How to Become a Gymnastics Coach

People often tend to forget that coaches are needed even with individual sports like gymnastics. While gymnastics teams may win as a team, athletes strive first to win individually. Gymnastics coaches must work with each athlete as well as with the entire team. They need to balance team goals with individual goals.

Instructions

    • 1

      Gain experience in gymnastics. Coaches are teachers so they must understand the concepts, fundamentals and goals of the sport. Some of your knowledge is acquired through gymnastics books, instructional videos and from word of mouth. However, you need first-hand experience to truly grasp the sport. Most gymnastics coaches are former athletes who competed at a high level (high school, college, professional). In very rare circumstances they competed or coached in the Olympics.

    • 2

      Study the human range of emotions and personalities. No two people are exactly alike. Therefore it's difficult to reach one athlete in the same way you may reach another. Athletes respond to criticism differently and also learn in different ways. Basic knowledge of psychology will allow you to reach members of the team more effectively. In gymnastics a lot of your teaching and instruction will be one-on-one with a particular athlete. Understand their needs and how you can effectively communicate with them.

    • 3

      Intern or volunteer as an assistant gymnastics coach. Head coaches are rarely hired without previous experience as an assistant coach. The formula is simple. Start out small as an assistant gymnastics coach and learn the process and nature of coaching the sport. Study the way your head coach operates. Study how they work with the entire team. Study how they work one-on-one. What does she do well? How does she communicate effectively? Learn from others who do the job well and you'll also improve your skills.

    • 4

      Apply at a local youth center or high school that provides gymnastics. Youth centers are more than willing to hire head coaches, especially if they have previous experience as a gymnastics coach or a strong resume as an athlete. This is a great place to begin as a head coach. If you have a few years of experience as an assistant at the high school level or were a college athlete, consider applying for an open position at a high school.

    • 5

      Learn all the different areas of gymnastics and specialize in one specific area. Gymnastics are a lot like track and field, because many different activities and competitions fall under the sport. You will improve your odds of getting hired if you have a very diverse level of knowledge and can teach a wide range of competitions. However, diverse coaches must also focus on one competition that they coach very well. Often this is the competition they competed in while in high school, college, etc. Some head coaches will be experts with beams, rings or floor exercises. Often they will hire assistant coaches who excel in another type of competition to ensure a complete gymnastics team.