All-Star For The Parents - What Coaches Want

[CheerMomNTx]

I must be different because I have a lot of contact with my kids' teachers. They have each given out their home numbers and encourage questions after hours. I've only taken them up on that a couple of times, but often email or text them after hours.

Really??? Our district would not allow this, at all.

To add a quick note to all of this, our official gym hours are 12p - 8p Mon - Thurs. This is the time to call to leave messages, make appointments with a coach. However our gym utilizes team moms to be that in between person to prevent coaches from getting tons of phone calls.

Coaches, do you all have set 'business' hours??

 

[flcheermom]

Your logic/example is confusing (btw, teachers do call me after hours and vice versa).

Should a parent talk to a coach while they are coaching (yes according to your example) or should it be after practice is over and everyone is on their personal time (which you said shouldn't happen in your other post on this topic)?

Teachers usually do call after school hours. That is the most appropriate time to talk. They can't talk to parents during school hours, while they are teaching. Email has become an effective communication tool, as parents/teachers can correspond during the school day if needed - Teachers may call a parent during school hours if a child is ill, is a behavior problem, or another immediate issue arises. If a parent calls the school during the day, then that parent is placed in a teachers voice mail, so the teacher can return the call after school - or in the evening. I have also had teachers call my cell phone in the afternoon/evening.. I work at a school, my husband is an administrator, so I have first hand knowledge "working" after scheduled hours during the day comes with the territory with certain jobs...teachers spend alot of time doing that (grading papers, attending workshops, and the lists go on) I am very much an advocate for teachers- that may not be the best job to use in your analogy - as they do alot of after hours job related things.

 

[tumbleyoda]

@CheerMomTx - I do have set hours. They are on my private booking website and our internal calendar. However and this is just my observation is that when a parent gets your phone # they feel that operating hours no longer applies to them. They can call, contact, text you whenever they like.

 

[yojaehs]

Do not bring up another child in any conversation I have with you about your child. I will not discuss another athlete or how your cp compares.

Please don't coach your child. I'm the coach, you be the mom/dad. Let me be the one who makes corrections, disciplines in practice, teaches new skills ect. You be the parent and comfort, cheer and hug. Listen to what a terrible person I am because I conditioned the team, or how much fun practice was because a new skill was learned. Be the support, let me be the voice.

DO NOT use witholding practice as a punishment. You are not only punishing your child, but every other child on that team.

Cheer as loud as you can at competitions. Go crazy for your kid and everyone else's. As much as these kids will look to me to see how they're doing in the routine, they're looking for you too. Remember, everyone has bad days. If today was a bad day, then we work hard for tomorrow. Do not punish because of a bad day. Things happen.

Everyone needs to be on the same page. Coaches, Parents and kids. That's when things work the best. If there's an issue, question or concern we need to talk about it. I need and want to know. If you have an issue with me, please tell me. If you don't have an issue with me, please tell me Sometimes the only time I hear from parents is because of an issue. I like to hear the good stuff too!

If there was a "hug" button I'd push it!!

 

[imrichhowboutu]

Your logic/example is confusing (btw, teachers do call me after hours and vice versa).

Should a parent talk to a coach while they are coaching (yes according to your example) or should it be after practice is over and everyone is on their personal time (which you said shouldn't happen in your other post on this topic)?

Talk to me at the gym. Not WHILE I am coaching, but I don't think I should be out to dinner with my family getting phone calls to discuss things for an hour.

 

[proudpapa]

Respect the rules and most importanly respect eachother...
If we all just stay focused and remember why it is we do what we are doing then all things will and can be worked out.

I totally understand what the coaches are saying, not to sure about how it was said but I do understand. They do have private lives and although I dont doubt they love what they are doing and love our kids they do have have the right to be respected and their set boundaries, time lines and rules to be honored.

And I am in total agreement with the parents, coaches we also have lives, we also have limits on our time and we work very long, long, long hours to try and provide for our CP's...

So I guess what I am saying is a little more patience, understanding and common courtesy by all involved and we will all get through another year of AMAZING PERFORMANCES, GOOD TIMES AND WONDERFUL MEMORIES!

Everyone have a great day, a wonderful weekend and a fantastic 2011-2012 CHEER SEASON...See you all at WORLDS!

 

[dawgshow]

Really??? Our district would not allow this, at all.

/quote]

Really. It may be different because we are with a private school. IDK.

 

[BubbleToes]

So, lets see if I got this right. Some coaches can post on Fierceboard all day and night, but can't be bothered by a phone call, text, or conversation from a parent because the time isn't right or they're just to darn busy. Got it!

 

[bburke1]

Wow.

