Parents Outside training?

[GymMama]

My 6yo dd is finishing up her first year on Pre-team at our gym, and is currently being considered for L4 (our gym starts competition at L4). She loves the gym, her coaches, etc. We're just waiting to see what happens next.

My question is this... we have a friend (and teacher at our school) who was a gymnast/coach. She was a national gymnast, college gymnast, and also coached for 15 years. She came to our house last night and worked a little bit with dd on a few things she's struggling with (mostly ROBHS) and the one-on-one time was so much fun for her and she really started to progress in just a short time! I watched very carefully to see that she was giving dd the same type of instructions that her coaches are looking for. The great thing is that it's like a private lesson, but without the huge cost!

When they were done, she said that she would LOVE to work with dd a couple of times a week! DD was also thrilled about this!

I am just wondering about other parents perspectives about this... and maybe coaches also. Is it a bad idea to be working with a different coach on these skills? Would her own coaches not approve or appreciate that she's working with someone else outside of the gym?

From my own perspective, I see that it's very safe and this person really knows what she's doing... and of course getting the help for FREE is a huge deal for our family! But I certainly don't want to upset anyone in the process.

 

[wallinbl]

Ask the coach. DD's current coaches would say no, but the coach from her prior gym wouldn't care.

 

[Esoteric]

I would be hesitant just on the fact that your friend was willing to work ROBHS in a home. I would also be very surprised if your dd's coaches were comfortable with this. Each coach has their own technique, and granted, sometimes a new perspective can make things "click" for a gymmie- but considering she is just starting down the road to competitions- I would stick with the training of her competitive coach. The only things I would work on at home are strength and flexibility. I would be very wary of anyone who thought working skills at home was a good idea.
Just my opinion.

 

[wallflower]

I'd say it's a bad idea. How do you safely work a robhs at home? I know many kids do that type of skill at home, in the grass, etc. It just doesn't seem like the best idea, especially for someone just learning those skills.

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

I would be hesitant just on the fact that your friend was willing to work ROBHS in a home. I would also be very surprised if your dd's coaches were comfortable with this. Each coach has their own technique, and granted, sometimes a new perspective can make things "click" for a gymmie- but considering she is just starting down the road to competitions- I would stick with the training of her competitive coach. The only things I would work on at home are strength and flexibility. I would be very wary of anyone who thought working skills at home was a good idea.
Just my opinion.

Agreed. Stretches, conditioning, and handstand work are all fine to do at home, but tumbling really shouldn't be done outside the gym.

That said, most gyms are ALWAYS short-staffed and looking for more coaches. You might consider encouraging this coach/teacher to see if she can get a job at your DD's gym.

 

[shelovestoflip]

I would be hesitant having my daughter do any tumbling at home. Well, she is now training Level 8 and she can't do that tumbling at home anyway! But her coaches are always very clear with the girls that they shouldn't do tumbling outside of the gym. So, that would concern me to have my daughter do something like that when she was younger.

As on of the other posters said, maybe your friend would want a part time job at your gym!!

 

[GymMama]

Thanks for the replies! This all makes sense to me, I think that's why I was questioning it in the back of my mind anyway.

I think I'll still let dd work with her once in a while, but not on any tumbling and skills outside of the gym.

 

[iwannacoach]

This family friend should get together with the gym club to see if they could use some "extra" help. They may want to "qualify" her by putting her on staff with a minimal schedule, and also alow her to "shadow" your daughter on her off hours at open gym. She may also then be able to offer private lessons and provide a brief "rundown" on what corrections and drills were used to keep your DD's traditional coaching staff in the loop.

 

[Aussie_coach]

If you do it a couple of times a week the fun will quickly dissipate. If you do decide to do it, once a week at the most. Private lessons are exciting at first but the joy quickly wears off. Training in a group allows peer Interaction and peer approval when new skills are learned.

You DD's coaches will not agree. This lady may be an excellent coach but they don't know that, they don't know the woman and will have no idea if she can coach safely. Coaches rarely want to share their gymnasts with outside coaches anyway.

