Sunday Funnies

Merry Christmas!

How we all got into gymnastics

Prior to start of practice, 6 year old mini-shot Ashley came out onto the floor where I was hanging out with another coach.  Carrying on a conversation with her, I ask her:  "How did you get into gymnastics?"

Ashley points off into the distance, behind her.

Confused, as I don't know who she's pointing to and why, I ask the question again.

Ashley:  "I got in through that door, over there." [points again, toward the gate that leads out onto the gym floor]

Beware of Foam Pit on Your Six O'Clock!

Situational Awareness= "The ability to take in the information surrounding you; analysis,and interpret that information and act accordingly to the current situation for the sake of your own safety. It involves being aware of what is happening in the immediate vicinity, all around you."


Here I demonstrate a great example of what happens when you lack sufficient situational awareness.

Never use the "C" word

Hat tip:  Gymnastics World

Related:

 Dominique Moceanu on Confronting Her Parents About Her Long-Lost Sister

 Olympic gymnast discovers secret sister

Sunday Funnies

Marc Jacobs

3 Reasons on a Gradual Return to Gymnastics Following Injury

The Hybrid Perspective:

Research supports that a big possible risk factor to ongoing overuse injuries or re-injuries in gymnastics is a premature return to sport. From personal experience over my years in gymnastics, and as many readers may agree,  I think this is pretty accurate. I think many parents/coaches/gymnasts get concerned when this phase of the injury comes into play, especially if it was a more serious injury.  I wanted to offer my spin on this idea from a pain science, adaptation, and psychological point of view. Here are 3 concepts for people to think about.

Read the article

Sunday Funnies

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This Day in History....

Blair: "Do little kids always think you're Santa?"
Me: "Are you calling me fat?!"
Blair: "You're not fat!"
Me: "I'm fatter now than I was 20 years ago."
Blair: "You were alive 20 years ago?!"
-December 13, 2010

Saturday Morning Cartoon

Wonder Twins Unite!

This was pure coaching joy. 

These two mini-shots are sisters- twins, to be precise.  And they are in constant competition with one another...bickering....fighting....rooting for the other's defeat.

So last Saturday, I had it in mind for them to cheer for and not against their significant sisterly other.

 I told them they were both on the same team; and the challenge was that between the two of them, they had to make 10 back hip circles, combined, in 2 minutes without form breaks.

Now, as you can see from watching the video, I was not totally honest in regards to skill execution quality.  For me, it didn't matter.  They're 6 years old; and knowing their psychology, it would have served more harm than good to be Spartan-knitpicky.  They need the feeling of success.  Without telling them, I judged them each according to individual standards of ability in performing the skill (one is further along than the other).  Yes, I manipulated the battle space and inconsistently called out points and misses; and brought it all to a dramatic end- a race against the clock.  I was manipulative in the same spirit as we talk up the Easter bunny, the tooth fairy, and Santa Claus to little kids.

The focus here was more on teamwork and team spirit; on nurturing their bond and cultivating a sense of self and other accomplishment.

Sadly, I shut off the camera too soon and missed capturing their sisterly hug at the end.

TBT: Olympic basket swing and mill circle

 Back when the level 3 basket swing and mill circle could make its way into an Olympic-caliber routine:

Round-off snap up shaping and positioning drill

Figuratively speaking, maybe I did

After arriving late to work due to car issues today, 8 yr old Mischa:

"Did you have a good day today Coach Michael?"

Me: "No."

Mischa looks hurt/offended.

Me: "No, no...it's better now that I'm here with you guys. I like working with you. I just had a bad day before I got here."

Mischa: "Why? Did you poop in your pants?"

Sunday Funnies

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The lass with the sass

Yesterday, Coach Stella had the level 3s on Tumble Trak; and she did a round-off backhandspring. Mischa asked her to do it again. Coach Stella told her that was the only one she was doing. So the 8 year old lass with the sass tells her: "C'mon Coach Stella, don't you want to relive your childhood dream?"

How do you coach your gymnast at home?

Spoiler alert:  You don't:

Your gymnast does gymnastics at home. All the time. In every room. And you’ve watched enough gymnastics to know that certain things she’s doing are incorrect. So how do you make these corrections at home? You don’t. Let me repeat that. Do. Not. Coach. Your. Child. At. Home. Nothing will make your child’s coach cringe internally more than hearing that you worked on x, y, or z at home. You are not her coach. Don’t do it. Don’t even tell her to point her toes.

The bottom line is that gymnastics is your daughter’s (or son’s) sport. She puts in the work at practice, she feels the pressure at every competition, and all those little mistakes you see that you’re sure you could fix if they’re so obvious even you see them? Yeah, her coach is trying to fix them. I promise. Being a gym mom or dad does not qualify you as a coach at home.

I would know because my own parents were, in fact, elite gymnastics coaches at the same time I was making my way through the optionals program at our gym. In fact, if you followed gymnastics in the 90s, you’ve probably heard of my parents, Tom and Lori Forster.

Read Asha Forster Grebenik's blogpost.

Hat tip:  "Dunno"

TBT Compulsory Bars

Team Future Camp in Australia