WAG Coach Issues

[TheXcelMom]

She is not going to approach me again.

That's the good news.
She's a liar. She knew. But she's out of your life.

 

[Xcelgymnast_Lynn]

That's the good news.
She's a liar. She knew. But she's out of your life.

Yea. Not really out of my life. But my mom said she will draft a lawsuit if she doesn't listen to me.

 

[TheXcelMom]

Yea. Not really out of my life. But my mom said she will draft a lawsuit if she doesn't listen to me.

GO MOM!

 

[Xcelgymnast_Lynn]

GO MOM!

Yea, on my side completely for once.

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

So my mom spoke to the coach. Apparently she was "unaware of my mental status and emotional situation" otherwise she would have been more mindful. Apparently she is not going to approach me again. I'm going to just give it another try for now I guess with the support of teammates.

.... despite her being at the meeting where it was discussed, and witnessing you passing out during a practice?

I hope all turns out well, but remain on guard. I heartily encourage you to be ready to:

1) Do your best to get comfortable saying "I do not feel comfortable doing that," and then standing your ground. If that doesn't work, you can simply say "no," with no further elaboration. If you need to, physically leave the area and situation, even if it means walking out to the lobby in the middle of practice.
I know it's really hard and scary in the moment, but I promise you that getting comfortable saying "no" under pressure is an extremely important skill in many situations, not just in gym, but in life.

2) If the coach in question pushes you to do something you do not feel safe doing, do the following:
-Tell her you don't feel safe doing it.
-If she pushes you to do it anyway, refuse (see #1) and escalate if you need to; if the coach doesn't handle the issue, ask your mom to take it to the program director. If that doesn't fix it, talk to the owner. If that doesn't work, talk to safe sport. If that doesn't work, bail from that gym without looking back.

 

[Trying_to_tumble]

Yea, on my side completely for once.

I'm glad things are improving for you. That situation was abusive to say the least

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

Yea. Not really out of my life. But my mom said she will draft a lawsuit if she doesn't listen to me.

Consider me a member of your mom's fan club

 

[ldw4mlo]

If you had passed out at my daughter’s gym you would noy be allowed back into gym without a doctors note. And it would need to be spelled out what you could and couldn’t do

 

[ldw4mlo]

PS my goddaughter has POTS. You all are rock stars. And the gym needs to know what you specifically can and can not do, from a medical professional.
It is not unreasonable or abusive

 

[ldw4mlo]

FYI, my goddaughters POTS didn’t “interfere” with her life, until this fall, when she ended up in the hospital unable to walk or use her hands. Please take care of yourself. You need a specialist. My goddaughter is finally walking mostly without crutches 3 months out from her critical episode. And she is not anywhere back to pre episod. Please take care of yourself

 

[TheXcelMom]

If you had passed out at my daughter’s gym you would noy be allowed back into gym without a doctors note. And it would need to be spelled out what you could and couldn’t do

As the OP stated, she had a meeting with all coaches and handed them all a list.

 

[ldw4mlo]

As the OP stated, she had a meeting with all coaches and handed them all a list.

She has no doctors note or specifics. A list from her and her mom. That is not medically cleared. At our gym without an actual note from the doctor she would not be allowed in the gym.

Do you have any idea what POTS is?

 

[ldw4mlo]

Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)

POTS is diagnosed only when orthostatic hypotension is ruled out and when there is no acute dehydration or blood loss.

www.hopkinsmedicine.org

 

[TheXcelMom]

She has no doctors note or specifics. A list from her and her mom. That is not medically cleared. At our gym without an actual note from the doctor she would not be allowed in the gym.

Do you have any idea what POTS is?

Yeah. My best friend’s kid has it and I know how hard it is to diagnose.
Thanks for the helpfulness.

 

[ldw4mlo]

I haven't seen a doctor specializing in POTS since my diagnosis just over a year ago. Since my bad episodes are so few and far between we don't find it necessary since the waitlist for the single doctor for POTS in our area is years long.

I don’t know where you live. But having recently worked at John Hopkins at a POTS specialty facility and having a relative officially diagnosed recently elsewhere and waitlisted elsewhere by a few month. Without specifics, years would be a stretch. Please find help

 

[Kara]

While I agree that OP needs to find a doctor to better deal with her POTS and that she should have an official note from said doctor filed with the gym; I have actually gone to the specialist that she is speaking of and he does indeed have a years long wait list, so she isn't wrong there.

 

[JBS]

But my mom said she will draft a lawsuit if she doesn't listen to me.

Ok... sounds like we have a solution here. I am going to close this thread with a final note. Please report things to Safe Sport if needed...

USA Gymnastics | USA Gymnastics Safe Sport

usagym.org