Self-esteem is how gymnasts feel about themselves. It is shaped by both their successes in life and competitions and positive interactions with others including coaches, teammates and parents. Again, it is prudent for coaches to make an effort to do whatever it is that they can to boost every gymnast's self-esteem.

Gymnasts See Themselves as Mirrored by Those Around them

A gymnast's self-image refers to how they see themselves fitting into the world and the gymnastics world. To a great extent a gymnast's image of themselves is molded by the responses of others around them including their teammates, parents and coaches.

Fate is a Factor

To a great extent a gymnast's experiences in life are the primary factor. There is no possibility for escaping all of the effects of heredity, talent levels, body type and just plain good or bad luck. But coaches and parents can and do have a strong effect on self-image, self-esteem, and therefore, the self-confidence of their gymnasts. And coaches should encourage gymnasts in the effort to build their teammates self-confidence.

#1 - A Team Effort to Build Up Gymnasts

A gymnast's view of themselves and feelings about themselves strongly affects their learning, motivation and competition performances. A coach or parent can help their gymnast develop a positive self-image by caring about them unconditionally, pointing out to them their abilities and talents and help them to celebrate their successes.

#2 - Cheers - Where Everyone Knows Your Name

Your gymnasts will be too young to remember the above reference to the TV show from before their time, but the sentiment will still be important to them. Everyone likes for people to recognize them and to be addressed by their name. Calling all your gymnasts by their name shows them you have respect for them and lets them know you have taken the time to get to know them.

#3 - Pay Attention and Show an Interest in Their Life Outside the Gym

Gymnasts have a life outside of the gym, which primarily revolves around their family and school. The smart coach will ask gymnasts about their family, their friends and their other interests and activities. Even more importantly, coaches will listen carefully and show gymnasts that they care enough to remember what gymnasts have talked about and said is important to them.

#4 - Play One on One

You can build gymnasts self-esteem and confidence by doing them the honor of paying them personal and individual attention before, during and after practice. Personal attention implies respect and that you value them enough to spend your valuable time with them.

#5 - Catch Them Doing Something Right

It is common practice for coaches to pick out and point out gymnast's faults. And while in the short term criticism can help gymnasts quickly figure out what they are doing incorrectly, in the long run if they only hear what they are doing wrong, it will negatively affect their confidence. It should be equally easy for coaches to pick out what gymnasts are doing right, reinforce and build on their successes and increase their confidence and self-image.

#6 - Get the "Goods ? on your Gymnasts

Coaching in a positive manner and building up gymnasts by praising what they do well, recognizing when they make a good effort, reward their good behavior and compliment their good performances. If you spend more time catching and acknowledging what they do right - all their "goods ? - you will find they make even faster progress and have more confidence.

#7 - Learning from Mistakes Allows Progress

Gymnasts need to know from their coaches that they are allowed to make mistakes. Encouraging them after a mistake will make the learning process go more quickly and lets gymnasts know they don't have to be perfect all the time during the learning process.

#8 - Gymnasts are V.I.P.'s

In the rush to use what limited practice time there is to learn new skills and perfect and polish routines, it is easy for coaches to fail to transmit to their athletes that they are a valuable person to the team. Gymnasts are special people who devote up to six days per week year-round practicing. No gymnast could even be on any gymnastics team if they were not in the top one percent of people in general and also the top few percent of all gymnasts. It is important that the coach makes them aware of how important they are and that they continue to feel important as a gymnast.

#9 - Unconditional Acceptance

Feeling accepted by the coach and on the team should never depend only on a gymnast's performance or competition results. In a similar way to how parents should accept their children with unconditional love, coaches who have chosen team members to be in their gymnastics "family ? should show acceptance of that gymnast. This is not to say that a coach has to approve of everything that a gymnast does, but they need to accept them as a person and as a member of their team.

#10 - Show You Believe in Them

When coaches expect that their gymnasts will perform to a high level, gymnasts rise to that level of expectation. The opposite is also true. When gymnasts perceive by even small actions and mannerisms of their coach that they are not expected to do well, they do not do well. This has been firmly established scientifically for teachers of all kinds. Make sure that you firmly believe and demonstrate to your gymnasts in every way that you expect that they are going to be successful gymnasts.