WAG Coach/Judge Parent/Judge

[kandkfunk]

I love it Marge Simpson! My DD and I are both studying to become judges. I won't judge her because she's an optional, but I don't foresee an issue with judging the compulsory gymnasts from her gym. I love gymnastics and sports in general. I love learning new things and I'm looking forward to the process. This is my way of staying involved in the sport long after her journey is finished and preparing myself for when she is an adult and I no longer have to fill my time as a mommy taxi.

 

[Midwestmommy]

In business it is called conflict of interest, and can get you fired or possibly in a civil or criminal legal scrape, depending on what type of business you are in and the laws regulating it. In government is is called corruption. In those arenas it is formally recognized that bad things happen when people put themselves in a compromising position and the compass for the "right thing to do" gets a little off balance.

The old adage, that power corrupts hold true across history in little ways and tiny ways. And people with lots of power can get to thinking, hey I have a track record of success or results or profit, so the rules don't appply to me. Power corrupts ethics and morals, it repeats itself in history over and over again. That's one of the reasons in the U.S. we have three branches of government.

In sports it's called business as usual. Some sports are worse than others, but doubtful it is going away any time soon, we all gotta slog through the best we can.

For example, the gym that hires a judge to score kids out to a next level. The gym is paying the judge. The judge knows what they want. They judge wants to be invited back. The gym is big with a track record of successful options, so they don't feel the rules apply to them, they want to move kids up as they see fit. See? Teeny little slippages in ethics.... Happens all the time in sport. Some problems are worse than others. Let's see, judges given the benefit of the doubt to gyms that hire them and hammering another gym. Getting judged by your own family members or coaches, that has conflict of interest painted all over it. But so does a brother being a ref at their sibling's soccer game, etc. Bribery and murder in foreign governments, some of which have nuclear weapons or have terrible human rights records. Some problems are bigger than others, but yes it's frustrating when it impacts your team or kid.

 

[Deleted member 14190]

Not a big deal, just the reality unless everyone wants to become a judge so there are more choices for each meet.

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Not a big deal until it's a big deal.... And I have seen some big deals.

 

[gymdog]

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Not a big deal until it's a big deal.... And I have seen some big deals.

Okay, but I'm sure in this case we're talking about a compulsory meet. I realize this can be disappointing, but I doubt it was a limited scenario like picking people for JO nationals. Not trying to belittle anyone (hey, I coach compulsories too), but there's nothing I can do about it in most cases so it's not my focus. The focus should be on teaching gymnastics. For the children and families, the focus should be on learning gymnastics. That's where the true benefits of the sport are, not in one days worth of scores.

 

[Gymsanity]

'The focus should be on teaching gymnastics. For the children and families, the focus should be on learning gymnastics. That's where the true benefits of the sport are, not in one days worth of scores.'
Oh how I wish it were just that easy. 'For the children and families, the focus should be on learning gymnastics.' That would be called the recreational class program. Unfortunately, the competitive program is, how should I say this? Competitive. In a perfect world we wouldn't even need judges, right? Who likes to be judged anyway? As long as each child tried their best and had fun, they should get a first place award. God knows it would make my life easier, but that's not how it works for me. In my world, I need to produce healthy, happy, gymnastically successful kids, or I will be out of business. This is what the parents are paying for, and what they expect from me. If I don't produce, then they are going to look for someone else who does. I learned a long time ago from a very good coach that 'it's hard for them to leave when they are winning.' It's been a valuable and true lesson. So while I try and keep my and the girls/parents focus off of scores, the reality of the situation is that they DO matter. Whether I agree or disagree, that's just the facts of the matter. So yes, I do want to feel like I've had a fair day in court.

 

[CAGymmie]

If you think about it, it might not be fair for one meet, but in the long run it all evens out. A coach will judge their own gymnasts at one meet, and at the next meet, a different coach will judge their own gymnasts.