Women Tap Swings

[tpMom]

Last night at my DD's level 4 meet one of her friends on another team had a scary fall on her tap swings. Everything was going great until she peeled off on the top of a huge swing and went flying backward, hitting the low bar and landing in such a way that the entire gym went absolutely silent. She ended up okay, standing up and walking to sit down with an ice pack but it was terrifying, the scariest fall I've ever seen.

Later, my daughter said that the reason her coach always stands between the bars is to help spot in the event of a peel on a tap swing. The other gymnast's coach was standing in front of the high bar and had no chance to do anything but watch while the little girl went flying. I'm wondering how common it is for coaches to stand in front of the high bar instead of in between the high and low bars? It seems like standing between the bars for level 4 has lots of benefits and no real downside. Why wouldn't every coach stand there just in case?

 

[raenndrops]

Our coach stands between.

 

[Splat]

I bet a lot is just preference. While I must admit i don't know a bunch about his topic our coaches prefer to stand as out of the was as possible at meets unless spot is needed or a girl is know to peel off the bar. however at practice it seems like our coaches stand between the bars. I believe they stand away that way they don't get mistaken for spotting. but again i'm not quite sure

 

[sun]

I always stand in for Lv.4's. Just got back from state and was surprised to see the majority of coaches not opting to stand in.

 

[Jard.the.gymnast]

I always stand in. Now my girls are somewhere between 6 and 11 and nowhere near level 4. But if there are tap swings in practice, I stand in between. For the older kids at competitions as well

 

[sun]

At practice I only allow them to do one at a time tap swings on the trench bar, or if they're on the actual bars, I'll put a slope mat covering the low bar. (unless I'm standing in, usually I'm busy spotting endless drop kip casts lol)

 

[wordsmith]

https://thegymcoach.wordpress.com/2010/03/26/girls-peeling-off-the-bar-on-a-tap-swing/

https://www.chalkbucket.com/forums/threads/not-quite-spotting-question.53741/#post-418264

 

[Aussie_coach]

The spotting method of standing between the gymnast and the low bar won't work for everybody. I am shorter the the low bar and can stand right under it. So the method described in the first article might work for a taller coach, but plenty of us and 5'0" or shorter.

 

[coachmolly]

I always stand between. For girls newer to tap swings, I keep my hand on their arm the entire time. For higher level girls or those more proficient with tap swings, I might stand back a little but still ready in case something happens. I know that chances are I won't catch the flying kid, but the hope is I will at least be able to slow them down to help facilitate a safer landing.
I'm not too particular as to what position a coach is in or what works best, as that is probably pretty specific to an individual coach, as long as the coach is clearly prepared and engaged in the routine to be able to jump in and assist if something goes wrong. And I'm not so sure that's possible standing on the front side of the bar because you are farther away and can't see the swing as well.

 

[tpMom]

The spotting method of standing between the gymnast and the low bar won't work for everybody. I am shorter the the low bar and can stand right under it. So the method described in the first article might work for a taller coach, but plenty of us and 5'0" or shorter.

So then what do you do to safely spot a child on tap swings?

 

[mommyof1]

What scares me is when they are working flyaways out of tap swings and the coach is positioned to spot the flyaway. My kid once peeled at the back of the tap swing in this situation and the coach couldn’t get to her in time.

 

[raenndrops]

What scares me is when they are working flyaways out of tap swings and the coach is positioned to spot the flyaway. My kid once peeled at the back of the tap swing in this situation and the coach couldn’t get to her in time.

2 coaches... so much better. One between and one in front.

 

[Deleted member 14190]

We stand there but if they land on the low bar not much can be done to prevent that.

 

[Deleted member 14190]

https://thegymcoach.wordpress.com/2010/03/26/girls-peeling-off-the-bar-on-a-tap-swing/

https://www.chalkbucket.com/forums/threads/not-quite-spotting-question.53741/#post-418264

The article is pretty stupid. Big handed people peal as well. It is about technique....

 

[Ginger]

What scares me is when they are working flyaways out of tap swings and the coach is positioned to spot the flyaway. My kid once peeled at the back of the tap swing in this situation and the coach couldn’t get to her in time.

This video shows a coach spotting the tap swings then re-positioning himself to spot the flyaway

 

[amiandjim]

Off topic but that was a beautiful routine!

 

[wordsmith]

The article is pretty stupid. Big handed people peal as well. It is about technique....

Ha! The takeaway I wanted to share from the blogpost along with the second link I posted wasn't to debate the merits of hand size: rail and technique but the wisdom of whether or not to stand between the bars for level 4 & 5 tap swings (debated also in the comments section in the blogpost).

I stand between the bars at meets; and as often as feasible during training. Simply standing there isn't going to help unless the spotter's mind is actively watching for the peel.

Importantly, revisit exercises on safety falls. Peels are quick and unpredictable on amount of rotation and energy the gymnast has to contend with in the moment, but still want to ingrain in the gymnasts the instinct to protect their arms and head.

 

[Deleted member 14190]

Yes some people don't have the physical ability to catch a falling gymnast. Instead it should be mandated that an extra may be kept between the bars of no spotter is present. But then the problem is that most mats are hard as rocks at meets (they are new) , so it's not a feasible defense in combating injuries.

 

[e'smum]

in between arm extended in case of this happening.....

 

[3rd_time_around]

That is the level that my daughter peeled off a tap swing and broke her elbow. Long story, but super long recovery, basically caused her career to end at level 10. And in AAU, it is required that coaches stand between the bars for Level 3 (AAU jumps to high bar and does a long hang pullover and tap swings instead of the stride circle). The routine is void if they are not standing there.