Wanna scream !!

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Another thing has come to mind, something dd's coach said to me that might help you (might not, but might be worth a try), when dd's coach mentioned putting dd back to a lower level group (still coached by her) it was more for dd's benefit, the coach said she would rather put dd into the easier group to see if it would help her cope better ( if she was still having issues after 2 weeks), that way she can build up her confidence and move back up when she was ready, she said she didn't want to lose dd as a gymnast. I my irrational state it seems like a step back and a punishment and I am worried that dd will lose strength and flexibility doing one session a week, but the rational side can see where the coach is coming from and can see she doesn't want dd to struggle and lose love for gymnastics and quits.

Maybe the coach has got this in mind for your dd as she is still young like my dd and has plenty of time, if she was a couple of years older then that would be a different story.
 
My coach uses the method @marie83 mentions above. Whether you are learning to squat on and jump to high bar or are having fear issues she will have us climb to squat and stand with her holding our ankles until the bars are close enough to not need a jump. Then as and when we feel we are ready we move the bars back out. This can take weeks or months, but she prefers us to have a set number to do in mind. I usually do 10 on first two then 5 then 3 on last one before linking it to the routine. :) she also gets gymnasts that have lost their squat on jump to high bar to just do squat on jump off, gradually building so they tap the high bar until they unknowingly catch Because they are in the right position with the right timing.
 
Oh no, I'm sorry to hear this.

From a coaches perspective on fear: fear spreads. Once one gymnast becomes scared, or gets a mental block, it can also spread to others in the group. It can be very frustrating and has happened in our gym more than once.
We had some girls do compulsory 5 last year, this year none of them did comp 4 as they had all developed a fear - one went from doing flick on high bare beam to not flicking on floor at all. We tried everything we could think of, but in the end we've just had to let it go. This particular girl also said she wasn't scared of falling or hurting herself, but that the coach would be angry. She has the most lovely, caring and patient coach and the gymnast has a very special bond with her - she didn't want coach to be disappointed that she couldn't do it!
Coach felt awful , explained that when she got angry, it wasn't because she wanted this gymnast to be scared, it was just frustration at herself as she couldn't fix it.
Thankfully the other affected gymnasts have now got over their fears, just not quite in time for their competitions. We only have one doing in age level 4 this year.

I still think that giving gymnasts warnings and making threats over fears is terrible, and yes it would make me question my coaching of my whole group had a fear on one skill - except like I said above, fear spreads. This is why I favour ignoring he skill where possible until the gymnast decides she is ready. If that never happens, then yes, perhaps it's time for a different class.

I think the thing that is really shocking in your situation is that your dd is 7 and is being published over a skill she doesn't even need until next October. Your dd sounds very talented from reading your other posts. Perhaps coach needs to be reminded that gymnastics is a marathon not a sprint!

Hugs to you and your dd :(
 
Fear does spread and coaches seem to be v intolerant, however some gorillas don't overcome their fears. It seems daft that this is a skill she doesn't need for another year, why don't they just do metal bar and leave wooden. Your DD seems very talented but you don't want her pushed too far too fast. Has the gym and the coaches have a gd track record in competitions?
 
Yikes !

When P&F left old club she had this issue - til we went to the new club I didn't know bars could be moved ! At 6 she was jumping on the same setting as the 16 year olds !

They move the bars right in, put blocks underneath, and started just leaning and touching, then getting progressively further away, sorted in 3 weeks !
 
Yikes !

When P&F left old club she had this issue - til we went to the new club I didn't know bars could be moved ! At 6 she was jumping on the same setting as the 16 year olds !

They move the bars right in, put blocks underneath, and started just leaning and touching, then getting progressively further away, sorted in 3 weeks !

Seems like such a SIMPLE and smart solution :)
 
I'm sorry your daughter has to deal with this. Maybe you could ease her fears by taking her to the playground and jumping from the ladder to the first monkey bar and then from the ladder to the second monkey bar (which she probably already does at recess all the time). It's not exactly the same but similar. It might help her realize that she is capable of the jump and has been doing it for years. :)
 
Yay!! This is my favorite thing about gymnastics! The pride and satisfaction that comes from overcoming challenges! WTG to your dd. I'm very proud of her! :)
 
Well done to your dd for jumping to the high bar, it is a massive achievement after recent events. Is your dd still on a 2 week trial now she has jumped to the high bar?
 
Aww poor girl! I totally get mental blocks with high bar I couldn't do my back hip circle on the high bar for the longest time then finally I just went for it. That fear was caused by me falling jumping to the high bar (it was on the wrong setting, don't tell your DD that lol) and I worry that I would peel off the bar. But congratulations to your DD for finally jumping!
 
