Let's move into the future - give us your take on the current state of the site.

[JBS]

Please help us make the site better by giving us your take on the current state of the site.

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

I think this site would be much improved if everybody had to pay an exorbitant membership fee and those fees were then paid to the mods and admins.

...

Ok, in all seriousness, I have no complaints.

 

[gymmomntc2e6]

I think this site would be much improved if everybody had to pay an exorbitant membership fee and those fees were then paid to the mods and admins.

...

Ok, in all seriousness, I have no complaints.

did you forget that we our gym parents? wehave no money.

 

[MaryA]

First of all, I love the site, and am still waiting for my "Everything I Know About Gymnastics, I Learned On Chalk Bucket" t-shirt! It is very true. I am so much more knowlegeable about this crazy thing that my daughter does than I was before I discovered this site.

I would say, as far as my opinion of the site and the changes you've implemented, that I hope that we're not going to be too terribly strict about the "off topic" thing. I think that some of the most interesting discussions, both here and in "real life," tend to ramble and that the rambling is inevitable and part of what makes them interesting. If, every time someone wants to say something that it sort-of-but-not-really related to the OP, they have to start a new topic, we're going to end up with a lot of topics called "Along the same lines of the discussion about free hips" and similar. And then there will be people who will worry if their response is close enough to the topic at hand, and will decide not to post it, and that this will put a damper on some potentially interesting discussions. Yes, if someone takes the conversation is a completely different direction or if they're using someone elses topic or question to further their own agenda, that's one thing. But not allowing a discussion to meander is going to feel un-natural, and it's going to turn all of the mods into the "on-topic police."

 

[Deanna]

I agree with MaryA. I see both sides of the coin with that it could be good. Have some control, and keep things on track to a degree. But I know that some topics have gone completly off topic from start to finsih..but through out, it was on topic to a degree, it just changed a little bit each post then by the end it was nothing near what it started as. So where is that line at of where it is considered off topic? I by no means am a pot stirrer. Just concerend that it may (like MaryA said) cause people (probably me..lol) afraid to respond for fear of getting off topic with it.
I really do think this is a great site. I have learned alot on here. I hope it can get back to that friendly/family setting it was at when I came here 2 yrs ago.

PS..example just in personal life. I have started a covo with someone talking about Kindergarten and ended it with talking about elephants. Now, they have nothing in common..but through out that whole conversation, they did link into each other..slowly..lol

 

[AlexsGymmyMom]

I agree with MaryA. I see both sides of the coin with that it could be good. Have some control, and keep things on track to a degree. But I know that some topics have gone completly off topic from start to finsih..but through out, it was on topic to a degree, it just changed a little bit each post then by the end it was nothing near what it started as. So where is that line at of where it is considered off topic? I by no means am a pot stirrer. Just concerend that it may (like MaryA said) cause people (probably me..lol) afraid to respond for fear of getting off topic with it.
I really do think this is a great site. I have learned alot on here. I hope it can get back to that friendly/family setting it was at when I came here 2 yrs ago.

PS..example just in personal life. I have started a covo with someone talking about Kindergarten and ended it with talking about elephants. Now, they have nothing in common..but through out that whole conversation, they did link into each other..slowly..lol

I very rarely can stay on task....or topic for that matter!! lol!

 

[MayDay]

I am very new to the site, so my opnions may not matter as much, (or maybe they matter more?). I wasn't even looking up anything gymnastics related and found the site on google, looking for ways to take fingernail polish off without remover! I spent a great time lurking and have decided to join in. I lurk as a way to get a feel for things and then jump in when comfortable.

Overall, from my opinion at first, the members did not look to be welcoming or very friendly. However, I think (hope!) that comes from dealing with people who just happen to be hard to deal with.

I too, believe that the evolution of a thread can lead to some of the most informing and interesting information!

 

[sportzmomov3]

First, I admire the courage it takes to be a moderator of anything. It requires taking oneself out of the midst and making decisions for the good of all - regardless of the exception (good or bad). And, I commend the admins & mods for doing a very good job, on a forum that has definitely evolved over time and gone through "trends" in posters.

Now, as a CBer who lurks mostly and posts conservatively, I will say that this is a public site and that will draw opinions of ALL kinds. If you feel that people are unfriendly because they are strongly opinionated, then move on to the next thread where it might be "friendlier." Some topics in this sport naturally draw strong opinions and people should not be afraid to express themselves (in an appropriate way.) It is because there are so many individual experiences that this is an interesting place. However, I too have in the most recent months sensed some posters who were "out of line" and I am glad their "tone" on the board was addressed.

I think putting too many restrictions on the rest of us who are nice, but strongly opinionated, would do a disservice to the intent of such a forum, which is to share differing insights. Ultimately however, the admins and mods are responsible and I respect their decisions - after all, someone must captain the ship, right?