 

[GymMama]

I agree with that also Aussiecoach. Honestly, there is no way we could fit in a couple of times a week anyway. We'll probably be lucky to meet with her this summer a couple of times a month, especially since I won't have her working on any tumbling. Just for fun.

 

[bookworm]

She's currently 6 yrs old and pre-team and maybe going Level 4? I wouldn't have her working ANYTHING extra at this age and level...total recipe for burnout down the road....

 

[gym law mom]

I have to agree with Bookworm---your dd doesn't need to do anything at home at this age except be a kid.

 

[GymMama]

This thread doesnt' have anything to do with me not letting my dd be a kid. Trust me, she's enjoying being a kid just fine. I asked an honest question, appreciated the answers, and agreed with no tumbling or skills at home. I think my dd can still be a kid even if we allow her to play around at home doing things she loves. We don't make her do anything.

 

[EmmasMommy]

My dad was a gymnastics instructor and we have the proper safety equipment at home. Her coaches don't mind him working with her on skills like these at home. But I think there will be limits. Some will say NOTHING at home. Others will say cartwheels and handstands are find. Some will say walkovers or back handsprings are fine. I think everyone is going to draw the line (coaches and parents alike) where they think it's appropriate. No one can accurately judge this situation without personally knowing the woman you are speaking of as well as knowing your daughter's current abilities as well as you and her coaches do. Of course, asking the gym is tough because some gyms will make that decision on what they think is/isn't a safety measure, and others will make that decision based on whether they can get more money out of you (she needs privates and they insist you get them through them). I'd like to think the latter is RARE, as safety should be the number one concern at ANY gym. But this is the real world, and things aren't always the way they should be.

At any rate, my recommendation would be to talk to her coaches and ask the following:
1) Is there anything my daughter can work on at home to improve the skills she is struggling with?
2) What limits should I draw on what I allow my daughter my practice at home?

Also, if they do seem to be okay with her practicing ROBHS at home, I wouldn't mention it to the other gym moms, as that can lead to all other kind of problems: Jealousy, feelings of "unfairness", maybe thinking that if your DD can practice at home then so can their own kids (even if the coach might feel differently about their kids than yours). So ask the coach those questions so you can get an idea what they think is a good idea for your daughter *as an individual* . . . then keep it to yourself.

 

[EmmasMommy]

Those mega-monster moms do exist, so I think some people just get sensitive over certain ideas. It's easy to underestimate how TOTALLY INTO GYMNASTICS a little kid can be. My daughter can't seem to get enough of the gym. At home, she goes through phases . . . sometimes she eats/sleeps/breathes gymnastics. In her leotard from sun up til sundown, spending an hour after dinner walking on her hands back and forth across the living room.. Then, two weeks will go by where all she does is play with dolls.

You let them be a kid when you ARE letting them do what they want to do. But you also be a parent when you have to step in and say the fun is over (for whatever reason). IMHO, I don't think there is anyone who can answer this question better for you than her coaches and your own "mommy gut". Not every kid is the same, so we can all say what *we* would do or what *our kids' coaches* would have us do, but that might not be your situation. Also, it is natural that everyone will think *their* way is the *best* way or *their* coaches have the *best* rules. This is 100% normal. If they thought there was a better way/better coach, that's what they would do for their own kids, ya know?

I will say this, at the risk of being roasted, though...

My daughter's coaches are fine with my 5 1/2 year old practicing certain skills at home, and this includes back handsprings on the trampoline. Most of what we do, however, is conditioning and drills to help her work on her shape so that her coach can work on back handsprings with her during private classes. They have told me they don't usually recommend kids working on skills at home, but they know the specifics involved and felt it was okay *in this scenario*. Her coaches don't want her working on anything beyond the BHS at home, and that works for me because that's about where I draw my line anyway.

 

[iwannacoach]

Sounds reasonable to me^^^^^^^

 

[GymBee97]

I agree with its a bad idea. You chose a gym program that has a plan in place there is no need to rush things just to move up a level. Go with the concept that gym is for at the gym and home is for everything else.

I agree too that you should get this gal and your gym connected I'm sure they could use another part time coach and if she is on staff there she could do privates at a location designed to do gymnastics.