Parents Privates For Team Members

[LizzieLac]

Our gym does not do privates and what you describe above sounds a lot like what my DD is experiencing with BHS on beam. For the most part, I agree that what happens in workout should be enough. We also don't have a ton of coaches, so they simply don't have the time considering the team needs and all of the rec classes. However, I believe there is a time and place for privates. Fear issues and struggles with one specific skill. In regular team workout, coaches have mutliple girls to deal with and even a little one-on-one time might not be enough.

I also believe spotting can be helpful as can special drills. My position is if a kid in not getting something for a very long time, something needs to change in the approach. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.

If you otherwise "like" your gym, trust the coches, and think they know their stuff, then you stay and hope over time this improves. You can also send her to a camp this summer where she may get some other insights into what she is doing, as well as some spotting.

Good luck!

 

[kayjaybe]

Vault used to be dd's worst event. She'd get 7's or low 8's. This year, it is consistently her best event, scoring low 9's. It just took time. (She did old 5, new 6 and now is doing new 5 because our team isn't doing 6 and she wasn't ready for 7.)

The one thing that made a HUGE difference was her run. She finally developed a charging run. Even my husband noticed the difference. He said he can tell when a girl will score low or high just based on their run. (And for my dh to say that....someone who takes only a passing interest in this sport....it must really stand out.)

If you have video of her, take a look at her run. Does she slow down a bit or adjust her steps or lean back as she approaches the vault? Just changing that could make a huge difference. (NOTE: I am NOT a coach, just a parent that has seen this help my own child.)

 

[UnoMas]

My DD was in the 7's on vault her whole season in old 5...and did privates....and all she succeeded in doing was tearing up her knees from all the extra vaulting. Got an 8.25 at state meet and we did the happy dance. Mind you she was scoring 9's or close to 9's on all the other events in old 5. 3 seasons and a new gym later she is just finally starting to hit 9's on FHS vaults. Some kids just need time, lots and lots of time. Vault is still DD's least favorite event but she is liking the drills for the flipping vaults much better.

She will get it. I know it's frustrating!

 

[wnl256]

Vault is still DD's least favorite event but she is liking the drills for the flipping vaults much better.

My DD is the same. She doesn't like vault (might be another reason why it took her so long to develop a good one) but she does enjoy the tsuk and yurchenko drills. I think she would be happier if they just dropped vault entirely from the rotation.

As for video: don't wait for the coaches to do it... take you own video at the meets! We've been doing that since level 3. Get close enough that you can zoom in on her without the image being fuzzy (see note below) then let her watch the video the next day and do some self-critique. Our daughter always find something wrong with her own performance.

Note: many video-capable cameras have optical zoom up to a point, then switch to a digital zoom. Avoid the digital zoom if you can as it also makes the subject a bit blurry. iPhones and iPads have only digital zoom, so use with care. Or just go buy a real camera (i.e.: one that isn't a phone).

 

[3LittleGymmies]

I do video at the meets and she can tell me what she is doing wrong. She just can't seem to "make" her body do it right?

 

[juststartingout]

I understand your frustration since I could have wrote your post. We are also considering another gym, not for this reason alone but it is a contributing factor. I know my dd is not getting what she needs on vault during her classes and I don't see her improving if something isn't done.

 

[BachFlyer]

Lone voice of dissent here. My dd had the same problem with the FHS vault at old L5 and L7, over and over she heard that she wasn't blocking. Block, block, block. She was scoring low to mid 8s all season and mid-nines on everything else, but the vault never improved. They kept saying she would, and kept saying not to worry, that she just was a little slow and lacked power (which is true). But I finally asked her if she even knew what they really meant by blocking (because I didn't) and she said no, not really. Like the OPs dd, mine is a very visual learner and like OP, I couldn't understand why they wouldn't record or show videos. Or change their approach or something.
I just couldn't wrap my mind around the fact that she could somehow accomplish every other hard skill fairly easily, but not that vault.

So I practically begged the coach before state meet to help her and she agreed. The strangest thing helped...her coach used a little flat, flexible doll (made of plastic with little rivet hinges at the joints) to show her where her body position should be during each part of the vault. She broke it down step by step, and with each position of the doll, she then had her do a drill to help her feel that position. And she came home "understanding". And a week later, she scored at 9.5 at L7 state. That was her last FHS vault because she moved up to 8 and started doing the yurchenko, so I can't offer proof other than to say that after that, she "got" it. She competed 9 & 10 this year, and vault and floor are still not her best events because she still struggles with power. But the understanding is there now.

 

[GYM0M]

We can do privates. BUT sometimes they don't help and there is not any point. DD competed new level 4 in the fall and new level 5 this spring. She IS a powerful little thing but struggled with this vault. First meet, after a private, 7.9. 2nd meet....no private, 8.7. I thought we were out of the woods, but district meet, 7.75, north state, 8.0!!! She almost didn't qualify for state, but at the state meet, 9.45!!!!! And we have been in the 9's ever since! Maybe have her strength train with handstand push-ups on the wall at home.....but it will come.....and might go, unfortunately! We are moving up again and currently working on yurchenko vaults so I assume we will be back in the same boat next season. It's looking ok, but DD is still so small.

 

[Deleted member 14190]

Sounds like some good vaulters on the team,,, so,, As a parent I would be patient, vault takes time and some kids are just better at it. As a coach I would do the exact same thing as a parent

 

[Flipflopz]

Dd (lev 9/10) does privates. For floor and vault. It has helped tremendously.