- Sep 1, 2018
- 2
- 0
I’ve been coaching for 13 years. I have recently inherited a team from a previous coach who sort of “gave up” on her team prior to being let go. The kids I have are level 3 and 4. They have had no true conditioning and sloppy basics. I have been trying to work with them to get them ready for meets but i have been really struggling with one parent in particular.
Most of the time problem parents think their child is God’s gift to gymnastics as this one does- that’s not the issue.
Every day after practice she finds new and interesting ways to degrade me as a professional in front of her child and other parents. I have done everything I can to accommodate her. She has my phone number, I meet with her for nearly an hour when she asks for meetings (monthly at least). She is always speaking aloud to herself in the observation area about what drills i’m working on, why are they doing this, why can’t they do that, why does this matter, it doesn’t look like they’re working hard enough, etc. She calls me off the floor to ask if they’re doing the choreography correctly.
She has even gone as far as to request a meeting to criticize the other children I choose to invite to the team. At one point I was told it’s my fault her daughter was called a name by another child on a day I wasn’t even at the gym. She said I should have protected her child and kept her safe.
Not only am I deeply offended, but I have kept my cool and have always been gracious. Even adding a Saturday practice to help prepare her child.
Her child peeled off the bar backwards on a tap swing. The same tap swing she does every day on her bar routine. I know without a doubt that her mom will request a meeting next week with myself and the owner (again) to rip me apart.
I am deeply uncomfortable coaching this child- I feel like I will never be able to make her mother happy. Everything I do, say, breathe, sneeze, walk, is monitored and picked apart. I don’t feel like I can coach her daughter effectively.
I don’t want to kick them out of the gym right before meet season starts. I don’t feel like I can take anymore though. Any advice?
Most of the time problem parents think their child is God’s gift to gymnastics as this one does- that’s not the issue.
Every day after practice she finds new and interesting ways to degrade me as a professional in front of her child and other parents. I have done everything I can to accommodate her. She has my phone number, I meet with her for nearly an hour when she asks for meetings (monthly at least). She is always speaking aloud to herself in the observation area about what drills i’m working on, why are they doing this, why can’t they do that, why does this matter, it doesn’t look like they’re working hard enough, etc. She calls me off the floor to ask if they’re doing the choreography correctly.
She has even gone as far as to request a meeting to criticize the other children I choose to invite to the team. At one point I was told it’s my fault her daughter was called a name by another child on a day I wasn’t even at the gym. She said I should have protected her child and kept her safe.
Not only am I deeply offended, but I have kept my cool and have always been gracious. Even adding a Saturday practice to help prepare her child.
Her child peeled off the bar backwards on a tap swing. The same tap swing she does every day on her bar routine. I know without a doubt that her mom will request a meeting next week with myself and the owner (again) to rip me apart.
I am deeply uncomfortable coaching this child- I feel like I will never be able to make her mother happy. Everything I do, say, breathe, sneeze, walk, is monitored and picked apart. I don’t feel like I can coach her daughter effectively.
I don’t want to kick them out of the gym right before meet season starts. I don’t feel like I can take anymore though. Any advice?
