Parents What to add in a parent survey?

[Gymmastmom9]

Hi parents,

It’s becoming close to the end of our season. I am one of the team moms on my daughter’s team. Looking to have a survey for the parents to get their feedback on this season, ,communication, what can be helpful for next season, team building, questions they may of had, their suggestions for next year…really just any feedback and advice.

Obviously they could say a lot and doesn’t necessarily mean what they say will make changes overnight, but I feel like getting true, anonymous feedback would be helpful. Then I can help improve where I can.

I really want to work with the coaches make some changes and more fun for the gymnasts.

What are some questions I should put in this survey?
I want the best and honest feedback from the parents.

 

[Aussie_coach]

I think feedback on number of competitions per year and how far willing to travel would be useful.

It’s hard to get the balance right, too many competitions and the kids burn out, get little time for other things etc. not enough and the value for all the time and money they put in preparing for the competitions feels wasted.

 

[NutterButter]

Oohh! I love when I get to make surveys for work! Have you been tasked with the survey by the HC? Or is this something you are looking to do in 'good-faith' with hopes that parent feedback will be taken to heart? If you don't have their blessing, be very careful...it might backfire. In my experience these things can open a can of worms and expose people's frustrations with a significant risk of offending those for whom the feedback is intended (pissed off people often don't listen!).

If you do have the blessing of team leadership, I would work with them on what aspect they are wanting info on. Limit, or better yet, don't as questions about things that can't change because of logistical reasons like staffing (for example, practice start time). For a gym owner/HC, I would be most interested in knowing whether my athletes feel safe. Do they feel valued both as an individual and team member. I would want to know if I'm hitting it with team building activities (this includes strength/warmups where kids work together on assignments as well as more 'official' activities like pizza parties, theme days, etc). I would want to know the competition questions @Aussie_coach suggests.

 

[JBS]

What are some questions I should put in this survey?

If you don't know the questions already... then the survey is basically not needed. If you know the questions... it's probably not needed either... just fix the issues.

I really want to work with the coaches make some changes and more fun for the gymnasts.

What exactly do you mean by "change" and "more fun"?

Make sure your club is structured in a way that the coaches / management are going to want you sending out surveys. If a parent was looking to change our team... we would quickly be speaking with them to shut them down as it is not their place at all the way our particular team is structured.

Having a picnic or arranging a go-kart outing is very different than sending out surveys.

My advice before you go down this road is... make sure it's your road to go down.

 

[JBS]

Sorry… I didn’t answer your question. We get the best results out of a singular NPS style question with an open ended box for comments.

“Would you recommend our team to others?”

1-10 with 10 being the best.

Then and open text box saying… “Anything else you’d like to tell us about this season?”

 

[Dahlialover]

Unless this survey is being done with the blessing of the management, I could see this blowing up in your face. At my child’s gym, the management absolutely does not want to hear a word of feedback and anyone who is dumb enough to offer it better be prepared to change gyms if the management decides to retaliate. Even if your immediate coach is receptive the owners would almost certainly not approve and you and the coach could both end up in hot water. Take care!

 

[WV Gym Mom]

If the gym management/head coach are not aware of this survey, I would be very careful. This could seem like a bunch of people talking negatively about them behind their back. Crazy stuff gets said in anonymous surveys. If people have serious concerns, what is stopping them from bringing them up personally? And I am not sure what you mean by changing things to make practice more fun? Are you talking about changing the format of training? Gyms has usually spend years working on their approach to training.