What should a parent actually do during the college gymnastics recruiting process?

In this episode, Coach Ali Havel talks with her former club coach and recruiting mentor, Tami Shaftsma, about what it really takes to support a gymnast through recruiting without taking the driver's seat.

Tami shares lessons from helping gymnasts find their way to club gymnastics, D3 programs, and D1 schools, including full-ride opportunities.

You'll learn:

• Why communication is one of the most important recruiting skills
• How parents can support without creating additional pressure
• Why your gymnast's sport should be something she does, not who she is
• How to help her identify realistic schools and reach schools
• Why college fit is about more than gymnastics
• How coaches can help gymnasts understand where they currently fit
• Why showing personality can help a gymnast stand out to college coaches
• How to make recruiting feel manageable instead of all-consuming
• Why the fear of putting yourself out there can hold talented gymnasts back
• How parents can help without taking over the process

If your gymnast is starting to think about college gymnastics, this episode will help you approach recruiting with more confidence, perspective, and support.

Episode Summary

College recruiting can feel overwhelming for both gymnasts and parents. Tami Shaftsma joins Ali to share what she's learned from years of coaching and helping gymnasts find the right college fit.

The conversation focuses on communication, athlete ownership, parent support, realistic versus reach schools, finding the right team environment, and showing personality during recruiting. They also discuss how perfectionism and people-pleasing can make gymnasts afraid of disappointing their parents and why creating space for the gymnast to lead is so important.

Timestamps

00:01 Meet Tami Shaftsma
01:16 Tami's college gymnastics journey
02:43 Helping gymnasts find the right fit
03:39 Coaching and leadership today
04:58 Building trust and communication
07:01 The "favorite dinner" communication analogy
09:31 The parent's role in recruiting
09:53 Perfectionism and people-pleasing
10:39 Letting your gymnast drive her journey
12:00 The pressure of disappointing parents
13:53 When a coach doesn't know recruiting
14:59 Questions parents can ask their coach
17:17 Realistic schools vs. reach schools
19:03 Turning goals into actionable progress
21:37 Finding the right personality fit
24:35 How gymnasts can stand out
25:48 Fun Fact Friday and Scoop on Dupe
27:31 Why being yourself matters
28:59 Advice for recruiting parents
30:47 Advice for gymnasts
32:01 Why recruiting is hard for teenagers
33:30 Creating recruiting boundaries
34:46 The Recruiting Power Hour
35:29 GMA's recruiting mindset course
36:21 Final thoughts

Resources

💻 Ready to support your gymnast through recruiting?
Download GMA’s free Recruiting Mindset Playbook for mindset tools and practical strategies to help your gymnast build confidence, trust herself, and take ownership of her college gymnastics recruiting journey.

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