Parents Do your coaches use cell phones during meets and practice?

[lilymom]

We've been noticing that our coaches are using their cell phones a LOT at meets (to the point that a couple of the dads started taking pics of him or her using them) Is it me or should they be 100% focused on our kids!? Instead of giving them pep talks or watching them practice or even sometimes instead of watching them compete, they are on their phones.
This has gotten to the point where several of the parents are contemplating changing gyms...we are seeing how involved other coaches are with the kids and feel like that's how it should be. Are we over reacting? How would you deal with this?

 

[sce]

We've been noticing that our coaches are using their cell phones a LOT at meets (to the point that a couple of the dads started taking pics of him or her using them) Is it me or should they be 100% focused on our kids!? Instead of giving them pep talks or watching them practice or even sometimes instead of watching them compete, they are on their phones.
This has gotten to the point where several of the parents are contemplating changing gyms...we are seeing how involved other coaches are with the kids and feel like that's how it should be. Are we over reacting? How would you deal with this?

That sounds bad. If the phone is taking their attention away from the students that is a big issue.

Ours do not use them a lot. But do some. They are very subtle about as I've hardly ever seen them. I did see a coach take a photo once. I've also seen them take video on their phones. I know that if one of them is not at a meet they text each other during the meet with updates. as well, parents are sometimes late and have texted the coach in that regards. Again though, they do this at times when I have never actually seen them on their phones.

Same with practice, I know they've gotten texts or e-mails form parents during practice (about missing practice etc), but I've never sen them on their phones so they read it when it is not taking their attention from the students. When I was helping with uniforms, I had sent some e-mails during practice. I know the coach read them during practice, as he came out and chatted with me briefly in response.

 

[Ali'sMom]

Ours only use them to video the girls for the parents. other than that, they do not have them in their hands.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

What exactly are they doing? If you don't know, you don't know its not related to the meet.

 

[MeetDirector]

The use of cell phones or tablets by coaches (and judges and athletes) at a meet other than to video their athletes is strictly prohibited by USAG Rules and Policies. If the meet directors aren't policing this, bad on them. It can lead to a sanction violation.

During practice it is an issue of safety.

 

[gwenmom]

Ours use a a video or as a timer.

 

[Lovinggym]

Only saw the coach text in between meets, probably for results. Saw them vediotape during practice.

 

[lilymom]

Not sure what they are doing but they are sitting or standing with the faces in the phone for long periods of time (most of the time it's while waiting for our teams turn but I have video of my daughter competing her beam routine with the coach in the background, looking at her phone, typing, whatever the entire time. She didn't look at my daughter ONCE during the entire routine. That only happened once but still it just doesn't seem right.
I understand there is down time during meets but I see other coaches using that time to talk to the girls, help them practice, pump them up, whatever...not do whatever they are doing on the phone. It's upsetting. It is our first experience with this though; are we over reacting?

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Not sure what they are doing but sitting or standing with the faces in the phone for long periods of time (most of the time it's while waiting for our teams turn but I have video of my daughter competing her beam routine with the coach in the background, looking at her phone, typing, whatever the entire time. She didn't look at my daughter ONCE during the entire routine; it's on video. That only happened once but still it just doesn't seem right.
I understand there is down time during meets but I see other coaches using that time to talk to the girls, help them practice, whatever...not do whatever on the phone. It's upsetting. It is our first experience with this though; are we over reacting?

That would be a problem for me.

 

[Lovinggym]

Not sure what they are doing but they are sitting or standing with the faces in the phone for long periods of time (most of the time it's while waiting for our teams turn but I have video of my daughter competing her beam routine with the coach in the background, looking at her phone, typing, whatever the entire time. She didn't look at my daughter ONCE during the entire routine. That only happened once but still it just doesn't seem right.
I understand there is down time during meets but I see other coaches using that time to talk to the girls, help them practice, pump them up, whatever...not do whatever they are doing on the phone. It's upsetting. It is our first experience with this though; are we over reacting?

I would be upset too! There was a coach at DD gym b4, who checked her cell phone during practice constantly. Parents got so upset and complained. Later, that coach left the gym.

 

[my4buffaloes]

Our old gym that was a problem. Hence they are our OLD gym. Not acceptable or safe.

 

[windydays]

We used to have this problem at our gym - coaches texting, checking email or whatever. Not sure what happened, but now we only see tablets and phones being used as a teaching tool!!

 

[Deleted member 14190]

On the flip side, raise your hand if you have ever sent a text to your child's coach during a meet.... .

 

[Canadian_gym_mom]

On the flip side, raise your hand if you have ever sent a text to your child's coach during a meet.... .

Are you kidding? Who texts with coaches?

 

[xxStumpyxx]

I have rarely ever seen coaches use a cell phone during practice or at comps, I have seen them use iPads at comps, to take video's or photo's. The only time have I have seen phones at practice is when coaches use them for timers or take the odd video of a new skill.

 

[Deleted member 14190]

Are you kidding? Who texts with coaches?

PArents 24/7. And yea even at meets ....

 

[Canadian_gym_mom]

PArents 24/7. And yea even at meets ....

I would never even think to. But we have always had coaches who will come out and debrief or call if there is something urgent.

I don't even have dd's coaches cell numbers. Oh I had one because we needed to coordinate things at a meet in the US.

but i think if you are giving out your cell phone numbers to parents it's your own darn fault if they text or call you. And I think cell phones should be off when in the gym period.

 

[my4buffaloes]

Heck no! I only text the coaches if it is essential and try to do it during business hours only, definitely not when I know it is their day off.

 

[Aussie_coach]

I don't understand why the gym is letting this happen. Our coaches are not permitted to have phones on the gym floor.

 

[Lovinggym]

On the flip side, raise your hand if you have ever sent a text to your child's coach during a meet.... .

We don't even know our coach's #. lol.