Page 2 | Any former gymnasts or parents of gymnasts our there?

PurpleRiverIsland · 2020-07-10T21:01:00+00:00

[[https://news.sky.com/story/british-gymnastics-claims-athletes-beaten-into-submission-amid-culture-of-fear-12022525]] I witnessed and was victim of a lot of physical and emotional abuse when I was an elite gymnast at 3 different clubs and from 4 different coaches. I know some of the clubs these girls (speaking out in the media) went to and I’m not surprised at all about the allegations. I’m wondering how prolific it was. What were your experiences of the sport? YABU - I was/am involved in gymnastics and have never seen anything untoward YANBU - I was/am involved in gymnastics and I witnessed physical or emotional abuse. Please comment too if you would like to share your experiences.

tobee · 10/07/2020 22:41

I loved gymnastics as a child. Feel so sad for the young gymnasts and their relatives who experienced this in what should have been a lovely safe flourishing environment. Can't say I'm surprised though thinking about it; especially when you find out what happened in Eastern Europe during communism.

Makes me pretty angry how dreams were ruined/exploited.

Believed podcast about Larry Nassar is fascinating. But, hopefully, a one off.

andannabegins · 10/07/2020 22:44

Thanks @PurpleRiverIsland I feel awful every day for what she went through and even though I tried to make her quit when I knew she wouldn't listen. She once had gastritis really badly for a week because she had been having so much ibuprofen to keep control on her pain that she burnt her stomach. She can never take ibuprofen again.

I just remembered another fun thing. She did a tuck back (back somersault) and landed on her neck. No ambulance was called, she was told to ice it and we were told hours later at pickup. She had such bad whiplash she couldn't shower properly by herself but was still expected to train fully

Mumoftwoyoungkids · 10/07/2020 22:46

I can remember hoping that the car would crash on the way to gym. I never said a negative word about gym to my parents as I knew if I did then they would just stop me going. And I couldn’t bear that. Even though I longed to not have to go. It made no sense.

I wasn’t even very good.

My dh was a junior international at a different sport. He was really shocked when I told him about it as nothing like that happened in the sport that he did even at the top level. (Although it apparently does happen in the country that generally wins Olympic gold at the sport.)

Browntile · 10/07/2020 22:47

Yep my daughter is a gymnast now. I have concerns about how she is treated but actually more how some of the older gymnast are treated in her group (elite). She is petrified of being late to gym, of upsetting her coach in any way. I hate it but she loves it (I get she loves the sport - I did too but was never elite). I watch all 3 hours of every training session like a bloody hawk. I hope her coach is paying v v v close attention to what is coming out now.

RandomMess · 10/07/2020 22:47

My youngest begged to do gymnastics and I refused to let her - mainly because I thought she would be good (my Dad was very gifted) and naturally very slim.

She does Cheer instead which has its dangers but unless she wants to move to the states (ha ha) she is protected from competing anything like a gymnast because it's only a team sport oh and yes it's not recognised as a sport so only compete a handful of times per year etc

RandomMess · 10/07/2020 22:48

My youngest begged to do gymnastics and I refused to let her - mainly because I thought she would be good (my Dad was very gifted) and naturally very slim.

She does Cheer instead which has its dangers but unless she wants to move to the states (ha ha) she is protected from competing anything like a gymnast because it's only a team sport oh and yes it's not recognised as a sport so only compete a handful of times per year etc

andannabegins · 10/07/2020 22:49

@eggboxes I wasn't passive. Like I said I didn't know, she was in a gym for 4-6 hours a day everyday and then at comps. She didn't tell me and when I did know things she played it down or screamed and cried, this was a child who was training to attempt to get to the top level. The coaches saw her more than I did. I begged her to leave. I begged the coaches to help when she was injured and that made it worse. If you haven't been a part of this sport or any elite sport you don't know what it is like.

Perceptionmyth · 10/07/2020 22:49

Just watching the TV reports you'd be forgiven for thinking you were back in the '70's

andannabegins · 10/07/2020 22:51

@browntile I hope she is ok, be aware that you can't necessarily hear what is being said and a lot of my child's stuff was mental.

parrotonmyshoulder · 10/07/2020 22:51

Today 22:46 Mumoftwoyoungkids

I can remember hoping that the car would crash on the way to gym. I never said a negative word about gym to my parents as I knew if I did then they would just stop me going. And I couldn’t bear that. Even though I longed to not have to go. It made no sense.

My experience exactly. I tried falling out of a loft to break my arm. Didn’t work. And when I did have a broken arm, I carried on anyway.

andannabegins · 10/07/2020 22:54

I also found out this week that they were threatened with having their phones locked away so they couldn't call us to pick them up if they were hurting.

I think the big problem with gymnastics is the level they teach at such a young age. Little children competing at a level that usually adults would get to. They trust grown ups as they would do

Original poster

PurpleRiverIsland · 10/07/2020 22:54

@andannabegins it all sounds so familiar. I’m sorry your daughter had these experiences. I might post some of my own at some point. The only people I think could have stopped the abuse was either the gym owner (who needed to be willing to risk their best coach leaving and the medals/top gymnasts going with them - it was so normalised that’s think some of us gymnasts would have gone with the coach thinking there was nothing wrong!) or British gymnastics (who needed to be willing to ban a coach and enforce that ban regardless of how many medals they might win). British gymnastics also need to support softer coaches coming through. I had a really great supportive coach at one stage but he just didn’t seem to be accepted by the BG community.

