WAG Not quite spotting question

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Anna's_Mom

Proud Parent
I saw something this weekend at DD's meet that I hadn't seen before and am curious about it. This is L4. On the bars, one team's coaches were standing very close to where their gymnasts were. So, one between the high and low bar, one of the far side of the high bar (on landing mat). Both within arms reach of their competing gymnast. They held their hands out to prevent hitting the low bar on the tap swing and held out hands on the landing, but never actually touched the gymnast. They did their for all of their girls, not just one or two. Is there a deduction for this? Seems like it gave a bit of a confidence advantage to their team as the girls were less afraid of falling. Is this common? Thoughts?
 
No deduction. Also, it is more common toward the beginning of the season... but some/coaches do it the entire time. There is always supposed to be a coach nearby to spot in an emergency. I think the confidence boost is a good thing.
 
I can see where confidence boost for that gymnast is a good thing. Just a little tough for the rest of the teams whose coaches aren't that close and who are timid about things for fear of falling or fear of hitting their feet during their swing. We have a coach that is close enough to prevent some catastrophe, but not one who's hands will prevent a nasty bump on the bar.
 
Personally I think it's really nice to have that reassurance if one needs it, especially if there is no deduction. Our coaches won't do it, so I always assumed there was a deduction. I can see both sides, honestly.
 
I think it's not a bad thing to be there to catch. If the coach is too far, he/she can't do anything if the gymnast actually peels off. It's not pretty! It might be that one of the gymnasts of that team has actually peeled and hurt herself at practice and the gymnast are scared and the coaches want to make sure they don't feel afraid.... This is just one guess. Most likely they are just wise coaches limiting the possibility of serious injury. It's actually very highly recommended that the coach is standing there. Many great coaches (like JAOvideos coach Jason) seems to always stand very close hand out and ready to catch.
 
I saw something this weekend at DD's meet that I hadn't seen before and am curious about it. This is L4. On the bars, one team's coaches were standing very close to where their gymnasts were. So, one between the high and low bar, one of the far side of the high bar (on landing mat). Both within arms reach of their competing gymnast. They held their hands out to prevent hitting the low bar on the tap swing and held out hands on the landing, but never actually touched the gymnast. They did their for all of their girls, not just one or two. Is there a deduction for this? Seems like it gave a bit of a confidence advantage to their team as the girls were less afraid of falling. Is this common? Thoughts?
This is called good coaching. :) Although they are not putting hands out to keep gymnast from hitting low bar, they are positioning arms to catch the gymnast if she peels off in the back swing. The alternative is a broken arm or worse.
 
Let me clarify...our coaches do it at practice and in warmups for compulsaries...but don't seem to do it in competition for compulsaries...they do for optionals. Is this making any sense? If not, sorry. I am not a coach, so have no clue what different mindsets are.
 
This is called good coaching. :) Although they are not putting hands out to keep gymnast from hitting low bar, they are positioning arms to catch the gymnast if she peels off in the back swing. The alternative is a broken arm or worse.
Second on the good coaching. I see at least one peel off in the back of the swing at compulsory meets every season that results in a broken arm or dislocated elbow. The coach standing on the outside of the high bar may just be standing on the dismount mat to keep it from moving when the gymnast lands.
 
Ok based on what everyone is posting, I don't know beans, which is normal.:D I misunderstood the level of spotting. Yes our coaches spot. And I am an idiot. Enough said.:p
 
Echoing coachp.

Two things to lookout for are the squat on and the tap swings in the level 4 & 5. Even for experienced gymnasts, accidents happen; and it only takes one bad fall to really set an athlete back- maybe permanently.



Girls Peeling off the Bar on a Tap Swing!!!

“the most dangerous skill in gymnastics”

This is one of Tom Forster's coaches- he's a really good coach; and his gymnast is also good. And yet:



Warning that this one looks absolutely brutal; but apparently the kid is okay:



No. Not cool; nor the coolest anything:



Alert spotter and in the right place to be:




 
I spot all L4/5 girls on bars (in between the rails). Peeling is much more fun when you don't break an arm. And my original background is men's gymnastics...you have to spot...it's required.
 
My coach doesn't let anyone do tap swings unless she's standing between the bars. I'm very glad she takes that precaution! She does allow us to do them by ourselves on the pit bar as if you peel you'll land in the pit.
 
Echoing coachp.

Two things to lookout for are the squat on and the tap swings in the level 4 & 5. Even for experienced gymnasts, accidents happen; and it only takes one bad fall to really set an athlete back- maybe permanently.



Girls Peeling off the Bar on a Tap Swing!!!

“the most dangerous skill in gymnastics”

This is one of Tom Forster's coaches- he's a really good coach; and his gymnast is also good. And yet:



Warning that this one looks absolutely brutal; but apparently the kid is okay:



No. Not cool; nor the coolest anything:



Alert spotter and in the right place to be:




yea... ummm Amys coach was standing in for the dismount because?? And the last video can be seen time and time again at compulsory meets,,,, good coaches being in the correct place so they at least have a chance at catching them. I have seen so many broken arms at meets and even a fractured neck from the peel..... Also add, we don't always catch them, but being in the correct place and having the arm already extended gives you every advantage.
 
I spot all L4/5 girls on bars (in between the rails). Peeling is much more fun when you don't break an arm. And my original background is men's gymnastics...you have to spot...it's required.

So why isn't spotting required for girls?!?
 
Our competitions very strongly recommend that you do this, of course no deduction.
 
My DD peeled on a tap swing in old L5 and landed very similarly to how "Amy" landed. She was a great bars worker at that level and had never peeled but was going for huge swings at her first meet. Coach wasn't anywhere near the mat. It was the scariest 45 seconds of my life waiting for her to get up off that mat but thankfully she was ok. Had her coach been there to spot we could have avoided a lot of bars fears that lasted for several years after that. I wish I saw more coaches spotting.
 

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