Women STOP coaching from the stands

[twinmomma]

Because we live over 30 minutes from gym (on a good day) and because her practices are 2-2.5 hours long (T&T), there's no point in going all the way home. So I generally sit in the gym and work or do schoolwork for my Master's program.
It is getting harder and harder to watch pre-team and rec parents coach from the bleachers. I'm currently sitting here watching preteam girls work on front hip circles not he bar and this mom continues to yell "fight for it," "stop goofing around," "keep trying," etc... There's supportive and then there's CGM in training. And then mom just said to her "now you can practice that at home."
I've watched a dad who has two girls in rec continually berate them, tell them about their knees, arms, etc... I've so wanted to go to the front desk to ask them to put out some information requesting parents to not do this. Our old gym had a window in between the floor and the parents. I really see the benefit!

 

[skschlag]

I have engaged some parents that do that. One dad was talking to his L4 son about goofing around, and how he should be the best in the class. I always hope I can engage and share. He was amazed to find otu that 15 yo L10 boys STILL goof off at practice!

but yes, I have to say that most of the parents are pretty good, but the few that are not kind of ruin it for the rest of us. I barely talk to my ds during practice!

(We drive 45-60 minutes each way, for 4 hour practices. I do tons of errands, etc, but sometimes just sit there and do homework and work work)

 

[amiandjim]

Honestly, I feel like it’s the gym’s/coaches’ responsibility to stop that nonsense. I would NEVER speak to my child about her gymnastics during practice unless she came out and told me she was injured/sick/whatever. And if I did, I can’t even imagine what the coaches would say. It’s just known at our gym, you don’t do that! I, too, drive 45-60 min so i often stay for most of the practice, but I’m generally chatting or reading a book, certainly not correcting my child!

 

[MILgymFAM]

It’s surprising that all gyms don’t have a formal policy, or don’t enforce it. It’s gotta grate on the coaches and make their jobs harder.

 

[coachmolly]

Our parents practically sit on the floor (within spitting distance) and we had a problem with this for a while. Parents would yell out onto the floor, call their kids over to give them corrections, tell them to try harder. HC ended up making a rule that team girls are not allowed to talk to their parents during practice- even if they are sitting right there- without getting permission from the coach which has helped. I typically always allow a kid to go talk to their parent if they ask, even encourage them to go tell mom/dad if they do a knew skill they want them to see, but it has cut down on the kids who constantly run to mom for feedback. Most parents realized that their child not being allowed to run over to them also meant they couldn't yell out onto the floor, but we have 1 that still struggles. It's unfortunate too because we've seen her daughter (who has had a very successful meet season) really lose her love for the sport since starting team in September.
I think it's a little different for rec. parents as the rec coaches probably aren't going to say anything. Gym owners can put out something in a newsletter, but I just feel like it's a little harder to enforce.

 

[profmom]

We had a few parents who were notorious for this. They are both at another gym now. Thank goodness. I heard a rumor that the other gym recently put up some kind of barrier and banned parent viewing except through a video system. I wouldn't be surprised if this was due to these two individuals.

I will confess that occasionally when my son is "working out" independently with his best friend because the coach is watching someone do something else in the other gym, I will ask him and his fellow miscreant what they are supposed to be doing.

 

[cadybearsmommy]

Agree with you. Dd had a meet yesterday and we encountered a group of parents who thought it was perfectly acceptable to scream out coaching orders to their kids from the stands at a MEET.

A couple of the girls from that group looked sad/ disappointed about bar scores (and to their credit, this was the toughest bar judging we’ve seen all year). Their moms were screaming at them to SMILE and act happy while they were getting ready to go on beam all with the judges sitting there watching the whole spectacle.

I wouldn’t be happy with dd either if she was
walking around with a sour face/attitude over a score but I think I would wait to address it with her AFTER the meet.

 

[Madden3]

I've so wanted to go to the front desk to ask them to put out some information requesting parents to not do this.

Do it. If the gym/coaches hear from a parent, it may help them have the confidence/impulse to do something. Often parents just need to be told (or get a reminder) of what is considered good or bad manners at the gym.

I have rarely seen coaching from parents at our gym, which has tons of seating for parents and tons of parents who watch. So it could be a huge problem and somehow it isn't. Do not know why.

I have to admit, I had to "discipline" myself the other day because I corrected my 5 year olds behavior during her rec class! Behavior (she was goofing around) not her gymnastics- but still. I quickly apologized to the coach and focused studiously on my phone the rest of class. I could not believe I did that!

 

[TumbleTimes4]

Our gym has a strict policy that you are not allowed to “coach” your child while they are in practice. It also helps that we have a glass wall in place. We sign a contract at the beginning of the year and if you violate that policy, you can be asked to leave the gym and are no longer allowed to view practice. I haven’t witnessed any problems with parents at our gym. I do appreciate that when DD has learned a new skill (she got her kip last week!) they have either called me back into the gym so I could watch her perform it or her coach texts me a video.