OP posts:

andannabegins · 10/07/2020 22:54

I also found out this week that they were threatened with having their phones locked away so they couldn't call us to pick them up if they were hurting.

I think the big problem with gymnastics is the level they teach at such a young age. Little children competing at a level that usually adults would get to. They trust grown ups as they would do

Rainbow12e · 10/07/2020 22:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

CyberNan · 10/07/2020 22:56

I have absolutely no experience of this... thankfully I have no talent for sports and nor do my children... it does make you wonder though if other sports are just as abusive... kids sports is serious stuff for those that have talent and if gymnasts hide it, so will other sports...

Mumoftwoyoungkids · 10/07/2020 22:58

My experience exactly. I tried falling out of a loft to break my arm. Didn’t work. And when I did have a broken arm, I carried on anyway.

Fucking hell. Thank you for posting that @parrotonmyshoulder - it’s like maybe I wasn’t the only one to feel like that after all.

Gymnastics is so hard to explain to someone who hasn’t done it. It is basically like a drug. The sensation when you land a new move for the first time. Who doesn’t want to be able to fly?

Original poster

PurpleRiverIsland · 10/07/2020 23:05

@andannabegins I agree with the age thing. They keep calling them ‘athletes’ in the media. That makes them sound like adults but I did my first international competition aged 13. My first National was something like 11 years old. very few continue past 18 in WAG. If BG cared about gymnasts they’d have a lot of support in place purely because of the age at which children are being exposed to the pressure of national and international competition let alone the abuse.

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HGC2 · 10/07/2020 23:05

I agree with you @Mumoftwoyoungkids it’s so hard to understand or explain until you are in the thick of things, it’s like a drug or a cult! I have 2 competitive gymnasts, 1 who competes for their country. They have witnessed abuse from other coaches but it didn’t register with them that it was abuse until this week, up till then it was just the way xx coaches! Horrifying and the fear of being kicked off squad is real

wingingit987 · 10/07/2020 23:05

I went to 2 different I was apart of the county squad and gave up at the age of 13ish.

I went to 2 different gyms the 1st one was very strict, I would be so nervous on the way there I would be sick, this is something that carried on until later life for myself I unfortunately. I still sometimes feel I need to be sick when I'm so anxious. This probably started for e around age 6.

The 2nd one was so easy going you could do what you like.

If I had stayed at the first gym I would've been a better gymnast but tbh I don't know how long would've done it for.

I'm not sure if it still happens but screaming at kids, making them feel scared of you surely is not the right way to coach and even if it gets results doesn't mean it's done the right way.

Pushing someone to be the best they can be and terrifying young girls are 2 different things.

StillGardening · 10/07/2020 23:06

At the gym near us they used to do these brill soft play sessions, and toddlers could go in and use all the equipment during school hours. It was ace and I loved it. The session was run by a lovely lady. We were there once and a young girl / probably 10, was receiving coaching during the toddler session - 2 adults, 1 child. She was obviously amazing at gym. But they were being such bullies to her. I’ve never forgotten - this was about 8 years ago. She was in silent tears And the adults were being rude about her in front of her. Questioning her commitment etc. I didn’t say anything. Felt that it was her parents‘ (who were up in the viewing gallery) decision - as they could see what was going on - even if they couldn’t hear. So I just glared at the adults and carried on. But it has never left me. It was an overweight woman and a younger bloke, and they were poisonous. I’m so sorry for all the young athletes who just love their sport and have had to put up with this.

Camomila · 10/07/2020 23:06

This is so sad Gymnastics was my favourite thing as a DC, I still have the occasional nice dream about my old gym club.
I did gym twice a week from 9 to 16 and then helped out with the little ones in sixth form. It was just a local club in a school hall, and the coaches were kind parents of older girls/ex gymnasts.

I'd happily send DS there but there's a year waiting list! (because its cheap and fun and nurturing)

SusieOwl4 · 10/07/2020 23:07

There are a lot of trolls out tonight .bored of lockdown in their caves . On multiple threads .

RockinRacoon · 10/07/2020 23:08

My daughter does/did advanced gymnastics before lockdown. I'm hoping she doesn't go back to it. She loved it, but I suspect it won't go any further as she was ok, but not outstanding. I also worry about her joints - she had a pulled elbow twice when she was young and hypermobility was suggested! I'm worried about future joint problems. The teachers were mainly nice and nuturing - just a couple were far from it which has been my worry,

Isadora2007 · 10/07/2020 23:08

The acceptance of BG as a whole of poor practice is wrong and tough to even start to unpick. Their recommended training hours are not adhered to and that’s a real shame- it would make life easier and take the pressure off these young girls. Who would let their primary age child have a part time job? No one... yet 15 plus hours per week is standard for competitive gymnasts. And the toll is huge.

wingingit987 · 10/07/2020 23:09

I did fracture my ankle once and I hobbled across the floor one of the other gymnasts actually carried me out as I was is so much pain boa coaches even bothered.