Coaches When numbers isn't enough

[BarCoach]

Second meet today. 4 out of 8 level 4 girls fell (3 on cartwheel). Last meet 5 out of 8 fell (6 falls total). Every day they have to make 10 cartwheels, 10 handstands, and 5 routines in a row. They can easily and quickly complete that assignment. So I know they can do these skills. We occasionally do pressure sets and those are better than I see in meets too. I guess it's a nerves thing. Anything I can do??

 

[coachmolly]

Is this their first year competing? It could be something that will solve itself with more meet experience. Pressure sets are a good start, but still can't compare to the stress of competing in front of judges. Could you work with them on some mental prep stuff? Visualization, working through routines with small distractions (teammates chatting/clapping/cheering on the side), stuff like that. It could help with nerves and/or focus if that seems to be the problem.

 

[BarCoach]

Half of them did one year of old 4 and this is their first year as new 4s. The other half did a year of old 4, then old 5, and are now repeating new 4. I'll try the distraction thing. We already use key words (trying it new this year) and I thought I'd see more success from that. We rocked beam last year and I'm not sure what's different. Just hoping they figure it out soon.

 

[Pineapple_Lump]

Are they watching their feet land? I have a few gymnasts who forget to do this when the pressure is on.

 

[iwannacoach]

Maybe you need to increase the routine numbers or redefine what "make" is. Just staying on is one step, but staying on without breaking away from the directions prescribed by the text will bump it up a level or two. So if they should finish a skill facing the end of the beam but have to turn out to the side to correct their balance...... the routine gets valued differently. Maybe some routines should get 1/4 credit even though they don't fall.

So figure out where they are as a group and give them something that challenges them during practice. Figure they should be assigned something that has them mildly complaining before they get started, and smiling when they're done.

 

[aileenmaryf]

I don't do this a lot currently because all I coach is rec and high school (I have too much variety in skill), but when I was in gymnastics my coach used to make us do NO WOBBLE skills. We never did it with jumps or leaps but with skills that landed one foot at a time (back walkovers, front walkovers, handstands, cartwheels, etc.), and so usually we would have to do say 3-5 either in a row. To do this we had to focus on doing our skills (I don't know if this is a good word for it but its the best I can think of) solidly. meaning our step-down was strong and we had to pull our arms up quickly, not turn out our hips, and get a good lunge at the end. Also, we spent time on corrections (I don't know if this is going to make sense but I will try to explain it the best I can). So say you do a full turn and you are leaning a little to the side, all you have to do is swoop your arm and you are back on easily (it also works for other skills- cartwheels, handstands, etc). From my experience this was one of the most helpful things my coach taught me.

Hope this helps you!