High School Hs Tumbling Practices

[tjbettin]

hello everyone! I am a new high school coach and have some questions about tumbling. I used to have a full when I was cheering. I had been in tumbling classes forever and because of that, I have been able to spot basic tumbling. If a girl has done the skill before and just needs reinforcement, I can spot it. However, I seem to be struggling spotting the girls who are trying something new. We are trying to hire an outside tumbling coach but I feel like it would be way more beneficial if I can do it myself. What should I do? How exactly can I become a stronger, better tumbling coach? Any suggestions?! :)

 

[OldskoolKYcheercoach]

hello everyone! I am a new high school coach and have some questions about tumbling. I used to have a full when I was cheering. I had been in tumbling classes forever and because of that, I have been able to spot basic tumbling. If a girl has done the skill before and just needs reinforcement, I can spot it. However, I seem to be struggling spotting the girls who are trying something new. We are trying to hire an outside tumbling coach but I feel like it would be way more beneficial if I can do it myself. What should I do? How exactly can I become a stronger, better tumbling coach? Any suggestions?! :)

Teach from the ground up.

Cheerleading myth: there's no tumbling skill that exists prior to the back handspring.

fact: there's about 10 things a kid should master before they THINK about a backhandspring. If learned in proper progression the need to be spotted is minimal.

Lately I've created quite the market for kids who have roundoff backhandspring tucks and want to advanced their more elite skills. They and their parents agree to work at my pace and what I say goes, and we advance up through the skills to twisting. 80% learn to full without ever being spotted. The other 20% didn't have the patience to learn the right way. The first 80% get their full and then with some random assistance from me learn more advanced passes on their own. The latter 20% spend the next six months trying to "wean" themselves off the spot they got from someone else (I refuse to spot them so they go elsewhere), and then they go through a year of playing "got it/lost it" before they ever get consistent.

Tumbling is about progression.

ETA: really any type of athletic skill is about progresssion. Tumbling specifically can be advanced much more quickly and without all the mental BS if it's taught correctly.

 

[Official OWECheer]

Teach from the ground up.

Cheerleading myth: there's no tumbling skill that exists prior to the back handspring.

If you don't preach... I see way too much of this!