All-Star Help Me Become A Better Coach.

[cupieqt]

I used to be one of those "I'm scared girls" and I can tell you that having a coach that is super strict about it (yelling at you for not throwing the pass or making you do frog jumps for it or whatever) will get you nowhere. If it wasn't for my current tumbling coach I would have never gotten over my mental block. Take it slow, and have them build up confidence. I know my biggest problem was that I didn't think I could do it. Take baby steps, it sounds so stupid but it worked. I hope this helped somehow.

Working with an athlete instead of yelling at them---definitely produces better results! I can yell at my dog all day long but if I don't take the time to train him, he'll never bring me my slippers LOL!!

 

[cupieqt]

cupieqt if your response about being mean was to my post, I really didn't mean mean, I was exhausted after a comp last night and really couldn't think of any way to say what I meant lol. I'm probably to nice sometimes. I just meant a change in tone to show I'm serious. Just thought I'd clear that up

nah, I knew what you meant--you said mean (but not mean) so I understood you just meant more serious! I was trying to elaborate on your point lol

 

[FierceandFearless]

As an athlete, honestly, I have to agree with BuegeSmalls . Yelling at us will get us no where. Yesterday I (finally) got over a mental block of a backhandspring, because my coaches didn't yell at me, they talked to me, and explained to me that every athlete in the gym gets afraid to throw something at times, and one coach explained to me that he still gets scared to throw things sometimes, but you have to just throw anyway, and get over that fear. And about 30 seconds later, I threw it without even realizing I was throwing it.

Honestly, if you just talk to us, listen to our reasons for why we aren't doing something, or why we won't throw a skill, and then put it in a positive perspective for us, while still being firm and stating what you want us to do, we will most likely do it. But just because we say we're scared, doesn't mean that we really don't want to do the skill, and it doesn't mean that we aren't trying, we truly are just scared sometimes. Give lots of drills for tumbling and flying. Drills get the skills, the spot does not. The more confident athletes get when they constantly do drills that they know are going to help them (no matter how hard the drill may be), the more confidence it will actually give them when it comes time to throw it by themselves. (I Speak that from personal experience) I'm not saying don't spot at all, unless you truly don't want to, but the more drills you give the stronger the athletes will become and the easier it will be for athletes to throw skills when the time is right.


Just remember, every athlete progresses and learns differently
remain encouraging, supportive, and positive.
Positive Brings Positive, Negative Brings Negative, so after making a correction, if you can enforce something else in a positive way, (i.e., your arms were a little bent in that back handspring, but you jumped a lot more than you did last time.)

 

[CHillPR]

Id work out what your main priorities are, e.g is there an issue with people being late, or not listening while your talking, or generally being really slopping during dance ect.
Choose one, and set the boundaries in your own head before practice of what you allow and what you dont and what the punishment will be, so if you choose people talking over you as the main issue, I would say that I give one warning in practice, and then whoever is still talking will do crunches/frog jumps/run/sit out whatever. if everyone was talking, then everyone would do the punishment.
Make sure at the beginning of practice you clearly explain to all the kids that this is what will happen, it will happen to everyone, and will happen all the time from now on, so that its not a surprise to anyone. I think with teens as well it is important to explain why this is necessary, so they understand its not just because you feel like being mean or watching them do crunches, but because if they want to go out and do well at competitions, then they need productive training sessions.

Make sure you are always consistent and confident in what you say. once the first issue has been solved, move on to the next one, e.g. late for practice, and work in a similar way until you have the training environment that you want

Hope this helps

I was a strict coach my first year, and quickly learned that I played favorites. I had to get out of that fast.

You have to remain consistent - no matter if its the cheerleader that gives you 110% or the cheerleader that gives you 10% and attitude. This is my 3rd year, and I feel I'm a much better coach by being strict across the board. I do what I say, and say what I mean - makes a HUGE difference. ** For example, I told the team if they didn't submit a brag sheet, I wasn't giving any awards - and I didn't. Not even to my 3.5 students.

 

[cupieqt]

As an athlete, honestly, I have to agree with BuegeSmalls . Yelling at us will get us no where. Yesterday I (finally) got over a mental block of a backhandspring, because my coaches didn't yell at me, they talked to me, and explained to me that every athlete in the gym gets afraid to throw something at times, and one coach explained to me that he still gets scared to throw things sometimes, but you have to just throw anyway, and get over that fear. And about 30 seconds later, I threw it without even realizing I was throwing it.

Honestly, if you just talk to us, listen to our reasons for why we aren't doing something, or why we won't throw a skill, and then put it in a positive perspective for us, while still being firm and stating what you want us to do, we will most likely do it. But just because we say we're scared, doesn't mean that we really don't want to do the skill, and it doesn't mean that we aren't trying, we truly are just scared sometimes. Give lots of drills for tumbling and flying. Drills get the skills, the spot does not. The more confident athletes get when they constantly do drills that they know are going to help them (no matter how hard the drill may be), the more confidence it will actually give them when it comes time to throw it by themselves. (I Speak that from personal experience) I'm not saying don't spot at all, unless you truly don't want to, but the more drills you give the stronger the athletes will become and the easier it will be for athletes to throw skills when the time is right.

