Coaching: "On Call"

[myste12]

Are any other coaches here ever required to be "on call" for classes?

My rink offers two weeks of walk-on style classes over winter break. People can walk in and sign up for these classes at any time, and the kids are usually divided by age. I was told that every coach would be needed, so I signed to teach every day (only 4 days were required). As it turns out, these classes are "on call" which means that I have to be at the rink ready to teach for every class I signed up for, but if I'm not needed, I'm not paid.

So far, I've spent 10 hours at the rink, plus gas money and driving time, and have only been assigned to 4 classes which amounts to a whopping $48. And, I'm signed up for four more days of these classes.

There is also no procedure for which coaches get which classes. At first I was told that they go by who is first on the sign up sheet. It seemed to go that way last week when I was at the bottom of the list. Now this week, I'm at the top of the list, and I was passed over for people at the bottom because the people in the office "wanted everyone to have some classes".

My rink is usually very well run and fair with the scheduling, but I'm so frustrated with this that I almost quit and walked out today. I feel like I'm being taken advantage of, but apparently this is how these classes have been run for the last nine years. The skating director won't talk to anyone about the scheduling, and she passed the responsibility off to one of the lead office staff members.

Should I just suck it up and deal with these "on call" classes and not complain? I doubt that bringing up my frustration to the skating director would change anything. If I "volunteer" for just the minimum required amount of "on call" classes, that would be four over winter break and two over spring break. Is six days is a small price to pay to continue coaching at a rink that at all other times is very well run and fair with scheduling?

[kayskate]

Yikes! OMG!

I have worked at 3 rinks and have never heard of such a thing. I know there must be other pros out there who have worked at lots more rinks and I will be interested to see what they have to say.

If it were me, I would "volunteer" for the minimum. Go to the manager and tell him that you misunderstood and cannot afford to be on call all of those days. You thought you were signing up for work that was available. Be polite, be honest, but stand up for yourself. IMO, it is not worth quitting over what seems to be a misunderstanding. Try to work w it from that perspective. If you must be at the rink for "on call", try to schedule a private lesson on the same session so you have a paid reason to be there. I know that is easier said than done in some cases, but if you can at least do it for some of the days, the expense and inconvenience is minimized.

Also, let the front desk know you are in the rink and will accept walk-in privates. If this "on call" deal is 9 yrs and running at your rink, it is unlikely to go away and all of the pros who have been there a while know about it and how to handle it. Ask their advice and opinions. Another thing the rink may do is announce that privates are available and skaters should inquire at the desk. This is worth suggesting especially if the rink is requiring pros to be there "on call". You may as well be "on call" for privates too. I'm sure the rink will accept your commission and the coaches will be happy to field new students.

Kay

[stardust skies]

Well, the only thing I'll add/counter to kayskate's post is that I don't think suggesting you're available for privates is a very good idea. Personally, and I'm not even a business-minded person, I would reason that if you offer walk on privates to these people, then some of the customers who might have signed up for the group class (from which I assume the rink makes more than a private lesson from a private contractor) will go to you, instead, and they'll lose money. Some parents might reason that a private would be more beneficial and not that much more expensive, you don't know. If I were making decisions at that rink, I certainly wouldn't do it, that's for sure. If they're running a walk on group class special, it's in their best interest not to.

It sounds like you haven't worked at the rink that long (if I'm wrong, I apologize) just because these are a yearly thing and you didn't know how they work. You don't seem very high on the "food chain" right now considering that last week they were saying it was going by list order when you were at the bottom, and then when you were at the top this week, they gave you an opposite story to explain giving away "your" classes to other people. This is another reason I wouldn't make any waves. New pros are pretty much expected to be the ones on the losing end of scheduling difficulties, and IMHO it's all part of paying your dues as a coach. Someday, you'll be given the most classes and some young pro will be feeling the same way you are now.

This is coming from someone who's not a pro, so, take what I said with a grain of salt. Just my opinions on the situation, which I think is what you wanted.

[LW*]

I have worked at 3 rinks and have never heard of such a thing.

If it were me, I would "volunteer" for the minimum. Go to the manager and tell him that you misunderstood and cannot afford to be on call all of those days. You thought you were signing up for work that was available. Be polite, be honest, but stand up for yourself. IMO, it is not worth quitting over what seems to be a misunderstanding. Try to work w it from that perspective.

I'm not a coach, but I've never heard of any of the rinks I've skated at having walk-on sessions OR requiring coaches to be on call. If they've been running for 9 years at your rink, I don't think you'll have much chance of changing the way they're run, but I agree with kay, see if you can arrange to not be on call for all the days you signed up for before you realised the work was not guaranteed.

