skaternum... I hope this helps:

yes, its in the scope of responsibility, as I'm discovering....I'm basically the person on the Board responsible for all and any liason with coaches on behalf of the Board for the Club. Some places call it the "coaches rep", etc...as I mentioned in an earlier post, including soliciting resumes, negotiating contracts, writing contracts, doing the interviewing [usually with the president] and recommending coaches to the Board each year as well as working with the president to handle complaints, and doing the coaches payroll and recommending the setting of salary to the Board...etc Basically, anything you can think of involving coaches comes to me first.

Where the freelance positions come in [ie, not group] I still have to solicit resumes and interview coaches. Usually if there have been no problems with previous coaches during the year, they are rehired if they issue an intent to apply at the end of the skating season without redoing the whole formal thing -ie interviews again. Freelancers can't just apply to work with X skater in the club, they are hired with the understanding that although we cannot restrict their working time, we will not allow them to restrict to one skater only.


Each skating season contracts end and then coaches reapply for the positions. It is done every year...

I don't know what I was hoping for in this matter...except maybe that I defuse a potential situation in its beginnings...

As Lee pointed out to me, there isn't a "nice" way around this...

Dani: leaving the coach was suggested. the parents indicated that they would be happy to leave-except that the coach has made it so difficult through interaction with other coaches that it would be like the new coach was stepping on toes. I'm suspecting thats why the complaint process started- the parents felt like they needed to be heard.

And I have to say, after talking to the Session co-ordinator [the coach hired to oversee all sessions] that her perception is that the parents have always been very gracious and easygoing. There have been complaints to the session co-ordinator about this particular coach. It was never mentioned because she said it goes into the year end report.

So, guess I'll see what happens tomorrow night...thanks for everyone's thoughts...feel free to add...

Thanks for the info, JD. 'Round here, coaches work for or are contractors of the rinks, not the clubs. It's interesting to see how it works elsewhere. I wouldn't have your position for ANYTHING in the world!

Good luck with this situation.

skaternum

I read the entire thread through again. In some ways, it is a personality issue, and I'm not sure how far your club should become involved. However, the club can be supportive and provide facilitation for the coaches to work things out between themselves. I know, it's a parent/coach issue, but part of it is the coaches working together also.

I think that there should be a meeting with the coach, the dance coach, the spin coach, the whatever coach, the coach's rep (JD) and the club president. I can hear the complaining now from everyone that it is inconvenient, however, probably the best way to get the dance coach and the spin coach to say that they would like to be able to work with the skater without base coach having to be around, is in a supported environment. Get the base coach to explain what her version of team teaching is. She doesn't have to be on the ice watching (I wonder if she bills the parents for this), but instead they could have coaches meetings to discuss the progress of skater X, along with the skater and her parents.

We did this last year when two of our coaches were having a spat with each other, we held a coaches meeting with 5 or 6 of them and the spat emerged as an issue but was dealt with as a group, slightly less confrontational although chairs were overturned.

The bit about the coach having her fiance along during drives and coaching sessions with young students is a matter that should be handled with the coach, privately. It is improper and could put the club at risk, esp. with a male/female relationship.

thanks arena gal....yes, my concern was about personality....there are some people in life who just aren't meant to get along

...the bit about the fiance along was actually where my personal concern was ... but I thought maybe I was being prudish...I know I would have a problem with that if our coaches were doing this... I never thought about an issue with the club....[but the president did]

As to the rest, thanks for your perspective...it seems like a nice way to close...and since we're doing one meeting tonight, I'm sure that we will be having a meeting with the rest of the people you mentioned shortly.

And for everyone, thanks for your assistance....

This is extremely common in all the rinks I have been to, and in the ones used by other skaters I know.
The primary coach in your situation is protecting his income, and using manipulative measures to control his students and their parents.

It is common(unfortunately)that the primary coach seeks to control every aspect of the skaters on ice time, and uses fear tactics if and when the skater/team seek advice from other coaches.

It is not in the best interest of the skaters, nor is it professional.
But the coaches get territorial and act as if they have been wronged if and when a skater attempts to use another pro for technique and/or choreography.
The PSA really does very little to discourage it because the PSA was formed by coaches, for coaches, and does not
represent skaters' interests.

The massive ego trip your coach has been allowed to nurture at your rink by skaters and families who dont want to "rock the boat" will make any new changes difficult.
Why does everyone fear approaching this coach? Has he produced alot of champions? Or is he just a big fish in a small pond?
My advice... tell the skater to dump him and his controlling ways, and have the club remind him that he is a hired professional, whose job is to serve the skaters in a fair and professional way.