Gymnastics parents: Once they get scared, is it all over?

[missypie]

DD12 is training Level 7 and is supposed to compete starting in January. In March she had a VERY bad fall on her back handspring on the beam...I'm amazed she didn't break anything...I've never seen bruises like that. Since then she's been scared of it, but in the last two weeks, she flat out can't/won't do it.

Is this the end? Have you ever had a gymnast who was able to get over a big fear like that? It's not like it's an IRRATIONAL fear....it's a very scary thing!

I would be fine with her quitting, but I'd like her to do one optionals season....she loves her Floor routine so much.

 

[KimR]

My DD got to the point in Level 6 where she had a mental block with doing a flyaway. She was scared, plain and simple, and just could not make herself do it. Eventually she did get over it but it took a LOT of patient coaching plus some private one-on-one sessions with her coach. I think it can be done - many of DDs teammates have gone through the same thing and were able to overcome it.

Another thought if she just can't overcome her fear: would her coach be ok with her scatching beam? (DD scratched bars for most of her level 6 season). It would blow her chances for placing overall but at least she'd be able to compete. It would be a shame for her to work so hard for all those years only to have to give it up now at optionals.

 

[Buckalew11]

My niece overcame it also. Like Kim said, patient coaching etc. helped.

 

[missypie]

My DD got to the point in Level 6 where she had a mental block with doing a flyaway. She was scared, plain and simple, and just could not make herself do it. Eventually she did get over it but it took a LOT of patient coaching plus some private one-on-one sessions with her coach. I think it can be done - many of DDs teammates have gone through the same thing and were able to overcome it.

Another thought if she just can't overcome her fear: would her coach be ok with her scatching beam? (DD scratched bars for most of her level 6 season). It would blow her chances for placing overall but at least she'd be able to compete. It would be a shame for her to work so hard for all those years only to have to give it up now at optionals.

Yeah, what we AREN'T going to get is some patient coaching! Yesterday the head coach formed a special workout group of all the girls (maybe 7 of them) who have mental blocks on beam skills (all either Level 6 back walk overs or Level 7 back handsprings). She said they are making her too mad and from now on she won't coach them at all...two of the other coaches will work with them instead. That alone would probably be enough to make me leave the gym, but since it's probably going to be her last season anyway, I'd hate to start with a new gym.

 

[Jennasis]

Of course they can overcome the fear, but it may take time and starting back to basics. I am a riding instructor and students fall off all the time. Most of the time the falls aren't serious, but they are always kinda scary. When the big falls happen (I've had my fair share of them) it is never suprising to me when a student becomes paralyzed with fear. When this happens, I always go back to the beginning. Basic walking, stopping, turning, trotting. Things they are good at to rebuild the shattered confidence. Most students bounce back eventually, some don't ever get over it.

Don't push her, but rather talk to her coach about how to help rebuild her confidence. She may have to drop a couple of levels, but I would imagine she'd rather do that than be scared. Good luck to her!

 

[NowaSki]

DD12 is training Level 7 and is supposed to compete starting in January. In March she had a VERY bad fall on her back handspring on the beam...I'm amazed she didn't break anything...I've never seen bruises like that. Since then she's been scared of it, but in the last two weeks, she flat out can't/won't do it.

Is this the end? Have you ever had a gymnast who was able to get over a big fear like that? It's not like it's an IRRATIONAL fear....it's a very scary thing!

I would be fine with her quitting, but I'd like her to do one optionals season....she loves her Floor routine so much.

I was a gymnast through High School, and I had my share of scary falls. The worst was I was practicing with High School team as a freshman on High Bar. We had the bar low, just practicing casting up to hand stands and swing over. As I came through the bottom I lost my grip and end up going about 20 feet then skidding on my head accross the gym floor. I layed there for a minute to gather myself as the whole team came running over. I sat up and had sharp pain run up and down my arm. I thought I had broken it. Went to the hospital to find out it was just a bad sprain. It did take me sometime but I got over it. I had to go back to some basics.

My oldest brother (who was the vastity team coach when I was on the High School team), had a bad fall off the Rings at the start of his Senior year. He ended up having compound fracture of his wrist. He ended up working with a sports medicine specialist and managed to get back on the rings in time to make States and win States.

Granted my brother and myself were older, but we over came scarry falls. It just takes a little time. Going back to the basics and working up to it again. Once the confidence begins to return she will be back up their doing those back handsprings in no time.