Just remember, every athlete progresses and learns differently
remain encouraging, supportive, and positive.
Positive Brings Positive, Negative Brings Negative, so after making a correction, if you can enforce something else in a positive way, (i.e., your arms were a little bent in that back handspring, but you jumped a lot more than you did last time.)

Are you a coach? Want a job?

 

[FierceandFearless]

Are you a coach? Want a job?

wow!!! What a compliment!!! i totally appreciate that, however, i'm not a coach:/ i'd love to be, but i'm actually an athlete. if it were possible (not sure if it would be lol) i would definitely take a job though. lol but wow, thank you!!

 

[vipergirl]

i'm right there with you. last year i coached youth 2, and this year i'm coaching senior 4. although i'm finding coaching the teenagers A LOT easier than coaching the young ones, while also being a higher level they understand what they are supposed to be doing and have more experience. however, i totally understand where you say they're being lazy etc. we have had problems with them being like this, you just have to be strict with them while also encouraging them...once they realize you mean business they'll start giving their all, believe me. if they do not do a skill in the routine that is required, while everyone else is getting a water break from their full out...those girls, or boys in our case who bailed on anything, or didn't hit are required to do it THREE times. once you start doing techniques like this they'll realize it's easier to do it ONE time in the full out, than THREE times while everyone else gets a break.

hope this helped!

 

[cupieqt]

wow!!! What a compliment!!! i totally appreciate that, however, i'm not a coach:/ i'd love to be, but i'm actually an athlete. if it were possible (not sure if it would be lol) i would definitely take a job though. lol but wow, thank you!!

You should help out with the younger teams in your gym if there are any. I think you'd be great at it!

 

[FierceandFearless]

You should help out with the younger teams in your gym if there are any. I think you'd be great at it!

Wow, thank you so much!! I do help out sometimes, but usually only if they are missing people and need someone to stunt with them. But sometimes help make corrections when that happens. But I think I will consider talking to my coach about maybe officially helping out. Thank you

 

[Katybugmom]

i'm right there with you. last year i coached youth 2, and this year i'm coaching senior 4. although i'm finding coaching the teenagers A LOT easier than coaching the young ones, while also being a higher level they understand what they are supposed to be doing and have more experience. however, i totally understand where you say they're being lazy etc. we have had problems with them being like this, you just have to be strict with them while also encouraging them...once they realize you mean business they'll start giving their all, believe me. if they do not do a skill in the routine that is required, while everyone else is getting a water break from their full out...those girls, or boys in our case who bailed on anything, or didn't hit are required to do it THREE times. once you start doing techniques like this they'll realize it's easier to do it ONE time in the full out, than THREE times while everyone else gets a break.

hope this helped!

Our coach did this or would make whole team condition if someone busted or bailed. It led to a very dangerous situat
ion in my opinion. Girls would throw things because they didn't want to let their team down even though their set wasn't good. I saw way too many scary situations. IMO if someone bust then condition or do drills but to make them throw skills when they are exhausted is not good. It is totally different if the girls are goofing off or don't care then yes make them do it over and over. But safety should be the most important.

 

[BuegeSmalls]

As an athlete, honestly, I have to agree with BuegeSmalls . Yelling at us will get us no where. Yesterday I (finally) got over a mental block of a backhandspring, because my coaches didn't yell at me, they talked to me, and explained to me that every athlete in the gym gets afraid to throw something at times, and one coach explained to me that he still gets scared to throw things sometimes, but you have to just throw anyway, and get over that fear. And about 30 seconds later, I threw it without even realizing I was throwing it.

Honestly, if you just talk to us, listen to our reasons for why we aren't doing something, or why we won't throw a skill, and then put it in a positive perspective for us, while still being firm and stating what you want us to do, we will most likely do it. But just because we say we're scared, doesn't mean that we really don't want to do the skill, and it doesn't mean that we aren't trying, we truly are just scared sometimes. Give lots of drills for tumbling and flying. Drills get the skills, the spot does not. The more confident athletes get when they constantly do drills that they know are going to help them (no matter how hard the drill may be), the more confidence it will actually give them when it comes time to throw it by themselves. (I Speak that from personal experience) I'm not saying don't spot at all, unless you truly don't want to, but the more drills you give the stronger the athletes will become and the easier it will be for athletes to throw skills when the time is right.


Just remember, every athlete progresses and learns differently
remain encouraging, supportive, and positive.
Positive Brings Positive, Negative Brings Negative, so after making a correction, if you can enforce something else in a positive way, (i.e., your arms were a little bent in that back handspring, but you jumped a lot more than you did last time.)

100% agree. Maybe yelling or punishments will work for somethings (like if an athlete clearly has the skill and throws it all the time but then they chose to do when running the routine full out because they are tired and don't want to put the effort in) but on mental blocks (or other things like that) it doesn't work, and I'd like to think I'm proof of that. I had a coach that would yell at me because I wouldn't throw something because I didn't think I could do it, and sometimes I wouldn't do it with a spot because I didn't trust her. But then I got a new tumbling coach and she told me that everyone has that one skill that takes longer for them to get (for example, my sister is really good at just throwing things and getting skills really fast but shes having a hard time with fulls) and this was mine, and she was super suportive, if not for her I wouldn't prbly would not have gotten some of the skills I have.

