WAG Coach Posting Videos of Gymnasts With “Attitude”: Thoughts?

[Laylathegymnast]

Hello all, I have been a lurker on chalkbucket for a long time, however I just recently saw something that made my jaw drop and want to post it somewhere!

It’s a gymnastics coach’s instagram, where she posts videos of her kids crying and giving “attitude”. What are y’all’s thoughts? I know my gym has a strict rule on no videotaping due to the recent events going on.

Here is the post (they’re stories on instagram):
https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17927310976192416/

 

[sce]

That is terrible. Shaming kids like that does not teach them.

 

[sce]

Can anyone explain why the caoch connects a bad attitude with a bloody rip? She really seems like a terrible person who should not be around children.

 

[3rd_time_around]

Oh my goodness, calm down. This is how they relate to each other. You see them start to smile when she focuses on them, which I think is her goal. She is not a terrible person, she is a very good, very encouraging coach. Please lets not start the character assassination on an assumption of someone. Some of those story parts are almost a year old, so if someone was upset about it, they would have complained and had them removed. I know those coaches, and they are wonderful.

 

[stillhoping]

This approach would not work well with my kid.

 

[sce]

Oh my goodness, calm down. This is how they relate to each other. You see them start to smile when she focuses on them, which I think is her goal. She is not a terrible person, she is a very good, very encouraging coach. Please lets not start the character assassination on an assumption of someone. Some of those story parts are almost a year old, so if someone was upset about it, they would have complained and had them removed. I know those coaches, and they are wonderful.

Even good people can do some not so good things. Posting this publicly and some of the things they say about the kids is still not okay. So many negative things done by coaches are explained away, they should not be.

 

[3rd_time_around]

Even good people can do some not so good things. Posting this publicly and some of the things they say about the kids is still not okay. So many negative things done by coaches are explained away, they should not be.

And so many things are blown out of proportion that shouldn't be. That's all I'm saying. She's a good coach. I'm not going back and forth.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

My kid would be out of there in a NY minute.

 

[Aussie_coach]

Wow, no way, that is unacceptable behaviour from a coach and from a gym.

Gymnastics is challenging, gymnastics is frustrating and these young kids are still learning to manage their emotions. Is it attitude? Or is it normal, healthy frustration.

 

[skschlag]

Good coach or not...this could be in violation of safe sport. This is public harassment, bordering on bullying, of children. Claiming it is how they relate, probably excuses behavior that should not occur. It may be that she means nothing by it, but watching a girl crying or holding back tears, taping it, and posting it publicly, is not right. I had to stop watching after the first series. These are children, and should not be filmed this way.

I think I am very happy that our coaches are not allowed to post videos of our gymnasts. They can only use them for training purposes. Parents are allowed to, and coaches can share those.

 

[kitkat]

I stopped watching after seeing a few examples. I would be so mad if my dd coach did this. I wouldn't be happy with my dd for having attitude. But posting it on IG is disgusting....

 

[rjb123]

I have less of an issue with this particular post than the fact that she is putting these kids all over the internet - her account is not private. I wonder if she gets media releases? Permission from parents? We really try to limit how much our children are "out there" - especially to the wide world. It is not hard at all to find where she is, who these kids are- full names etc. There are a lot of creepers out there.

 

[OzZee]

WOW! I didn't really even see attitude, I saw young girls getting upset/fed up/in pain/or not even doing those things. I didn't see any rudeness or attitude at all. And as for putting the kids up on public internet to be shamed! I'm actually quite horrified that anyone could think this was good coaching.

 

[kecks]

would you accept such behavior from a teacher? no? well, there is your answer... not acceptable in any way. not at all. not even on a private account (this one is public!). kids are people. shaming them is not acceptable ever in any circumstance.

 

[gymbeam]

WTH?

 

[raenndrops]

So glad I don't have instagram ... or twitter ... or anything other than CB and FB.

 

[SMH]

I only watched the first girl...she looked like she was off to the side, taking a moment to collect herself. The coach zoomed in on her from another part of the gym.
I don’t understand the point of videotaping this and putting it on the internet for public consumption. Maybe she’s a good coach, but what value does a video like this have? Is it a threat? (Stop having an attitude or I’ll keep videotaping you) or to publicly shame her?
I have no problem with an adult in authority joking around with a kid to pull them out of a ‘mood’ they are having- but why does the whole world need to see?

 

[Exgymmomx3]

I’m honestly not sure how anyone could defend this behavior, “good” coach or not. Public shaming of someone else’s kids is not acceptable. This is black and white to me! I honestly think this should be a safe sport violation if it isn’t and should be grounds enough for dismissal. Does the gym owner know about this? All of the parents? Like someone else said, this would never be tolerated by a teacher, nor should it be by a coach. I don’t believe that a “good” coach would need to use this sort of tactic!

 

[NutterButter]

Nope. No way. NO.

I would not consent to having my child put online like this and if I saw it, I would demand that it be removed. The intent of the coach may not be to harm or demean kids but that is exactly what is happening. This sport is hard enough and brings out vulnerabilities in every child at some point. There is absolutely no need to put this on public display. Ever. Also, some of the kids are 'in' on it. Smiling and interacting with the coach doing the recording while their teammate, who is a child, is in the midst of anger, frustration, sadness, etc. An adult should never mock a child's vulnerability. Ever.

 

[sce]

WOW! I didn't really even see attitude, I saw young girls getting upset/fed up/in pain/or not even doing those things. I didn't see any rudeness or attitude at all. And as for putting the kids up on public internet to be shamed! I'm actually quite horrified that anyone could think this was good coaching.

I agree, some if those girls were hurt. No attitude there, just an injury.