Coaches very basic info needed for newbie coach

[twinklytoes9468]

Hi I am taking my first group of rec gymnasts to their first competition outside the club.The HC has given me a routine for them and it is very simple and straight forward but I am so consciouis of not letting the kids down as they are trying so hard!! One of the vault options begins: run up straight jump from springboard onto red block ( and then they do a bit more) .I just want to clarify what their arms should be doing ie swinging like in a vault or more like in a jump.The second question is with regard to cartwheel quarter turn.They normally do sideways cartwheels ie starting sideways and finishing sideways.With cartwheel qtr turn (which I believe is the standard American way), do you still reach with the hands and try to make the move long as you do with sideways cartwheel? and are there any judging pointers other than straight line, straight arms and legs pointed toes. The third question is with forward roll. Are there higher marks available for different starts ie lots of them do it slowly bending at the waist in a kind of a pike position keeping arms and legs straight until they roll out of it in tuck.I am wondering why they do it this way (some of them aren't really flexible enough for it to look nice) others go into ifwd roll with a bounce and a bit of flight (not as much as a dive roll).There isn't anyone I can ask at the gym, I am just a volunteer parent ,there 2 hours a week who has done a low level coaching course and no one is really interested in the rec kids

 

[Deleted member D3987]

don't think we can help you here in the states. we don't know what rules these kids will be judged under. someone over there know what system she will be taking these kids to?

 

[rd7]

Hi, firstly try not to worry too much, well done for giving these kids the opportunity to compete that they wouldn't otherwise have had, think of it as a learning curve, you can't possibly know everything on your first competition.

The vault - I would expect to see a vault armswing as it's essentially a prep for proper board take off in the future, ie behind body on the board, up quickly by ears off the board.

The cartwheel is judged the same as side to side, it just finishes facing the way you came and a lunge finish will probably be expected, it will be judged the same as any other move in the routine. Deductions are generally for bent arms, bent legs, flexed feet and toes, wobbles/steps on landings or between skills etc and are usually 0.1. 0.3 or 0.5. Generally a whole 1.0 mark is taken for coach assistance, missing skills or a fall of any type - that includes putting hands down on the floor when they shouldn't be there - or not going over in a handstand forward roll.

Having said all that the judges may have different criteria for your competition, whoever is running it should be able to help.

Is there another club close to you that is also going to the competition and has a bit more experience. Could you visit them and have a look at some of their gymnasts doing the routine?

Above all you're doing it for the kids, have fun.

 

[gymdog]

don't think we can help you here in the states. we don't know what rules these kids will be judged under. someone over there know what system she will be taking these kids to?

From my limited knowledge of UK gymnastics, it sounds like a low level floor/vault competition, where only those apparatus are competed. It's supposed to be a more open/accessible format, I believe, and even just a regular school might field a team.

So I would guess the deductions, assuming you have all the requirements of the routine, would be pretty basic form deductions. If something looks awkward, it will be a deduction, so you should look at the characteristics of the move that make it look "smooth" and then concentrate on teaching the kids those attributes.

As far as vault, when they jump on the board their arms should be down by their side. When they jump up, the arms should go up. This is very easy to explain to the kids and gets them doing an efficient movement quickly. Swinging into an arm circle is harder and unnecessary at this level.

 

[Pineapple_Lump]

The third question is with forward roll. Are there higher marks available for different starts ie lots of them do it slowly bending at the waist in a kind of a pike position keeping arms and legs straight until they roll out of it in tuck.I am wondering why they do it this way (some of them aren't really flexible enough for it to look nice) others go into ifwd roll with a bounce and a bit of flight (not as much as a dive roll).

I teach straight arm forward rolls to all children, recreation and competitive once they are able to roll safely with their head in. The reason for this is that it teaches them to have support on the floor and prepares them for the handstand forward roll. It is also good for working the flex

 

[Kiwi]

It depends on how your rec competitions are judged. Over here with rec comps it is performance judging, no specific system of deductions, but I usually do a rough set of deductions as a guide, I don't 0.1 them for every tiny little thing (like I would have to with competitive). I would be looking for a normal vault springboard technique, not worried whether their arms actually circle or not, but they should start down on the board and then swing up. I would mainly be looking for height and straight body position. Cartwheel is a cartwheel, I think they are actually easier with the quarter turn. Reach arms forward, keep arms by ears. I don't know if there are more marks in your system for straight legs at the start of the forward roll, but I think it looks nicer. If they are not flexible enough to do a great pike, they can put their hands a little further in front but still keep straight legs and push off their toes. Also look for wobbles, extra steps, shuffling feet, etc. as they make routines look messy.