 

[FierceandFearless]

100% agree. Maybe yelling or punishments will work for somethings (like if an athlete clearly has the skill and throws it all the time but then they chose to do when running the routine full out because they are tired and don't want to put the effort in) but on mental blocks (or other things like that) it doesn't work, and I'd like to think I'm proof of that. I had a coach that would yell at me because I wouldn't throw something because I didn't think I could do it, and sometimes I wouldn't do it with a spot because I didn't trust her. But then I got a new tumbling coach and she told me that everyone has that one skill that takes longer for them to get (for example, my sister is really good at just throwing things and getting skills really fast but shes having a hard time with fulls) and this was mine, and she was super suportive, if not for her I wouldn't prbly would not have gotten some of the skills I have.

EXACTLY!!!! My coach (the one who was mentioned above) told me the same thing, every girl in the gym is scared to throw something at a time, and that's okay, is what he said. and it made me feel better.
also, if an athlete cries because they're so frustrated, put yourself in their shoes. i cried because i was so frustrated, and i had thrown it before but then got this huge mental block, and another coach told me, "To me, you crying is a good thing. This shows me that you want it, and that you really truly are trying. Everyone has to break down at a point in order to move on, so this is a good thing, you are one step closer to breaking this frustration and to getting over this fear, so just break down right now, and let it all out, because every person has to at a point."
made me feel so much better!!!

 

[FierceandFearless]

Also, set goals and rewards for the athletes, both individually and as a team. My coach said, "once I have every athlete throwing it on blue (the floor) by themselves, the next practice after that I will bring pizza, or popsicles, or whatever you guys want, to practice to reward you all."

if you want to do it individually, one of my other coaches told me that if i threw my bhs by myself she would bring me a big bag of starburst (my favorite candy) to the next practice to reward me.

the more you bond and get to know your athletes, the easier this will become.

you could say, "if we go full out and everything hits, at the end of practice we can play a game! or we will tumble for the rest of the hour' etc.

set goals for competitions or games, "I want everyone to be throwing a tuck by themselves into the pit or on trampoline by themselves by this competition on this day, it's exactly one month away, so don't worry you still have time." etc.

graduate them from places, so if they throw it into a pit by themselves, put a portable firm matt in the pit, and have them throw on that, then graduate to either trampoline or rod, then to the actual floor. does that make sense??? this helps build up an athletes confidence and courage in doing it by themselves on different surfaces, that way they feel if they dont land correctly, they won't get hurt as badly. a big thing with throwing on the actual floor is usually an athlete is worried about hurting themselves since the mats on that floor are so firm and hard. you know what I mean?

play add on!! this is a personal favorite of mine. the first time you guys run a routine go full tech (or full mark) (only have them do their dance, but everything else is full tech) and EVERYONE has to be tight, if someones sloppy, or doesnt full tech, then stop the music and start again. then if it goes well, the second time, do all jumps and first 2 stunt sequences, everything else full tech. then if that goes well, do jumps, all stunts (except pyramid), standing tumbling, a cheer (if you have one) full tech everything else. then if that goes well, it's stunts, cheer, jumps, pyramid, standing tumbling and running tumbling. then if that goes well, go full out. this helps pace the athletes and helps them warm up a lot.

for every stunt or tumbling pass that isn't thrown when it should have been, or for every stunt that falls, at the end of that routine (or the end of the practice, so be sure to keep track), have them run a lap for each thing. so if a stunt falls, and someone in dance wasn't tight, and someone didn't throw their running tumbling pass, then it would be 3 laps. etc. and plus, it will make them want to try harder, because running after going full out is never fun.

or do a "3 strikes and you're out" technique. you go full out, and you have 3 tries to hit everything and be tight. if by the third time not everything has hit or full out just wasn't as good as you know they can do, have them run 10 laps, and one hundred crunches (50 with bent legs, 50 with straight legs)

be sure to explain that whenever you condition them, or give them drills, or make them run. etc. it's not a punishment, it's a conditioning, it is meant to help them, and make them stronger.

shoulder taps are also a great conditioning exercise.

 

[BuegeSmalls]

EXACTLY!!!! My coach (the one who was mentioned above) told me the same thing, every girl in the gym is scared to throw something at a time, and that's okay, is what he said. and it made me feel better.
also, if an athlete cries because they're so frustrated, put yourself in their shoes. i cried because i was so frustrated, and i had thrown it before but then got this huge mental block, and another coach told me, "To me, you crying is a good thing. This shows me that you want it, and that you really truly are trying. Everyone has to break down at a point in order to move on, so this is a good thing, you are one step closer to breaking this frustration and to getting over this fear, so just break down right now, and let it all out, because every person has to at a point."
made me feel so much better!!!

I think I would like your coach

 

[FierceandFearless]

I think I would like your coach

hhaha, i think you would like all of my coaches! i think i'd like yours too. lol