In future, if they're going to mess you around, only sign up for the minimum number of days. That may even have the side effect (if all the other coaches sign up less days too) of getting a higher percentage of the classes for the time you're on call, by each coach getting the same number of classes as they would have done but spread out over less days. Other coaches at your rink may already go for this approach and that could be why you're getting less classes per day.

If you're happy with your rink in all other respects, I think six days at reduced earnings is a relatively small price to pay, and as stardust skies says, when you've worked there longer there's a good chance you'll find yourself higher up the pecking order!

[myste12]

Thanks for the sympathy guys. I didn't think that this was normal, and it seems like I'm right in that regard.

Today I got a big surprise: I was actually scheduled to teach on both the morning and afternoon session! I guess that the conversation I had with the office staff about the procedures for scheduling (or lack thereof) paid off. Apparently if you call in or stop in the office before the classes, you're more likely to be scheduled to teach. Good to know, but if they expect you to check in, they should tell you that.

I've decided that it's not worth irritating the skating director by voicing my frustration with this situation. I am fairly new, and low on the totem poll, and I don't want to give her reason to dislike me. From now on, I'll just "volunteer" for the minimum, and bring a good book to read for when I'm not needed.

I wish that I could offer to teach privates, but at this rink, the parents fill out a form and turn it in at the front desk. Unless they request a specific coach, they are assigned to a coach, and there are a few coaches that get almost all of the requests. I'd love to start teaching privates, but I don't like to be pushy about telling people to request me. I usually give them the form and tell them that they have the opportunity to request a particular coach if they'd like.

[kayskate]

I wish that I could offer to teach privates, but at this rink, the parents fill out a form and turn it in at the front desk. Unless they request a specific coach, they are assigned to a coach, and there are a few coaches that get almost all of the requests. I'd love to start teaching privates, but I don't like to be pushy about telling people to request me. I usually give them the form and tell them that they have the opportunity to request a particular coach if they'd like.

Do you have business cards? If not, get some ASAP. When you teach a class or a have a conversation w a parent, you can give your card. If they have Qs, they can call you. If they ask about privates, give them *your* card. Don't expect them to remember your name and ask for you.

Do you work at other rinks too? If not, get your resume out at *all* of the rinks w/in driving distance. Ask your former coaches for references or to put in a word for you when an opening pops up. Let the directors know you are available to teach group and private. And you are willing to sub. They need subs + it gets you into the rink and shows that you are reliable. It beats "on call", b/c when you are called to sub, you will get paid. Talk to the other pros. They know which rinks need ppl. Call those. Your new coaching friends may even put in a word for you at other rinks. Every rink has a different system. Now is the busiest time of yr. Get out there!!!

Kay

[Isk8NYC]

I know from experience that many skating directors lose resumes, business cards, etc. You have to keep your face and telephone/email in front of them if you want to get assignments.

Next time you go to the "On Call" session and have no lessons, go skate and mingle. Everytime I skate or teach during a public session, I invariably have a parent come up to me to ask if I'm an instructor and would I teach their child that day? Is it a walk-on lesson? Sure. The bad thing is that they're one-night stands, so to be speak. Very few stick with privates. Often the parent can't/won't skate but realizes that their child needs support to get started. Other times, it's an opportunity for them to "treat" their child. Nothing wrong with that.

When you talk to parents about privates tell them that they have to fill out this form and if they don't put your name on it they'll be assigned to someone else. It's not being pushy, it just lets them know the system. Why are you "selling" private lessons for someone else?

I also carry copies of the Group Lesson brochure with me because many people at public sessions are interested and the office is often closed. When I'm asked about group lessons, I pull out a brochure and explain the program to the parent/skater. My business card is attached.

Pushy would be getting blank copies of the lesson request forms and giving them out to prospective students with your name already written in on the paper!

[myste12]

Thanks for the advice guys! I should get some business cards made, that's a great idea. I've been sticking around after the classes to skate a bit on public already, but I usually just do a bit of footwork or a few spins and leave. I think if I spend a bit more time mingling and helping that I could get some interest in lessons. Especially if I had a business card to hand out to people who expressed interest!

[jcp]

I'm currently looking for a new job (again after a year) and I have learned first hand the value of networking everywhere. Join and attend professional association meetings (are you a member of PSA?). Also, always be friendly to the parents and to anyone who works in the office. Secretaries and receptionists are your gateway to important people and parents are your introduction to the children you want to teach. If the parents and the receptionist (or any help desk/office workers) like you then you will be much further ahead.

Also, business cards should always be with you, on ice, in your wallet, at the grocery store, everywhere. You never know who you will meet that may need your services.