All-Star Dear Cheer Coach....

[CoachTamara]

Gyms seem to like parents who drop their kids off kiss their butts and say nothing!

This isn't every coaches dream?! Oh... I mean, not me... Of course not...

But really, I will say this. I am guilty of "I'll see them at the gym and talk to them" mentality, and sometimes forget. It's not right, but it has happened and I apologized. Also, I will admit I do not check the email 20 times a day, nor do I have it sent to my phone. I check once, twice a day depending on what is going on. But, I have another job and I'm usually taking classes (hello lifelong student), and I use my day to get stuff done.
If it's a huge issue, send it again, but don't hold it against them either. That will give a little nudge, but not be too pushy.

I've had more issues with people thinking a text means an automatic response within 2 minutes, but I don't keep the gym cell phone on me at all times. Usually it's with me, but I don't think to check it as much as my regular phone, and will not write you back if I'm in the middle of working my other job. It's like my mentality with teachers as a kid-I never considered they did anything else but teach me. Life outside of school? Yeah right. Sometimes I have to remind people I am not in "cheer mode" 100% of my day, just like... 80%.

 

[CricketCheerMom]

This isn't every coaches dream?! Oh... I mean, not me... Of course not...

But really, I will say this. I am guilty of "I'll see them at the gym and talk to them" mentality, and sometimes forget. It's not right, but it has happened and I apologized. Also, I will admit I do not check the email 20 times a day, nor do I have it sent to my phone. I check once, twice a day depending on what is going on. But, I have another job and I'm usually taking classes (hello lifelong student), and I use my day to get stuff done.
If it's a huge issue, send it again, but don't hold it against them either. That will give a little nudge, but not be too pushy.

I've had more issues with people thinking a text means an automatic response within 2 minutes, but I don't keep the gym cell phone on me at all times. Usually it's with me, but I don't think to check it as much as my regular phone, and will not write you back if I'm in the middle of working my other job. It's like my mentality with teachers as a kid-I never considered they did anything else but teach me. Life outside of school? Yeah right. Sometimes I have to remind people I am not in "cheer mode" 100% of my day, just like... 80%.

Three year of unreturned messages and then they wonder when you leave why you didn't talk to them before you made your decision. When you call a coach and she doesn't answer your call and then a team mom says oh she will answer my call, she alway does.......and she calls and sure enough gets an answer that is a sign. I waited in line to talk to her. Have office hours like professors do or something. To me it is disrespectful and unorganized.

 

[kristenthegreat]

I always respond in the 24-hr window when possible, even if it's a 'Hey, I'm reading this message and here's some general info, I'll write you a more detailed email later'. That way they know I got it, and know I'm going to give them a more thorough response when I can (this is for acting business stuff-I'm not a coach year-round ).

Although I will say:
Dear New(er) Gym Owner,
Welcome to the 21st Century! Even if you're not ready to splurge on a super pretty site, at least have SOME type of web presence. This is CRITICAL! Get a free facebook page for all I care- just have something that I can find when I search you. I can't tell you how many times I've gone to look up stuff about a gym and they either have ZERO web presence, it's not up to date, or it has cheesy graphics. Keep it simple, clean, and straightforward. Please. People want to know more about you- make that info easy to find!

 

[CGAcheer]

In our defense, still an excuse but sometimes we will get an email that requires a more elaborate(more than I want to type on my phone) response right before we start classes and don't have time to respond then and then forget about since it is then in the read column and gets pushed down by the next 50 emails we get from all the fundraising companies and regular junk mail etc. Or it's a question that I'm about to send a mass email about the next day or something that well have the details on in the next day or two. And sometimes we just aren't at a computer and are posting things on fb from our phones and aren't in a dealing with the gym mood and aren't checking emails.

But with all that said if they haven't answered in the next day or two send a reminder or a text

 

[mstealtoyou]

Someone else already said it but maybe keep in mind the amount of emails this person might be getting right now. Honestly, our gym owner probably get's about 200 emails a day. That's not including 300 texts a day. LOL Stuff can get lost in the shuffle just from simple human error.

 

[NJ Coach]

Someone else already said it but maybe keep in mind the amount of emails this person might be getting right now. Honestly, our gym owner probably get's about 200 emails a day. That's not including 300 texts a day. LOL Stuff can get lost in the shuffle just from simple human error.

Not to mention hackery

 

[mstealtoyou]

Not to mention hackery

Yes, but hopefully her gym owner isn't getting hacked. LOL

 

[prettycheermom]

Another issue...
Dear Gym Owner/Coach,

I emailed you not the team parent or the booster club chairman. When I email you it was for you, if I wanted to cc them I would have. Sometimes I know my question will be special but maybe it's my slow day and I can't comprehend today just acknowledge me.

