DD9 just moved to L5 (she will 'officially' be moved as of Feb. 1st, but for the past 6 weeks she has been working L4 hours with the L5 team). When she was an L4 and given the opportunity to uptrain, she loved every minute of it. Now, as an L5, she's terrified of the new skills (some of which she had and has now lost!). She has moved to a new coach, but she is not completely unfamiliar with her. She is also with a new group of girls but, again, they have been her friends for several years.
She is to the point where she won't attempt any of the new skills without a spot...her coach, knowing she had most of the skills (all she was really missing was the clear hip on bars) asked her why she was suddenly afraid to try the new skills and she said she was afraid she might fall and hurt herself. She has been competing gymnastics for 3 years and has never, ever, shown any fear of falling and getting hurt (even when she did actually fall and get hurt!) until now. Is this a typical phase for a gymnast and, if so, what do I do to help her get through it? I've tried encouraging her to try the skills with the coach standing next to her; I've tried telling her that if the coach thought she would get hurt or was not ready to try the skills she wouldn't have been moved to the next level; her gym big sis has even tried encouraging her, but nothing seems to help--she is adamant that she is going to fall and get hurt.
Any positive advice is welcome...her season is still several months away so I know she has time to work through the issues, but I'm distraught watching my super flyer (her coach's nickname for her) suddenly be freaked out by pretty much every skill.
She is to the point where she won't attempt any of the new skills without a spot...her coach, knowing she had most of the skills (all she was really missing was the clear hip on bars) asked her why she was suddenly afraid to try the new skills and she said she was afraid she might fall and hurt herself. She has been competing gymnastics for 3 years and has never, ever, shown any fear of falling and getting hurt (even when she did actually fall and get hurt!) until now. Is this a typical phase for a gymnast and, if so, what do I do to help her get through it? I've tried encouraging her to try the skills with the coach standing next to her; I've tried telling her that if the coach thought she would get hurt or was not ready to try the skills she wouldn't have been moved to the next level; her gym big sis has even tried encouraging her, but nothing seems to help--she is adamant that she is going to fall and get hurt.
Any positive advice is welcome...her season is still several months away so I know she has time to work through the issues, but I'm distraught watching my super flyer (her coach's nickname for her) suddenly be freaked out by pretty much every skill.