WAG Interaction after meets.

[Gymmommy71]

Sometimes we can talk to coaches during awards as they sit in audience and watch w/ parents when they can. Parents sit generally together and cheer on girls from our gym that get awards - at this point since most of us have been doing this sport for a long time we all find humor and irony in awards in that the age divisions don't always show the true result (ex. younger girls getting nothing when they had higher scores than older girls loaded up w/ medals) so no one, including most of the girls, takes them very seriously. Afterwards, if people are staying overnight in a hotel we will often have a dinner together (usually without coaches), but when people have a long drive home usually everyone is eager to get going and we just all say goodbye.

 

[notthatmom]

We parents usually all try to sit in the same general area during the meet. Makes it fun for us and the girls since we make it our own cheering section.

Rarely ever do we interact with the coaches at all really....unless they have something specific to tell us about our individual child's events ("Suzie is going to compete her x skill today, just so you know"). during awards like others have said they are often coaching the next session (or it's 9:30pm and they haven't eaten in 7 hours so we don't expect them to stay anyway)

At awards we sit somewhat with other parents from the same team, but not as big a group as we do during the meet.

Gymnasts and parents between other teams are (most of the time) cordial to each other. For the most part it's always been friendly competition, with your random crazies thrown in there, but it wouldn't be gymnastics without at least one token CGM for everyone to collectively roll their eyes at

 

[vbdb]

The girls get a hug from coaches and tell them thank you then head off to awards once the rotations are done. There's no talk between parents and coaches, they're on to their next group right away. We sometimes will have a meal together with parents and kids for anyone who isn't rushing home.

 

[NutterButter]

It's 'grab & go' for us after meets. I usually can't wait to get out of there after awards and I'm often hungry or there is another kid thing to get to. Coaches usually aren't in awards because they are busy with the next session but if they are I will try to thank them. I talk with or text other parents throughout the meet so it's not an anti-social thing. We all just get our girls and get the heck out of there!

 

[Bess]

I can tell you what we don't do...our girls don't get up after "their" individual or team awards are done if everyone else is not done. That irritates me to no end when kids start dispursing before the awards are even finished. Kids and parents standing up and gathering their stuff, congregating down front after their team won whatever place....nevermind the other teams still waiting to be awarded their team placement.

 

[QueenBee]

I can tell you what we don't do...our girls don't get up after "their" individual or team awards are done if everyone else is not done. That irritates me to no end when kids start dispursing before the awards are even finished. Kids and parents standing up and gathering their stuff, congregating down front after their team won whatever place....nevermind the other teams still waiting to be awarded their team placement.

Oh my, our coaches would go ballistic if our gymnasts left before awards was completely over. They've always been very clear that it is a matter of respect for all the gymnasts to stay through awards and to congratulate other gymnasts on jobs well done.

 

[Deleted member 14190]

I can tell you what we don't do...our girls don't get up after "their" individual or team awards are done if everyone else is not done. That irritates me to no end when kids start dispursing before the awards are even finished. Kids and parents standing up and gathering their stuff, congregating down front after their team won whatever place....nevermind the other teams still waiting to be awarded their team placement.

Extra likes !!!

 

[raenndrops]

Oh my, our coaches would go ballistic if our gymnasts left before awards was completely over. They've always been very clear that it is a matter of respect for all the gymnasts to stay through awards and to congratulate other gymnasts on jobs well done.

This is our gym's rule too… actually, no leaving the meet until the last score is flashed (girls aren't released until then)… and stay through ALL of the awards (except at the one gym that decided to hold awards in a room with a capacity of 120… with 60+ L3s in the session, where they TELL you to feel free to leave immediately after your DD's group is awarded. Of course, this means there are very few left to accept the team award. Our team still stays til the end.).

 

[LTB~Mom]

Our coaches are usually off to coach at the next session. If they are done coaching for the day, they may hang out in the back and watch awards. They generally don't stay after awards and very rarely will go out to eat with the families. The families may or may not go out to eat together - if they do it's usually in small groups.

