It’s the Progress, Not the Repetition
"Oh, they need that for consistency."  "They're not safe if they don't do all their repetitions."  "They'll never win without doing all the necessary repetitions."

They Have to Actually Still Be In the Gym at Age 16 to Compete in the Olympics
We'll get into the science of it later, but it just ain't so.  It ain't so for a lot of reasons, but first is the one about they have to actually stay in the gym and the sport until they are 15 years old so they are old enough to compete internationally.

How Many Do You Still Have Now?
Look around.  How many fifteen and sixteen year olds do you have in your gym?  Why?  Quit patting yourself on the back if they are only compulsories.

Don’t Drive Them Out
It's time to start looking at why there are not more girls in the sport at the age necessary to compete at the international level.  The reason is simple.  One way or another, coaches drive them out.  If they don't fit that imaginary perfect model in the coach's mind, one way or another, coaches push them out.  Sometimes subtly, but usually not.  They just drive them right out of there.

A Legend Only In Your Mind
The reality is that the coach is not the important one in the gym.  That is just a result of coaches being legends in their own mind.  Gymnasts are the only ones who can win medals.  They are the ones who do the work, pay the price and put themselves on the line.  They are at some point in their gymnastics career.  They need to progress forward.

A Positive Learning Environment
They need a coach who can yell for them, not at them. They need a coach who can lead them, not push them.  They need a coach who can earn their respect, not complain about their lack of it.  They need a coach who knows where they are, sees them as they really are, hears what they have to say, a coach who knows who they are and who they want to be.  They need a coach who is really coaching them and not imagining some ideal dream girl he wishes he was coaching. 

See the Gymnast – Be The Coach
Can you see yourself - the real you, without the ego.
Can you see them - the real girl?
Can you show them the joys of gymnastics?
That's the real start of it, my friend.  If you can't do those things, if you can't control yourself, well, all the technical mumbo jumbo in the world won't make a bit of difference.
Do it.  Be the Coach.

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