Rookie Coaches Gymnastic Guide »

Since 1981 the American Coaching Effectiveness Program (now the American Sport Education Program) has provided educational opportunities for more than 625,000 coaches, parents, and sport administrators through its multilevel curriculum.

USA Gymnastics is the national governing body for gymnastics. Through its Professional Development Program (PDP), USA Gymnastics is dedicated to providing gymnastics coaches and instructors with the best coaching and teaching information available today.

The Rookie Coaches Gymnastics Guide provides a unique combination of coaching advice and gymnastics information for the entry-level gymnastics coach. This concise book presents the basic principles of coaching and shows you how to teach gymnastics skills to girls and boys.

Developed by the American Coaching Effectiveness Program (now the American Sport Education Program) in cooperation with USA Gymnastics, the Rookie Coaches Gymnastics Guide is devoted to giving developing youth coaches the general coaching and specific sport information they need to be successful. This book details:

- your major responsibilities as a coach,
- the tools required to be an effective coach,
- the communication skills necessary for coaching young gymnasts,
- the steps in planning classes and teaching gymnastics skills,
- the basics for preventing and caring for injuries, and
- ways to protect yourself from legal liability.

In addition, the book gives you essential gymnastics information, including:

- an overview of the sport;
- descriptions for 55 body positions, skills, and terms;
- self-tests and checklists to gauge your knowledge;
- extensive illustrations of basic skills;
- the part-whole method of teaching gymnastics skills;
- sample lesson plans; and
- warm-up stretches.

The book also presents six lessons that feature a floor plan for apparatuses, time allotments for each skill, illustrations of proper techniques, and safety and teaching tips. Lessons cover topics such as balance, moving backward, strength development, coordination, flexibility, and muscular endurance.

By combining the fundamentals of coaching and gymnastics in one resource, the Rookie Coaches Gymnastics Guide provides all the basic information entry-level gymnastics coaches and instructors need to make their coaching experience safe, successful, and enjoyable.

USA Gymnastics is proud to use the Rookie Coaches Gymnastics Guide in its Professional Development Program—workshops, clinics, and seminars that prepare coaches and instructors for the responsibilities of teaching children sport skills.

Unit 1. Who, Me . . . a Coach?
Unit 2. What Tools Do I Need to Coach?
Unit 3. How Should I Communicate With My Gymnasts?
Unit 4. How Do I Prepare My Gymnasts to Participate?
Unit 5. What About Safety?
Unit 6. What Is Gymnastics All About?
Unit 7. What Gymnastics Terms Should I Know?
Unit 8. What Gymnastics Skills Should I Teach?