 

[KRECCheer]

So, lets see if I got this right. Some coaches can post on Fierceboard all day and night, but can't be bothered by a phone call, text, or conversation from a parent because the time isn't right or they're just to darn busy. Got it!

No one is ever too busy. No one. I wasnt even too busy when I was taking six classes a semester, working 36 hours per week, and coaching 2 different teams.
Phone calls are perfectly acceptable between normal business hours, and for us, that goes until 8 pm because well, your child practices from 6 to 8 on weekdays. But I know I dont want a phone call at 10 pm at night because Im a very old 24 year old who likes her sleep. I also dont want a phone call at 6 am because you got spam mail and really think my mom took a last minute trip to London and needs money because she was robbed (yes, I got that call). I dont mind a call to discuss a matter that cant wait. I dont mind a call as a reminder that Susie cant make it on Wednesday because she has a graded assignment that includes her actual attendance to the event. I would ASSUME that most parents know the difference between a good and bad time to call. But that should go for coaches as well. The way you communicate with parents dictates how they communicate with you in return.

 

[drewpate]

So, lets see if I got this right. Some coaches can post on Fierceboard all day and night, but can't be bothered by a phone call, text, or conversation from a parent because the time isn't right or they're just to darn busy. Got it!

lol I had just gotten off of work at my other job, as I said not a normal night for me. Most days I open up at mcdonalds, somedays I close. Which leaves my potential work times being anwhere between 4 am and 2am the next night.

 

[Just-a-Mom]

Oh my. I might actually HAVE TO follow @NEliteSteven 's advice and open my own gym...because I sure am not getting ANY work done today!

If it's possible I think I agree with everyone so far? Can that happen? I think yes, coaches should be OK with phone calls. I think coaches should make time to talk to parents. I think coaches need their own lives and should be able to go to dinner or SLEEP without us bugging them about tick tocks. I genuinely think if we were to read all of both of these threads, coaches and parents would HAVE TO think to themselves at least once out of the whole 2 thread "Oh...oops....I think I've done that."

I think the best we can ask of each other is this: JUST THINK FIRST. Think "Is this something I have to take care of NOW? Or can I maybe call/email her coach about it tomorrow sometime?" "Do I really have to spot her this second? Or is it more important that I coach this girl who is paying by the minute?" "Do I have to eat NOW? Or can I wait 5 minutes and then run and eat in the office?" "Hm...I think I'll post a Facebook status. What should I say?"

 

[Cheer Tennessee]

It sounds like most parents are not understanding fully.. I think your looking at it as its 1 phone call and we should make time for it.. but I think alot of you are forgettin that in some programs there are over 200 All Star Athletes (my gym) so its not just 1 parent or a small amount of time.. If I take a phone call from a parent they most likely last for 45mins to over an hour. Very few of the calls I receive are complaining.. Mostly its parents wanting updates or just talk cheer and about there CP. So yes we dont have the time, which is are only free time for friends or family, to talk to you. At the gym yes. But you are 1 of many parents probably wanting to talk. You'll get it once you realize that. WE WILL TALK TO YOU lol but at the gym is the best place to get it done or over email. We coaches most of the time LIVE and BREATHE CHEER.. Its always talked about because most of our friends also coach or are involved.. we too need a break from it sometime even if it just 2 hours a day lol

 

[imrichhowboutu]

So, lets see if I got this right. Some coaches can post on Fierceboard all day and night, but can't be bothered by a phone call, text, or conversation from a parent because the time isn't right or they're just to darn busy. Got it!

I have no problem with simple conversation. If you want to have an hour long discussion, please call or text me to set something up. If its a quick, hey, did we find this out.. then that shouldnt bother anyone as long as the rules of the gym allow parents to contact coaches.

 

[BubbleToes]

Unfortunately for some coaches who have a problem with their parents, its the nature of the beast. You choose to work with kids? You get the bonus of dealing with their parents. I've known a few who wanted to coach, tried....then after the season, never did it again because they hated dealing with the parents but they loved the coaching part.

Whenever you deal with children, you take on the parents too. Its emotional, not just a business agreement. I may go out and spend $25,000 on a car, be a pain in the booty to the salesman for a week, but then I'm done. Its not like these parents are giving you $10,000 and they're done. They give you money, their kid, they drive, the spend more for stuff they didn't really want anyway, they pay MORE money and with their time to get to competitions, they support, they cheer your teams on, they worry, they are involved no matter how much you may not want to believe that!!!!!!!! Its almost like they're giving your gym as much as their kids are, but in a different way.

Most involved in AllStar, no matter an athlete, coach, or parent, is sucked into its lifestyle because its so demanding in soooo many ways for EVERYONE involved.

Both the coaches and parents should give each other a break and realize your on the same team!