Ways to be involved in gymnastics besides coaching?

[Mag_7_Fan96]

I think you should coach. You can find a way around the communication barrier. After all, if people thought of that obstacle as impossible to overcome Aimee Walker Pond would not have started gymnastics. If a coach who is hearing can coach a child who is deaf, why can't a coach who is deaf coach a child who is hearing. You can get an interpreter, get another coach or older gymnast who can sign or even make up signs with the kids, like a secret language. Kids love secret languages.

I heard this story a little while ago and it seems to fit.

There was a boy, (lets call him Matt) who was always in trouble in school, was labeled as ADD and got bad grades. One day his parents where eating alone in a restaurant when a teacher walked up to them praising their son. This teacher went on the say that he was a pleasure to have in the class and mentioned a wonderful child that they didn't recognize. They told her that she must be mistaken him with someone else because he is worthless, always in trouble and they are embarrassed. The teacher walked away, shocked. As they thought about it they realized that they hadn't been called by the school for a month now and were wondering if he had changed. When his report came, his parents were expecting the usual C's and D's. Instead they were shocked to find A's and B's and even honors in one of his classes. They asked him who he sat by to get those grades and he simply told them that he had gotten them himself. After refusing to believe that he had gotten the grades himself they went to the school with Matt, asking the principal about the recent changes. They were told he had a new guidance counselor and she was working wonders with him and thought they should meet her. They were lead to her office. As they greeted her they quickly noticed that she began to move her hands and realized she was signing. The father asked "What is this? Sign language? She can't even hear!" Their son replied "That's why she's so great. She's does more than hear, dad. She listens."

The only barriers that there are in life are the ones that we imagine. Once we realize that we can also imagine solutions, there is nothing stopping us.

 

[emorymom]

I don't think coaching OR judging would be a huge problem. There are technical workarounds for everything. It might be best to OWN a gym and focus on doing mainly privates with students who have compatible temperaments. OR judge. Certainly you could carry around 2 Peeks with you for $30 a month, and hand one to anyone with whom you need to have a conversation who does not have a text device on him or her.

You could also publish materials helping gyms work with deaf and hard of hearing students, and maybe branch out and research adaptations generally. You could publish a video of a set of basic signs that would cover most coaching instructions.

 

[nevertooold]

I just want to coach so bad but understand how important communication is.

Communication IS important in coaching but communication is more than "talking"...
to communicate with your gymnasts you would have to have eye contact which is half the battle with the younger ones anyway. It would be difficult to be a solo instructor b/c of the amount of explaining involved when you rotate to a new event, stations, etc. but I don't see any reason why you wouldn't be an awesome co-coach. Giving corrections does not require talking. You could certainly use a combination of signs and hands on manipulation to give corrections.

Most coaches use some type of signs regularly. Index finger to index finger for feet together, index and middle finger apart and together for squeeze legs together, flat hands at the front of the hips for flat hips. It would be VERY difficult to coach if we didn't show things with our hands and bodies.

Would be hard with rec kids I think, but team kids would benefit from the focus and attention having a non-speaking coach would require. I think it would be an asset not a detriment. I would hire you and I'm sure many others would too.

 

[flipper's fan]

As a matter of fact, I know a deaf gymnastics coach. He used to work at our gym and now he coaches boys team at another gym nearby. He speaks like a person who has never had full hearing but I don't know his entire background. Anyway, there is an example. It can be done.

 

[bogwoppit]

Bri at the summer camp by girls go to, Gymrep in QUebec, they use hand signals for all coaching. WHY??? Because many of the girls are French and many of the coaches are English and vice versa. So they developped a system of hand signals and it works great. The coaches have no problems coaching even when they are one on one either. Kids will very quickly learn what they need to do.

 

[lilgymmie7]

I think you should coach. You can find a way around the communication barrier. After all, if people thought of that obstacle as impossible to overcome Aimee Walker Pond would not have started gymnastics. If a coach who is hearing can coach a child who is deaf, why can't a coach who is deaf coach a child who is hearing. You can get an interpreter, get another coach or older gymnast who can sign or even make up signs with the kids, like a secret language. Kids love secret languages.

