Coaches New littles on team

[WavyNavy8]

I’ve gained a new group of girls that moved up off of our preteam group. These girls are training USAG 2/3 skills. I’ve been with them for a week and a half now.

It’s been a few years since I’ve gotten girls from preteam and I’m not sure if it was the coaching style of the preteam coach, or maybe just change of schedule/coaching style… but the whole group is whiny. Like throwing themselves to the ground whiny when something is even a tiny bit more challenging (which, given the change from preteam to team, it should be). Like sitting down on the beam when they just don’t feel like doing something anymore, or laying mid floor rolling around during shaping exercises.

Any ideas on how to handle the whining to minimize it? They are around 6-7 years old and once one starts it trickles down. I’ve been taking a lot of time out of practice to individually deal with each child’s complaints, but that’s really not effective. And like I said it trickles down, so ignoring it doesn’t help because they’ll all be complaining.

Nothing they are doing is overly challenging yet. I’m still trying to asses their strengths and weaknesses, so we’ve been focusing on basic. I also don’t want them sitting, I generally try to make stations for them to follow but, despite being able to do things independently, they seem to lay at a station and whine until I give them each individual attention.

 

[Gymgirl84]

Positive praise to those doing the desired thing. So, one starts rolling out, so just in that moment say, "Oh look at X, what a beautiful shape she's doing". That usually works amazingly well.
If some of them is specially not working just have them go out, sit out until they are ready to work. And really praise the ones working.

 

[WavyNavy8]

Positive praise to those doing the desired thing. So, one starts rolling out, so just in that moment say, "Oh look at X, what a beautiful shape she's doing". That usually works amazingly well.
If some of them is specially not working just have them go out, sit out until they are ready to work. And really praise the ones working.

Thank you!

 

[NutterButter]

Collectively they have developed some bad habits and I would correct for this in a few different ways. First, take a few minutes at practice to talk to them as a group. Talk up the responsibility of being on team and how much you believe in them and then initiate a discussion of what each one can do to show they are ready for practice and being a good teammate. Write them down on a poster board. If they don't automatically bring up the problems you want to correct, guide them there. At the end have them sign the poster. Then, turn it into a game/challenge where they are rewarded for good behavior. Give them stickers at the end of practice to decorate their poster (the goal is a decorated poster!). Maybe give them an additional goal - one for short term success (after two practices of good behavior for example) and another that will take a bit longer and has a bigger reward. The rewards can be whatever works in your gym - extra time on their favorite station, a group game, a prize, snack, treasure hunt, etc.

It's a bit of a pain-in-the-you-know-what to manage especially if you do stickers after practice but after a couple of weeks with their help you should be in a better place with the group. My guess is that there is one or two in the group who just due to maturity, might truly need a break. Work with them individually on how they can take a break but not impact the entire group.

 

[WavyNavy8]

Collectively they have developed some bad habits and I would correct for this in a few different ways. First, take a few minutes at practice to talk to them as a group. Talk up the responsibility of being on team and how much you believe in them and then initiate a discussion of what each one can do to show they are ready for practice and being a good teammate. Write them down on a poster board. If they don't automatically bring up the problems you want to correct, guide them there. At the end have them sign the poster. Then, turn it into a game/challenge where they are rewarded for good behavior. Give them stickers at the end of practice to decorate their poster (the goal is a decorated poster!). Maybe give them an additional goal - one for short term success (after two practices of good behavior for example) and another that will take a bit longer and has a bigger reward. The rewards can be whatever works in your gym - extra time on their favorite station, a group game, a prize, snack, treasure hunt, etc.

It's a bit of a pain-in-the-you-know-what to manage especially if you do stickers after practice but after a couple of weeks with their help you should be in a better place with the group. My guess is that there is one or two in the group who just due to maturity, might truly need a break. Work with them individually on how they can take a break but not impact the entire group.

I love this idea thank you!!