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I found this video on Swing Big. Some great dance things to try!

I teach middle school and so many students have brightly dyed hair it doesn't phase me and it's not a battle I care to fight. My opinion is that as long as the hair is pulled back neatly for a meet, it can be any color they want!

I worked at IGC one summer (about 5 years ago) and did the PCD (coaches training class). (There are 5 levels of PCD so if you went 5 years you would learn new things each time and focus on a different skill level.) The coaching classes were awesome. Fantastic guest speakers and presenters, very...

Does anyone have a great way to organize drills and notes they have? I have a few physical things (notebooks, binders, etc) and electronic things saved on my computer but I'm hoping to find a way to make it easier to find and review drills and tips.

I haven't worked uprises to help with clear hips before but my team is developing clear hips now. How does the uprise help?

We do a lot of work at your own level. Like if you've showed a coach your pullover really well, you get to work on back hip circles or back hip circle drills. If you can't pass pullover, you work on pullovers and pullover drills. It's often enough to motivate the kids who are able to pass to...

I did W200 with a coach from my gym who was very hesitant spotting skills and tended to spot less when she was nervous rather than go all in. I liked the collaboration with other coaches and learned some new ideas. I am super grateful that the other coach had an opportunity where she had to spot...

I think an interesting point of the article is the power in what you say. Word choice is incredible. For the first few months of team, I lead end of practice stretching and then assign girls to lead for the day. The directions they give are the exact words I use. My first season, I was shocked...

I coached at a IGC a few summers ago. You can learn a ton at IGC but expect to be busy all day and night with coaching (bring a notebook for all the things you'll learn!) and counseling. Electronics aren't allowed in front of the campers so I would bring a book or journal or something to have...

Is there any benefit to a gymnast's development in teaching straddle with knees forward? I don't teach knees forward but have seen some gyms compete it.

I don't know that this is what you're looking for, but I like to put the focus on what each gymnast can control. We talk about how we can't control the scores or the placement but we can control the performance we deliver. I tell them their performance brings about scores and placement. And...

Are you proposing we choose between form or technique? If so, I think that they are dependent on one another and cannot be treated separately. Good technique creates good form.

I was a gymnast I had a similar problem. I could not feel what my body was actually doing. I thought I was making corrections! It was very frustrating for me and my coaches so I can relate. The thing that helped me most of video or pictures of myself. When I saw how far off I was from ideal it...

I would be sure they can do a pull over on low bar with their head in and without stepping, hopping, or kicking into it. Great if they already can! But if they can't it might point out some strength and form they're missing.

I've had some success teaching them "how" to use their heel. We imagine a soccer ball sitting beside the inside their turning foot. When they lift onto relieve they have to "kick" the soccer ball with their heel, giving them some drive to the turn initiated by the heel. I hope this makes sense!

It could help to use fewer words and cues. Just work on accomplishing the basics now like handstand, roundoff instead of step kick, lunge, etc. It sounds like you're doing great things with pictures, printouts, cues, etc. Hopefully it will just click one day soon!

Relay races or pit races get the kids pretty riled up if you think they can come back down from that to focus. I love tag games although they don't necessarily work on gymnastics shapes/drills I think it's a fun first couple minutes. An easy one is heads and tails tag. Have half the group start...

I coach a beginning level and try to set each kid up to do well. I start each event with a couple kids I feel confident will do well and remember the routines and end with a couple strong ones. My habitual routine forgetters so near the end so they have a chance to see a lot of examples and...

I've had success with saying okay when they refuse and letting them sit out but then not allowing them to do something I intentionally plan to be fun later. For example, if they didn't do the arm conditioning, why would I let them try a backhandspring where they need strong arms? They are...

This may be a little late but I did the PCD program for one summer (I was there 9 weeks). It didn't suit me well as I didn't adjust well to the demands. It was very busy. Each person was a cabin counselor, coached all day, and had coaching class at night. I had a difficult time being so...