Parents First Parents meeting / progress meeting

[Ex member]

My youngest dd's coach has arranged a group meeting to be held during her next session, it is to discuss future changes and progress, we will be given an opportunity to ask any questions we may have .

As this is the first meeting of this kind I have attended do you have any tips, any do's or don'ts and have any questions that I have not thought of, so far I have come up with:

What type of group is it? Rec or Competitve?
Will they get any extra sessions?
Will they work towards grades?
Will they work towards competitions?
Will there be any changes to practice times during main school holidays?
Who to contact incase of illness etc?
Will they be expected to condition at home?
Will they stay in this group or eventually got moved into a different group?

 

[IreneKa]

All good questions, don't have anything to add. Good luck! Let us know how it goes!

 

[Galadriel]

How did it go?

 

[Rapunzel]

Good questions, I hope you get some clarity. I'd maybe ask about the BG memberships, if they do increase sessions will the cost/hour reduce? Will they have reviews/parents meeting after this one, or what is the best way to talk to coaches -before/after sessions? By phone/appointment?

 

[Ex member]

How did it go?

Dd is not at gym until next thursday, she only has 1 session a week..

Good questions, I hope you get some clarity. I'd maybe ask about the BG memberships, if they do increase sessions will the cost/hour reduce? Will they have reviews/parents meeting after this one, or what is the best way to talk to coaches -before/after sessions? By phone/appointment?

Thanks for the suggestions

BG Membership - I will ask as dd has been upgraded to Silver Club Competitive with the rest of her group. I will ask why they have been upgraded.

Will ask what is the best why to a have chat to coach with any issues that might arise - will it be best before, after the session or be best to make an appointment.

Will ask they will have any other parents meetings throughout the year, wouldn't expect too many, once a term would be ideal.

I will jot down all the questions that I can think of including the suggestions on this thread, I am going to look a right nutter sitting there going through my questions and writing down the answers in my notebook during the meeting.

This is a group meeting about future changes and progress as well as an oppertunity to ask questions so I cannot see the coach saying anything too personal about individual children, the progress reports will probably be sort of group related, if the was sonething more personal about an individual childs progress then I should imagine the coach would have arranged a one to one meeting.

 

[Flossyduck]

If they've called a meeting with you all to discuss future changes and progress then it sounds as though many of your questions will get answered, but if not it's a good list.
I'm one of those people who always thinks of a hundred questions after leaving a meeting, so you're doing the right thing.

Good luck.

 

[Rapunzel]

Have you had the parents meeting yet? How did it go?

 

[Ex member]

Paretnts evening went ok...

Started off with saying how proud the coach was with the group and how well they were doing with their strenth and flexibility despite only going one a week.

We were given info on homework diaries, we have to buy a note book and that has to be taken in to gym everytime they go so they coach can give them so work to do at home, we have been told that we have to really encourage them to do the set homework as they are behind where they should be at their age according to british gymnastics and the coach wants them to catch up to be ready to compete at the part end of the year.

All the new girls are still on a trial and the will all be tested again in 3 months (they were tested last week) and if they have stayed the same of got worse we will be called in for a meeting to discuss ways to help them. The coach really cares about the girls, this is her first competition group and wants to see them all do well.

They have been given their extra session starting next week, they will be doing 5 hours a week (2 x 2 1/2 hours).

 

[Flossyduck]

Sounds good TD, really positive. And double the hours, which I think should put your mind at rest a bit about progress?

 

[Ex member]

Sounds good TD, really positive. And double the hours, which I think should put your mind at rest a bit about progress?

I am very happy with the outcome, I have no concerns about progress, my main concern was the fact they they were only doing one day a week - they really couldn't do much with that as they couldn't go on all pieces of equipment before and now they will, they will be doing bars both sessions (and may do beam bith sessions but cannot quite remember what was said), the coach wants the girls to catch up to where they should be at their age.

 

[Rapunzel]

That sounds really good TD. Well done to your little one.
Is the coach talking grades in terms of where they "should be" by age?

 

[Ex member]

That sounds really good TD. Well done to your little one.
Is the coach talking grades in terms of where they "should be" by age?

I am not sure what the coach was talking about when it was said that they are not where they should be in terms of age.

I was having a look through the upcoming competitions list for our county and the enrty rules, there is one competition next weekend but dd's group is not doing it as they were training too many hours even before they got their extra session (cut off was 2 hours or less a week) and there is another one coming up with the same rules. I was having a look though another couple of competitions that are coming up in the county that are not grades - Apparatus finals and the group cannot do those either as the cut off point is 4 hours a week or less.

