Parents How often does your gym provide feedback?

[Prentice]

Hello! I was wondering how often does your gym provide feedback to the parents?
Is it after each practise or only if you've requested to speak to the coach. Or do they have formal feedback on scheduled days only? My dd has just started an advanced pre-team group and she just started in gymnastics , starting with a rec class in the summer so she is just a newbie. Thus I would love to know how she is doing, maybe on a weekly basis or monthly. Is that fair? I think I'd have to ask the coach myself cuz she doesnt meet the parents after each session. She's also very busy being the headcoach and sometimes has back to back teams to coach. I have also asked my dd after a practise/training session but I don't want to ask her all the time.

Thanks

 

[gymbeam]

I've had different experiences at 2 different gyms. The first was really small and catching the coaches in the hallway or parking lot for quick conversations happened all the time. Our current gym is large and on the few occasions that I have seen a coach in the lobby, there is usually a line already around them to talk so I don't bother trying. We've been there several months and haven't gotten any feedback other than a quick, "she got her BHS today!" one day in passing. I think if I want feedback here I am gong to have send an email.

 

[wallinbl]

Only if a gymnast is off course or they need to bring something up. Otherwise, you're to assume everything is fine. It's really a long haul sport. Weekly or monthly updates wouldn't show much change from report to report.

 

[SurpriseGymMom]

As a parent, if I have a concern I will try to quickly catch the attention of the coach for a short chat after practice. Our coaches are really good about trying to make themselves available for that, which I really appreciate and try not to take advantage of.
As a coach, I try to do the same thing. I encourage my parents to get my attention before or after practice if they have a small concern, and to email me to set up a meeting if they have something they feel needs to be a longer conversation. I'm more than happy to give a quick update on how little Suzie is doing when asked.
However, I would not feel as willing to give weekly or monthly progress reports. A quick chat with a concern or "how is she progressing" would be fine, but with the status reports I would really NOT ask more than once every few months, no more than say 3-4times/year really. There's a big difference between chatting quickly with a parent whom I know is watching and is interested but let's me do my job and only comes to me when necessary vs having to deal with someone whom I know is going to bug me AD nauseum about minute details. Big difference.
I know of one parent who asked for a written progress report from a higher up coach after chatting with the child's coach several times (this child was struggling a bit). It was talked about between the coaches because it was seen as a bit of a nuisance and really isn't commonly done. We were all very respectful about it.... But things like that will still likely label one as "THAT parent". You don't want to be THAT parent.

 

[Rockygym]

No formal feedback at our gym, but coaches are very approachable. I agree with others that weekly and maybe monthly updates are proably too much as the progression is SLOW and comes and goes.

 

[MILgymFAM]

I have had the ability, at both of the gyms that both of my girls attend(ed) to talk with the coaches every time we were there. I have always been friendly and chatty with their coaches and they with me. Sometimes in random conversation the girls gymnastics will come up and sometimes not. I feel confident that if there was something in particular I needed to know, that it would be brought up. I am always bringing the coaches dinners, treats, and coffee (I like to feed people, what can I say), and volunteering for whatever is needed- so I may have a different perspective.


I do disagree with the idea that updates can be spaced out pretty far. We are still at the beginning of our journeys, and waiting months between updates would have meant I missed a ton of new skills, a couple new fears, and a problem or two. Maybe the whole first years are skills explosion time, but I feel like in the past almost year my dd has gotten a ton of skills, and in the past couple months my other dd has picked up a lot at T&T. I like open and frequent communication, personally. I would never, however, request a written report. That's a step to far, and nobody really has time for that. Lol.

 

[Ariekannairb]

I agree with the others. I actually think as a paying parent you have a right to ask for updates as often as you want them, but I think it will quite likely get you labeled as annoying if you ask for them weekly. And as others have said progress is slow. I will casually ask about DD every 2-3 months or if we are particularly addressing something I will ask more. I always ask for feedback after privates, but your DD is so little she shouldn't "need" those just yet. Let me tell you though, due to distance I have to sit up at the gym for the vast majority of my daughters practices. I HATE HATE HATE seeing every practice and knowing everything about her abilities. I would MUCH rather show up at a meet and be surprised. Knowing too much makes it very easy to be disappointed when bad days happen. I would feel the same way about too many updates. Once the coach tells you that your DD has a fantastic handstand or whatever, you will start expecting it. It is much more fun to show up to a meet and just have your socks knocked off of you and as a parent who struggles with being too involved because I know too much, it would be much more fun for me not to know so much :/

Sorry I sort of hi-jacked your thread to vent some of my own frustrations with our current home to gym distance LOL

 

[iagymmom]

At dd gym no news is good news. I don't talk to the coaches beyond pleasantries. They are available by email and offer conferences in the spring. I never hear from them so my dd is doing as expected. I used to want feedback more often when I had to stay at practice due to commute when dd was preteam. At DD gym once they get to team, parents are not allowed to watch practice, they can observe the first or last 15 minutes and that is it. I never watch any and it has actually made me wonder and/or worry less and my dd has improved and matured as a gymnast. She is only 8 but this is her journey I just support it.

 

[gymmomtoo]

I would never get feed back on a weekly basis at the Team level, but pre-team the coaches are encouraged to talk to all parents after each class (time permitting). If you want to know how things are going, a quick email is usually better because they have more time to answer that--versus in the lobby when they might have another class to teach.

