Coaches Should USAG have standardized technical training?

[Geoffrey Taucer]

Random thought:

USAG already requires coaches to undergo training for first aid/CPR, concussion safety, and safesport certification. And all these are, on the whole, good things (even if they do feel like an inconvenience sometimes).

But there is no such standardized training for technical side. And while every coach does things differently, there are some underlying principles that every coach should know, and not every coach does. For example, a basic understanding of conservation of angular momentum, and the laws of motion in general as applied to gymnastics, is something that could be distilled into a simple course for coaches to take, and that knowledge is an incredibly powerful coaching tool. A basic understanding of how the musculoskeletal system works, a basic understanding of sports psychology, etc; we don't need full-blown college courses to learn enough to apply it to gymnastics, but a bit of basic understanding of these can go a really long way, and at present there's not really an obvious centralized resource for coaches to learn about these.

What do y'all think?

 

[Gymgirl84]

In my country coaches have to pass coaching courses where those kind of topics are more or less covered, also you are taught some fundamental progressions for the basic skills, physical preparation,... Still at the gyms some older gymnasts or staff that helps with beginner rec and the like have not yet gone through the coaching courses. But to be at a competition floor you need them.

 

[Coach Kate]

I think it's a good idea. I took a preschool training course from someone with advanced education in childhood development and it really helped me so much. I think better training would benefit everyone.

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

In my country coaches have to pass coaching courses where those kind of topics are more or less covered, also you are taught some fundamental progressions for the basic skills, physical preparation,... Still at the gyms some older gymnasts or staff that helps with beginner rec and the like have not yet gone through the coaching courses. But to be at a competition floor you need them.

This makes sense to me. I wish USAG would implement something like this. Even if it's not mandatory, just having a primer, having the learning resources available and endorsed by USAG. Some sort of certification, even if it's optional, would be beneficial.