Motivational Thoughts

[BarCoach]

I attended a practice on Monday at a gym with a really good coach. At the end of practice, he gathered all the girls together and asked if they had met their goals at the meet from the previous weekend. Then he talked a little about goal setting. I really liked that he did that. He said after every practice he asks a question and says a little something so that it ends on a positive note. I want to start doing this too, and would like some help brainstorming topics. So far I've come up with "what did you work hard on today?", and explain why hard work is important, "what improvements did you make today?", and explain there is always at least one improvement, even if it isn't always obvious. Then I thought I'd try doing some visualization work and see if it helps. Or talk about confidence and how it can improve performance. Any other ideas?

 

[gympanda]

I always ask my kids at the end of every practice what they are proud of themselves for from that practice. When I started many really couldn't answer, but now they pay attention more during practice to what they are actually accomplishing. It's a big deal because we really try to teach self confidence and if they can actually identify how they made themselves proud (not me, not their parents) then I feel like that will be something they can use forever.

 

[gymdog]

This is kind of similar to the way many of the Eastern European coaches I've had have been like, everyone has to line up at the beginning and end and "talk." Not always positive, hahaha. Anyway. I don't do this myself, at the end, I coach too many different levels. I do it in between turns. For example the other day my level 6s had to do 3 low bar parts. After each round everyone had to identify something specific they needed to do better for the next round. At the end of the rounds we talked more about the improvements we still need. Often I do a similar thing, maybe before we start bar routines they need to identify something, then say something they improved.

 

[CoachGoofy]

When we do routines, adn at meets, I ask my girls for three specific ways they're going to amaze me. it gives them specific points to focus on, and three points on which to be successful.


Also, I taught them the Litany Against Fear (from Dune) when that particular monster came through.

 

[All Chalked Up]

Or maybe you could use a motivational quote at the end (gymnastics or non-gymanstics) I have a good gymnastics one:
"If there had not been such a thing as gymnastics, I would have had to invent it because I feel at one with the sport" - Olga Korbut