All-Star Skill Failure

[darlingsmomx4]

I have a pretty young athlete, she just turned 6. She started cheer a year ago and quickly learned her BWO, FWO, she learned her handsprings and round off BHS's during the late summer months. She has recently been working on her tuck and during a clinic two of the most qualified coaches at our gym allowed her to do her back tuck on a mat by herself without a spot even though she cannot land this skill. She does it because she has no fear but landed on her knees each time. They were spotting some of the older girls and another parent made comment about them not spotting my daughter because she is so small. She didn't get hurt, she wasn't scared to keep trying it over and over and she came out of the clinic happy. I didn't want to say anything to the coaches because they are very well respected and qualified but I don't know their reasoning with this. Ideas?

 

[Belinda]

I have a pretty young athlete, she just turned 6. She started cheer a year ago and quickly learned her BWO, FWO, she learned her handsprings and round off BHS's during the late summer months. She has recently been working on her tuck and during a clinic two of the most qualified coaches at our gym allowed her to do her back tuck on a mat by herself without a spot even though she cannot land this skill. She does it because she has no fear but landed on her knees each time. They were spotting some of the older girls and another parent made comment about them not spotting my daughter because she is so small. She didn't get hurt, she wasn't scared to keep trying it over and over and she came out of the clinic happy. I didn't want to say anything to the coaches because they are very well respected and qualified but I don't know their reasoning with this. Ideas?

I would talk to them, and ask. I mean yes they should be qualified and should have the right education and such, but it's your kid. I would not feel comfortable with my kid repeatedly falling on her knees and no one spotting her. She might not get scared or hurt now, but there might be that one time she does. And I don't think it helps her technique to not land on her feet, with or without spot. It's not wrong to ask questions to help you understand their reasoning! They might have a perfectly fine reason for it, or they might not, and then you get to decide if you're comfortable with them continuing or if you want to put veto in. She's only 6 though, so I don't see a reason to stress it and have her do them on her own.

 

[tumbleyoda]

There is such a thing as spotting too much and not spotting enough. The tricky balance as a coach is to know each individual athlete to know where that point is. While it appears from your post that they probably knew she wasn't scared so it didn't matter, IMO repeated knee landings even if on a safe surface are not always in the athlete's best interest.

In our gym I rarely spot beyond BHS and ROBHS but that is because we have enough equipment and drills to make it not necessary. But that is only me. Other coaches spot up to Layouts. No one spots fulls or above even though several of us can. It is just the way we choose to train the athletes to not be spot dependent. But we don't allow repeated crash landings either.

 

[nicolee]

If you're uncomfortable or confused, there's no harm in having a chat to the coach about it, to voice your concerns. They may have a specific reason for not spotting.

This is your child, and if you're concerned about her safety, ask the coaches.

 

[WinstonsGirl]

I would have concerns over repeated knee landings as it's just reinforcing bad habits which may be harder to break in the future. Even if she's not getting hurt or scared, I'd be asking for more drills to help teach her proper technique for the skill

 

[SL&AM]

If you're uncomfortable I would ask. I know landing on your knees is a part of falling, but I wouldn't really be okay with her landing on them repeatedly.

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

But we don't allow repeated crash landings either.

Yep.

I don't spot kids every single time, but if you're crashing and burning at every attempt, I'm probably going to have you stop what you're doing, take a break, and go back to some drills re: whatever it is you're doing that has you crashing and burning.

 

[Beans100]

Did you ask your daughter how she feels about it? I know that she is young, but she can still have an opinion on being spotted or not.

 

[purplecheer]

I think I have become too dependant on a spot, but if I did not have one I would not even try the skill. I think drills is the way to go, then try without a spot. I don't think it would be good for a child to always be falling, mentally and physically.

 

[cheer25mom]

My kid will not do any running tumbling with a spot on any surface. She has to work it out on the tumble track for herself and go from there so she has crashed and burned many times. The coaches will not allow her to continue to throw a skill and not land it though. She will go back to drills and try again later.


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[Emma'sCheerMom]

I would have concerns over repeated knee landings as it's just reinforcing bad habits which may be harder to break in the future. Even if she's not getting hurt or scared, I'd be asking for more drills to help teach her proper technique for the skill

From an athletes mom with tendonitis, at the ripe old age of 10.....if she's being allowed to repeat incorrect technique, she isn't ready to be throwing that skill unspotted. More drills, ect need to be happening first....

 

[Cheer0825]

I have a pretty young athlete, she just turned 6. She started cheer a year ago and quickly learned her BWO, FWO, she learned her handsprings and round off BHS's during the late summer months. She has recently been working on her tuck and during a clinic two of the most qualified coaches at our gym allowed her to do her back tuck on a mat by herself without a spot even though she cannot land this skill. She does it because she has no fear but landed on her knees each time. They were spotting some of the older girls and another parent made comment about them not spotting my daughter because she is so small. She didn't get hurt, she wasn't scared to keep trying it over and over and she came out of the clinic happy. I didn't want to say anything to the coaches because they are very well respected and qualified but I don't know their reasoning with this. Ideas?

That's actually how I got my tuck I started throwing it by myself on wedge mat then started landing there and move me to a flat sponge mat. I busted quite a lot but eventually it clicked and a learned how to apply the directions given to me by my coaches and I began to land then the transition to the floor was easier. It also taught me to get back up after falling and let that prevent me from throwing a skill.

I think it really depends on how your child develops. I know I experienced major mental blocks when trying to go from throwing a skill with a spot to throwing it on my own no matter how well I could perform the skill, especially when I started working on my rbhs tuck. Doing the skill on my own the whole time eliminated that panic-inducing step for me. But I know plenty of girls who can make a smooth transition from being spotted to throwing on their own.

 

[cheermom19]

Cp doesn't even like spots when doing running tumbling. She only has 3 or 4 coaches she trusts to spot her in fulls and up. She trusts more people with standing, but still select few. I guess you can say she has trust issues when it comes to spotting.