photo credit Rebecca @ Syked Photography in Edmonton |
In September, Jamie and I traveled to Edmonton to take a weekend clinic with Tony Retrosi. Since adding him on facebook early in 2013 I have become a huge fan of his coaching website Gym Momentum.
I am going to write my thoughts on the phenomenal clinic in the next few days however here is the email interview exchange we had.
How did you get into gymnastics?
I
grew up in upstate NY where I did gymnastics at local YMCA’s . My
mother was the program director. So I was a gym rat.
When
and why did you decide to coach WAG instead of MAG?
Like
many coaches of “my generation” I started teaching gymnastics
classes to help pay for my own training. I taught an equal amount of
boys and girls classes. The place where I worked needed someone who
could spot higher level skills (they loved me for my body not my
brain!) so I started working with a girls team.
When
I was in college I was working out at a private club and teaching
more girls classes and working with a boys developmental team. Again
they used me as a spotter for upper level girl gymnasts. I
eventually finished my own competitive career and transferred to the
University of NH where I took a job coaching at a small private club.
I worked with both the boys and girls teams. Eventually they just
needed me more with the girls teams.
I
still enjoy working with men's gymnastics although I am a little rusty!
Who
was your most memorable and/or inspiring coach as an athlete?
I
was very lucky to have some very good hard working coaches. The coach
who gave me the LOVE of the sport and respect for training was John
Bean in Rome, NY.
One
of the most FUN coaches I have had is Kip Reed.
Kip
is still a friend of mine today and he works for me at Gym Momentum Camps. We recently did a clinic together for the USAIGC in NJ. Sometimes
we get distracted by our own inside jokes!
(like
the time I put a log in his pillow case)
The most influential coaches would be Don Tonry. Former coach at Yale. Taught me that there was a science
to gymnastics.
Dr.
Joseph Massimo. Harvard Sports Psychologist and Coach.
My
Mom. Taught me to work hard.
EVERY
coach who comes to my clinics inspires me.
Memorable
moment as an athlete?
Showing
up to practice and finding out that Coach Bean had died over the
weekend. It was a rough day but it made me realize how much influence
one person can have in your life.
You
teach many clinics and give many talks, do you have a favorite
speaking topic?
Lately I have really enjoyed teaching coaches HOW TO TEACH. A lecture title “Coaches as Educators”. I have been working on a book with the same title. I think there are many coaches who are better technicians than me but so many have forgotten that it really doesn’t matter WHAT you know if you can’t deliver it in a teachable fashion.
Lately I have really enjoyed teaching coaches HOW TO TEACH. A lecture title “Coaches as Educators”. I have been working on a book with the same title. I think there are many coaches who are better technicians than me but so many have forgotten that it really doesn’t matter WHAT you know if you can’t deliver it in a teachable fashion.
Do
you have a clinic or talk that you've attended that has stuck in your
memory or changed how you approached a certain skill or way of
teaching?
I
like to believe that I learn something every day.
Last
year in Calgary I had an epiphany on teaching different Round Offs.
When
did you know you were a career coach?
My
mother gave me pretty good advice when I went to the University. She
said you can always coach- go get a degree in something else. I went
to the University where I majored in History and Psychology and went
to get my Masters in Psychology and secondary Education.
I
thought I was going to be a History Teacher.
Through
all of this I always coached on the side.
As
I developed my first group of elite gymnasts I could not do both so I
focused on coaching.
I
love coaching, the interaction with kids. Teaching school you get
that great kid for 1 year. In the gym I get to grow with them.
How
did you make the decision to open your own gym and work for yourself?
LOL-
Long story short- I was going to be FIRED from the gym I was working
at. It was either open up my own gym or move.
(Andrea here.There is a longer story to this and it is hilarious to hear told by Tony)
What
do think is key to athlete retention?
Gymnastics needs to be FUN and
Challenging. Sometimes you need to help the gymnasts set realistic
and challenging goals and then help them reach them. Every kid is
going to be different. If you have a “cookie cutter” program you
are going to stagnate.
Do
you feel it's different between boys and girls?
Boys mature so much
later I think it is important to focus on the fun aspect of
gymnastics. Teach them how to be “the cool kids” at school
because they can do something others can’t. Guys want to be bad asses
and rebels.
Girls
like to be perfectionists and just blend in. I can’t tell you how
many times I have seen my gymnasts out of the gym and they do
everything they can to NOT be noticed. In the gym they can shine.
Favorite
Olympic moment?
When
Aly Raisman was finishing her floor routine knowing she had locked
the Gold medal in the Team the emotion was right there on the
surface. I still get choked up thinking about it. Brestyan’s gymnastics is
about an hour from me so we see each other at nearly every
competition and training camp. I’ve seen her grow up.
Watching
that routine, my daughter was sitting next to me and we were both had
tears in our eyes.
(when
Maddie, my daughter, asked me why I was getting emotional I told her
it was because she was starting at the University in the fall and
tuition was due. The USA winning Gold is great for our business.)
You
just celebrated 23 years of marriage, how do you keep connected with travel
and coaching hours?
My
wife Stephanie is amazing. Here is something you may not know- We
both do Stand Up Comedy.
She
never laughs at my jokes but her's CRACK me up. When we are home. We
laugh a lot.
When
I am on the road we try to talk every day. Even if it is just a text
message.
Steph
was a coach (which is how we met). So she gets what I do. When I am
at the Ranch (National Team Training Camp in Houston) I never come
home tanned and relaxed. She knows it’s work.
Now
my unsolicited advice to coaches
- Be passionate about coaching. It is a beautiful sport and you get to make a difference in the lives of many, many people.
- Remember that you need to also have a hobby- something to work a different part of your brain. You need to relax so you don’t burn out.
- The most important person you represent is yourself. Be ethical.
- Learn something every day and pass it on.
- It’s not rocket science. Someone has already done it. Stop trying to reinvent the wheel
- Don’t let the kids listen to top 40 POP music in gym. Expand their musical tastes!
Tony is going to be returning to Alberta in March of 2014 for a two and a half day clinic so mark the 24th and 25th on your calendars because this is NOT to be missed. I am currently in the process of creating the registration website and facebook event and will post it up as soon as it is all ready.
Please bear with us as this blog gets up and running. We will be adding to it constantly!
-Andrea
Thank You for taking the time to interview me. I always feel humbled and slightly embarrassed reading about myself. Thinking of better things I should have said. Next time I will just make up stuff to make me seem smarter with a better history!!
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