Anon transition from club to college team

[Anonymous (d1d0)]

So my daughter is signed to a great college team and up until the past few months (after signing day) was VERY excited and things were going great in the gym. The past few months however she has been "melting down" so to speak at gym. Per her coaches her skills are fine, better than last year but not at all where she was early fall. She has become incredibly hard on herself, and nothing is good enough- she will even not believe her coaches when they praise a skill or routine. When we have talked about it she just expressed she's "not good enough" and seems truly afraid she won't measure up in college. Objectively she should be fine, but if her mindset doesn't improve she won't. She is working with a sports psych and that has been helping a little but OMG I have never seen her like this! I was wondering if any other gymnasts are fearful or stressed over the college transition? She knows many many girls who have gone on to D1 teams but they all make it seem like a bed of roses. Words of advice for me to share with her?

 

[Coach Kate]

I didn't do gymnastics in college, but track, and being a freshman is so hard! Even if you're the best newcomer on the team, you're going to be intimidated by your teammates, your coaches, the expectations, the environment, everything. You're adjusting to living on your own, have more and different responsibilities, a new social scene, on top of the demands of practicing and performing your sport. I would encourage her to continue working with the sports psych, reach out to an older teammate she trusts and could ask for advice, and setting small attainable goals for herself. I was actually really close with some of the seniors my freshmen year and it helped me so much. I ended up getting to be that person for a small group of others when I was the one with experience.