WAG Skipping optional levels

[bogwoppit]

It does scare me, the 'freaks'...so do you mean the freaks that try to get on and you figure out before accepting them or are there freaks here we should know about?!

Seriously, though, I guess some parents have more tech awareness on their radar than others.

In our school district, there are a number of meetings for parents run by the police, the district attorney etc to teach parents what to look out for. Even things like iphone access as well as ipad/ipod. Kids have a LOT of technology in their hands and they understand more than their parents. And, yes, I think parents here make themselves fairly easy to identify! I have nothing bad to say about our gym but I still wouldn't give too much info!!

Oh well, I digress......

Freaks come in a few categories here.

1. Freaks who are not members, just lurkers, they can read every post made, except those in private social groups. They can use the search functions to search particular topics and they can dredge for information. Some people give way too much detail out.

2. Freaks who are members and are here to specifically to get their particular fetish met. The two that spring to mind are the long term member Westham who pretended to be a young adult, German, female gymnast with leo issues. He actually was a middle aged, American banker living in Germany with a serious velour fetish. The second is the fart freak, who I have banned twice. Comes here and tells a disgusting tale about her young dd and then asks other parents to share equally disgusting tales to fill some kind of nasty fetishistic need.

3. Freaks who are members and who are long term posters. They lure you in by their stories or coaching prowess. BriBri514 was one of these. Great story, pulled everyone in, became a mod even. But in the end she did not really exists and managed to create 4 personas here that drew people further into her fantasy. She was blown out of the water by a number of members and slips ups. I fear there is at least one more of those amongst us, if not more.

I am pretty gifted at stalking people down, but there is only so much I can do to keep this place safe. It is why we keep younger gymmies off the board, or try to (they love to lie) and it is why I warn members to be careful who they share private info with, even if they think they know the member.

 

[2G1B]

wow! I can totally see having a double check that people with the "coach" label are indeed coaches... I had never thought about it before. And I imagine that it would be a royal PITA to deal with; but maybe just something as simple as to request the "coach" label you have to provide the name of the gym and a link to their website to the admins?

 

[bogwoppit]

As it stands right now, anyone can have the coach label, you just click a box. That green label means nothing when it comes to safety. Though bear in mind we have had people pretending to be gymnasts, parents and coaches and have lured people in. The real issue is trusting strangers on the internet.

I will put it in the admin room that CoachP suggested a new system.

 

[Pineapple_Lump]

Freaks come in a few categories here.

You forgot to mention trolls... One comes to mind, but I wont dare say the name for fear of their return.

 

[bogwoppit]

You forgot to mention trolls... One comes to mind, but I wont dare say the name for fear of their return.

Oh shudder, lets not name he who should not be named. Especially as he had ten names!!!

 

[raenndrops]

My OG has asked multiple times if she can get an account on here to answer questions in the gymnast forum. I tell her ABSOLUTELY NOT... not until the day she turns 14.
And, yes, I do give out a lot of information, but our meet results (other than Nationals) are never posted publicly online... and our gym team website is completely private (I am the webmaster and control who can join - I know them personally and they are all family of team gymnasts).

 

[Deleted member 14190]

As it stands right now, anyone can have the coach label, you just click a box. That green label means nothing when it comes to safety. Though bear in mind we have had people pretending to be gymnasts, parents and coaches and have lured people in. The real issue is trusting strangers on the internet.

I will put it in the admin room that CoachP suggested a new system.

=
It might help to weed out the crazies , if they at least had to divulge who they were to JBS prior to posing as a coach. But this board has also been around for a long time and seems to be running nicely, so.. just a suggestion.

 

[bogwoppit]

=
It might help to weed out the crazies , if they at least had to divulge who they were to JBS prior to posing as a coach. But this board has also been around for a long time and seems to be running nicely, so.. just a suggestion.

The topic is under discussion as a type.

 

[gopuckgo]

I agree completely. At least for most of us " coaches" we have undergone USAG background checks. However, I do worry about some of the other posters. It is a very freaky world out there!

 

[wallinbl]

It doesn't take long on here to figure out who does and doesn't know what they're talking about. I don't pay much attention to the labels.

 

[bookworm]

Bog, you're doing a great job , labels or not ...and I do remember the Bribri scenario....people became suspicious and she (he?) went down in a ball of flames!

 

[gymmomof1]

Thanks Bogs and Jbs for manning this site. It truly helps me navigate through this crazy sport with my dd and fellow cbers

 

[bogwoppit]

It doesn't take long on here to figure out who does and doesn't know what they're talking about. I don't pay much attention to the labels.

....and herein lies the problem.

Someone can sound like they know what they know what they are talking about, and be 100% correct, but is does not mean they are not a freak.

Sadly.

 

[profmom]

I'm especially impressed that the mods caught and banned the most recent freak so quickly. I was completely taken in. You do a great job. Thank you!

 

[Deleted member 14190]

I guess no matter what, if someone wants to fool JBS they can just get creative and pose as an existing coach at a gym. Not to mention it would turn into a full time job for you guys just trying to keep track of who is who etc.. So maybe just a different color coach badge for those who you are certain and leave it up to the others to bend over backwards to show you who they are, if they don't they don't.

 

[aerials]

Wow, I had no idea that people would come to a gymnastics forum for these kinds of things. This is crazy. Although I guess this is why I inherently don't feel comfortable giving out specifics and have Nadia as my avatar.

 

[Pineapple_Lump]

Can't you just add a 'verified' badge to coaches who wan't to prove them selves with an email from theirname @theirgym.com

 

[bogwoppit]

Can't you just add a 'verified' badge to coaches who wan't to prove them selves with an email from theirname @theirgym.com

This is what I have proposed to the other admins. For coaches who identify themselves to the three admins (and that would remain private) they would be able to use the green coach label, for those who choose not to, they get nothing but can be a member and post the way they normally do.

I do not know any real coaches that would have an issue with that. The three admins have been around for a long time and have proven that they are trustworthy with private information

 

[bogwoppit]

I guess no matter what, if someone wants to fool JBS they can just get creative and pose as an existing coach at a gym. Not to mention it would turn into a full time job for you guys just trying to keep track of who is who etc.. So maybe just a different color coach badge for those who you are certain and leave it up to the others to bend over backwards to show you who they are, if they don't they don't.

I think that is less likely, as between the three of us we know lots of gyms. But I would also do some very basic fact checking just to be sure.

 

[Bajanswife]

DD and I would be easy to find if someone wanted to, which is why I don't post anything I wouldn't want our gym or other gym parents to know.