 

[l.c.o]

I can tell you what we don't do...our girls don't get up after "their" individual or team awards are done if everyone else is not done. That irritates me to no end when kids start dispursing before the awards are even finished. Kids and parents standing up and gathering their stuff, congregating down front after their team won whatever place....nevermind the other teams still waiting to be awarded their team placement.

Ditto!

In a total of now 7 seasons (between 2 kids), we left early one time, and felt awful about it... And we only left because (a) there were 3 levels x 2 divisions x 3-4 age groups each, (b) DS's level awards were announced second, (c) at the time that we finally left, awards had already taken 1.5 hours already, (d) we had tickets to an attraction that we were going to be late to, (e) DS really needed the bathroom, which was the equivalent of a couple of blocks away, and (f) we really didn't think they'd win a team award (team awards were held to the end) ... which of course they did, , and of course awards ended within 15 min of us leaving... I don't even think we were completely out of the building yet. Start of meet to end of awards was over six hours for that one. Anyway, next time we won't pre-purchase attraction tickets! Crazy.

I've noticed a difference in "norms" at meets for boys vs. girls. Our boys coaches tend to hang around for awards fairly often, and will chat with parents. After their sessions, 95% of the time, our girls just get directions to find awards and coaches head off... Rarely do they chat, as often they either have another session to attend to, or are tired from a long day of coaching. Though there are exceptions, and sometimes a coach is just friendlier with some parents than others and is more likely to sit and chat with that person.

For the girls, us moms often sit together at meets, and sometimes we do meals together... Just depends on the day and what other family might be there, etc.

 

[e'smum]

we run for the hills. lol. if the girls win a placement in the team awards, everyone gets together for a quick photo op. and then everyone leaves. we don't all sit together at the meet either - there's 12 girls so the families are all spread out in two or three groups. everyone has their preference on where to sit/best viewing during the meet.

during awards, it's wherever you can find a spot. sometimes it's standing room only. the coaches may or may not be there. a lot of our meets this year were back to back meets and the coaches needed to go directly to the next meet.

we had one where our level 9s were finishing up and dd's level 6 was starting warm ups. both were on the floor at the same time (two sided meet). our HC had to be with the 9s to spot for their vault. so 1 coach with 6s and 2 with 9s until 9s were finished and then the two coaches came over to the 6 side. even worse, one family has 1 in lvl 9 and 1 in lvl 6 so they may have split up which parent went where for that meet.

i don't really talk to the coaches at awards either, if they are there. one of the coaches has a dd in level 6 so i guess you could say there is always a coach at our awards but she doesn't coach optionals so not really.

 

[skschlag]

I know i have a boy..but...

After each session, coaches are at awards. At least 1. At the end of awards, they do line up, talk to the boys, fist bump or high five each boy. Then they are done. They do not interact much with the parents. Sometimes the coach might come into the stands before awards to chat, but not typically. I love that they give that time to the boys after the meet.

WE did leave awards early 1 time. D's group was done first, and he was not up for a team award. THe room was sooooo packed, no where to sit, kids walking on each other to get up to their awards. We figured we were actually helping by leaving early. We would never typically do this, but the room was hot, full, and needed fewer people.

 

[vbdb]

I can tell you what we don't do...our girls don't get up after "their" individual or team awards are done if everyone else is not done. That irritates me to no end when kids start dispursing before the awards are even finished. Kids and parents standing up and gathering their stuff, congregating down front after their team won whatever place....nevermind the other teams still waiting to be awarded their team placement.

Gymnastics Ontario actually has a policy that a gymnast can be disqualified for leaving awards before the entire session is done. You need special permission from the meet director to leave early. The girls always sit and clap for each event and AA as it's awarded.

 

[Texasmomof3]

Our coaches attend awards. After the team awards and team pictures, our coaches gather the girls and coach a little more. They line them up, give feedback, reinforce anything that needs to be reinforced, etc. That way, practice on Monday starts fresh. No need to discuss the meet at practice.

