Out of curiosity

[Shawn]

Quote:
Originally Posted by lannamavity I know elite level coaches who have the kids jump from a beam into the pit and pick and choose champions that way...

Hey! My kid can do that! Woo hoo!!! She's gonna be a star!!! LOL

How bizarre.....

That is too funny about Shawn Johnson not being talented enough. I guess she showed them, huh? It just goes to show that you never can tell.

Seriously, though, thanks for your insights. I'll probably never be on the coaches' side of the equation and I like to know how you guys think.

[Aussie_coach]

I don't think coaching is about looking for that star. But taking the kids you have and making them into stars. Some may have potential to go anywhere, while others may struggle. But it is about getting each one to reach their potential. I think you are just as a great a success as a coach if you train an olympian as you are if you take kids who struggle with coordination and help them to achieve in sport and life. Success is everywhere, it is just defined differently by different people. You can have a wonderful coaching career and make a lot of difference in a lot of kids lives and never train an elite.

[KBT]

My goal as a coach is to develop each kid into the best gymnast she can be. Sometimes that's level 4, sometimes that's level 10. I want to challenge each kid as much as she can be challenged. For very talented kids that may mean moving up very quickly, for my not-so-talented kids it's a slower process. I don't look for champions when I coach. The kids who won't make level 10/elite/get a college scholarship are just as important and deserve just as much attention as the superstars.

Because of my above feelings about coaching, I've gravitated towards coaching rec kids and coaching the JV and under kids on my high school teams. I know some gyms have a philosophy of just wanting to win medals; I prefer a gym that focuses on fun and gymnastics as a base for lifetime fitness. The superstars will always get lots of attention, and I want to make sure the other kids get equal time.

My favorites kids are the hard workers, and some of my fondest memories from coaching high school were the meets where we got to compete two JV squads and the routines of my second JV squad. These kids are so excited to be competing, and although their routines weren't very hard, they're out there doing the absolute best job they can. That makes them superstars to me.