Parents Coach Communication

[cogymmom2dd]

I am just curious. Our gym is very strict about communication with coaches. All communication between parents and coaches it to be done via email via the gym’s email platform. Texting a coach directly is a big no no- unless it has to do with a private lesson- they have to be coordinated through the email but any changes can be done via text, as is asking coaches to help with transportation to/from the gym.
we just vacationed with another family and their DD is a gymnast. Our girls were constantly doing gymnastics on the beach and the mom was constantly texting pictures to her DD’s coach, which I thought was odd. Apparently, this is the norm at their gym and she said her coach helps with transportation to summer practices with her DD also.
We have always been told it’s a safe sport violation to do this, but apparently it’s not according to their gym (next state over from us, same region).
I’m just curious as to what other gyms policies are. I think I would be annoyed as a coach to be receiving gymnastics pics/texts from every parent.

 

[GYM0M]

I don’t think it’s a SafeSport violation for parents to text coaches….unmonitored texting between the coach and the athlete is prohibited, but I’m pretty sure parents can text the coaches.

 

[skschlag]

I think the rides to practice could cross the line, but there are ways around that too.

I have texted my son's coach but usually only related to gym or something he has asked me to do.

 

[amiandjim]

It is against Safesport for a gymnast to be alone with a coach, which is where Safesport would come in to play with rides.

 

[mom2newgymnast]

I personally feel its inappropriate to be texting the coaches all the time unless you have some time sensitive info you need to share. I think a lot of parents were texting my daughter's coach and, either she got sick of it or another parent complained, but they put an end to it recently. We were then told email communication only unless an emergency. Now, I have texted once or twice for important, but not emergency issues, but that's all. I would never send pictures or just text for fun. But I think some team parents are a lot friendlier with the coaches outside of gym and they probably text them a lot.

 

[mommyof1]

One of my daughter’s previous coaches actually preferred that parents communicate by text. I would only text her about logistics—kid is sick and not coming to practice, injury updates, etc.

The current coaches do not give out their cell numbers, and I prefer it that way. I don’t like feeling that I am interrupting their personal lives with text messages and calls. When I call the gym, I know that whoever answers the phone is on the clock.

I believe coaches’ giving rides to gymnasts is a SafeSport violation, but even if it were permitted I wouldn’t go there. I think it blurs the boundaries of the coach/athlete relationship. The coach is not a friend or a babysitter. She is a teacher.

 

[MuggleMom]

I have the coaches number but generally only text about practice related stuff (mental blocks injuries issues at gym etc) I mostly do this because my kid is still not good at speaking to adults so me telling the coach before she tells the coach is very helpful and is helping her get better at talking to her coaches in general.

She is more responsive to text than email so I get the impression she prefers text, but generally speaking I am not sending frequent vaca pictures. I did send a funny video once where I had my kid do a press handstand in the snow and she basically just stuck her face in the snow. It was hysterical and had to be shared

Generally speaking providing a ride seems odd unless the coach and parent were good friends outside of gym (probably before the kid even started gymnastics) Maybe if it was a group of kids but still seems strange to me.

 

[CuriousCate]

I have two of our coaches' phone numbers but only because they wanted updates when my YDD required emergency surgery from a gym injury. I have never used them since or for any other reason. We've been at this gym for 8 years and have never been offered phone numbers as a preferred means of communication. That said, many of the coaches are Facebook friends with a lot of team parents and thus many parents contact the individual coaches for more time sensitive matters (missing practice last minute, running late etc) via facebook messenger since the coaches seem to be quicker to see those versus their gym emails. I have tagged the coaches in cute photo memories or other positive gym-related stuff, but I can't imagine texting them pictures from a vacation.