 

[gymjourneymom]

I can understand the point members are trying to make here. Sometimes wandering off topic has lead to some of the most insightful posts. I also appreciate JBS trying to find a way to enforce some rules here on CB to keep it a friendly, supportive place. But I think what we are really discussing are two different kinds of "off topic". There's the innocent, one comment leading to another one "wandering off topic". That is often both interesting & helpful. And then you have the blatant "pot stirring off topic" posted by trouble makers, trying to pick a fight. They really are apples & oranges & shouldn't be treated the same. Does that make sense?

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

I think we'll need to discuss further what constitutes unacceptably off-topic and what is acceptable "topic drift." In some cases it's obvious, in others not so much.

 

[jcs]

I think we'll need to discuss further what constitutes unacceptably off-topic and what is acceptable "topic drift." In some cases it's obvious, in others not so much.

I agree with this. Part of message boards is that the conversation is going to change. To expect someone to start a new thread every time they have a new thought is difficult for members and will be almost impossible to moderate. I understand some of the issues that have gone on recently (although I was away for the past few days and obviously missed something major), but there is certainly a difference between asking a related question that might be going in a different direction within a thread "hijacking" without it being offensive to anyone. I would be cautious about trying to control the conversation too much.

As for the rest of the "state of the CB", I'm very happy I found this site. Great resource of information. Great conversations with people who understand gymnastics.

 

[MdGymMom01]

I have been a member of this board since dd started gymnastics back in 2008. Back then I was a very new gym mom who knew very little about the sport and was eager to learn anything and everything. Now that my dd is entering her 5th season of gymnastics I have a different outlook on her gymnastics and have learned many things along the way. There are always different stages of involvement in gymnastics as parents and they will often change from year to year depending on what your dd wants out of the sport. So, it is kind of hard to objectivley compare what the board was like back in the early days (when I was new) to how it is now (after being a seasoned gym parent) and have learned some revelations along the way.

I do know that the blatent finger pointing and segregating (us vs. them and/or old-timers vs. moms of young elite hopefuls) was getting a bit old and left me feeling very uncomfortable and uneasy. IMHO, it became almost impossible to express your thoughts and experiences objectively without automatically being labeled. It didn't matter what you had to say about any topic because it would almost always tend to lead to being labeled in a certain way. There have been many very interesting and insightful threads that have sparked a lot of opinions and discussion that ended up being locked because people just couldn't respect other people's opinions. I don't recall that happening too much back in 2008/2009 but I don't know if this is because I just wasn't that involved in those discussions.

I hope I am making sense with all this. I do notice that the board has definitely changed over the years, but I don't know if that is just because we as individuals have grown and our opinions are changing or if it is because certain people were just crossing the line to the point of being mean and wanting to pick a fight. I definitely know that the latter is true as I have seen it with my own eyes.

I guess if we all remember to adhere to the basic rules of the board and remember that we all have different opinions that are all important (even though we may not all agree) and should be respected then we will move the CB into the direction that will be happy, enjoyable and informative for all.

 

[MayDay]

Is there a formal set of guidelines for the forum? I haven't been able to find one and think that would be really useful. Something that explains things in detail and possible gives examples of what is considered an infraction. It could be used by the moderators when a thread is heading off the deep end, by a quick reminder of the guidelines and a link.

I know this probably sounds tedious, but it could be helpful? IDK

 

[nevertooold]

-I would like to see more tolerance of alternative viewpoints. This will probably not make me popular but I still don't and never did understand why stretchsportsguy (or whatever it was) was banned. I think there is something to be learned and gained from discussion which embraces all viewpoints.
-The rules for banning members should be public (maybe they are?) and clearly spelled out.
-Mods/admins should not post snarky or condescending remarks.
-Posters whose main purpose in posting is to burst someone else's bubble, bring them back to reality, or otherwise explain to them why they are misled should consider refraining from posting. It alienates new members.

I like this place. I read here everyday. Sometimes I post, most days I don't. The future of cb I think depends on people remembering always that everyone is where they are, and you can only be a help by meeting them where they are. If you are too tired or too far along a different path to post with compassion for where the op is then don't.

 

[maryRS]

You have explained exactly what I have been trying to write and have erased several times, because I couldn't word it without looking like I was stirring the pot, which is not my intention.

I do get the feel that a certain viewpoint is supposed to be acceptable here, and when someone's posts go against that oftentimes they get picked on. I don't know how else to say it, but as someone who doesn't post often, but reads a lot, that is the vibe I get.

-I would like to see more tolerance of alternative viewpoints. This will probably not make me popular but I still don't and never did understand why stretchsportsguy (or whatever it was) was banned. I think there is something to be learned and gained from discussion which embraces all viewpoints.
-The rules for banning members should be public (maybe they are?) and clearly spelled out.
-Mods/admins should not post snarky or condescending remarks.
-Posters whose main purpose in posting is to burst someone else's bubble, bring them back to reality, or otherwise explain to them why they are misled should consider refraining from posting. It alienates new members.

