Parents Do coaches know you?

[MILgymFAM]

My DD has been on her new team for a bit over 3 months now. I stopped in to try and pay meet fees today (unsuccessfully- they don’t take debit cards) and tried to say hi to two of my DDs coaches. Neither had any idea who I was and I realized that they’ve never spoken to me before. I know hands off is good, but I’ve always been friendly with my girls’ coaches (downright friends a few times) and it struck me as funny. Then I thought maybe it was funny how well I knew all the previous coaches. So, would your kid’s coaches recognize you to speak to you at all?

 

[raenndrops]

Lol, our coaches know me...
The coaches of all the teams we compete against know me by name even. I am FB friends with 1 or 2.
And the 3 main coaches where we do open gym know me (I am even FB friends with 2 of them).

Every gym I have visited, parents are greeted by name by at least 1 coach.

 

[triplethreat+1]

All the team coaches and a few of the rec ones know me. Although I will say our newest team coach (just over a year here) probably didn't recognize me until he started coaching my DDs this summer (he did co-coach my one dd but just for a few weeks last summer). We've been going to this gym (rec /team) for three years.

 

[3gymgirlsmom]

well all our coaches (know me , but my older girls are rec coaches plus we have been at the gym now for 11 years )

 

[John]

They know me our gym is small. This morning the hc/owner sat next to me this morning and said does Dani, DD name, have her competition Leo and you know we have a mock meet next Saturday. I said yes yes and how is she doing. He responded great stood up took two steps turned around and said ask me again next Saturday. All this with a Bulgarian accent.

 

[jillc]

My DDs has been with her current coaches since June.

The main coach -- I am not positive she knows my name, but she for sure knows which kid is mine. She would probably stop and talk to me in a situation like you described.

I think her 2nd coach would probably recognize me, but might not know exactly which kid was mine. He would say hi, but doesn't seem like the type to strike up a conversation.

They sometimes have other coaches helping, they have no idea who I am -- and I can't keep them straight either.

But I am new to all of this so I don't have anything to compare it to!

 

[MILgymFAM]

Interesting. I guess it IS a little weird that they have no clue who I am. The team is really small, so it’s not size. I just haven’t had a reason to speak to them really, and parents don’t watch... and they don’t give updates or anything, or have parent meetings. I am fairly sure that they could go the whole rest of my DDs high school time and never meet me. Ha. I don’t know that I mind or anything, but it feels weird.

 

[MILgymFAM]

I wanted to add that since my DD was 15 when joining the gym she went in by herself to ask for a trial, made the decision to join, and worked out her level with her coaches herself. I have actually literally never spoken to them.

 

[profmom]

I think it's just different personalities. Heck, we have a guy who comes in for a week or so once a year to work out, and our coach always says hi to him and his mom when we're at the same meets with them.

 

[RTT2]

Yes. Despite being an introvert, I'm really talkative so I know the coaches and a bunch of parents across levels- I like learning everyone's story! I'm sure at a big gym it's tough to get to know the coaches when they aren't outside of the gym much, or when your child is old enough to mostly be dropped off and picked up without you needing to be in the gym.

 

[MILgymFAM]

I think it's just different personalities. Heck, we have a guy who comes in for a week or so once a year to work out, and our coach always says hi to him and his mom when we're at the same meets with them.

Maybe to an extent, but to say hi to th parents they would have to know who they are first. It just never occurred to me before how hands off being hands off could really be.

Yes. Despite being an introvert, I'm really talkative so I know the coaches and a bunch of parents across levels- I like learning everyone's story! I'm sure at a big gym it's tough to get to know the coaches when they aren't outside of the gym much, or when your child is old enough to mostly be dropped off and picked up without you needing to be in the gym.

I’m an introvert too, but try to go out of my way to get to know people. I’ve only ever seen 3 parents (and that’s been once or twice for a few seconds) and the coaches from across the gym. One of the coaches I couldn’t even pick out of a lineup yet. Maybe meets will change this as they’ll see me with my kid so they can mentally associate who I am. Otherwise I’m just a stranger in a crowd.

 

[FlippinPrincess]

I know all of our team coaches and they know me. We are in a small gym so it's much easier. My dd is also young so we are not even close to her being able to handle everything on her own like your daughter has done. Nice to know she will do so well without you - parenting win!

 

[MILgymFAM]

I know all of our team coaches and they know me. We are in a small gym so it's much easier. My dd is also young so we are not even close to her being able to handle everything on her own like your daughter has done. Nice to know she will do so well without you - parenting win!

That’s a nice way of looking at it- I do value their independence. Thanks for the perspective!

 

[amiandjim]

DD is a level 3 at a moderate size gym...150 JO girls plus 50ish Xcel. We have been there a little over a year. All 4 level 3 coaches, the level 4-6 coaches, and the owner/head coach knows me and who my daughter is...our head coach cultivates a family atmosphere that’s great! Last weekend he had the annual parent mixer at his house and I was impressed that he genuinely seemed to know every parent!

 

[MILgymFAM]

Ok, so am I being too hands off? Should I somehow attempt to meet the coaches or owner? Or do I wait until I actually have a need, if ever?

 

[MILgymFAM]

DD is a level 3 at a moderate size gym...150 JO girls plus 50ish Xcel.

That’s huge to me! DDs gym has about 25-30, all levels combined of JO and Xcel. Her last gym had about 20 across all levels, the one before that had about 12 total.. you get the picture.

 

[FlippinLilysMom]

The coaches better know me, they are technically my bosses!! And I'm at the gym so often that I know all the coaches very well, consider them all good friends (some are as close as family). I love all the coaches and team girls and family members, we are a very close knit group and it's always very sad when someone leaves.

 

[FlippinLilysMom]

My daughter and I traveled to Chicago with her head coaches over the summer to watch the HOPES championships, it was a time I will always remember!!

 

[raenndrops]

Ok, so am I being too hands off? Should I somehow attempt to meet the coaches or owner? Or do I wait until I actually have a need, if ever?

I would attempt to meet them... Just so they know who you are

 

[triplethreat+1]

Ok, so am I being too hands off? Should I somehow attempt to meet the coaches or owner? Or do I wait until I actually have a need, if ever?

Remember what you're comparing to... A lot of us have dds under 12 years (or started at the gym when they were younger). I know my kids teachers quite well, but I don't expect to once they are in high school. I'm quite sure my teachers in high school would not have been able to pick my parents out (ok so they had more than 30 students but still). I would think it's not too weird that you haven't really met them yet. Presumably you will at meets or gym functions, eventually.