WAG Team Sleepovers at Coach's House?

[txgymfan]

No! No! No! Not with a male or a female coach. I've had a child threaten to tell their parent I was abusing them and it was a scary situation. As an adult I am only alone with my children and occasionally the child of a close friend.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

it's the authority a coach holds over a gymnast that makes it tough.

Yep it's totally inappropriate.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

I read this thread and immediately I thought of that coach who committed suicide after being arrested and jailed for child molestation. Not a snowballs chance................

 

[JBS]

No.

 

[rjb123]

No way. No how. Honestly it is creepy- like textbook perv behavior! Young male coach, no daughter who is on the team with these girls and they are friends- this is just bizarre!

 

[Deleted member 17723]

I've been thinking about this thread when it hit me that I've had a sleepover at a coaches house. But, the coaches daughter was one of my best friends and we were constantly over each other's houses. Is that wrong? I totally disagree with having sleepovers at a coaches home... But what about their kids? What if they have friendships with other girls on the team?

 

[Deleted member 18037]

I've been thinking about this thread when it hit me that I've had a sleepover at a coaches house. But, the coaches daughter was one of my best friends and we were constantly over each other's houses. Is that wrong? I totally disagree with having sleepovers at a coaches home... But what about their kids? What if they have friendships with other girls on the team?

That is a different relationship then just coach/gymnast. I would assume your parents are closer as well.

And I still wouldn't expect your coach to have the whole team over for a sleepover. There are other ways and things to do for team bonding. There is just no reason for it.

 

[Moxiegrl83]

My DD's coach is one of my closest friends. Our daughters are close friends. We regularly trade kids. Her DD is also on team, and most of her friends are her teammates. It wouldn't be right to make her miss out on sleepovers because her mom is the head coach. However, these sleepovers are in NO way team activities.

 

[gg_bug]

Agree not good idea

 

[Gymnasticsfun5555]

Too creepy and totally against the coaches code of conduct.

 

[AmarisDad]

You get the idea

 

[shelovestoflip]

Does not exist in the U.S..

Not sure what is specifically meant re: safeguarding. Doesn't the US have something? I feel like I always see something referenced in the USA gymnastics magazine? As well as a list of former coaches who are no longer verified?

As for the OP, I woudl prob ask first about a sleepover in the gym or at someone's house.

I forget if you said how old the girls are.

When my daughter was younger they loved to sleep over in teh gym.

As teens, they prefer a team sleepover at a friend's house.

Though I worry about that, too......

 

[Faith]

Not sure what is specifically meant re: safeguarding. .

In the UK every gymnastics coach is required to go on a safeguarding course before they can register as a coach, get insurance etc..

It involves seminars on scenarios like this- appropriateness of contact, esp. social media, allowing coaches to be alone with children, i.e giving lifts home or travelling to competitions. How and when it is OK to physically touch a child.

That's in addition to the usual scenarios where coaches might be concerned about a child's welfare or home life.

Also when, as a coach, to report other coaches or adults behaviour.

If I knew a coach having sleepovers like the o/p posted, I would be obligated to report it to our club welfare officer (who has to undertake even more detailed safeguarding training). It is not my position to make the judgement call on whether it is OK or not, my job would be to escalate it so the club can decide if it's appropriate behaviour, and how best to protect the coach and children.

 

[notthatmom]

In the UK every gymnastics coach is required to go on a safeguarding course before they can register as a coach, get insurance etc..

It involves seminars on scenarios like this- appropriateness of contact, esp. social media, allowing coaches to be alone with children, i.e giving lifts home or travelling to competitions. How and when it is OK to physically touch a child.

That's in addition to the usual scenarios where coaches might be concerned about a child's welfare or home life.

Also when, as a coach, to report other coaches or adults behaviour.

If I knew a coach having sleepovers like the o/p posted, I would be obligated to report it to our club welfare officer (who has to undertake even more detailed safeguarding training). It is not my position to make the judgement call on whether it is OK or not, my job would be to escalate it so the club can decide if it's appropriate behaviour, and how best to protect the coach and children.

It's almost unbelievable that the US doesn't have something like this....for ANY sport. But I'm pretty sure we don't.
Obviously gyms and other sports organizations would WANT people who are well versed, qualified, and educated on the sport they are teaching...and the goal is to get coaches with the best resumes of course, but it's not a guideline. What your speaking of sounds fantastic, and should really be instated in the US. Not just so that kids could get the best sport instruction possible, but so that parents and the kids can have piece of mind that they are being taught by instructors who have passed these requirements.


It kind of creeps me out a little that we don't do this. I mean I trust DDs coaches, male and female....but other than my own parental instinct, I technically have nothing official to base that trust on.

 

[Faith]

This is the required minimum course;

http://www.sportscoachuk.org/site-t...orkshops/safeguarding-and-protecting-children

 

[Iwannabemargo]

and its across all sports too, as all our coaches have a very similar training regime, got to be qualified here. Hubbie has done the same course 3 times for 3 different sports as it required.

 

[ZJsMom]

I recently heard that a gym coach was having group team sleepovers at his house for Optional girls as a sort of "team bonding" activity for the girls. Is this against USAG rules of any sort? I feel like this raises so many red flags to me. Even if it's purely innocent (which I hope it is) it just seems risky. Coach is unmarried and lives with his girlfriend (also a coach). This isn't a case of the coach's child/ren having teammates over for a sleepover (he doesn't have kids of his own) but more seen as a fun team activity. What would you do?

My take is NO NO NO. Someone should advise the coach that this is a bad idea no matter what. Sleepovers at the gym with parents helping chaperone would be a good alternative.

 

[mOm2gymnast<3]

Absolutely NOT! Bad idea asking for trouble.

 

[Deleted member 14190]

Okay so I totaled up the vote tally in this thread, it's 1,234,324,087 No's to zero.

 

[notthatmom]

Okay so I totaled up the vote tally in this thread, it's 1,234,324,087 No's to zero.

Wow....such a close one