I think if I would tell our coaches anything I would say that I am glad my DD is in a better place now, and you've done great things for her in the short amount of time she's been in your gym. I love the way that you have safety and longevity in mind when it comes to injuries. I appreciate you accommodating our family's situation and being a little flexible with finances.
But (and there is always one, isn't there?) I am echoing the sentiments of the last few posters that is not far-fetched that a coach could find a parent a good resource and trust them sometimes! And at least be curious about what you might gain from a better partnership rather than attempting to shut us out as much as possible. As a parent, I have insights into my child that you just don't have, especially being that she only recently came to your gym. As a L10 parent, and I am not a rookie gym mom. I understand the basics that you possibly think I'm too dumb to know (ie no coaching/spotting at home, full support regardless of performance, proper nutrition, we're only an injury away from the end of gym, the team is important, etc) and she wouldn't have gotten this far if I didn't. I have many things to offer that a mama understands better than you because I FEEL who she is - I know what motivates her in life (in and out of the gym), I know that doing her best and perfecting new skills is way more important than placements to her, I know that she is worried you don't believe in her and that's partly why she had a rough season, I know how much she wants to please you but isn't sure she is, so a kind word would go so far and would not make her reliant on praise, I know when she is frustrated at a meet long before you do by the look on her face or a gesture, I know that she doesn't take her scores home with her, I know that she trusts you but doesn't feel close to you, I know when she is afraid of a skill before you do because she tells me first, I know if her cat died and she doesn't need to be pushed too hard today, I know that she would like to have videos of herself in practice (because she is an artist and learns better visually), and I know that inside she's an artist and loves her family and friends passionately, and that these two things are always more important than gym.
Could you try to fathom the Doc Ali concept that we are a triangle, and you need us as parents as much as we need you as a coach as much as we both need a happy, healthy, successful gymnast?
