3 Mistakes Gymnastics Parents Make on Competition Day (and What You Can Do Instead!)

Dr. Sue Massimo & Dr. Joe “Doc” Massimo

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As a parent, you play an extremely crucial role in supporting your child on the day of competition. Meet preparation, including both mental and physical aspects, is paramount to a successful competitive season and your child’s coach is handling that part of their training. But did you realize that part of the mental/emotional preparation for the gymnast is to have an understanding and supportive parent in their life? We’re sure you all want your child athlete to be successful at their next meet, right?

So, here are three big mistakes gymnastic parents make in supporting their child mentally and emotionally on the day of competition and what you can to do instead.

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Mistake #1 –Failure to Monitor your Involvement in your Child’s Gymnastics Life –

Do you constantly inquire into how your child’s skills are progressing, continually pressure them to move up through the levels, have overreactions to scores received in a meet, make derogatory remarks about the performances of other gymnasts or overt statements questioning the coach’s ability? These are common signs of parents who have become over-involved in the athletic lives of their children.

What to do Instead – Take a good look at yourself and the behaviors you are exhibiting. Do you think about your child’s best interest or are you taking your child’s successes and failures as though they are personal reflections of your past performance record? Your actions place a great deal of pressure on your gymnast at several levels and are usually destructive in the long run, often resulting in an uptight and unhappy youngster. Remember, this is your child’s activity and their life. They deserve unconditional love and encouragement from you.

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Mistake #2 – Failure to Respect the Rules of Gymnastics Competition –

Have you ever been upset over a score your child received and wanted to confront the judge? Or have you wanted to go down on the floor and talk to the coach about your child’s poor performance? Did you know that you must stay off the competitive areas and away from the judges and other coaches and gymnasts? Infractions of any of the rules may result in your child being eliminated from the competition and sometimes the entire team may be suspended due to the actions of one parent.

What to do Instead – Proper meet etiquette dictates that all spectators, including parents of competing gymnasts, must stay off the competitive floor. Also, no one is allowed to talk to the coaches, judges, or officials. At competitions, if your child is having a “bad” meet let the coach handle it. In fact, who are you to think or to say it is “bad?” Valuable lessons are often learned in situations that you, as the parent, may not fully understand. Let the child learn from their mistakes and learn to cope with adversities.

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Mistake #3 – Failure to Support your Child if their Meet Didn’t Go Well –

After the competition is your child crying? Did they fall off beam three times? Did they get off rhythm in their floor or trampoline routine? The last thing a child needs is a “cold shoulder” from their parent on the ride home from a meet. On the other hand, obsessing over your child’s performance or the outcome of the meet can be detrimental to your child’s emotional state as well.

What to do Instead – Be a grown up and behave as supportive as possible, low-keyed, and cool. We’re not recommending that you restrain all emotions- that would be unnatural, but try to keep it in perspective. Share the pride of effort and accomplishment, but try to avoid slipping into a depressed state when things don’t go right. Try to remember you have a very crucial impact on your child’s attitude at these times and the best way for them to rebound is to provide support and encouragement.

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Bottom Line? – As a parent, you play a crucial role in the life of your child and the more knowledge you have about the issues affecting your competitive gymnast, the better you will be at handling them. You want to help your child, whether they are a beginning competitor or a seasoned performer, both mentally and emotionally to ensure their success during their gymnastics career. Right?

A great way to do that is to get your very own autographed copy of our resource book entitledGymnastics Psychology: The Ultimate Guide for Coaches, Gymnasts and Parents at a very special discount for Tumblebees parents. These autographed copies are available at the front desk of the main gym. If you want to see what the book is all about, go towww.GymnasticsPsychology.com/tumblebeesbook. Plus, as a friend and consultant to Tumblebees for the past 15 years, I am donating $10 per book to the Sally Newton Memorial Fund.

Brought to you by Dr. Joe “Doc” Massimo and Dr. Sue Massimo, dedicating over 100 combined years in the sport as gymnasts, coaches, judges and gymnastics psychologists to help coaches and gymnasts, along with their supportive parents, reach their peak potential in gymnastics and life.