MAG Strong coach relationship

[Deleted member 10727]

My younger team gymnast has been with his coach since he was 4 years old. He has always had him in his life, as far as he remembers, and he thinks of his coach as a fixture in his life. I have started my kids working with another coach for private lessons (with the boys' coach's blessing), and my 7 year old treats this new coach so different. He backs off skills, argues with him, and doesn't try very hard. I've noticed this for a few weeks, but thought my son was just tired due to the time of day this lesson takes place. However, today his boys' team coach walked over during a private lesson with this other coach and told my son to throw the skill in which my son had been backing off over and over, and my son did it 3 times perfectly with his main coach standing there. The team coach walked away and my son started backing off again. What?

So I talked to the team coach about this, saying that it's obvious that my son has obvious trust and respect for him, and how he doesn't react the same with the other coaches. This team coach is fairly young and he started saying how he knows, but he isn't sure why, since he isn't a dad or a brother or anything like that. I said, you are a coach - a respected authority figure. I'm not sure why the team coach doesn't seem to wrap his mind around his importance and status in certain childrens' lives as a coach.

The funny thing is that we have thought about leaving to another gym eventually, for various reasons, but now I think it might be a difficult prospect my for younger son. Hmmn...

 

[Ex member]

There is a young coach that my youngest dd has got attached to, she prefers to be with this coach above all others and is disappointed if this particular coach is not there, dd has built up some trust with this coach and I have also through conversations, this coach is the type of person who wants to be there for the children she teaches, she wants them to trust her and open up to her with any issues they might have, the coach is very easy to talk to. I think it is very important for a coach to build up a good relationship with the children under their care.

 

[J&A's mom]

My youngest is exactly the same way. He needs time to build trust. The coach/child relationship is very important!

 

[gymcoach26]

Maybe the regular coach could have a little talk with your son about it being important to work just as hard for the new coach. We have done this with certain kids when we get new staff and the kids are not warming up to them as much or when kids move up levels and get a new coach. Usually once the kids hear from their favorite coach that they are in contact with the other coach and their favorite person will know they are not trying their hardest, they pick up the slack pretty quick.

 

[Deleted member 10727]

The head coach did have a talk with my son and he has tolerated this other coach somewhat. I also trust his instinct. We started private lessons with this other coach because he will work on fun stuff with the boys instead of all competition stuff, all the time. Their main coach feel obligated (understandably) to work just on routine stuff with them.