Anon Why do coaches have favorites?

[Anonymous Post]

Just asking... I don't want to get kicked out of my gym if my coach looks at this so yea.

This has been going on for around 3 months and my coach only pays attention to 3 gymnasts one in level 4 one in level 5 and one in level 7.

I understand that the level 5 and level 7 need more attention but the level 4 gymnast is really bratty and she is mean. The coach loves her and is constantly yelling at me, but I always score low 9s or high 9s. The level 4 gymnast fell off beam at comp and my coach was like great job. But my friend scored higher than her and my coach was like you suck you are so bad a this.
Is this normal? Her fave is so bratty and she likes to yell at me and take out her anger at me. Confused.

 

[TheXcelMom]

There are always favorites with every coach we've had (and there have been quite a few).
A coach's job is to help the athlete improve, no matter where they place. Yes, they'll have favorites, but as long as everyone's getting coached and the sessions are safe, the favoritism (up to a point) is just humans humaning. The problem comes in when you, as a non-favorite student, can discern it.

A "Great job" after a fall off the beam is there to keep the gymnast from losing her confidence in the middle of a competition. That is normal and correct.
Also, coaches don't control the scores. One student scoring higher than another won't be relevant to them. Did they take the coaching instructions/corrections they've been given during practice? That's prob what the coach is looking at.

"you suck you are so bad a this" I really hope you're paraphrasing and not quoting. If something like this was said during a comp, it's a 10/10 problem. If it was said after comp it's 8/10. If you bring this comment up to an adult please use the exact words the coach used.

If another gymnast is being mean and *you cannot just ignore them*, you may want to bring a parent or trusted adult into the mix. Let them talk to the coach, adult to adult. The coach may just need a little coaching.

 

[Aussie_coach]

Because they are human. As humans our personalities are naturally drawn more to some and not others.

All coaches and teachers have favourite students, just the way all students have favourite teachers.

 

[Anonymous Post]

Okay thysm

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Every one has favorites. Really good coaches and teachers, don’t let it be obvious

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

Every one has favorites. Really good coaches and teachers, don’t let it be obvious

Agreed.

Because we are human, we have favorites. However, a coaches' job isn't to coach their favorite kid, it's to coach every kid.