WAG What do coaches feel at meets?

[Sasha]

I put this is WAG as it gets more traffic, but this question applies also to MAG, T&T or any other form...

What do coaches feel at meets? (other than crazy tired of course as those are long days(!!)

Do you get nervous when your gymnast is performing? Do you feel any 'pressure' for your gymnast/team to do well?

If so, is it more for Susie Superstar who has a chance of winning Regionals/placing at Nationals? Or do you also get nervous or feel pressure at all for Average Addy in L4?

How does the success/lack of success of your gymnast/team at a meet (or season) impact you?

How well do you remember how individual gymnasts did on the events after a meet? Do you remember that Addy wobbled on her beam handstand and Susie's layout was too piked, etc.?

I am just curious what coaches really go through, primarily so that I can just understand your role and feelings better as human beings, and people who work closely with my children.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

I put this is WAG as it gets more traffic, but this question applies also to MAG, T&T or any other form...

What do coaches feel at meets? (other than crazy tired of course as those are long days(!!)

Do you get nervous when your gymnast is performing? Do you feel any 'pressure' for your gymnast/team to do well?

If so, is it more for Susie Superstar who has a chance of winning Regionals/placing at Nationals? Or do you also get nervous or feel pressure at all for Average Addy in L4?

How does the success/lack of success of your gymnast/team at a meet (or season) impact you?

How well do you remember how individual gymnasts did on the events after a meet? Do you remember that Addy wobbled on her beam handstand and Susie's layout was too piked, etc.?

I am just curious what coaches really go through, primarily so that I can just understand your role and feelings better as human beings, and people who work closely with my children.

these are pretty much young coach questions.

 

[Sari]

I guess I'll try to give young coach answers then

What do coaches feel at meets? (other than crazy tired of course as those are long days(!!)
Do you get nervous when your gymnast is performing? Do you feel any 'pressure' for your gymnast/team to do well?

Depending on how the last practice went, I get more or less nervous, though I try very hard not to let the gymnasts see that. I also feel somewhat protective of the girls , as in I hope they'll be okay with how they'll do.
I don't feel pressure unless pressure is put on me. Recently, in the running up to a meet, a fellow coach kept dropping hints alluding to her thinking a couple of girls weren't quite competition-ready. So there was a bit of "you girls better go show her" flying around in my head.

If so, is it more for Susie Superstar who has a chance of winning Regionals/placing at Nationals? Or do you also get nervous or feel pressure at all for Average Addy in L4?

Equally nervous for everyone. We're a team, after all. With a tendency, actually, of getting more nervous for the gymnast who has a skill that's still 'hit or miss'.

How does the success/lack of success of your gymnast/team at a meet (or season) impact you?

I move on

How well do you remember how individual gymnasts did on the events after a meet? Do you remember that Addy wobbled on her beam handstand and Susie's layout was too piked, etc.?

Lately I've been having to judge simultaneously, but if I get to watch all events, I'll definitely remember the falls and also the stuck landings. Not much besides that, to be honest. It just kind of blurs together after a while.

 

[Sasha]

these are pretty much young coach questions.

Interesting distinction, dunno. Does your answer imply that you used to take competitions much more seriously/personally as a young coach, but now that you are seasoned, competitions (at any level) don't affect you very much? Or am I reading that wrong?

If so, would other seasoned coaches feel that is true for them as well?

 

[coachmolly]

I put this is WAG as it gets more traffic, but this question applies also to MAG, T&T or any other form...

What do coaches feel at meets? (other than crazy tired of course as those are long days(!!)

Usually a whole mix of things- excitement for the girls, especially younger ones who are in the beginning days of competing and enjoying everything around them. A HUGE desire for them to do well and be happy with themselves. Sometimes a little stressed if we have to rush from one event to the next.

Do you get nervous when your gymnast is performing? Do you feel any 'pressure' for your gymnast/team to do well? If so, is it more for Susie Superstar who has a chance of winning Regionals/placing at Nationals? Or do you also get nervous or feel pressure at all for Average Addy in L4?

I want my girls to do their very best so that they are happy and confident. And I feel the same for every single girl. At our last meet my top gymnast fell on her back hip circle which was just as sad for me as my little struggler who works so darn hard and loves gymnastics who fell on her handstand on beam. It's not a pressure for them to do well because I want them to get medals or bring home a team banner, but more because I know what they are capable of in the gym and want them to do their very best so they can see their hard work pay off.

How does the success/lack of success of your gymnast/team at a meet (or season) impact you?

I think it makes me rethink what we have been doing in the gym. Is there a skill or event we are struggling on? Are we a mental nightmare at meets?

How well do you remember how individual gymnasts did on the events after a meet? Do you remember that Addy wobbled on her beam handstand and Susie's layout was too piked, etc.?

I remember big details- both good and bad (who fell, who really rocked a routine, who did something exceptional or mad a skill they've been struggling on)- at least until the next practice so we can talk about them- either finding a way to improve or it to celebrate success at practice.

