? Skills

[cher062]

Although I know where you are coming from Cher I went EEK when I read this. lol.

I have seen (and I am sure you have too) a child at a meet who warms up a dreadful (eg) full. Twisting off the floor, slow BHS, legs bent, apart and everywhere. Piking down so she is kissing her knees. You sit there and go 'she really shouldn't be doing that' - you wonder if it is nerves but sure enough she throws the same monster in her floor routine.

No way is that having that skill BUT it will count for points at the meet because she is 'attempting' it and also if it is a requirement (we call them EGRs) she will get points for fullfilling the EGR. Unfortunately you do not have to do a skill 'well' at all for it to count for points. However that 'monster' skill will also attract a shed load of deductions and hopefully wipe out any plus points from throwing it in the first place. I know you weren't thinking of this scenario but it came to mind.

LOL Well I guess I should have elaborated that they actually have to do the skill so it at least looks like the skill LOL. If its butt landings, knee landings, kissing the floor etc. then I would say they don't have it and would be looking for a new gym if they regularly let their gymnasts try it like that. EKKK is right.

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

At what point does a gymnast "have" a skill as opposed to training a skill? What is the criteria? Example: Does a gymnast "have" a giant if the coach needs to put her in position to rotate around the bar? Or if a gymnast can do a layout on the floor but is only a few inches above the mats?

I have noticed that some parents will talk about the new skills their dd have, but the skill is no where near ready to compete.

I tend to be pretty conservative on this; to me, a kid "has" a skill when I can tell them to do it and they do it 1) safely and 2) without having to take a lot of time to psych themselves up for it.

For example, right now I have a kid who is working a back 2/1 on floor. He has done it on floor before (and in fact the first time he did it on floor was about a year ago -- right before he started growing), but he can only do it on a good day and only after spending a significant amount of time warming the skill up into a pit.

So he "can do" a 2/1, but he doesn't "have" a 2/1. If he were to compete this weekend, he would not compete the skill.

However, once he's warmed up, I can tell him to do a 3/2, and given a couple passes to get ready for it (ie back tuck, back layout, back 1/1), he can do one easily, consistently, and without fear. This is the level I like to see kids reach before they put a skill in a routine.