 

[BuegeSmalls]

Dear Old Teammates,
Please check your emails about practice and stuff. I feel like for the last four years you've only found out about practice changes and competition info because I've told you. I am graduating now so it would be good time to start utilizing that thing called email. Coach emails everything. And maybe print out the calendar with the practice wear because I won't be there to respond to your texts every night in what we have to wear.
Sincerely,
BuegeSmalls

This might not be a problem anymore because the girls who are most guilty of not checking emails are also graduating or chose not to cheer. One time my coach said to a girl "why aren't you wearing the right practice outfit. I told you what to wear in the email." She responded with "I don't check my email." Are you kidding me?!

 

[cupieqt]

I'm on call pretty much 24/7. I answer all texts, calls and emails pretty quickly. If one gets by me I apologize.

Quick note: if I ask for you to email me vacation dates, don't send them in a reply to my email about shoe fittings. I'll lose it. It's much easier to save and find when the subject is "Sally's vacation dates".

 

[xtremeteal4life]

I will add to this......

Dear Prospective New Gym:

I have spent considerable time exploring your website. If I contact you directly for more information, it's because I am truly interested. Please do not direct me to your website, I have already been there. Please at least have someone to talk to me on the day/time you tell me is convenient to visit. And please, for the love of all that is holy, do NOT talk trash about another program in my presence, especially if you are an owner, coach, or anything of the sort.

In return, I promise to be a (semi) normal mom that respects your decisions on all things regarding cheer.

Sincerely,

RaRaMama

I hope this isn't directed towards me bc I did give you contact information for the specific teams (well levels to be exact) at our location in addition to the website bc the contact info for each team is listed in specific threads...although I'm inclined to think you must be referring to someone else bc none of the other stuff would apply to me at all.

 

[hopskipandjump]

This isn't every coaches dream?! Oh... I mean, not me... Of course not...

But really, I will say this. I am guilty of "I'll see them at the gym and talk to them" mentality, and sometimes forget. It's not right, but it has happened and I apologized. Also, I will admit I do not check the email 20 times a day, nor do I have it sent to my phone. I check once, twice a day depending on what is going on. But, I have another job and I'm usually taking classes (hello lifelong student), and I use my day to get stuff done.
If it's a huge issue, send it again, but don't hold it against them either. That will give a little nudge, but not be too pushy.

I've had more issues with people thinking a text means an automatic response within 2 minutes, but I don't keep the gym cell phone on me at all times. Usually it's with me, but I don't think to check it as much as my regular phone, and will not write you back if I'm in the middle of working my other job. It's like my mentality with teachers as a kid-I never considered they did anything else but teach me. Life outside of school? Yeah right. Sometimes I have to remind people I am not in "cheer mode" 100% of my day, just like... 80%.

I could shimmy a million gazillion times! I am going to add that I truly love and care about my families, however, I think people forget that they are one of many texting me during the day. My work day. I try to answer as many as possible, but I do have a family too that would like some undivided attention (and I often do not give it to them because I am answering text messages). I have 3 email accounts, one personal and 2 cheer related. Sometimes I don't check them as much as I probably should, and I never check emails during the weekend.

 

[RaRaMama]

I hope this isn't directed towards me bc I did give you contact information for the specific teams (well levels to be exact) at our location in addition to the website bc the contact info for each team is listed in specific threads...although I'm inclined to think you must be referring to someone else bc none of the other stuff would apply to me at all.

Nope, not to you at all-actually, not to any of the gyms we've dealt with in the last two years...when we first started checking out allstars, we had two gyms that did this, one that is pretty well known. I realize I am one mom, and my daughter is just one cheerleader-and I also realize that things gets lost in the shuffle, and my one email might be MIA. But when I call and can't get a response (can't even get anyone to pick up the phone), email 2-3 times and can't get a response, and go by the gym and set up a time to meet to talk with someone, I kinda expect that person to be there. Just frustrating because I am a paying customer-if I walk into Target and can't find a salesperson, can't find a cashier, etc....guess what? I'm not buying anything.

You were/are very helpful and great resource, thank you!

 

[BowsnBling]

Three year of unreturned messages and then they wonder when you leave why you didn't talk to them before you made your decision. When you call a coach and she doesn't answer your call and then a team mom says oh she will answer my call, she alway does.......and she calls and sure enough gets an answer that is a sign. I waited in line to talk to her. Have office hours like professors do or something. To me it is disrespectful and unorganized.

I totally agree! Hope you are happy with your new home!

 

[coachbd]

Nope, not to you at all-actually, not to any of the gyms we've dealt with in the last two years...when we first started checking out allstars, we had two gyms that did this, one that is pretty well known. I realize I am one mom, and my daughter is just one cheerleader-and I also realize that things gets lost in the shuffle, and my one email might be MIA. But when I call and can't get a response (can't even get anyone to pick up the phone), email 2-3 times and can't get a response, and go by the gym and set up a time to meet to talk with someone, I kinda expect that person to be there. Just frustrating because I am a paying customer-if I walk into Target and can't find a salesperson, can't find a cashier, etc....guess what? I'm not buying anything.

You were/are very helpful and great resource, thank you!

Yup, I'd be walking away and not giving them my business (aka. sending my child there) if I went through all that effort and still wasn't getting an adequate response!