Coaches Gym structure

[WavyNavy8]

I’d love to hear about gym structure from others. How do practices run, rotations, coaching dynamics between team coaches, between rec coaches, between rec and team coaches!

What rules are in place from management and what’s strictly enforced? (Obviously besides athlete safety which is a given)

I feel like our gym over the years has become this free for all and the coaches who have been around a while have this sense of entitlement with no regard for anyone or the parents who pay the expensive price for this sport. Meets becoming mini weekend getaways for coaches at the expense of athletes parents… (hadn’t quite gone this far yet but the expectation is there from some, yikes)

I feel like things need to be reigned in, but I’m the lowest team coach here so while I’m willing to make suggestions to management (who isn’t blind to how loose things have become), I’d like to have some suggestions of how others run things to go back with, maybe some constructive ideas instead of approaching with just pure negative feedback.

 

[XcelGirl]

Hi! Happy to share! Xcel Silver, 3-hour practice,
The team head coach makes a schedule of where every team/rec level is supposed to go at one time. This helps everything run smoothly.
We start with a 30 minute wam up, either on the floor or tumble strip. Then we do 45 minutes on each event that was scheduled for us on that given day. then for the last 30 minutes, we do conditioning, stretching, team circle, etc.
Sometimes we play games around holidays.
The team coaches and rec coaches are very close. We all get along great! many of the team coaches teach/have taught rec, so they get it and are compassionate.
Could you explain the situation a bit more so I can get a feel for it? or not, that's fine too! i hope this helps!

 

[NC_GymMom23]

I’d love to hear about gym structure from others. How do practices run, rotations, coaching dynamics between team coaches, between rec coaches, between rec and team coaches!

What rules are in place from management and what’s strictly enforced? (Obviously besides athlete safety which is a given)

I feel like our gym over the years has become this free for all and the coaches who have been around a while have this sense of entitlement with no regard for anyone or the parents who pay the expensive price for this sport. Meets becoming mini weekend getaways for coaches at the expense of athletes parents… (hadn’t quite gone this far yet but the expectation is there from some, yikes)

I feel like things need to be reigned in, but I’m the lowest team coach here so while I’m willing to make suggestions to management (who isn’t blind to how loose things have become), I’d like to have some suggestions of how others run things to go back with, maybe some constructive ideas instead of approaching with just pure negative feedback.

We have a couple of good coaches who work really hard and keep the girls moving throughout practice and take it seriously while also having fun. We also have some very young (teenage) coaches who I don't believe have been trained enough to coach the girls alone but they have been for a year and their inexperience is showing in the girls' performance this season. One coach just babysits the girls on each event but doesn't actually coach them (xcel bronze, silver, and gold). I have watched her sit and gossip with some of the girls and play on her phone and never once even look at the girls who are actually practicing their routines. Management has been spoken to multiple times but nothing changes.

 

[oliver5a5]

Cultural change in a gym starts at the top. If management isn't willing to set firm boundaries, individual coaches can’t really enforce them. You're in a tough spot.

 

[HurricaneLR]

There is a USAG girls team head coach, a boys team head coach, an AAU head coach, and a head coach of the rec program. They are each in charge of their own coaches. There are a few rec coaches that also coach team, but most are in one camp or the other. Many of the newer coaches for rec and lower-level team are high level team gymnasts. Some rec coaches are far more attentive than others. When a new rec coach comes in, they shadow the head rec coach for a while before they are allowed to run a rec session by themselves.

There is a master schedule, so everyone knows where to be at all times. There is a set of bars and a set of beams that are mainly for team, and a set for rec., so it helps to keep equipment in good shape. Each level - rec or team - has a schedule for that day as far as skills they are working on, so the coaches know what they are supposed to do. It seems like the coaches all get along well. There can be some drama in team when coaches may disagree on how to train a skill or something, but not a lot. Coaches are not allowed to be on their phones, unless they are specifically recording a gymnast to show them a skill.