It is evident to us and to other observers of our sport that there are serious issues with the training regimens our children, our gymnasts are forced to undergo.  The problems are not limited to the training programs as there are more widespread problems in youth sports in general

Lack of Experienced Qualified Coaches
The consensus on the top problems in youth sports and gymnastics would at least include the following list.  In gymnastics, the lack of qualified coaches is perhaps the biggest problem.  The sport is growing at a rapid rate and there were not enough before.

No Place to Learn
There are many reasons for this and a number of deficiencies indicated by the term qualified.  One of the largest problems is that there is no place for anyone who is interested to go to learn how to coach correctly.  There is no college, University, trade school or even central source of information where you can go to learn how to coach and the higher the level you aspire to coach, the less information and resources there are.

Passed On Bad Coaching Habits and Practices
Coaches in this country learned how to coach either from how they were coached themselves or by mimicking another coach in the gym.  A once annual coaches’ congress realistically does little to improve the situation.   Add in the lack of useful informational resources and coaches are basically on their own.  This is the problem we have chosen to attack ourselves with this web site and our products.

Developmentally Inappropriate Training
Linked to this situation and problem is the developmentally inappropriate coaching style of many coaches in our sport.  Lack of knowledge about training loads and hours in the gym and the amount of pressure to place on very young gymnasts is far too common in our sport.

Parents and Coaches Want Wins, 
Gymnasts Want to Learn and Have Fun
The next major problem in the sport is the overemphasis on winning, in actuality more by coaches and parents, than by gymnasts themselves.  Parents evaluate the sport by the competitive success (read that –count the medals) their child.  Coaches match that and then top it with an emphasis on how much control they have over their team and macho competition about which coach can teach the hardest skill (or at least say they can) in the shortest amount of time. 

Gymnast Are Usually the Most Sensible Ones
Gymnasts seem to have the most sensible attitude toward the sport and are happy as long as they can fly through the air and learn new skills.  If those conditions are met, they are happy.  They are nowhere near as affected by competition success or the lack of it as their parents and coaches.   All in all, an admirable attitude toward the sport especially at the lower levels. 

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