All-Star Parent Viewing Areas

[SharkDad]

I think it would be fun if people post pictures of some parent viewing areas.

 

[Mamarazzi]

For that ^^^ reason alone, is why I am semi against parent viewing areas. I absolutely adore the parent that wants to sit QUIETLY, observe what her/his child is doing and what their child needs to work on. It's when Susie's Mom and Dad try to disrupt the peaceful order is when I want to shut the viewing area down. Some parents genuinely want to see what their child is doing so they can work on skills but others merely want to gossip, criticize, complain, critique, spread negativity and just cause confusion.

I don't mean to imply that all parents do is criticize. Sometimes they get frustrated with their child when the child lets things like emotions or fear take over and that's when some parents begin to try to step in. I'll be the first to say that I've done that. Not in a "Susie, you need to get this skill," way but in a "Susie, your mind says you can't do it, but you did it last month. I believe you can do it, now it's your turn to believe you can do it."
I feel like a parent's job is to support emotionally/mentally. A coach's job should be to support physically. But since these kids aren't robots, the emotional and the physical are related. That's when the line gets crossed by parents and by coaches.

 

[Mamarazzi]

I'm in love with Woodlands Elite's viewing area and it's elevated too...

 

[newcheerdad]

After seeing the Mini Cheer program about Midwest Magic and the other mini gym ( gone blank on the name,) I feel for the kids in the gym. I believe they showed a shot of the mamas "garfielding" (stuck to the glass) watching. It was funny and a bit scary (the intensity of the watching faces.) I can see it would be a distraction and I imagine some good fun is had making fun of some of the mom's facial expressions. Perhaps a gym staff member could secretly film the window and put it in the year end video.

I certainly understand wanting to watch, but most important is making sure that no staff member is ever alone with an athlete without a second staff member to protect the child and the staff member. I hope the USASF continues to work towards background checks. (There is about 60 pages/threads of prior discussion on this topic in these two sentences, so I am going to leave it at that!)

I have never personally seen a parent "Garfield". Honestly, most of the parents in our viewing area just sit there and chat and pretty much ignore their kids. The few that intensely watch REALLY stand out.

 

[CheerMomNTx]

We have an upstairs viewing area and practices are open. There are rules to the viewing area...NEVER knock on the glass to get your cp's attention, and do not turn on the light!! If kids are distracted by parents upstairs, coaches will close practices. Once the actual season starts, we will begin our closed practices. Team moms are always in attendance when we have closed practices.

 

[NJ Coach]

I once had a parent text me from the parent room with suggestions on the pyramid we were currently working on. I have no issues with closed practices lol

 

[xcourtneylynnex]

We have a parent viewing area that is open most of the time. It's only closed for tryouts, stunting and choreography camps, and right before competition season starts. Coaches don't want kids to be distracted by parents during important things like tryouts and camps and they want parents to be surprised at the final outcome of the routine when we have our showcase right before our first competition.

 

[TheRealAlishaD]

I once had a parent text me from the parent room with suggestions on the pyramid we were currently working on. I have no issues with closed practices lol

WOW! Now that one takes the cake! Unbelievable.

 

[ibcnu]

I once had a parent text me from the parent room with suggestions on the pyramid we were currently working on. I have no issues with closed practices lol

I have seen this at our gym, not only texting, but I beleive they will pull the coach aside afterwards and also email them.

I have had my CP, on more than one occassion, have a parent comment directly to her about something she did during practice while smy CP stepped out to grab a water. I was not around when this happened, I think teams deserve time alone to practice and shouldn't have parents "nose to window" watching, and yes, they are watching. You may think they are talking but they clearly have one eye on what's going on, on the mat.

Anyway, the parent who approached my daughter I found to be totally uncalled for and as such, is one reason why we are leaving this gym. I beleive parental viewing areas cause drama among the team, parents and coaches.

 

[HCKayla]

HotCheer, from Pittsburgh, has closed practices. The door that leads into the gym has a window that parents can peek in, but it is rarely used. Not many of our parent stay during practices and for the ones that do there is a gym down the hall that has a tanning bed!

 

[LoveOnTop]

When I took my first tumbling class, the gym had a parent viewing area upstairs. Some parents would bring chairs downstairs just to be closer. One girls mom would always yell at her because her BHS was pretty bad. I always felt bad for her. And until this day, she still never got it.
But that was just one mom... I'm sure most can behave! I'm all for parent viewing areas. If they're paying, they should get to watch.

 

[Seeker30]

ugh. . Parent Viewing rooms -_____- "The Fish Tank" haha! all the parents do is tap on it! lol

 

[gymncheercoach]

When I had my own gym, we had a closed off viewing area with viewing windows. Now that I coach at a church for a non profit program, their rules are parents can view the first and last class of the session only.
I take my daughter to another gym for gymnastics and it is open viewing right in the gym (chairs along the wall). I'm a USAG certified coach and I never say a word, even if I have a better drill or an opinion on a particular skill they are working on. I never talk to my daughter during class either. When class is completely over and we have left the gym then I will say "hey you did a great job today" or " too much talking and messing around today". You get the point lol. I'm actually qualified to say something during her class and out the respect of the coach- I wouldn't dare cross that line.

 

[cheerfan27]

I'm in love with Woodlands Elite's viewing area and it's elevated too...

I LIKE THE BLEACHERS.

 

[simplymom]

I really hate it when practices are closed! While I do understand the reasoning behind it, I still can't stand it. Sometimes I want to watch. Sometimes I don't. I want it to be my decision. Cheer is the only place, in my experience, that I haven't been able to watch my kids practice anytime.

Not all of us are Drama Mama's. Some of us just want to tell our kids "good job" when they get a new skill. Some of us just want to occasionally watch our child's progression in the sport they love.

Maybe some people should adopt my philosophy: "Coaches don't tell parents how to parent. Parents don't tell coaches how to coach." In the gym, coaches are boss. Out of the gym, I'm boss.

As usual...the few ruin it for the majority.