I heard this story a little while ago and it seems to fit.

There was a boy, (lets call him Matt) who was always in trouble in school, was labeled as ADD and got bad grades. One day his parents where eating alone in a restaurant when a teacher walked up to them praising their son. This teacher went on the say that he was a pleasure to have in the class and mentioned a wonderful child that they didn't recognize. They told her that she must be mistaken him with someone else because he is worthless, always in trouble and they are embarrassed. The teacher walked away, shocked. As they thought about it they realized that they hadn't been called by the school for a month now and were wondering if he had changed. When his report came, his parents were expecting the usual C's and D's. Instead they were shocked to find A's and B's and even honors in one of his classes. They asked him who he sat by to get those grades and he simply told them that he had gotten them himself. After refusing to believe that he had gotten the grades himself they went to the school with Matt, asking the principal about the recent changes. They were told he had a new guidance counselor and she was working wonders with him and thought they should meet her. They were lead to her office. As they greeted her they quickly noticed that she began to move her hands and realized she was signing. The father asked "What is this? Sign language? She can't even hear!" Their son replied "That's why she's so great. She's does more than hear, dad. She listens."

The only barriers that there are in life are the ones that we imagine. Once we realize that we can also imagine solutions, there is nothing stopping us.

My goodness! That is such a beautiful story in the long run. You have really inspired me. I mean the workings of all involved have given me the inspiration. Thank you for sharing!!

 

[Galadriel]

Can only agree with the others - you want to coach you should coach!
You have obviously a very supportive gym and you acheived up to level 10
I am sure that the gym could only benefit from your drive and they could use it as positive publicity to attract more students in.

 

[gymmomntc2e6]

Although the coaching idea sounds difficult, alot of it is showing - which you could do. Shaping etc. without having to worry about signing. I think that if the kids could learn some basic sign that you would need to use, it is do-able.

I mean, didn't people around you ( family & good friends) learn to sign so they could easily communicate with you? I hope that does not come across in a bad way. I just mean, if I were coaching and there was a deaf child I would want to learn to sign so I could communicate with them. I know it would take a while and I may need the parent in the gym to help (translate) at first. Why could the kids not learn some basics. Make a printout of basic signs they would need to learn that they could take home and practice. Honestly, they would probably think it was 'cool'.

Good Luck. You are smart, driven, and an inspiration. I know you will succeed in whatever you do.

 

[Coach Roy]

Judging honestly sounds like your best bet if you want to learn the technical aspect of gymnastics, but the other ideas like gym owner, working for USAG, and etc. are all excellent ways to get involved without having to really have a whole lot of training/experience in gymnastics and would allow you to be very involved with the sport!

-All this being said assuming you're not wanting to coach. By all means if you want to coach badly enough, do it. It's been said many times, "when there's a will, there's a way".

 

[gymgurl]

Ok Bribri, you can do anything you aspire to do, i am sure that some people would have been skeptical of you going this far in gymnastics but you did it you are truly amazing so i think that whilst yes do inspirational lectures, judge and everything else but i think that you could be an amazing coach you have so much to offer to any gym and whoever the gymnasts who are lucky enough to have you as their coach i hope they know how lucky they are! Do what your heart tells you, trust me if you don't you will regret it.

 

[bribri514]

Once again thank you so so much everyone. I e-mailed my coach at my gym back home and we have talked. He said he would love to have me come in during winter break and work with some of the Level 4s and 5s as volunteer coach. I'm from a small gym in a small town so it will be a good way to start. So yay, thanks, you guys ROCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

 

[gymdog]

Once again thank you so so much everyone. I e-mailed my coach at my gym back home and we have talked. He said he would love to have me come in during winter break and work with some of the Level 4s and 5s as volunteer coach. I'm from a small gym in a small town so it will be a good way to start. So yay, thanks, you guys ROCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

That sounds great! I'm very excited for you. Needless to say, let us know how it goes.

 

[Mag_7_Fan96]

I'm really happy things are working out for you!