All-Star Mental Block After Being Dropped 3 Times

[NoDramaCheerMama]

Ok, my CP was dropped out of the same stunt 3 times in the last 2 weeks on to her head. Needless to say she has become fearful of this stunt. She is 9 and on a Junior 3 team. The stunt is a low to high lib full down. She literally hit the ground with the back of her head. Her bases are catching her but the back spot doesn't so her head nails the mat. Does anyone have any tips on how to help her overcome the fear? Until this, she's been the flyer who always hit her stunts. She's even having trouble doing the full down now. She's never been fearful of stunts or tumbling (she's 9 so still fearless until now) and we are 4 weeks away from the 1st competition and 5 days away from our showcase. You can see in her face and body position in the air how nervous she is. The fear is affecting all her stunts, not just this one. My heart breaks for her because she's so upset with herself.

 

[BowsnBling]

I guess my main question is : I understand it happening once, maybe twice ...maybe, but for it to continue to happen, I would approach the coach and let them know that you are fearful for your childs safety. If she keeps the group working on it without a spotter or without any changes then I would question the program you are with.

 

[BowsnBling]

ps, does she stay wrapped or does she catch in the cradle?

 

[NoDramaCheerMama]

I guess my main question is : I understand it happening once, maybe twice ...maybe, but for it to continue to happen, I would approach the coach and let them know that you are fearful for your childs safety. If she keeps the group working on it without a spotter or without any changes then I would question the program you are with.

I have approached the coach and was told it would be addressed, but it really hasn't. Trust me, this is not my only issue but that's a whole other subject! It's incredibly frustrating.

 

[NoDramaCheerMama]

ps, does she stay wrapped or does she catch in the cradle?

She catches in the cradle.

 

[jcheermom]

I, too, would be concerned if I were dropped on my head and trust would be an issue and this is most likely why she is having a mental block about her flying. I would think that she would benefit from some additional work with her stunt group with the coach there either spotting, insuring your CP's safety and reassuring her that she is OK and also re-instructing the backer so that she gets it, making sure to catch your CP, no matter what, so she doesn't hit the mat, or even getting another backer in there to show her backer exactly what she needs to do and give her pointers on what she needs to do to insure CP's safety. I believe this will help to make your CP feel more confident that she will be safe when cradling and that she can trust those below her, because I think that it is not herself she is doubting but it is those below her that she is nervous about, with good reason. Once this confidence is restored, I think she will be fine, but with all mental blocks, it is all about time and not pushing so she must feel the confidence that she can do it, too.

 

[allstarLoVEcheer]

I would have trouble doing anything if I was dropped on my head 3 times...

 

[BowsnBling]

I have approached the coach and was told it would be addressed, but it really hasn't. Trust me, this is not my only issue but that's a whole other subject! It's incredibly frustrating.

I would email the coach and express your concerns in writing, let the coach know that you are not comfortable with your child practicing with the team until you have a meeting with her. That way it is her choice of what to do with the situation.

 

[Stiggy]

she needs to do the stunt repeatedly but put a coach or older cheerleader behind to spot her until she hits it consistently. Extra work is key. Every stunt group in a routine should get extra work in somewhere

 

[JulieP]

Ok, my CP was dropped out of the same stunt 3 times in the last 2 weeks on to her head. Needless to say she has become fearful of this stunt. She is 9 and on a Junior 3 team. The stunt is a low to high lib full down. She literally hit the ground with the back of her head. Her bases are catching her but the back spot doesn't so her head nails the mat. Does anyone have any tips on how to help her overcome the fear? Until this, she's been the flyer who always hit her stunts. She's even having trouble doing the full down now. She's never been fearful of stunts or tumbling (she's 9 so still fearless until now) and we are 4 weeks away from the 1st competition and 5 days away from our showcase. You can see in her face and body position in the air how nervous she is. The fear is affecting all her stunts, not just this one. My heart breaks for her because she's so upset with herself.

This seems to be a consistent problem. Your coach needs to make changes or you need to evaluate whether your child being a flyer or being at this gym is the right fit. I can tell you that if my child get dropped on her head three times in the same stunt, I would be making a change. I am also a total Mama Bear (BTW, my baby is only 5 months old so I am overprotective! ).

 

[retiredl5cheer]

I wouldn't call that a mental block... that is legitimate fear. I'd be afraid too if I were her. As a flyer it's almost impossible to do anything if you can't trust your bases. Like everyone else said, have a talk with her coach and stand your ground. This is about your baby's safety.

 

[CoachKelly]

My daughter was dropped once and never flew again. The back spotter just point blank stepped back put her hands to her mouth and gasped. She stood there and watched my daughter hit the floor. When her head started falling back out of the bases the one base grabbed her arm and ended up hurting my daughters shoulder. She felt bad but I wasn't upset with that as she was trying to keep her from banging her head on the floor. I was just dumbfounded with the back spotter(I'm the Coach) as I had never seen her do something like that before. And then she lied and said she just missed her. Um, no you didn't even try. I walked away, I had too. But for quite awhile I had an extra spotter with her group, I was NEVER going to let that happen again. And it only took one drop not three. Put your concerns in writing to the Coach if you get no answers take it further up command. I would even ask if your daughter could work with another group for awhile to get her confidence built back up. She's not having a mentalblock, she's having trust issues and I don't blame her.

 

[kristenthegreat]

Repeated trauma to the head is not a mental block- that's legitimate fear. That's her brain saying 'By the way, this is both painful and very damaging to this vital organ in your body called the brain aka me. Let's not do this anymore.' I wouldn't go near this group with a ten foot pole and I'm a 23 year old woman.

 

[Hannahbanana418]

they should change the backspot for her or have the coaches talk to the backspot and try to fix the problem. i used to have a mental block with tumbling and as crazy as it sounds, i got hypnotized and it really helped. Sometimes i may have a tiny fear but it's nothing close to how it used to be before i got hypnotized.

 

[CheerVA2]

Have to agree with everyone else. That isn't a mental block, that is a legitamite fear. My daughter had just made a level 3 team and was practicing a show and go, L stand, full around. Lost her balance, wasn't caught and broke her arm. Like CoachKelly's daughter, she may never fly again, and that was only one time. We haven't completely ruled it out yet, but as of now, she is just too scared to get up there at all, even with the coaches spotting. If you can't trust your bases, or yourself, it's practically impossible to be effective in the air. What has the coach said/done to this point?