 

[Aussie_coach]

I would not call them young coach questions. After 20 years of coaching, you still feel the nerves and the excitement.

Just like with the kids we experience a variety of emotion. Yes some nervousness, sometimes frustration when kids make uncharacteristic mistakes, definetly excitement and a lot of pride to see them do their best.

I don't feel tired at meets even if it is a crazy long day. As a coach I have had to be in the floor for 12 or more hours straight as one session runs straight into the next without a moments break. But youngest used to these sorts of days.

You do feel pressure, but usually it is coming from you. Very rarely would this be external pressure. But you as a coach put pressure on yourself to ensure every gymnast lives up to their potential. And yes, I do get nervous for average Addy. The worst thing can be when everyone on the team except for one person walks away with an award.

Yes, I remember all the things the kids do. You take them back to the gym and analyse them and reevaluate each child's training program to ensure strengths are being maximised and weaknesses are being minimised.

 

[Muddlethru]

Interesting distinction, dunno. Does your answer imply that you used to take competitions much more seriously/personally as a young coach, but now that you are seasoned, competitions (at any level) don't affect you very much? Or am I reading that wrong?

If so, would other seasoned coaches feel that is true for them as well?

I think, and would hope, that seasoned coaches still take meets seriously but perhaps understandably less personally.

 

[Sasha]

I think, and would hope, that seasoned coaches still take meets seriously but perhaps understandably less personally.

Yes, good point. "Seriously" was probably the wrong word choice there. I was trying to imply the degree of stress, pressure, or personal impact - perhaps in contrast to a more "relaxed" mental state that perhaps comes with time and perspective ... not "seriously" in the sense that coaches would care less how kids performed.

thank you!

 

[coachmolly]

I know a coach who has been coaching for somewhere around 50 years and she is one of the least relaxed, most high stress and intense individuals I have ever seen at a meet- and I'm talking Xcel here- not level 10.

 

[gymbeam]

just wanna say i love this thread! ive always wondered these things.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Interesting distinction, dunno. Does your answer imply that you used to take competitions much more seriously/personally as a young coach, but now that you are seasoned, competitions (at any level) don't affect you very much? Or am I reading that wrong?

If so, would other seasoned coaches feel that is true for them as well?

I am not a coach or clearly dunno. But I am an older parent.

I think experience (read that as a lot of years and coaching for a long time at a high level and not so much ) teach that all this stuff is are moments. They are all important. And none of it is life and death.

We also have very seasoned coaches (read that as they are my age). Every meet is important as it pertains to gymnastics. Every.single.meet.

They put forth the effort be it local, regional, national. They expect the kids to put forth the same effort.

And its not life and death.

 

[raenndrops]

Nervous for the girls - especially those that struggled in practice, are working thru blocks, are trying to qualify for Y Nationals, are coming back from injury or working thru minor injuries, and those competing skills for the first time.
Joy for personal goals met (the girls have skill / performance and score goals for each event) or obstacles overcome.
Stress for those girls that may have CGP (have only had a few in the last 7 years) ... especially if competing at future meets is dependent on her throwing a specific skill or getting a certain score.
Pride in how our girls conduct themselves during and after the meet.
Relief when it is over.

 

[duyetanh]

I know our coaches are nervous---because they have told us! They care so much about our girls, and want them to do well. We can always tell when the HC gets amped, because he literally paces on the sidelines while the girls do their routines...if he had a fitbit, he would hit his steps goal easily in a one session period, hah!

 

[Sari]

Stress for those girls that may have CGP (have only had a few in the last 7 years) .

Oh yes, I forgot about this! We have a CGM whose mere presence at practice may cause her daughter to suddenly burst into tears. Thankfully it has never happened at a meet but nevertheless it stresses me out.

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

Do you get nervous when your gymnast is performing? Do you feel any 'pressure' for your gymnast/team to do well?

When I first started coaching, I got a lot more nervous for my kids than I ever did for myself. These days, the only time I get nervous is when a kid has been inconsistent on a skill that is in their routine.

If so, is it more for Susie Superstar who has a chance of winning Regionals/placing at Nationals? Or do you also get nervous or feel pressure at all for Average Addy in L4?

Skill level is more or less irrelevant. I get nervous for kids who have been inconsistent, and therefore might get injured or have emotional breakdowns or whatever.

How does the success/lack of success of your gymnast/team at a meet (or season) impact you?

You mean podium placement? I couldn't care less. I mean, my site manager and gym owner will both be happier with me if the kids do well, but really for me it's not about how they do in meets, it's about how they do in practice.
Meets, to me, are just something we do to keep the parents hooked, at least at the levels I coach. My kids aren't competing for college scholarships, they're not competing for spots on the national team. There is absolutely nothing of note riding on their success or failure in competition at these lower levels.
Practice is where the actual work happens. Practice is where they challenge their limits, try new things, face their fears, build on their strengths. Practice is where they lay the groundwork that will make it possible for them to compete at the college level some day down the road.
Practice is where the magic happens.

