What levels do you coach?

[flipflop]

Hey coaches, what levels do you coach and what is your favorite? Better yet, introduce yourselves...give us a bio.

[gracefulone]

I'm a long-time gymnast and a brand-new coach. I started coaching in August. My regular classes are the two beginner levels, but I have been a substitute for everything through team 5. I have learned to spot everything from backward rolls to handstands on beam to back handsprings and kips to flyaways. I love my job. It sure beats my paper route! The kids in my class are so excited for class and to see you every week. They're adorable! I myself am competing level six this year. I 'm a varsity cheerleader at my hs and play violin. I also am a good student.

[gymbabisMom]

I coach both schoolage girls (6 to 9 yr olds) and older preschoolers (4 to 6 yr olds) I used to coach little preschoolers but there is another coach for littles now and she is much better with them than I am. I like to get them when they already know how to follow directions. Anyway, I really enjoy my classes and my kids are doing great and enjoying themselves. Some of them will never go beyond recreational, and some of them are headed for team (eventually). It's both fun and challenging to make sure everyone is having a good time but also learning the skills they need to progress.

[JBS]

Currently, I coach everything from parent participation to our highest level students (Level 6). I work for a recreational gym (no competition). Why...I enjoy working with the 99% of the gymnasts in the US that are not competitive.

EDIT: I like working with the other 1%, also.

[hammy]

I was a gymast for 13 years, competing 3 years of level 10, and I was going to compete for West Va University's gym team but a recurring fractured back resulted in my retirement. I've been coaching for about 2 years, and I right now i'm mainly working with level 4s. I also work with pre-schoolers and sometimes I'll sub a class for levels 1-6. I love working with the competitive girls, especially those who are motivated and wanting to learn new skills!

[coachpamela]

I coach high school gymnastics, which means we have girls at levels 7 and 8 (for the past 3 years we had a level 10 but she quit gymnastics ) but also girls who have never done gymnastics, trying to teach them a proper cartwheel or a backhandspring. It's a challenge to teach beginners when they are almost grown women! But it's fun and we only have 2 that are at that level, the rest are mostly 4's and 5's. i like teaching them all the best, I could do without the beginners at this age because it's hard to spot someone doing a backhandspring (or a walkover for that matter) when they outweigh me by 40 lbs. I get sprains and pulled muscles once in a while and if I don't think I can spot them safely then I call over our head coach. VERY challenging and fun, but at this age, the drama also plays a part. We try to tell the girls to check all that at the door, that the gym is one "safe sanctuary" to forget everything else for 3 hours.

[audra]

Currently I work at a recreational gym and have coached everything from our 3 year old pre school classes, through our highest level in the gym ( around L 6). I have coached competitive teams before L 4 through L 8. The only classes I dont teach are the mommy and me, mostly because I manage the gym and when I'm on the floor I want to be with the kids and not have to deal with parents at all.

Its hard to say what my favorite would be there are so many rewards to the different levels, teaching pre school definitely helps my higher level classes also. Keeps me creative!

[Geoffrey Taucer]

With boys, I coach beginners and up to our highest level boy (level 6). As for the girls, I mostly coach levels 4 and 5, though I occasionally work with the 3's and the 7's (we don't currently have any 6's).

i come from the uk and i dont understand what level 4, 5 and 6 is, or how old the gymnasts in it are, could someone please explain to me?

I coach a group of high level siz year olds, and the same with 7 year olds, what levels would they be doing and what skills would be involved?

thanks