BG Blog: From competitor to National Coach by Gary Short

Hi, I’m Gary Short , the interim Head National Coach for Trampoline at BG. To mark UK Coaching Week, this blog will talk you through the main responsibilities that comes with my role in the run up to a major event, like the Olympics and how coaching has provided me with a rewarding career so far.

I got into coaching through the coach pathway programme. I was an athlete on the national senior team and when I decided to retire, I swapped my trampoline shoes for a crash mat and took up coaching. I was able to give opportunities to upcoming athletes and draw on my experience as an athlete myself to inform my coaching career and best support the gymnasts. It’s been a great opportunity and I’m thankful to be able to work at the top level of the sport I love, even now I no longer compete.

My coaching style seeks to unlock potential in our gymnasts, whilst shaping them into well-rounded, successful, and resilient people, both on and off the trampoline. The job day-to-day varies depending on what time of year, and what year we are in. As it is the Olympics this summer, my current priority is holistically preparing the athletes for Paris and helping them gain experience at other major competitions in the run up to the Games.

We are doing a lot of routine preparation, looking at the finer margins and trying to help the gymnasts maximise their scoring potential so that they are in the best position possible heading into Paris.?My role also includes making sure the athletes have everything they need going into big competitions, so I will work with support services such as medical staff, physios, sports scientists, nutritionists and media to ensure the gymnasts get the best possible support from all angles.?

At the moment, my priority is working with the senior team, comprising of 3 female gymnasts and 3 male gymnasts in the run up to the Olympics. I also work with the development squad and junior squad (around 40 gymnasts), these gymnasts are usually younger athletes who show a lot of potential and will likely become senior squad members later down the line.??

From now until the Games, athletes who are training for the Olympics will be regularly staying on site at Lilleshall National Sports Centre for training camps.

At Lilleshall, they have access to the best trampolines, equipment and coaches – we’re lucky to be able to provide our top athletes with this level of expertise.

The gymnasts usually jump for two sessions a day, each session being a few hours long. They also do strength and conditioning training to maintain their stamina and make sure they are physically able to deal with the demand of major competitions, and their difficult routines.

The athletes also have sessions with our pathway scientists to help enhance their training, this may include performance analysis, looking at the biomechanics of their routines, or adding certain foods to their diet to optimise their nutritional intake.?

As part of my job, I organise support for the gymnasts on their physical and emotional well-being. Just as important as physical strength and conditioning, it’s vital the athletes work on building a strong mindset when competing in trampoline gymnastics. Sports psychologists work with our gymnasts on handling the pressure of competitions, help them to make quick decisions when in the air, and ensure they are giving everything they can to their competition routine.

Competing at the Olympics is the goal for many of our gymnasts and I am proud to be supporting 3 gymnasts to achieve this, this summer.