Coaches It's THAT time again. Summer.

[twisting007bigflip]

I know most everyone is excited for summer, but i'm not so much. started getting texts from parents a couple o weeks ago "dd won't be at class tonight, she has a softball game" or "sorry dd will have to miss gym for softball practice" Never fails that every summer I'm having to share half of my one of my groups (8-10 year olds training new L4/5) with softball practice and games. We only get 9 hours a week of training time to hit all of the events AND stretch AND condition AND tumble. It's just not enough time to add in softball too. It's so frustrating, Especially when the kids are wanting to move into optionals, and, well...sorry, but you're choosing to miss our already limited training time to play softball...how do you seriously expect to move forward when you're barely able to maintain the skills that you have in the first place? I'm seriously lucky during softball season if 1/2 of the class trains more than 6 hours a week. It is going to SUCK when we start teaching routines next month. I can see it now. I will be teaching choreography forever because half of them will be missing. Ugh. I wish these kids would get into swimming or something in the a.m. that didn't interfere with gymnastics. And I wish I could figure out how to get their parents to favor gymnastics over softball. It's so hard when the "Susie" parents want to know why this and that and how come she can't move up and blah blah blah. I want to be like "your children are talented and small! And strong and flexible! Built for gymnastics! Not softball! Your child is going to be 5 ft nothing and like 12 poinds as a college kid. She will get plowed by the softball players. Instead of driving her to the ball park, drive her to the gym where she can maintain the skills she has + up train!
End rant. Sorry.

 

[JBS]

Have morning practices.

 

[bogwoppit]

Our gym just closed from June to Sept.

 

[twisting007bigflip]

Have morning practices.

I wish. The owners refuse to open the gym to satisfy the needs of team because they "don't make any money off of team" so they don't want to pay extra utilities when "what we're doing is working just fine"

 

[wgagym]

AS a gym owner I can understand why they do not want to open the gym just for team. The thing is is that these kids that want to do more than gymnastics will probably stick with it for a year or two more and then be done, and that is ok. As far as routines go I would stress to the parents that you plan on starting the new routines and if they are not present their child will fall behind because you can not take the time to re-teach every child at their own convenience, unless they wanted to bring them in for a private lesson

 

[JBS]

I wish. The owners refuse to open the gym to satisfy the needs of team because they "don't make any money off of team" so they don't want to pay extra utilities when "what we're doing is working just fine"

Totally understand their point of view...too bad though.

Head up a morning summer camp program for them...with other staff. Then you could justify opening the gym earlier. Also...our Friday morning rec classes have been a big hit in the summer. We do camp Monday - Thursday and rec. on Friday. This allows us to bring the team in early.

 

[BlairBob]

If you work out in the morning, you may not need to run the AirCo. Fans generally get it done and I actually prefer to not use all the lights most of the time, especially if it's in the morning or afternoon unless I have some kids that need it.

I think really the only thing you can do is let it be known that time missed will affect their gymnastics career and SCORES and MEDALS.

But it's compulsory, pretty much happens till they get to L6 and you won't see any of this anymore.

 

[iwannacoach]

Are you talking about optional kids missing practices during a 9 hour training week?

 

[JBS]

Are you talking about optional kids missing practices during a 9 hour training week?

No...L4/5 training 9 hours per week...8-10 year olds.

 

[iwannacoach]

So if these are compulsory kids...... Tell them, as a group, that you'll be teaching the compulsory beam and floor routines in a group setting, like all kids watch and then do followed by they do and you watch, during the X-week of June, and whoever shows up gets to learn the routine from you. Those who are simply too busy to make it" can either learn it from one of their friends who was there when you taught it, or they can pay for privates, or they can wait until the second week of August when you present it in the form of a fine tuning.

You gotta figure these parents are trying to let their kids "have it all" without being inconvenience with any form of dedication to any one sport. It all come down to them making choices and being told they will have to worry about how their child makes u the time, as they make the choices........ not you.

 

[JMD]

I wish. The owners refuse to open the gym to satisfy the needs of team because they "don't make any money off of team" so they don't want to pay extra utilities when "what we're doing is working just fine"

That doesn't make any sense. No AC in the morning and lights don't cost that much.

 

[Jenny]

I think I would deal with it in a pro active way. Send a letter telling the parents you think it is great that the kids are getting involved in other sports but missing gym has a knock on effect. Give them a sheet of conditioning and stretching to do for every practice they miss to try and make up for time lost. Also I would declare some specific dates when you will be teaching the routines. Ask that as many kids as possibly are in for those dates because it is so important. Perhaps you could arrange with the owners to have those 2 or 3 sessions in the morning when you can get more kids there. Maybe they would be Ok with opening for a couple of sessions.

 

[iwannacoach]

Perhaps you could arrange with the owners to have those 2 or 3 sessions in the morning when you can get more kids there. Maybe they would be Ok with opening for a couple of sessions........ Jenny

That's a great idea, and maybe one that could be put into effect as a 3 day mini-camp with a small (ish) fee to sweeten to deal to get the owners on board.

You know what I think, is the situation can be summed up as "Reasonable fees for reasonable owners."

 

[BlairBob]

Yes, last year the gym I worked at did a weekend camp that basically revolved around learning the routines. In there, we also did some vault and tumbling work, had lunch, etc. It was mandatory for all compulsory gymnasts, whether they were 1st or 2nd years (I think we may have given some of the 2nd years some leniency).

 

[twisting007bigflip]

I really love the idea of mornings for learning routines and think I might be able to get away with doing a few mornings if I present the idea for the purpose of leaning routines - especially since this is a brand new cycle. Great idea

As far as giving them stretching and conditioning to make up at home for list gym time, I'm not totally against it, but not convinced it would be beneficial. The likelihood of these kids making up work at home doesn't seem very high. Plus, given that I am constantly having to correct form during stretching and conditioning in class, I'm not sure i would trust that these kids will do things to standard at home without a coach...I would almost rather them not do it at all if they aren't going to do it correctly.

And as far as the lights not costing much and not having to run the AC, the owner is just plain adamant that he isn't making special arrangements for anyone. "These are the time we are open, either you come to class or you don't come to class" basically...

 

[JBS]

And as far as the lights not costing much and not having to run the AC, the owner is just plain adamant that he isn't making special arrangements for anyone. "These are the time we are open, either you come to class or you don't come to class" basically...

You have to show him profit during these times. I've heard the same thing...we now have 30 team kids that with be in the gym in the morning during the summer...and another 20-30 from Noon to 3:00 pm. We have the lights on and the AC cranked the whole time...we make money...and it is very beneficial to our team program to have morning workouts in the summer.

 

[BlairBob]

Yep, rec classes sometimes love the team working out in the morning and afternoon. OTOH, it can really kill how "alive" the gym feels when it's empty of them.