Parents Spotting giants coach input needed

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Sewist

Proud Parent
I have a question about the method used to spot giants. To get right to the point, do coaches avoid touching the buttocks of the gymnast? What is the proper spotting technique?

I don't want to get into a lot of detail about why I am asking, but would appreciate responses from other parents.
 
I have a question about the method used to spot giants. To get right to the point, do coaches avoid touching the buttocks of the gymnast? What is the proper spotting technique?

I don't want to get into a lot of detail about why I am asking, but would appreciate responses from other parents.


To clarify, when the gymnast is doing a giant and gets just barely stuck at the top and needs a slight push to go over - is there any reason a coach would push on the buttocks or grab the buttocks from the side to help the gymnast over?
 
Most times I would say they touch the abdomen and back around the torso. If there was a butt grab it would be a mistake for safety, those things do happen. But if a coach was continually grabbing the butt I would be concerned.

I am going to edit the title to get you replies from the experts.
 
To clarify, when the gymnast is doing a giant and gets just barely stuck at the top and needs a slight push to go over - is there any reason a coach would push on the buttocks or grab the buttocks from the side to help the gymnast over?

No...there are other places to push...like the low back.
 
Any effort to help the gymnast get over the bar once they've stalled out is going to include pressure at or near their center of mass. If center of mass happens to be near the buttocks and the coach isn't dead on target the result will be some buttocks, some lower back, and a safe kid. This shouldn't happen more than the odd occasion.
 
when I see the coaches spotting girls on giants it is always a push on the lower back. Pretty sure coaches avoid touching girls in any private areas as much as possible. At least good coaches...
 
Thank you for the replies. On the two days I have watched, I have seen one grab of the buttocks from the side, one push squarely on the butt (with fingers spread so that the middle finger was in the crack), and about three times the fingers were rather "high" on the lower back of the gymnast so that the fingertips were on one side the buttocks. Now that I think about it, even this was odd because the hand off to the side, not in the middle of back as I would have expected.

None of these were on my gymnast, but it seems very strange to me. There are other behaviors from this coach that seem off to me, but this is the most objectively described.
 
Here is a video with a bunch of close up spotting for you to see what normal is...

 
Here is a video with a bunch of close up spotting for you to see what normal is...



What an awesome video! That is pretty much what I expected spotting to look like. My daughter has been a gymnast for 5 years and that is basically what I've seen in that time.

I have been feeling particularly troubled by what I've been seeing because the girls being spotted are doing simple giants, at low velocity - that's why they are getting stuck. There is plenty of time to reach out a hand an accurately place it at the small of the back, or put one hand at the small of the back and one on the leg.

Sigh...
 
Wow, great video for showing the intricacies of spotting, JBS.

OP - If you are concerned and there are other factors, I would have a meeting with the hc/owner. They can easily observe the coach in question to determine whether there are any issues.
 
I'll guess you are talking about a male coach, as women coaches don't seem to need to be so PC in regards to how or where they spot. I'll also hope that it is an inexperienced coach who hasn't yet been taught better, or maybe a foreign coach, as most of them seem to have different standards in those matters. But no (pun intended), you should not be spotting like that on a regular basis. I will say that in the event of a 'rescue spot', all bets are off. I will grab a child anywhere by anything I can get my hands on to prevent a major injury. Never been met with anything other than a huge 'thank you!' for doing so. Good luck. :)
 
Your description sounds troubling. But also consider the angle of your view. Does it accurately or can you clearly see the position of the hand? That said, I've seen coaches "motion" with their hands as if squeezing the buttocks. I think at some point they touch the buttocks, maybe even pinch or lightly tap the butt cheeks to remind the gymnast to squeeze.

If you are very concerned, try to video tape the spotting. This way you have something more tangible to go with it. And if it is indeed a problem, someone will need to be alerted.
 
Your description sounds troubling. But also consider the angle of your view. Does it accurately or can you clearly see the position of the hand? That said, I've seen coaches "motion" with their hands as if squeezing the buttocks. I think at some point they touch the buttocks, maybe even pinch or lightly tap the butt cheeks to remind the gymnast to squeeze.

If you are very concerned, try to video tape the spotting. This way you have something more tangible to go with it. And if it is indeed a problem, someone will need to be alerted.

I will video next time I am there. The angle is from the back - that is when the girls are at the handstand part of their giant, I see their backs. I am at a distance away, but because the girls are all wearing shorts, it is clear when the hand is in unacceptable territory.

Sorry it took awhile for me to answer. The forum stopped sending me notifications for some reason so I didn't realize people were still replying.
 

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