Coaches Discouraged in job search

[Gymcoachdrew]

I recently separated from a previous gym because I didn’t agree with the direction management has been driving. I’ve been applying to gyms non-stop in both my college town and the city I’m from. I coached USAG DP level 3 for 4 years and levels 4-6ish for almost 2 years. I’ve applied to at least 9 gyms (admittedly 2 aren’t actually hiring right now) but no luck. I love coaching and all the parents from my previous gym love me. Do these gyms think I’m just too inexperienced? One gym wouldn’t even hire me for REC CLASSES. The old gym is only my second job ever so I don’t have any experience outside this particular gym. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[ORgymmom]

Come to the Pacific Northwest if you can handle the cost of living. The gyms I know have been working for years for coaches at all levels, but compulsory seems to be a weak spot, rec has constant churn, and anyone who can touch optionals gets poached by neighboring gyms every two years (or so it seems). There are gyms out here with full-time hours, health insurance, etc and they’re still desperate for coaches.

Assuming you have done everything right and are not a shady creep or just technically ignorant, consider the possibility that other gyms have a beef with your old gym and/or a silent understanding that they don’t touch each others’ coaches. It might have nothing to do with you.

You sound young enough that you might want to think seriously about geographic flexibility to get access to more gyms,

 

[Coach Kate]

I know at a lot of gyms, they set their competitive coaches by levels so there may not be a need for DP coaches right now - of a gym already has a level 4/5 coach, for example, they may just not have the numbers for another.

Not hiring for rec seems wild though.

 

[ryanolympian]

Male coaches are needed in gymnastics to do the heavy lifting and spotting. Lower levels usually don’t require as much so they can get by with high school gymnasts and even gym moms. It’s an imperative that you can at least demonstrate your ability to perform the skills and tougher spotting work. If you can, get yourself to a gymnastics conference and do some workshops and networking. It goes without saying, you also need all your CPR/AED, and safety certifications; the USAG membership current.