What do you do when someone just wont listen?
So, I'm gonna start with-I never get in trouble. Until I start getting comfortable with people.
Yesterday I got sent home from practice (gymnastics) for grumbling about the coach a little too colorfully, and giving her 'attitude'.
I did not say anything about her within earshot, and the attitude was because she broke my one rule. I hate it when people cheer for me. it messes with my head, and scares me. we were showing routines and she was making the whole group cheer for me, and said it didn't matter when they pointed out that I really did not like it. I was furious.
Every time I think things are getting better at practice, they get bad again. The biggest competition of the year starts tonight, and I just cant let it go. I am at the end of my coping abilities.
It does not help that I like the girls that I train with, and she has been kinda terrorizing everyone lately. she will make them go over and over until they do a skill, even if they are terrified, often saying that they have to go without mats or spotting. this is not a sport where that works. the last time I went for a skill and was that scared, I fell on my head. and I got up and she told me to go again, and to never fall that way again.
I dont trust the coach, I dont respect her, and she doesnt appear to respect any of us. I was thinking of writing her a letter, calmly stating why how she is dealing with situations is not helping, but I am almost positive that that will make her more angry then she already is. Essentially, it looks like I cannot try to fix things unless I decide to leave.
oh, and the last time someone did something to make her really angry, she kicked them out.
I just don't know what to do.
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We do not start as dust. We do not end as dust. We make more than dust. That's all we ask of you: Make more than dust.
- David Levithan
What level are you competing in? If you're going to state or national level competitions then you have to be able to perform under various stressors, like people cheering for you. I don't know if your coach is trying to get you prepared for that when she does the things she does, but any athlete has to deal with outside pressures to succeed at the highest level.
Have you had other coaches before? Before you decide to find a new one, try to see if you wouldn't have the same challenges with someone else, too.
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Everything would be better if you were in charge.
I am usually fine at competition, as long as my teammates are not yelling my name, everyone else is too far away and gets lost in the chaos. I get that I need to get used to it, but forcing it upon me right before the last competition of the year was not something I needed. Everyone I train with is already pretty stressed and she made about 1/2 the group break down last night. and it is not just recently that things are problematic. whenever anyone tries to compromise with her she just says no, with no (or almost no) reasoning.
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We do not start as dust. We do not end as dust. We make more than dust. That's all we ask of you: Make more than dust.
- David Levithan