Ok so on my previous post dd caught the high bar !! All be it with a block underneath but what a massive achievement for her am so proud !! Now she is trying without the block underneath and just a small crash mat. She is squatting on and jumping to tap the bar ( no problems ) still working on catching it but still a huge improvement . She has also been asked to go along and support a trainee coach on a training weekend next week ! So the 2 week trial I mentioned May have been just to kick them up the bum so to speak . Fast forward to last night and although she did the above , she had a real bad session ( not my dd ) had a small accident on the vault and wouldn't run , so was given strength to do . Throughout the rest of the session she just lost all her passion , chin on chest no smiles nothing . Group talk resulted in her being told , she didn't work hard . Now she says she wants to go to a gym where the coaches are nicer ?? I've got mixed emotions and just skimming the subject a little as everyone has a bad day , right ? Today is her last session for a week and we get to sit in . Really confused as she's been asked to go on these coaching sessions next week and to help with the coaches exams . No decisions on groups have been made for September yet , just hate seeing my dd deflated .
 
Congratulations on your dd for being brave on the bars.

Your gym sounds a lot like the gym my dd goes to, they seem to do things the same way, they have group meeting at the end, they have been known to take some gymnasts on a training weekend for coaches practical exams or whatever they have to do, your dd is lucky to be chosen, my dd hasn't done anything like this yet, when dd's coach done this dd was still in rec, it is nice to read about others who are going through similar things and struggling a little sometimes.

I think looking at the big picture gymnastics is full of ups and down and they will have moments when they struggle and then the have days were there is stopping them, it has been like that for my dd lately, full of ups and downs.

We are nearly at the end of the weeks close down (gym open on Monday again), dd has missed gymnastics and has enjoyed her time off and we got to go to a seaside resort yesterday and go on the children's fairground and go for an ice cream sundae and generally have fun that also included grandparents, aunts and cousins.

Even though dd has had time off she has made progress through play, she has been going on the Monkey Bars, she started off having support through being a little scared as it was high, to going across with me close to going across in 10 seconds and then beating her score and going across in 4 seconds. She has improved her cartwheel through play and can now do them when she lifts one hand of the floor as she is coming up (she couldn't do them before, she used to keep both hands on the floor when her foot touched the ground). The only thing I have reminded dd to do during the break is her splits. It we have only done that one and kind of forgot.

Sorry for waffling on and going off topic.

I hope your dd enjoys going with the coaches and helping them with their exams and I hope she (and you) enjoys the week off, I am sure your dd will be fine come September as she sounds so talented and it would be nuts to drop her from the group, I think your dd like mine just had a "kick up the bum" lol.
 
Group talk resulted in her being told , she didn't work hard . Now she says she wants to go to a gym where the coaches are nicer ??

listen to her. Especially if she repeats this. Maybe the style of this gym is not a good fit for her. Maybe she needs a gentler less pushy track of gymnastics - I remember she was hoping for compulsories wasn't she? Rethink maybe?

I've got mixed emotions and just skimming the subject a little as everyone has a bad day , right ?

yes but lots of bad days = bad experience

No decisions on groups have been made for September yet , just hate seeing my dd deflated .

Lots of times feeling deflated isn't good but once or twice won't hurt her and will help her push through difficulty in the future in any part of her life. It is one of the best things gymnastics can teach kids.
 
Well dd has been sent home today again !! She squatting on and tapping the bar but just can't get the courage to grab even with coach there . 2 and half hours she's tried , crying in the process . She hasn't been allowed to move on to other equipment either . She has a week off and the day she comes back she's been told she has to catch it or basically she is out ! In the coaches words " I have 8 girls in the group September and won't be able to find the time for Dd to get over the skill ."
Dd has thrown all her stuff around the car and is in bits.
" I don't know what else to do " ( coach )
Well looks like we are looking for another gym then !!
 
Oh yeah, definitely time to move on. Kicked out because of a fear? That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard. The coach should be helping her get over her fear, not yelling at her. Definitely time to move on.
 
It may well be empty threats by the coach. Request a meeting with the coach to discuss. Trial next week with other gyms?
 
I have to be honest and say I was actually a little sad when you reported your daughter was making progress. That sounds horrible, but it bothered me that the coaches borderline abusive tactics were "working."

I can hear your daughter recounting this experience to her therapist as an adult. "At age 7 I was threatened, given ultimatums and regularily ejected from practice because I was too scared to jump and grab a bar 10 feet in the air. Didn't anyone care that I was crying??"

Such a tough situation. I'm rooting for you guys.
 
Are you in a big club? With a lot of compulsory kids?

Are there smaller clubs about with fewer compulsories? It might be a better option for you if your aims are still compulsory route?

Tbh, from what you've posted about the bwo, and now the squat on, I'd be worried there's always going to be the next skill and this battle is going to repeat until she does quit.
 

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