Dd's coach did mention that she did think about entering them in a competition that has just passed but my dd wasn't old enough, the same with some other competitions that are upcoming, dd will not be old enough to enter. I cannot think what those competitions are as dd is 7.

Has anyone from the uk have any sort of clue that might help answer Rapunzels question about the girls not being where they should be for their age?

 

[Rapunzel]

Will your dd be 8 this year? In our region they can compete grades the year they turn 8, but then some of the local rec type comps have categories for the year they turn 7.

 

[Ex member]

Dd will be 8 this year (October) and the rest of her team mates will be 9,10 or 11 this year.

I am still trying to get my head around the age thing when it comes to grades as in some grades they go by turning 8 between 1st January and 31st December in year of competition but in my older dd's grades (disability national NDP grades) you had to be 8 on or before 1st January in year of competition.

When it comes to Grade 14 in my youngest dd's region they enter them in the age 8/9 catergory or 10+ catergory according to the entry form on the region website.

 

[3 little monkeys]

For your daughter I would imagine they are aiming for grade 13 or 14 for next year. I can't imagine they are expecting her to catch up and compete compulsory 4 next year on 5 hours a week. She could possibly work hard to get the skills for voluntary level 5 later in the year depending on your region's requirements. Seems like the group has a mix of ages so they could be planning different routes for them all. Sounds promising and I think other gyms could learn from the fact they are meeting with parents and giving feedback!

 

[Ex member]

It was a great meeting between parents and the coach, the coach was really nice and friendly and open, the coach also told us that if we wanted to know how our dd's are progressing we can ask to speak to her while the group is warming up and she will happily chat.

A lot of my questions were covered by the coach before I even got a chance to ask them.

I am really looking forward to next week to see how things work out with the homework diaries to condition at home and to see how dd copes with 2 late sessions, luckily it is only a week until the Easter holidays and that will make a lot of difference with no school, the first week back at school along with 2 late sessions of gym will be interesting.

Dd is really excited with the fact that she will now get to work on floor skills - they are doing the beginings of back handsprings, bridge kickovers down wedge and back bends (back limber).

I have been fraustrated when dd was still in rec waiting to get noticed and was pleased when she got invited to this new group but the fraustrations came back when they were only training once a week, now the group has 2 days a week I feel more relaxed with things after the parents meeting and both dd and I are looking forward to the future. Dd may only ever get 5 hours a week in the intermediate squad but that is not a bad thing as it gives her a chance to do other things if she wants to.

 

[3 little monkeys]

Personally I would steer clear of the compulsory route anyway, it's so harsh and even with the most talented of youngsters they still want more. My 8 year old did 5, was training towards 4 but they say she needs to train 22 hours and miss school, she is not allowed other activities, play dates or to go to birthday parties. It's just not worth sacrificing your childhood for - she hopes to do an intermediate level of gymnastics and try new things - I just hope she doesn't get bored. It sounds like your daughter's coach is open and wants the best for the kids so enjoy!!

 

[Ex member]

I have seen the amount of hours that girls going down that route and it isn't something I would be happy with dd doing, there is a group of girls around dd's age (7-9) that have just done their grade 14 and they have to go several days a week for 3 hours at a time (probably 3-4 days a week), I think it is a lot on top of school, I have noticed that there are not as many older (11 plus) compulsary girls and only the odd one at 3 and 2, the groups which have the biggest amount of girls age 7-12 are the floor and vault groups (now renamed intermediate competitve)

I feel (I might be looking at this the wrong way) that the chance to get to junior and senior levels at the British Championships are very slim and the hours are very demanding, I would rather have my dd in the type of group she is in now (would be open to 3 sssions a week in the long term future and no more) and learn, be challenged and have fun.

 

[Kit Kat]

The hours sound perfect for an 7 year old it sounds like she's got a good coach too glad your meeting went well. My 8 year old dd would really struggle with a 22 hour week training schedule @threelittle monkeys I can't imagine when she would get her homework done mind you even though she has loads of time she still manages to find an excuse

 

[Ex member]

The hours sound perfect for an 7 year old it sounds like she's got a good coach too glad your meeting went well. My 8 year old dd would really struggle with a 22 hour week training schedule @threelittle monkeys I can't imagine when she would get her homework done mind you even though she has loads of time she still manages to find an excuse

Dd's coach is great and dd really likes her (dd is not the type to hang off the coach that some girls do), this is dd's coaches first group she has had full contol of and is very excited.

I know dd's coach did tell us to feel free to grab her out if warm ups if needed but that is something I will not be doing very often unless necessary as I don't want to become "one of those mums" that finds an excuse to chat to the coach about every little thing. I feel very lucky and do not want to abuse her good nature.