My daughter's coach is very hard to get along with. I'm wondering if it's possible for my daughter to be successful in gymnastics, with this gym if I am very hands-off/uninvolved. The other parents are very involved, sit and chat at practices, suck up to the coach, are very fake, "love" everything that goes on. I do not agree with that and will share my thoughts (when asked). I don't expect everyone to agree, but if asked, I do expect things to be democratic. This doesn't pertain to gymnastics, I let the coach deal with this, but the coach says she is all about "team" and "family". However, when it comes down to it, she is very controlling and does not really want feedback unless it is in favor of her ideas.
An example, coach chooses "team building" events that she is interested in, not the girls. An upcoming outing, most of the girls do not want to do, but neither the kids nor the parents will say anything. This is something that will cost us money and take away practice time. My daughter has said that she is not going to do it. And it is not something that I feel comfortable making her do. I think coach is hearing or feeling something because she has asked, in a group message, for us to at least let our girls show up to the event for pictures. This would mean I would drive 30 minutes to the gym, stay for 10 minutes or however long it takes to get a few group pictures and drive 30 minutes home. This is not the best use of my time.
I'm the only parent, though, that will speak up and say how I feel. Even though several of the parents will privately tell me that they do not agree with certain events that the team does or how things occur with the team. As far as gym goes, random days, about 2-3 a month, coach will call off practice with no makeup. The parents are always talking about this, but when I asked about making up the practice, they slammed me in our group message. Another recent situation involved the new uniforms. When leotards for this year were ordered, the coach sent out a group message that showed the leotards and wanted to know thoughts. I told her that my daughter said they looked really uncomfortable (long sleeve with a strange band for the cuff). There was a lot more that I wanted to say because neither my daughter nor I liked them. I received a private message telling me that she was the coach and she was the one that was in charge of making the decisions. I also received private messages from some of the moms stating they really did not like the leotards and wondered who chose them. In the group message, though, everyone was just "loving" the new leotards (except me).
Just to clarify, I know that I may not always be the easiest person to get along with, but I do not agree with saying one thing to one person and telling others the opposite. When I share my ideas or opinions, I do so respectfully. I do know that it is the coach's team and she makes many of the important decisions.
So, do you think that my daughter could be successful with this team (there are no other options within an hour driving distance, one way) if I simply stay out of the picture? I plan to go to meets and support my daughter, however, I can, but I am really struggling with being cordial to the coach.
An example, coach chooses "team building" events that she is interested in, not the girls. An upcoming outing, most of the girls do not want to do, but neither the kids nor the parents will say anything. This is something that will cost us money and take away practice time. My daughter has said that she is not going to do it. And it is not something that I feel comfortable making her do. I think coach is hearing or feeling something because she has asked, in a group message, for us to at least let our girls show up to the event for pictures. This would mean I would drive 30 minutes to the gym, stay for 10 minutes or however long it takes to get a few group pictures and drive 30 minutes home. This is not the best use of my time.
I'm the only parent, though, that will speak up and say how I feel. Even though several of the parents will privately tell me that they do not agree with certain events that the team does or how things occur with the team. As far as gym goes, random days, about 2-3 a month, coach will call off practice with no makeup. The parents are always talking about this, but when I asked about making up the practice, they slammed me in our group message. Another recent situation involved the new uniforms. When leotards for this year were ordered, the coach sent out a group message that showed the leotards and wanted to know thoughts. I told her that my daughter said they looked really uncomfortable (long sleeve with a strange band for the cuff). There was a lot more that I wanted to say because neither my daughter nor I liked them. I received a private message telling me that she was the coach and she was the one that was in charge of making the decisions. I also received private messages from some of the moms stating they really did not like the leotards and wondered who chose them. In the group message, though, everyone was just "loving" the new leotards (except me).
Just to clarify, I know that I may not always be the easiest person to get along with, but I do not agree with saying one thing to one person and telling others the opposite. When I share my ideas or opinions, I do so respectfully. I do know that it is the coach's team and she makes many of the important decisions.
So, do you think that my daughter could be successful with this team (there are no other options within an hour driving distance, one way) if I simply stay out of the picture? I plan to go to meets and support my daughter, however, I can, but I am really struggling with being cordial to the coach.
