High School Thoughts

[OldskoolKYcheercoach]

Coaches, I'm not really looking for advice, but I am interested in your initial thoughts on the following scenario:

I have 34 athletes, two of them are sisters, so 33 sets of parents. I have received maybe 12-15 complaints this year total. All but two of the complaints have come from the same two parents.

 

[retiredl5cheer]

Sounds like your program may not be a good fit for them.

 

[Official OWECheer]

Coaches, I'm not really looking for advice, but I am interested in your initial thoughts on the following scenario:

I have 34 athletes, two of them are sisters, so 33 sets of parents. I have received maybe 12-15 complaints this year total. All but two of the complaints have come from the same two parents.

I already have the feeling I'll be in accordance with retiredl5cheer even after asking this... but what are the complaints centered around?

 

[Sully Gondron]

First off, you cannot satisfy everyone. If MAJORITY do not have any issues with how you are doing business.... I wouldn't sweat it. Some people THRIVE off of being miserable, and their princesses are the ALWAYS right! Just keep your head up, and give them the option to put up or shut up! (easier said than done)

 

[OldskoolKYcheercoach]

I already have the feeling I'll be in accordance with retiredl5cheer even after asking this... but what are the complaints centered around?

No real pattern....

One of them likes to tattle on other athletes and things they may or may not be posting on social media (I say may or may not because she's never brought me any solid evidence).

One of them jumped my booty at a competition over goodie bags made for one of my teams that weren't made for the other one. I had no idea what she was talking about, and come to find out, one mom....made two goodie bags for her daughter and a teammate for the bus trip.

It's all petty crap.

 

[OldskoolKYcheercoach]

Sounds like your program may not be a good fit for them.

Oh, I guarantee that's the case. I was just looking for others' initial thoughts.

 

[OldskoolKYcheercoach]

First off, you cannot satisfy everyone. If MAJORITY do not have any issues with how you are doing business.... I wouldn't sweat it. Some people THRIVE off of being miserable, and their princesses are the ALWAYS right! Just keep your head up, and give them the option to put up or shut up! (easier said than done)

Oh, my head is up. I don't give a poop what these people think. The latest load of BS has been over how they were their hair the night of homecoming.

 

[retiredl5cheer]

You're a seasoned coach, so I'm sure you know this... if you can cut them next year, you should. I don't care how talented kids are, if their parents give me heartburn, indigestion, and make me want to cry every single week, they need to go. It's better off for everyone because one bad apple can ruin the bunch.

 

[gymcatmomx2]

Unfortunately, anytime you are in a position to interact with kids, you have to deal with parents. It doesn't matter what the position is. I don't agree that you should cut the kid(s) for the behavior of their parents. There is always going to be that "one" parent that makes your life miserable. Try to prevent their negativity from poisoning the other parents. I experienced that when my oldest was in high school. One mom was constantly interfering with the coaches decisions and unfortunately, she was able to poison the other moms that she socialized with, which left a few of us who weren't part of that clique at odds with them. What made it even more frustrating was my daughter was the Varsity captain. I was so happy when I didn't have to deal with them any longer. Now my youngest will be a senior next year, but so far (fingers crossed), there aren't any of those moms on this Varsity squad...but next year there will be new moms but I am hoping for the best.

 

[Official OWECheer]

No real pattern....

One of them likes to tattle on other athletes and things they may or may not be posting on social media (I say may or may not because she's never brought me any solid evidence).

One of them jumped my booty at a competition over goodie bags made for one of my teams that weren't made for the other one. I had no idea what she was talking about, and come to find out, one mom....made two goodie bags for her daughter and a teammate for the bus trip.

It's all petty crap.

So 2 goodie bags equals the whole team being provided with them? LOL. Petty parents can suck, but you'll only have a legitimate reason for removing their kids if they begin posing problems because of their behavior. Which will likely happen because apples don't typically fall far from their respective trees.

 

[OldskoolKYcheercoach]

Unfortunately, anytime you are in a position to interact with kids, you have to deal with parents. It doesn't matter what the position is. I don't agree that you should cut the kid(s) for the behavior of their parents. There is always going to be that "one" parent that makes your life miserable. Try to prevent their negativity from poisoning the other parents. I experienced that when my oldest was in high school. One mom was constantly interfering with the coaches decisions and unfortunately, she was able to poison the other moms that she socialized with, which left a few of us who weren't part of that clique at odds with them. What made it even more frustrating was my daughter was the Varsity captain. I was so happy when I didn't have to deal with them any longer. Now my youngest will be a senior next year, but so far (fingers crossed), there aren't any of those moms on this Varsity squad...but next year there will be new moms but I am hoping for the best.

I'm going to disagree with you on this one. Poison parents have to go. Learned that from the Matheny Manifesto. If you haven't read that book, you should.

 

[Official OWECheer]

I'm going to disagree with you on this one. Poison parents have to go. Learned that from the Matheny Manifesto. If you haven't read that book, you should.

Is there an anecdote he included on that topic? I couldn't find any quotes from the book regarding parents.

 

[Cheerfun2]

Just curious, bc I literally have no idea about any of this (not a coach, not a cheerleader, just the mom of a middle schooler who does AS.) How would you cut a girl who had all of the skills, executed them well, previous varsity experience, and assuming no grade/character issues, but happens to have a PITA mom? I mean, if the mom is a PITA when her offspring is ON the team...I cannot imagine the fresh hellfire she would conjure up if you cut her kid & placed a lesser cheerleader on the team. I am picturing calls to the AD, Principal, heck even the school superintendent! How would you deflect the sh#%storm?

 

[OldskoolKYcheercoach]

Is there an anecdote he included on that topic? I couldn't find any quotes from the book regarding parents.

Story about a parent who kept trying to impose his will on coaches about his kid's playing time or position. He told them they weren't a fit for his program, and insisted they find another place to play.

I don't remember the exact situation, but that's close.

 

[OldskoolKYcheercoach]

Just curious, bc I literally have no idea about any of this (not a coach, not a cheerleader, just the mom of a middle schooler who does AS.) How would you cut a girl who had all of the skills, executed them well, previous varsity experience, and assuming no grade/character issues, but happens to have a PITA mom? I mean, if the mom is a PITA when her offspring is ON the team...I cannot imagine the fresh hellfire she would conjure up if you cut her kid & placed a lesser cheerleader on the team. I am picturing calls to the AD, Principal, heck even the school superintendent! How would you deflect the sh#%storm?

I tell the AD and Principal I'm going to do it, and why, BEFOREHAND. Then she can call whoever she wants, it won't make a difference.