Progression Through Skills

[alpaca]

I fear that this post is a SM moment, but if so, call me out on it and I will own it.

CP is not a strong tumbler. She is working on her spotted standing bhs. Her gym has some good tumblers but those girls came in with their tumbling, they did not learn it at the gym. As an example, girls that have advanced skills can throw their tumbling during practice, but cp's coach can't spot my cp's standing bhs. Tells her to practice on the tramp, and wait for her private to work on it. Hmmm.

So she's been taking privates but only the last 10 minutes working on BHS. I ask him what drills she can do at home and he tells me 'nothing' Again, hmmmm.

So CP had been out for months with an injury (no tumbling at all) and was recently given the all- clear from the Dr. Yesterday just for fun she goes to one of those jump places with a long skinny trampoline and sends me a video of her doing a RO-BHS-tuck and a RO-BHS-whip/layout.

She was on a trampoline (which makes things a lot easier) and I'm sure the form was not correct. But there was no fear, she said she didn't think about it, she just did it. The joy she got from that was great to see. We'll see if that confidence transfers to her privates this week. But how can my kid do that, yet on the spring floor she can't do a BHS without a spot. What is going on, I just don't understand it.

I remember reading an article saying that if your cp isn't progressing in her privates, maybe its time to switch coaches. Does this seem like the kind of situation for that? Or is this normal progression or there some other obvious reason that I am just 'not getting'.

 

[cheer25mom]

A few questions:

1. Why is she only spending 10 minutes of her private on BHS? What is she working the rest of the time? BHS drill, or level 1 skills that need work?

2. Has the coach told you why he won't spot her BHS in practice? Our gym has a policy that they will not spot tumbling in team practice because it is not the place to learn new skills. Team practice is for working tumbling sync for the team, etc. They cannot take time for a coach to spot one kid on a skill.

3. More of a statement. Yes, kids can do skills they have NO business attempting on tramps, particularly at those tramp places where the tramps are super bouncy. That doesn't mean they are ready for them. The tramp takes away and responsibility or risk. Frankly what they can do there doesn't mean much for their actual skill.

I think you need to have a sit down with her private lesson instructor. Ask him what is going on, where her deficit is, and what she needs to work on. If her cannot answer those questions, find a new instructor.



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[alpaca]

A few questions:

1. Why is she only spending 10 minutes of her private on BHS? What is she working the rest of the time? BHS drill, or level 1 skills that need work?

2. Has the coach told you why he won't spot her BHS in practice? Our gym has a policy that they will not spot tumbling in team practice because it is not the place to learn new skills. Team practice is for working tumbling sync for the team, etc. They cannot take time for a coach to spot one kid on a skill.

3. More of a statement. Yes, kids can do skills they have NO business attempting on tramps, particularly at those tramp places where the tramps are super bouncy. That doesn't mean they are ready for them. The tramp takes away and responsibility or risk. Frankly what they can do there doesn't mean much for their actual skill.

I think you need to have a sit down with her private lesson instructor. Ask him what is going on, where her deficit is, and what she needs to work on. If her cannot answer those questions, find a new instructor.



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Thank you for an honest response.

1. I don't know why the tumbling coach structures privates the way they do. But, the other 20 minutes was on some drills and mostly front hand springs. I've asked to have him clean her front walkover but they don't work on that.

2. The coach wouldn't spot her standing BHS but said they could spot a RO-BHS. This was during a tumbling practice, after all comps were over for the season. So tumbling was the focus of the practice and they were willing to spot, just not the skill she is working on.

3. I agree that just because cp can do it on a tramp doesn't mean it shows skill level. I am fully aware that her tumbling on a spring floor is still level 1. Frankly, if I had been there I would not have allowed her to try these skills since it would have scared me. But (as a parent), I think it does show potential and a desire to learn. Just today CP said to me "I shared the video with my cheer friends and I bet they were surprised. Everyone at the gym thinks I can't do anything and they don't bother to try to teach me." I won't lie, this comment made me sad.

Today cp and I talked and I think that we are going to try a new tumbling experience for her over the summer. We started talking about it a few weeks ago and today she asked me "have you emailed the other gym", and I told her that I was waiting on a decision from her, I didn't want to push. So we are thinking of classes and open gyms at at a different gym, maybe back away from the privates. To see if a change in environment makes a difference.

 

[cheer25mom]

Sounds like a sound course of action.


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[123jump4!]

There can be a fine line between being SM and knowing something isn't right. I've been both. But these days I trust my gut feeling more and more.

We've had privates exactly like you described. After a couple of times I never booked that coach again. Had better privates with different coaches. I've changed tumbling classes too when I felt the coach wasn't a good fit.

Try a new gym for tumbling, why not? You are the one who is paying and it's a free country. Good luck!

 

[EMMbaleena]

From a coaching perspective there are ABSOLUTELY times when I don't get to work on particular skills until the last 10 minutes of a private (even in a 60 minute private)...The kid could have forgotten her squeezing pants, we could be working on drills for new skills, reviewing old skills that may have lost some technique, lots of potential issues. However, if a parent asks what caused the issue I'm more than happy to discuss, and I'm ALWAYS happy to give homework :).

There's a recent article posted by Coach Sahil that might help guide you to decide if you're in the right place for your CP. I'll see if I can find the link.

Edit:
Getting The Most Out Of Tumbling Private Lessons (advice for parents, and best practices for coaches)
Great article!

 

[alpaca]

From a coaching perspective there are ABSOLUTELY times when I don't get to work on particular skills until the last 10 minutes of a private (even in a 60 minute private)...The kid could have forgotten her squeezing pants, we could be working on drills for new skills, reviewing old skills that may have lost some technique, lots of potential issues. However, if a parent asks what caused the issue I'm more than happy to discuss, and I'm ALWAYS happy to give homework :).

There's a recent article posted by Coach Sahil that might help guide you to decide if you're in the right place for your CP. I'll see if I can find the link.

Edit:
Getting The Most Out Of Tumbling Private Lessons (advice for parents, and best practices for coaches)
Great article!

Thanks, actually, it was this article that made me look/think a little deeper at what was going on in her private lessons. Articles like that are very helpful to me. I think we are going to try something different for tumbling over the summer.