back handspring. She went through a period last year where she lost in completely. I researched the issue, understood the vestibular nature of it, and was VERY patient for about four months. We took it back to step one and she was no longer afraid. They are beautiful when she does them. She wanted to me to stand on the floor when she did them in her routine and I did but she's been great all year long. I've congratulated myself on working so well with her on it until she overcame the issue. 
UNTIL, last night, our last practice before STATE on Sunday and she did three beautiful ones in her routines. We were wrapping up the evening and I asked if there was anything anybody would like to run through a few more times. She said back handsprings so we went over and she completely balked. Remember, she'd just done them fine five minutes ago! I told her I would spot her but she would do 2 or 3 balks (round off, stop) per each time she would go. Finally, after one that she did with me spotting, I told her we were done because it was counter productive at that point, she was crying, etc.
I asked if she was stressed about state, what the problem was and she couldn't articulate it, only that on one of her first ones something popped and it scared her.
We have State on Saturday. Do I scratch her? Tell her to go and I will spot her, although there's no guarantee she won't roundoff and stop even if I'm there. I know this is just Level 3 gymnastics but this issue is now working on being two years old and I know she's frustrated and her parents are frustrated. She's ready to move on to bigger and better things (physically) and I REALLY don't want to have to start another four month long set of patient progressions when we need to be kipping and back handspring series-ing, etc.
Any advice? She's left me no time to work with her on it by doing this in the last fifteen minutes of the last practice before State. I'm just unsure how to handle it and want to be sure I'm doing what I can to help her. While her issues started at another gym, honestly, I'm also feeling like a bit of a failure of a coach right now, too!
UNTIL, last night, our last practice before STATE on Sunday and she did three beautiful ones in her routines. We were wrapping up the evening and I asked if there was anything anybody would like to run through a few more times. She said back handsprings so we went over and she completely balked. Remember, she'd just done them fine five minutes ago! I told her I would spot her but she would do 2 or 3 balks (round off, stop) per each time she would go. Finally, after one that she did with me spotting, I told her we were done because it was counter productive at that point, she was crying, etc.
I asked if she was stressed about state, what the problem was and she couldn't articulate it, only that on one of her first ones something popped and it scared her.
We have State on Saturday. Do I scratch her? Tell her to go and I will spot her, although there's no guarantee she won't roundoff and stop even if I'm there. I know this is just Level 3 gymnastics but this issue is now working on being two years old and I know she's frustrated and her parents are frustrated. She's ready to move on to bigger and better things (physically) and I REALLY don't want to have to start another four month long set of patient progressions when we need to be kipping and back handspring series-ing, etc.
Any advice? She's left me no time to work with her on it by doing this in the last fifteen minutes of the last practice before State. I'm just unsure how to handle it and want to be sure I'm doing what I can to help her. While her issues started at another gym, honestly, I'm also feeling like a bit of a failure of a coach right now, too!