 

[wnl256]

Feedback? We're supposed to get feedback?

 

[mom2newgymnast]

We don't get any official feedback at my dd's gym. Her coach has another group right after hers (they split the level 2's in two groups of 6 - which I do like), so there isn't too much chatting after practice. But if a parent has a question or the coach has a specific concern, she'll usually take a minute or two to talk after practice. We are also able to watch practices and, while I never stay for the entire time, I usually watch 20 minutes or so. So I have a pretty good idea how she is doing.

They don't even give out the coaches email addresses! Everything goes through the front office, so if we want to communicate with the coach we have to email the office and they'll forward it on. We are pretty new to the gym so I don't know if there is an background to why they do that, but I admit I find it a little off-putting.

But still the coach is very pleasant to talk to and I think if I did have a concern, she'd be willing to find a time to discuss it, so that's enough for me.

 

[NH~GymMom]

What are you hoping to get from the feedback, would be my question.

DD's coaches will tell me if there are any issues. She has some fear problems and the coaches are great about letting me know when she gets over a hurdle or if her fear is holding her back. They are approachable and I can grab them if I have a question.

I am a paying parent, obviously, but I'm not paying for skill acquisition so I really don't look for detailed updates on what she's learning, how quickly, etc. I just keep an eye on my DD, her moods and behaviors and if something seems off I will ask both her and her coaches what is going on. But more often than not if there is an issue the coach has already given me a heads up.

 

[Ex member]

We don't seem to have any formal meetings unless there is a problem, I have come to learn to relax about my youngest dd's gymnastics recently (it has been a big learning curve for me). The coach always "appears " to be happy to have a quick chat, and quick chats only happen when there is something to tell you, for example a new skill or if they have been trying their best that particular practice.

My dd's coach sends videos to the parents of the gymnast concerned when they get a new skill and for the first time since dd joined the group I received 2 videos with the message "this was dd's best session yet", that to me is much more better then getting quick verbal updates.

My oldest dd's coach gives regular updates (nearly every session), but that maybe because it is a disability group.

For changes to practice we are given letters, the same for competitions, we also get emails from time to time, or if really urgent a text or a phone call.

 

[onelittledream]

I am really really new............but I am beginning to think that I personally am getting too much feedback. I am considering watching only a few more practices to make sure that all gets done that I talked to the Owner/Head Coach about recently.............after that I am thinking that I might just only stay for every now and then...........plus our gym has a "mommy club" kinda feel and it just has been way more drama then I need so I might just go get an ice cream or soda when the daughter is at the gym.

 

[auswi]

Our gym is fantastic with times made in the foyer by the coaches to chat when possible, meetings and email is available and we are allowed to view most sessions. However with our Dd we always get her to say 4 positive things after each session and 4 negative things. Often the positive will range from the social- I found my scrunchie which somehow came off as I went into the pit LOL and my friend and I made up a new dance move in our break, but she also includes new skill acquisitions. Often she can't think of a negative as she LOVES the sport but the opportunity is there for her to voice any worries. Dd is training biggish hours and long sessions but for a littly I'd be encouraging her to voice a positive and a negative after each session, this will give you a great feel for not only how's shes going but her mindset as well. We are constantly amazed by Dd as often we will have seen a major beam split etc but she will include it as a positive because she got straight back up and on the high beam.

 

[lovemygymnast]

Never. Have to email the coach, it's the only way I know anything. And they kind of make me feel like a CGM if I ask.

 

[dani4]

Our gym does report cards at the end of each session for the developmental kids. The sessions are on the quarter system, so one every 3 months. Although they are kind of lax about the report cards, so I haven't gotten one after every session, and some sessions I got a report card for one kid but not the other. I like getting them but I have never raised a fuss if I don't see one. I watch most of the classes (only an hour long) so I know what's going on, for the most part. Although I usually see some surprises on the report card- my kids have some skills that I didn't know they had!

The report card is a standard list of skills for the level, and an indication of whether it is completed, not attempted, or a work in progress. The best thing for me is to compare to where the kids were several months ago- there's always improvement. And if the coach writes a personal note that is always gold. On her first report card in the developmental class my older DDs coach wrote "DD has fear and focus issues, but she will progress if she works through them." I kind of knew that . And you know what? Now she is doing so much better that it never comes up again.

 

[Quadqueen]

Feedback? We're supposed to get feedback?

Yeah, this is a foreign concept for me too! Honestly though, there is no formal feedback from coaches at our gym for team kids that I know of - we moved to this gym when DD was starting optionals. If you have a question/concern, you can email the coaches or try to grab them for five minutes before practice on certain days of the week - never after practice, as it's late at night.

I'm of the belief that no news is good news.

 

[SignHere]

Just moved to a new gym, so as far as the old gym, it was very casual. You could grab the attention of a coach and ask for some progress reports after practice. If you emailed, the coach would grab you after practice.

New gym seems a little more structured/formal. I was told to email if I had a concern and the coaches would discuss it in the coaches meeting and someone would set up a meeting with me. I was most interested in how DD was adjusting to the new gym, fitting in, was she making friends, so I did ask that of the HC once when I got a chance in passing, and that question was answered readily, along with some info about how her gymnastics was progressing .

 

[wgymmom]

Feedback! AAAAAAhahahhaahaaahahaaaa! Yeah, no. We get it only if we ask for it (and that is given reluctantly), and they give us a pre-season skills assessment.