A
Anonymous (fffb)
My daughter is a 9 year old Xcel platinum gymnast. Lately, she hasn’t been putting in the work in the gym. She trains with mostly older girls and is expected to work on her own when not with the coach.
She has been in gymnastics since she was three and has been competing for five seasons. She has had the same coach for the past several years.
She loves her coach and her gym friends. She says gymnastics is what she wants to do for another season. I’ve exposed her to a variety of sports/activities but she always chooses gymnastics. I’ve offered for her to quit and do something else. I have offered for her to take time off from the gym. She doesn’t want to do either. I have suggested trying out at another gym for a change of pace. She is willing to do that but says she won’t switch gyms. I’ve even offered for her to do rec classes instead of team.
I’m not sure what to do to get her to put her best effort in during practice. She will stop practice for long drink breaks, talks to her friends instead of taking her turns, takes long bathroom breaks, etc. When she is supposed to practice a skill, her teammates might do 10 skills to her 4 skills.
I’m at a loss because I’m offering her options but she doesn’t want them. I know she is only nine and this sport is a big commitment. We have talked about her goals and she wants to win but she is going to be very disappointed when she places bottom of the pack at meets this year. Her skills actually seem to be regressing instead of moving forward. Her coach doesn’t give a lot of feedback when she is working independently and since she is taking the easy road at practice, her gymnastics look sloppy compared to a few months ago.
How do I get her to want to give her best? I know she can’t give her best all the time because we all vary in how we feel from day to day when working out. I want her to have fun at practice but it’s a lot of money if she isn’t really invested. I don’t expect a return for the money I put into it, but I also don’t want to pay and then when I stop by to watch, I see her goofing off or doing very little for an entire hour. It’s like she is losing her passion but doesn’t want to quit. Do I take her to try out at other gyms and see if that reignites her passion? Do I just let her continue on her current path and fail at the meets and learn the lesson that what you put in is what you get out of it.
I feel like maybe she needs a gym change but I love her coach and so does she. I’d love to hear how others have addressed a similar situation.
She has been in gymnastics since she was three and has been competing for five seasons. She has had the same coach for the past several years.
She loves her coach and her gym friends. She says gymnastics is what she wants to do for another season. I’ve exposed her to a variety of sports/activities but she always chooses gymnastics. I’ve offered for her to quit and do something else. I have offered for her to take time off from the gym. She doesn’t want to do either. I have suggested trying out at another gym for a change of pace. She is willing to do that but says she won’t switch gyms. I’ve even offered for her to do rec classes instead of team.
I’m not sure what to do to get her to put her best effort in during practice. She will stop practice for long drink breaks, talks to her friends instead of taking her turns, takes long bathroom breaks, etc. When she is supposed to practice a skill, her teammates might do 10 skills to her 4 skills.
I’m at a loss because I’m offering her options but she doesn’t want them. I know she is only nine and this sport is a big commitment. We have talked about her goals and she wants to win but she is going to be very disappointed when she places bottom of the pack at meets this year. Her skills actually seem to be regressing instead of moving forward. Her coach doesn’t give a lot of feedback when she is working independently and since she is taking the easy road at practice, her gymnastics look sloppy compared to a few months ago.
How do I get her to want to give her best? I know she can’t give her best all the time because we all vary in how we feel from day to day when working out. I want her to have fun at practice but it’s a lot of money if she isn’t really invested. I don’t expect a return for the money I put into it, but I also don’t want to pay and then when I stop by to watch, I see her goofing off or doing very little for an entire hour. It’s like she is losing her passion but doesn’t want to quit. Do I take her to try out at other gyms and see if that reignites her passion? Do I just let her continue on her current path and fail at the meets and learn the lesson that what you put in is what you get out of it.
I feel like maybe she needs a gym change but I love her coach and so does she. I’d love to hear how others have addressed a similar situation.