Classroom Management

​Helpful Hints
Coach Brian Keith Shrewsbury

🌟 Coaching Guide: Keeping Classes Engaged, Safe, and ProgressingI want to start by saying how proud I am of our coaching team! 🙌 Everyone is working hard—what follows is not criticism, but a set of supportive strategies to make our great program even stronger. Treat these tips as tools for your coaching toolkit, designed to help with growing classes, classroom management, and high-energy learning.
General Class Management

• 👀 Always position yourself so you can see all students, even when spotting or correcting.
• 🗣️ Gain attention before demonstrating: Use simple cues like “Who’s watching me?” or hands-on-head/hips/ears/mouth to center the group.
• 🛑 Quick, active feedback: Spend 5–10 seconds per child with corrections, then move on so nobody waits too long.
• 🎭 Student demonstrations: If time permits, let students demonstrate stations to show proper rotations and finishes.
• 🔔 Positive recognition: Use scores (1–10), hand out rubber bands, and always highlight what kids are doing well.
• 🎉 Encouraging language: Super! Awesome! Even better than last time! Make sure parents hear your positive words—this shows organization and discipline.
• 🙌 Pace and energy: If the class speeds up or gets loud, you slow down, talk softly, and move smoothly to reset energy levels.
• 👏 Teach what to do, not what not to do: “Straighten your legs, arms up” instead of “Don’t bend your legs.”
• 💬 Call out positive behavior: Sometimes, praise one focused child by name—others will follow!
• 🤸 Have fun: Kids will respect and enjoy classes when you bring joy and maintain structure.

Girls’ GymnasticsFloor (Foundations)

• 🌀 Essential Skills: Forward rolls, backward rolls, cartwheels.
• 🧩 Structure: Line-up, demonstrate, correct down the line, then let each child perform for the group.
• 👍 Encouragement: Celebrate improvements first, then offer feedback.

Vault (Resi Pit & Board Drills)

• 🏃‍♀️ Two Lines: Main line vaults with corrections, second line jumps off the board to stick a landing.
• 🎯 Focus: Body position, safe board contact, confident approaches.

Bars

• 🔗 Main Spotting Line: Spot pullovers, casts, swings.
• 🏋️ Stations in View: Pull-ups, L-hangs, low-bar pullover practice.
• 👀 Visibility: Keep all stations visible and rotate frequently.

Beam

• ➡️ Two Beams: Use moderately high beams for safe group management.
• 👩‍🏫 Coach Placement: Position where both beams are visible.
• 📸 Basics & Demonstration: Walks, kicks, jumps, turns—always demonstrate before kids try.

Boys’ GymnasticsFloor

• 🤸 Key Skills: Forward rolls, backward rolls, cartwheels.
• 🧱 Wall Handstands: Hands on floor, walk feet up wall and hold. Progress to facing wall and kicking up from a lunge.
• 💪 Encourage strength and alignment.

Vault

• 🏃‍♂️ Simple Setup: Use just a springboard and mat; focus straight jumps and stick landings.
• 🔄 Two lines keep pace quick and minimize wait times.

Rings (Ninja Area)

• 🕸️ Multiple boys can work at once. Focus on holds, swings, tuck positions for strength.
• ⛔ No mushroom or pommel horse needed for young boys.

High Bar

• ↗️ Stations like girls’ classes: Spotting line and strength/skill drills in view.

Parallel Bars

• 🧱 Safety Block: Place a block under bars so children can mount, swing, and land safely.
• 👫 Two Groups: Split class; focus on swings in the center, drop to block to stick dismount.
• ✔️ That’s all needed for parallel bars at this stage.

Final Reminders for Coaches

• 🌈 Stay positive and encouraging: Recognize effort and progress, not just results.
• 🔋 Model high energy: Kids mirror your focus and enthusiasm.
• 🛡️ Safety always comes first: Monitor every child, especially with multiple stations.
• 🏗️ Return to basics frequently: Strong skills in rolls, cartwheels, pullovers lead to faster progress in advanced areas.
• ✨ Fun + Structure = Results: An organized, positive class keeps kids and parents excited about gymnastics.

Closing NoteYou are all doing an awesome job! Each strategy here helps us unite as a coaching team, supporting every child’s journey. Thanks for your care, hard work, and spirit—let’s keep classes engaging, safe, and full of progress and smiles! 🌟💪🤸