Coaches Starting boys pre-team! Tips?

[Scott W.]

Hey everybody!

First a little background. I was a competitive gymnast as a youth (age 5-15, I'm 29 now), and have been teaching recreational gymnastics/tumbling for the past 4 years or so. Our gym is small and only recently started an artistic girls team. I've been confronted with (and have been wanting to) starting a boys pre-team and am in the beginning stages of it. I'm super excited, and nervous...but mostly excited!

However it's been a while since I've been around that kind of atmosphere and the specific training details are a little foggy for me. I was just wondering if anyone had any tips for a guy who's just starting. At what point do you start practicing routines as opposed to individual skills? How much conditioning is too much? Whatever you got, I'll take. Thanks!

 

[Aussie_coach]

With boys I think the biggest tip is to keep them busy. Try to do as many stations as possible and avoid any sitting down or waiting in lines. Boys prefer to jump all over each other than wait in line!

How old are the boys? What level will they start competing at?

I usually start routines about 10 weeks before a competition but a lot depends how many hours you have a week for training. Prior to starting routines though in your skill development make sure the boys are already working any skills connected together which they will have to connect in routines rather than just isolated skills.

Boys get bored of constant routines, so it's better to plan your sessions to learn routines a little sooner than you would with girls and then mix it up with routines and drills.

Boys are often clueless about presentation and trying to perfect things, many think if they can do a skill its perfect and have no idea their form is terrible. Prior to learning routines it can help to take them to see a real competition with bigger boys or even show them a video. They will be very excited and motivated to see what they can do.

Boys will often tolerate more strength than girls. Most are already very physically active before you get them in the gym. They can often already do things like chin ups. But they get bored faster and then get poor form. They like making things into a competition.

 

[BlairBob]

Right now I'd focus on the L3 skills which are a slightly watered down version of L4.

http://www.ngja.org/education/practice-judging.html Check this out. Rough idea and videos of the routines.

http://usagym.sportgraphics.biz/c-22-jo-recreational-materials.aspx

You could look into the BSAP and Gymcert Boy's manual. I've liked most of the Gymcert handbooks and I have a copy of the old BSAP (which I don't think has changed- I would hope it has). You'll eventually want to purchase the 2012-2016 Program and DVD if you do field a team and it'd be a good idea to get it anyways. Ask your gym owner to buy it or if you have to, do it out of pocket.

If you don't have a basic boy's program, it would be a good idea to make one. At a few gyms, we had report cards done every month or session the kids would get charting their progress. Eventually I just made posters, one being a strength poster and another being a skills poster and posting them in the gym.

If you are around any other MAG gyms, go visit them if you have a day off. But don't be surprised if they try to recruit you. BTDT. Or maybe try to check out your Regional Congress this summer as they will have sessions about starting boy's teams and men's gymnastics, conditioning, event drills, etc.


Feel free to PM me here or on FB.

If need be, I think my old boy's program might be good enough for up to pre-team. I didn't update it to the new quadrenium but L4 didn't really change all that much.

 

[Scott W.]

With boys I think the biggest tip is to keep them busy. Try to do as many stations as possible and avoid any sitting down or waiting in lines. Boys prefer to jump all over each other than wait in line!....

The boys are ages 7-10, and are level 3. Although I do have a few that could be level 4s easily. During their rec classes, I've actually already started working with them on entire routines. I mean they're just routines that I've made up on the spot, but they're getting a handle on connecting skills.

Oh you got that right! These boys have so much energy it's madness. Makes sense to keep fun and interesting. Thanks for the tips!

Right now I'd focus on the L3 skills which are a slightly watered down version of L4.

http://www.ngja.org/education/practice-judging.html Check this out. Rough idea and videos of the routines.

http://usagym.sportgraphics.biz/c-22-jo-recreational-materials.aspx

You could look into the BSAP and Gymcert Boy's manual. I've liked most of the Gymcert handbooks and I have a copy of the old BSAP (which I don't think has changed- I would hope it has). You'll eventually want to purchase the 2012-2016 Program and DVD if you do field a team and it'd be a good idea to get it anyways. Ask your gym owner to buy it or if you have to, do it out of pocket....

Thank you for the links, BlairBob! I had no idea those even existed. I'll be spending some time on those. I plan on buying the BSAP book/dvd but just need to discuss it more with my manager to make sure they'll take care of that.

I don't have a program yet, that's part of the reason I came here. If you have something I could use at the very least as a template, that would be a huge help! And I definitely am wanting to go to the regional congress this year. Trying to convince some of the other coaches to go with me.

Thanks a bunch, guys!

 

[fuzi]

One more suggestions, plan on increasing their hours gradually. I'm currently coaching a pre-team boys group that is much younger than your future group (mine are 4 1/2-6, trying to prepare them for L4 at 6 or 7). I don't know if you've coached girls, but my girls seem to adapt a lot faster to longer training hours. I have 5-6 year old girls in pre-team who have no issue with a 2 hour practice. With the boys, we have literally gone from 1 hours 2x a week to 1 hour 15 minutes 2x a week. Just adding that 15 minutes has caused a whole plethora of behavioral meltdowns. Six weeks later, they are starting to get used to it.

 

[BlairBob]

7-10 is a better age to train, less stressful than 4-7. OTOH, they''ll be kind of playing catch up to other competitive boy's programs. It is what it is.

Girls tend to be ready to train longer but sometimes that's just being in the gym since they were 3 or 4 so they are getting ready by 5 or 6. A lot of boy's don't start till just before 5 or 6 or 7, so it takes them awhile getting used to training. At least the events are more fun...except Pommel. Pommel is such a pain in the butt until they get good at it.

For L3/4, I would definitely make sure they are working circles every practice. Be it on the mushroom, floor drills, or in a bucket. You don't have to do the single leg work every practice (though it wouldn't hurt) but definitely hit circles as much as possible.

I've seen some programs try to hit all events early on but I still think you can do fine by hitting one swing event (HB/SR) and one support event (PH/PB) per day besides floor/vault work and circles. This also isn't hell on their hands and it gives you more time per event (which is good and bad depending if they're ready for it). It kind of depends on your setup if your events are all in the same general area or if they spread out in the gym.

 

[krc]

Keep your rotations and circuits short. No more than 15 minutes. Always have a station that you're focusing on, and other stations for strength or flex work that you don't have to monitor as closely. Try to have a "getting back into line" distraction station: A split for 5 sec, 5 push ups, 5 sit ups etc. Something to spread the line out. Clumps of little boys will equal trouble very quickly!

Check out the Feb 1999 Technique article on Physical Prep for young boys by Sun and Morris: Ideas I still use every day! http://legacy.usagym.org/publisheddecade/1990s/
Good luck,... you'll need it