Parents Sad for DD

[Deleted member D3987]

DD's coach asked to talk to me after practice today (always a little scary, felt like I was being called into the principles office..) to talk about the massive mental block she is having on bars. She flat out refuses to squat on/jump to the high bar, a very necessary part of the routine.

Bit of background, she had it consistently a couple of months ago, could easily do it 30 times in a row. Then her best friend fell doing it in a horrific way and snapped her arm. Think bone sticking out of skin. All the girls witnessed it, screaming, ambulance, the works...

So mental block, I get that. Time should fix it I think, problem is she needs to have it consistently again within the next 4-6 weeks or her coach won't badge test her = no comps this year. She understands this and is very sad but doesn't know how to get over it. she loves competing, it's what makes the hard work worth it to her (and she's a kid who will never place). I'm just so sad for her, I hope she can get there but not holding my breath. Bars has always been her weakest event and this has just set her back further.

Just venting here because non-gym parents IRL don't get it...

is the coach an idiot? there are several methods that can be used after the kids see something like that happen. *Dunno fist punching his forehead*

 

[Pineapple_Lump]

is the coach an idiot? there are several methods that can be used after the kids see something like that happen. *Dunno fist punching his forehead*

Agreed... The coaches allowed that incident to happen and for all to see. They should be trying every thing in the book, included some kooky stuff to get the kids confident.

 

[Deleted member 14190]

TEACH THEM HOW TO FALL...... Kids are way more confident when they learn to pull arms in, period.... Seriously folks, it's the easiet way to save a broken arm!!!!

 

[COz]

TEACH THEM HOW TO FALL...... Kids are way more confident when they learn to pull arms in, period.... Seriously folks, it's the easiet way to save a broken arm!!!!

How should they pull their arms in? As in just get them close to the body so they're not sticking out to break the fall?

 

[Deleted member 18037]

How should they pull their arms in? As in just get them close to the body so they're not sticking out to break the fall?

Yes inquiring minds want to know.

 

[Deleted member 14190]

It's a natural reaction to reach back when you are falling that way, so...
The coaches should be teaching the kids how to fall different ways.
1. Dive rolls on the floor (with a mat), dive rolls off of a small block (soft mat), keeping the slightly bent arms out in front during the dive portion, then bending during the roll.
2.Trust falls onto a crash pad, back drops on to a crash pad. pulling the arms in front of the body, or above, or across the chest. ANYWHERE but behind!

Just doing these simple drills as a side station increases the likelihood of a safe fall, instead of putting the arm out to break the fall, which usually ends up breaking the arm.... It's not a 100 percent fix, but teaching them this will give them the confidence they need to jump to the high bar and peel off, knowing they aren't going to throw the hands behind them. We teach this in the gym, and of course every once in a while we still have injuries with kids putting arms out, but at the same time I have seen our kids using these techniques dozens and dozens of times in critical situations. DO NOT TEACH ANY OF THIS AT HOME!!!! Catastrophic injury can result from just teaching these if you do not know the progressions and safety.

 

[Canadian_gym_mom]

I know I caught a bit of dd's bars one day, and did I get too see her new dismount? Her front giants? Why no, I got to see her splatting face down on a big mat under the bar. She was practicing falling!

 

[Deleted member 14190]

I know I caught a bit of dd's bars one day, and did I get too see her new dismount? Her front giants? Why no, I got to see her splatting face down on a big mat under the bar. She was practicing falling!

=
Very important in the upper levels to learn how to fall flat on belly.

 

[needcoffee]

Thanks for all your replies it is much appreciated. Just on a few points, her usual coach wasn't there the day her friend broke her arm, so I don't blame her for that at all. Also, as far as I know they have done many sessions on how to fall.

However I am going to talk to her coach tonight as the more I think about it, the angrier I'm getting. She seems to be putting a lot of pressure on DD to just "get brave and do it". DD came home on Monday night at said her coach told her to "just do it or get off the bar". DD took that to mean do it right or don't do it at all, eg. don't even try. So she got off the bar and wouldn't get back on them.

I'm at a loss here now. Im past the point of caring whether she makes it to comps or not, as this used to be her fun thing that she loved. She wanted to spend every day in the gym. Now all she's worried about it getting in trouble.

There have been major issues with this coach in the past. Another girl refused to come to gym for weeks because of her. The girls think she's mean. I've never had a problem with her up until now and tbh have always thought she was lovely, just really young and a bit grouchy. She's always gone out of her way to pick DD up from home etc when I couldn't get her to practice and I don't want to come across like I'm unappreciative, I just don't know what to do. I'm not a coach and don't really know a lot so don't really feel like I can say "have you tried xxx or are you doing xxx" if you know what I mean?

I just want my happy girl back.

 

[COz]

:-(
I assume there's no way of escaping that coach. Is there another gym you might consider taking her to?

 

[needcoffee]

:-(
I assume there's no way of escaping that coach. Is there another gym you might consider taking her to?

In all other respects, I really do love the gym. They've been really good to us. Also, we are already onto our second gym, I really don't want to be a gym hopper lol. And to top it off, even if I was going to go down that road, I'm out of options lol. The next closest gym is around 45 minutes away each way, and I really don't want to commit to that drive at the moment. I'm already going broke from tuition fees, I don't want to triple my fuel costs haha.

A talk with the Coach last night has put me at ease a bit. We're going to lay off bars for a couple of weeks and just work on the others. DD was actually smiling when I picked her up so we will see how it goes!

 

[gymdog]

It's a natural reaction to reach back when you are falling that way, so...
The coaches should be teaching the kids how to fall different ways.
1. Dive rolls on the floor (with a mat), dive rolls off of a small block (soft mat), keeping the slightly bent arms out in front during the dive portion, then bending during the roll.
2.Trust falls onto a crash pad, back drops on to a crash pad. pulling the arms in front of the body, or above, or across the chest. ANYWHERE but behind!

Just doing these simple drills as a side station increases the likelihood of a safe fall, instead of putting the arm out to break the fall, which usually ends up breaking the arm.... It's not a 100 percent fix, but teaching them this will give them the confidence they need to jump to the high bar and peel off, knowing they aren't going to throw the hands behind them. We teach this in the gym, and of course every once in a while we still have injuries with kids putting arms out, but at the same time I have seen our kids using these techniques dozens and dozens of times in critical situations. DO NOT TEACH ANY OF THIS AT HOME!!!! Catastrophic injury can result from just teaching these if you do not know the progressions and safety.

OP said the kid fell on a squat on so I assume she fell forward onto her arm. But otherwise I agree.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

It's a natural reaction to reach back when you are falling that way, so...
The coaches should be teaching the kids how to fall different ways.
1. Dive rolls on the floor (with a mat), dive rolls off of a small block (soft mat), keeping the slightly bent arms out in front during the dive portion, then bending during the roll.
2.Trust falls onto a crash pad, back drops on to a crash pad. pulling the arms in front of the body, or above, or across the chest. ANYWHERE but behind!

Just doing these simple drills as a side station increases the likelihood of a safe fall, instead of putting the arm out to break the fall, which usually ends up breaking the arm.... It's not a 100 percent fix, but teaching them this will give them the confidence they need to jump to the high bar and peel off, knowing they aren't going to throw the hands behind them. We teach this in the gym, and of course every once in a while we still have injuries with kids putting arms out, but at the same time I have seen our kids using these techniques dozens and dozens of times in critical situations. DO NOT TEACH ANY OF THIS AT HOME!!!! Catastrophic injury can result from just teaching these if you do not know the progressions and safety.

YES! ALL OF THIS!!