How well do you remember how individual gymnasts did on the events after a meet? Do you remember that Addy wobbled on her beam handstand and Susie's layout was too piked, etc.?

I don't even keep track of scores at meets, and I forget how they placed pretty much as soon as I finish typing up the results the following Monday.
The technical errors, though, I generally remember far better, because those are the things that remain relevant to practice in the following days, weeks, months.
So some kid got first/second/third/dead last? Don't care. It will have no effect on how I train her when we get back to gym.
So she got a 9.0/8.0/6.0/2.0? Don't care. It will have very little effect on how I train her when I get back to gym.
So she had perfect form/bent her knees on her kip/kicked the bar on her flyaway? That I care about, because that's the stuff I'll be addressing when we get back to practice.

 

[coach1234]

i have always found it more nervous being a coach than when i was a gymnast myself, because i am not in control as to whats going through their heads and if they are going to mess up, nothing i can do. i get nervous for all my kids regardless but for different reasons

 

[coachmolly]

I don't even keep track of scores at meets, and I forget how they placed pretty much as soon as I finish typing up the results the following Monday.
The technical errors, though, I generally remember far better, because those are the things that remain relevant to practice in the following days, weeks, months.
So some kid got first/second/third/dead last? Don't care. It will have no effect on how I train her when we get back to gym.
So she got a 9.0/8.0/6.0/2.0? Don't care. It will have very little effect on how I train her when I get back to gym.
So she had perfect form/bent her knees on her kip/kicked the bar on her flyaway? That I care about, because that's the stuff I'll be addressing when we get back to practice.

First, your entire post was beautiful and spot on. But this part particularly resonated with me at this point because HC wants us to write down each child's score on each event at every meet and I'm just not into it. In thinking about our next meet, I have thought about just not doing it and getting the scores from MSO when I get home and I thought I was obviously a pretty terrible coach. But the truth is, I haven't looked at their scores from the last meet. I know how they did. I know gymnast A looked like a nervous wreck on beam and gymnast B did a spectacular handstand on beam- and really, that's what I care about. And I would so much rather be encouraging the girls and congratulating them on a job well done (or encouraging them after a mistake) than hovering over a clipboard and watching the scores. So thanks for helping me feel a little less like a terrible coach for not wanting to focus on scores!

 

[raenndrops]

First, your entire post was beautiful and spot on. But this part particularly resonated with me at this point because HC wants us to write down each child's score on each event at every meet and I'm just not into it. In thinking about our next meet, I have thought about just not doing it and getting the scores from MSO when I get home and I thought I was obviously a pretty terrible coach. But the truth is, I haven't looked at their scores from the last meet. I know how they did. I know gymnast A looked like a nervous wreck on beam and gymnast B did a spectacular handstand on beam- and really, that's what I care about. And I would so much rather be encouraging the girls and congratulating them on a job well done (or encouraging them after a mistake) than hovering over a clipboard and watching the scores. So thanks for helping me feel a little less like a terrible coach for not wanting to focus on scores!

We are given our teams scores (and their places) … all printed out nice and neat at the end of each meet. That means that we don't have to write down the scores if we don't want to. BUT, part of my job is to write down scores and placements for the team website. We also do it because of Y Nationals Qualifying - if a gymnast is within 0.05 of qualifying, HC may appeal a score… as long as it doesn't affect another gymnast's (on any team) placement.

 

[gymjunkie]

What do coaches feel at meets? (other than crazy tired of course as those are long days(!!)

I have to tell myself to pace myself and not burn out on the first session. You get the same adrenaline rush you did when you were competing, but you might be there for 5-6 sessions, so you can't allow for an adrenaline crash after only 3 sessions. I'm also often feeling a little lightheaded depending on how much I was able to eat in between sessions. Sometimes by the time you can get a bite in, everything is cleaned out and all you get are a few carrot sticks.

Do you get nervous when your gymnast is performing? Do you feel any 'pressure' for your gymnast/team to do well?

Honestly the things I get nervous about at meets have nothing to do with the gymnasts. I worry about whether or not I will misplace their scorecards or if I will be able to get the bars set as fast as I can at the gym. The pressure is more something I feel in regular practice, not at the meet. The meet performance is a product of practice, so feeling pressure at the meet is irrelevant since there is nothing more to do once you get to the meet. They are either ready or they are not (this applies to both Susie Superstar and Average Addy).

How does the success/lack of success of your gymnast/team at a meet (or season) impact you?

I look at is as feedback. It tells me what we are doing right/what we could be doing better.

How well do you remember how individual gymnasts did on the events after a meet? Do you remember that Addy wobbled on her beam handstand and Susie's layout was too piked, etc.?

That depends on the level. I don't remember those things as well for large groups of compulsories as well as smaller groups of optionals.

 

[Deleted member 14190]

We feel EVERYTHING. So please just buy us a beer at the end and don't talk about gym!