Usually we parents wait near the coaching huddle until the coaches are finished with the kids and then our gymnasts join us to leave. If we have a question for the coaches, we ask. Otherwise, it is just pleasantries.

 

[beachgirl]

The girls stay on the floor until everyone is done competing and then they come to awards. The coaches never come with them because they have other sessions or they have already been there all weekend and need to go home. I have seen some parents grab the coaches at the end of a meet and try to go over why their daughter got a certain score, it's usually the same parents. The parents sit in small groups or move around from event to event. Sometimes we sit together at awards, but usually in small groups. There are limited seats at awards and I don't think it would go over well to save a large block of seats for one group of parents. I know a couple of girls leave early after their age group. The majority on our team don't think it's okay to leave before awards are done. Some will go out for a meal after. I like to go with 1 or 2 families, but hate a group meal because they take forever.

 

[duyetanh]

Our coaches never attend awards. They've repeatedly told both parents and gymnasts that awards (while nice) aren't what they are looking for at meets. They are watching to see progress from the gymnasts on skills and ability to compete under pressure. Some of my daughter's worst scores have been her 'best meets' in her coaches eyes. Hitting a skill that they've been working on for months is more important than getting the highest possible score at every meet. Conversely, there have been meets where she's scored well on an event and her coach is not happy because the skill they were working wasn't where the coach wanted to see it - score didn't matter.

There isn't much conversation between coaches and parents at meets, we usually commiserate with the coaches about the hectic meet session schedule as we drop our gymnasts off to the beginning of the session but if we have questions/concerns- those are usually addressed at the gym when the gymnasts and coaches are back at practice.

As for parents themselves, as we've gotten into the optional levels - we all have our coping mechanisms for watching (enduring?) each meet. Some parents pace, some sit in a corner alone, some track scores like a statistics fiend and some chit chat together in order to calm their nerves. All of us have reached the "let everyone stay healthy through this meet" stage, so we are all pretty chill with one another's coping skills. It is rare for us to meet up for dinner after a meet, everyone wants to get home and have other family commitments/children not in gymnastics.

This!!

 

[gymmomx2]

Gymnastics Ontario actually has a policy that a gymnast can be disqualified for leaving awards before the entire session is done. You need special permission from the meet director to leave early. The girls always sit and clap for each event and AA as it's awarded.

I don't think it's enforced, I see people leaving early all the time. We left early ourselves once - it was 11pm by the time we left and there were still 2 levels left to award. If you don't want people leaving before the end of awards, don't schedule sessions at ridiculous times. The session started late too so that didn't help....

 

[ayyyrial]

Sometimes a coach would sit with us during awards, but sometimes not when the gymnasts are a bit older. The next session is starting soon and coaches are working a crazy long day with few breaks!

As far as after awards, I was always so tired and hungry and eager to see my parents. I'd just go straight to them after awards and go get some food and relax. If we ran into other gym families on the way out, of course we'd say hi, but we didn't usually do things together with them. Before the meets was the time for that. After meets it's get fed, get home, and get some sleep (and finish homework).

 

[Flipflopz]

Dd is lev 10, I may sit with other parents or may not. I think we are all a bit stressed so sometimes it is nice to sit together other times not. I feel like I can go to the coach when I have concerns. Otherwise I totally leave him alone. I think he has enough to deal with. We stay for all awards in our session. Sometimes we go out to eat as a group.

 

[duyetanh]

I am sure I will sound like the anti-social weirdo here, but here goes..
Our family just does not care about this stuff. We are all so fried once the meet is over, we just want a meal by ourselves and downtime as a family. And if we drove a long distance for ours, we usually want to get on with our drive back, and will stop along the way somewhere. This does not mean we don't like the team...there are other times during the year when the girls do things together. But none of us want to go hang out after a meet. As far as what the team does, some do things, some don't. And the coaches almost always have another session, so we rarely talk to them until the next practice. Once in awhile they have a break, and then we see them. Again, it doesn't matter to us. We are honestly just glad the meet is over!!