Parents Motivation to Go to Meets

[Dream]

Ok this one is for the parents! It is of course competition season and about mid way through. How do you motivate yourself not your athlete to keep getting ready and go to meets?

 

[ORgymmom]

I get really stressed at meets and have an athlete who struggles at times, but even when meets are hard for her I’m always excited to go. It helps to have parents from multiple gyms I’m always happy to see, a fun plan for after the meet, and the joy of watching my daughter being out there and being a real gymnast.

She’s gone through mental blocks and scratches and all sorts of challenges, and I decided early on that I would watch her scratch or spectate the same as if she was winning. I also have a rule to clap and cheer for anyone who is competing in front of where I’m sitting or standing. It helps the meet go faster and it helps me feel less of a scarcity mindset. I’m happier when I want every girl to do great than when I would secretly hope someone would get a 9.275 instead of my daughter’s 9.3.

Took a while to get to that point, though.

I also keep candy in my purse.

 

[Dahlialover]

I have gym parent friends from all over, so meets are big social outings for me. My son wasn’t able to complete this season due to injury and I think that I’ll be very grateful when/if he competes next year. Most gymnasts only compete a couple of seasons, so it’s really quite fleeting. You really cannot take too many pictures. It goes so fast.

 

[HurricaneLR]

Besides just getting to watch your child do something they love (which is my primary motivation), you can make it more social. Get to know the other team parents. Find one interesting thing to see in the meet location (one is enough, so it's not stressful). Make sure that you have a team event the night before the meet or after the meet if it's early session, like dinner with the team, mini golf, whatever. Know who the other kids on the team are so you can have fun cheering for them as well and seeing them all grow through the season. Don't watch scores during the meet, so you can really be present and just cheer on everybody. It's more fun to watch that way. And just know that it's fleeting. There's only a few meets each year, and who knows if your child will come back next season.

And you know how we always tell our kids to set small goals to accomplish each meet? I have those for myself - don't miss the landing on bars, record all the way through the salute on floor... I'm very proud every time I don't mess up at least one video!

 

[NutterButter]

I get really stressed at meets and have an athlete who struggles at times, but even when meets are hard for her I’m always excited to go. It helps to have parents from multiple gyms I’m always happy to see, a fun plan for after the meet, and the joy of watching my daughter being out there and being a real gymnast.

She’s gone through mental blocks and scratches and all sorts of challenges, and I decided early on that I would watch her scratch or spectate the same as if she was winning. I also have a rule to clap and cheer for anyone who is competing in front of where I’m sitting or standing. It helps the meet go faster and it helps me feel less of a scarcity mindset. I’m happier when I want every girl to do great than when I would secretly hope someone would get a 9.275 instead of my daughter’s 9.3.

Took a while to get to that point, though.

I also keep candy in my purse.

This was my experience too. I had to learn to see meets not as a means to collect medals and podium standings but a celebration of the hard work that occurs all year long.

@Dream - you must have a lot of meets because where I live state is in March and then season is over unless your kid qualifies to post season (which doesn't apply to every level). Only L9/L10 here could still say the meet season is half over and that's only if they qualify to everything postseason.

 

[Dream]

Nutter Butter
Thanks for the info about meets I can't believe your almost done for the season!
Yes our season started with an in house meet in Dec and there is at least 1 external meet a month until the end of May then season closes with another in house meet in June. That is just for Xcel bronze as there are a couple others for kids competing silver and higher.
We are off to one out of town this evening but she only had 1 practice since the last meet so not sure how it is going to go!
Please keep sharing everyone there have been some wonderful ideas!

 

[Pricess_leia]

Nutter Butter
Thanks for the info about meets I can't believe your almost done for the season!
Yes our season started with an in house meet in Dec and there is at least 1 external meet a month until the end of May then season closes with another in house meet in June. That is just for Xcel bronze as there are a couple others for kids competing silver and higher.
We are off to one out of town this evening but she only had 1 practice since the last meet so not sure how it is going to go!
Please keep sharing everyone there have been some wonderful ideas!

June?! My season ends in march, I can’t imagine competing for half the year. Do they work upgrades during competition season?
We had three meets in a row each weekend, so only one or two practices in between each. It was definitely not ideal.