To Gymnastics Parents & Coaches: “Sometimes, I get concerned…”
Posted on 06. Mar, 2009 by Kathe Jones in Gyms & Coaches
I attend a lot of gymnastics meets as part of my fit testing and design research for Motionwear. In the process, I see a lot of gymnastic coaching and parents of gymnasts in action. And sometimes, I get concerned…
I get concerned because I see (and please keep in mind that this is the exception and not the rule) parents & coaches focusing or harping on a far-off goal. They may not manifest this attitude directly to their gymnast but I hear it from them as we talk during meets. As they describe their child or student, I hear so much built in expectation that it seems inevitable that the hard-working, super dedicated little tumbler is going to disappoint them no matter how much they accomplish. They’re so fixated on the potential success that could be achieved 5 to 10 years from now, whether in national competition or college, they seem to forget the here and now.
The end result in these fortunately rare scenarios always seems to be a lot of unhappy competitors and young kids that are far too serious for their own good.
Personally, I tend to be drawn more towards positive gymnastic coaching techniques that still focus on hard work, but offer a balance. Instead of endless drills and a sometimes heavy-handed approach, the focus is more on learning and love of the sport.
What do you think? Would I be destined to failure in a gymnastic coaching career? If not, how can we convince these hard-liners to lighten up a bit?
photo:bryangeek
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2 Responses to “To Gymnastics Parents & Coaches: “Sometimes, I get concerned…””
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Mary Potter
27. Mar, 2009
I think once a girl reaches, say, Level 7, it’s time to bring the big guns out. If they’re still doing gymnastics and want to compete, then the coach has to get competitive. Otherwise, it’s just recreation.
Annette
24. Feb, 2010
As a parent of a “almost” level 4 girl, (she’s six and just getting into the team program), my thing is “Isn’t this supposed to be fun for them?” My daughter loves it and is having fun, that’s what I think is important for her at this age. She is lucky enough to have an awesome coach that makes working hard fun, too. As she gets older,(and she continues to progress) SHE will have to make the choice about how competitve she wants to be. I don’t feel I need to push, she expects more from herself at 6 than most kids twice her age, I don’t have to add to that!