I like this place. I read here everyday. Sometimes I post, most days I don't. The future of cb I think depends on people remembering always that everyone is where they are, and you can only be a help by meeting them where they are. If you are too tired or too far along a different path to post with compassion for where the op is then don't.

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

-I would like to see more tolerance of alternative viewpoints. This will probably not make me popular but I still don't and never did understand why stretchsportsguy (or whatever it was) was banned. I think there is something to be learned and gained from discussion which embraces all viewpoints.

[mod cap on]
The reason stretch (and others) have been banned has nothing to do with opposing viewpoints.
[modcap off]

-The rules for banning members should be public (maybe they are?) and clearly spelled out.

Da Rules

-Mods/admins should not post snarky or condescending remarks.

I have at times been snarkier than necessary, and for that I apologize. However, I would say that this is not restricted to mods/admins -- we have the right to be snarky to exactly the extent that the rest of you have the right to be snarky. Take that for whatever you will.

But just so it's clear from here on out -- when you see me post, unless I state otherwise, I am speaking as a coach, a former gymnast, a gymnastics fan, and NOT as a mod (unless I specifically state otherwise.) This is the idea behind the infraction system; when we're conducting official mod business, we'll do it through that -- otherwise, we are members just like the rest of you.

-Posters whose main purpose in posting is to burst someone else's bubble, bring them back to reality, or otherwise explain to them why they are misled should consider refraining from posting. It alienates new members.

When my opinion (as a coach and former elite gymnast) is that somebody is living in fantasy land and it's detrimental to their kid, it is very tempting to let them know. Personally, I have been doing far less of this of late, but I don't think this is a practice that should be outright banned.

Some people make mistakes, because they don't know any better. And they have no reason to know any better. And that's fine. But if I were to make such a mistake, I'd much rather be called out on it.

I like this place. I read here everyday. Sometimes I post, most days I don't. The future of cb I think depends on people remembering always that everyone is where they are, and you can only be a help by meeting them where they are. If you are too tired or too far along a different path to post with compassion for where the op is then don't.

I think any coach (or any human) can learn just as much from being wrong as from being right, as long as they are ready to admit they're wrong. If I ever posted something stupid on these forums, I sincerely hope I would get called out on it -- and as a member, I like to do others the same courtesy I'd like them to do to me.

And to reiterate, these are the opinions of a member, not the directives of a mod. There will be no repercussions for disagreeing with any of it, so long as you disagree in a respectful manner.

 

[jcs]

I just had a thought....is there a way to better highlight the social groups? When you click on Join a Group it is just the basics, parents, coach or gymnast. The Social Groups are found within the forum page, but waaaaay down.

 

[bookworm]

-I .
-Posters whose main purpose in posting is to burst someone else's bubble, bring them back to reality, or otherwise explain to them why they are misled should consider refraining from posting. It alienates new members.

*********************************************************************************************

In reference to this...when someone starts a thread with "Do I have a chance at XXX (elite, TOPS, Olympics)etc"?, I think you do them a disservice to lie to them when you know otherwise. For example, there was a thread a while back where a poster asked if as a 16 yo Level 8 (maybe 9) gymnast, what were her chances at a D1 gymnastics scholarship, I think this warranted a truthful response....I don't think posters are trying to "burst bubbles" or alienate new members....

 

[Deanna]

I dont think it is so much what is said in reponse, it is how it is said sometimes. Someone will ask a question, and instead of getting the answer to their question they feel like they were scolded like a little child. And still didnt get the answers to their question. Thats was what my take on that post the other day that went coo-coo is. How that one went into the Elite woods is beyond me. Even with that one going on for 10 pages (i believe) her question was never really answered. It was already closed when I got online..but read it before it was deleted. Thats just one example of things going way off topic. No matter how you sliced that one, kids going elite had nothing to do with her asking why she couldnt get an answer along with the caution. (i think maybe because thats one of the touchier subjects on here..and it was an example she used..or someone else did)
Its so hard on here to "feel" the meaning behind what someone says.
But I too fear that putting too much restrictions on things is going to cause the "happy" posters to shy away, and the "less happy" posters to post. The ones that are trying to stir things up.
I do know it was a different feeling altogether when I joined just 2 yrs ago. That feeling has been gone for a while. Im not real sure why. Im not sure that its different people per say. I mean there were pot stirers then too. But I think the whole board was more relaxed and just didnt bother with stoking their fire. People would say things/ask things and people would pretty much ignore them..and they would step in line or step off. Now everyone is a little more set and want their thoughts heard too. Which is good..but when you do that then you are going to have a WHOLE bunch of thoughts about the same thing.
I know Im rambling again. Im the neighborhood rambler on here...lol. Sorry.

 

[gymdog]

I've already told JBS this, but to throw it out to the general community - it's gotten a little stagnant for me lately because as a non-parent, I can't really participate in many of the active topics on the boards. I'm not going to incorrectly join the user group to gain access but it seems like almost every time I have something to add, I go to post and find that I don't have access.