Parents Trying not to be an annoying parent

[claudidoll]

If I email head coach and don’t get a response how long should I wait before sending another message?

I feel like a week is plenty of time to wait but I don’t want to be annoying

 

[NY Dad]

I think we need more details

 

[claudidoll]

Been trying to set up a private lesson for a while. I emailed head coach she said she’d reach out to the appropriate coaches. I didn’t hear anything, waited two weeks emailed again head coach said she would resend the request and that if I didn’t hear anything to let her know.

Two more weeks passed I didn’t hear anything so I emailed again and so far no response it’s been about a week.

Every email I’ve said if she doesn’t think it’s needed or if the coaches or gym weren’t available then that’s completely fine and no big deal.

I really hate pestering or being a bother

 

[NY Dad]

How old is your dd/ds? Can she/he ask?

 

[claudidoll]

She’s 9, I could ask her too, she’s gotten much more assertive recently.

 

[NY Dad]

My dd's head coach told us when she joined the gym/team that they communicate to the kids and not the parents. I would guess that they would prefer the request to come directly from the gymmie? I'm not sure if all gyms/coaches feel this way

Others might know more about the ettiquite than I do but I think it's worth a shot.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Our gymmies can’t set up privates

 

[claudidoll]

My dd's head coach told us when she joined the gym/team that they communicate to the kids and not the parents. I would guess that they would prefer the request to come directly from the gymmie? I'm not sure if all gyms/coaches feel this way

Others might know more about the ettiquite than I do but I think it's worth a shot.

At her gym typically parents set them
up through head coach. I am completely fine if head coach thinks she doesn’t need a private, I’d just like that to be clearly communicated

Having her ask her personal coach may not be a bad idea though...

 

[ladybird]

Been trying to set up a private lesson for a while. I emailed head coach she said she’d reach out to the appropriate coaches. I didn’t hear anything, waited two weeks emailed again head coach said she would resend the request and that if I didn’t hear anything to let her know.

Two more weeks passed I didn’t hear anything so I emailed again and so far no response it’s been about a week.

Every email I’ve said if she doesn’t think it’s needed or if the coaches or gym weren’t available then that’s completely fine and no big deal.

I really hate pestering or being a bother

The bolded part above is probably why they aren’t responding.

 

[claudidoll]

The bolded part above is probably why they aren’t responding.

Fair enough

But wouldn’t a “ we think she’s fine with out a private, or we don’t think much would be gained by having one at this point” be worth sending.


I worked in communications for a long time and I would never not respond.

 

[ladybird]

Fair enough

But wouldn’t a “ we think she’s fine with out a private, or we don’t think much would be gained by having one at this point” be worth sending.


I worked in communications for a long time and I would never not respond.

Yep, I totally agree with you! But, we all know that great communication is a rarity in the gym world. Good luck!

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Fair enough

I worked in communications for a long time and I would never not respond.

Yeah but gyms haven't.

Not saying its right. And not saying its not annoying as all get up.
And unfortunately not unusual.

 

[duyetanh]

Yep, I totally agree with you! But, we all know that great communication is a rarity in the gym world. Good luck!

You know, communication sucks in general for todays world in many situations. Take rsvping for parties for ex. Or meeting people places. People just do NOT always let people know things. Its crazy.

 

[raenndrops]

Fair enough

But wouldn’t a “ we think she’s fine with out a private, or we don’t think much would be gained by having one at this point” be worth sending.


I worked in communications for a long time and I would never not respond.

The problem is that you are sending a mixed message with yours.. think:
"We want to set up a private, but its no big deal either way."
The coach should reply, but probably forwarded your exact email on to other coaches and expected them to respond... and they had no clue what to say???

 

[Madden3]

If you email anyone and do not get any response in a week, you send another e-mail. Because obviously the e-mail was either forgotten or overlooked (most likely) or never received, or is being deliberately ignored.

24- 48 hours after sending that second e-mail, if there is still no response, you contact the person another way. Unless of course the issue is urgent. In that case you forego the second e-mail and contact the person another way immediately.

E-mail is usually the most appropriate and is often the preferred means of communication in this kind of circumstance. If a coach prefers another means of communication that is their responsibility to communicate that preference.

It is never polite to "pester" anyone, of course. But gym coaches are not kings or queens and parents are not their subjects. They should be just as available for questions and concerns from parents as any teacher or any other adult instructor the child is in close contact with. Do piano teachers instill this fear? Why so much special deference for gym coaches? I've never seen anything like it. It's weird.

 

[Madden3]

BTW op, I was not saying YOU are weird. I am sorry because re-reading my post it sounds rude. I meant, this type of concern in one form or another is posted about frequently here mostly by the parents of girl gymnasts. What I meant is that to me, this fear of gym coaches is a weird and frankly unhealthy part of the culture of gymnastics.

 

[MuggleMom]

I would ask at the front office maybe? We don't schedule privates through the coaches the office does the scheduling. They have a list of what coaches are allowed to do privates for team kids (its the team coaches) and they check the schedule and handle the details--they tend to be more responsive too and have better luck tracking down coaches to check their availability. The head coach may be too busy to finalize the details and hasn't responded because they don't have an answer for you.

 

[Madden3]

If the answer is "Please schedule privates at the front desk" then that is the answer they have for you. We are talking 5 seconds to answer an e-mail guys. It is rude to "pester" yes, but it is also very rude to not respond in any way to a legitimate e-mail sent by a parent of a child you are coaching.