Question for all coaches out there. Our rink has a rather serious issue that the director fails to acknowledge regarding certain coaches soliciting. After several of us complained, said coach backed off a bit but is at it again. This time its the parents of the coach that are doing the soliciting for the coach. It looks as if one of my students parents has been solicited and now has succomb to this vile practice that is all to familiar to just about every coach in the rink. Unfortunatly, the parent had no good reason to give me for why they were leaving. She was extremely complimentary and said her daughter was doing great and loves working with me, but she has made to decision to switch. She made it clear that it was nothing I did or did not do and they were very happy. The point is, I saw these other parents (the ones that do this other coaches dirty work) talking to my students parent. I didnt feel threatened because she always stressed how happy the kid was and how well she was doing. I have no solid proof that these parents solicited for the coach, but im 99% sure of it. Another of my students mother actually told me about what was going on- they tried to get her! What do I do?

unless you have real PROOF that the coach asked the parents to talk to other parents, you can't do anything. People will talk and if the parents of the other coach said they love their new coach, yada yada, thats perfectly normal. Thats how I ended up with my coach...asked around if this particular coach was good

what about the fact that EVERY single coach at our rink has had a kid or two taken from them from this coach? Some of the parents have admitted that the parents say stuff like "our coach would do this with your kid and make them such a bettr skater" or "our coach said your coach is teaching this move incorrectly"......I know that this a part of coaching. Im willing to accept that you cant please everyone. Its just the fact that this coach has figured out roundabout ways to solicit. Finding a reason to talk to the parents and give them their number and playing dumb like they didnt know the skater was taking lessons from someone else. there are so many instances i can give but it would take up all the memory on this board. When it was flat out solciting (before I moved to this rink), no one knew to file a grievance. When they got insight that that is the road to take to stop it if the director wont do anything, the direct soliciting stopped and now is taking this avenue. We cant control what people will say and everyone is entitled to their opinion, this i understand, I just want a way to stop this unmoral behavior before it happens again!

If the offending coach is a PSA member, the Code of Ethics prohibits soliciting and gives a pretty accurate description of what behavior constitutes a solicitation. I don't think having parents recruit is a listed item, however, that doesn't make it right.

When parents or students open up a complaint about another coach, I try to explain that everyone has their own skating, and teaching, style. Sounds like there isn't much team unity in the rink if the coaches are bad-mouthing each other's teaching techniques.

Having been an adult observing skater parents, I can say that some people are just fickle and think that a coaching change is like waving a magic wand. It's not, so don't burn any bridges with the lost students. Not that you necessarily want them back, but it just makes you the classier coach.

You could encourage this woman to discuss this with the Skating Director. I'll betcha she won't want to get involved, though...

__________________

I'm pretty sure at our club - it is agains the rules for parents to solicit or even bad mouth other coaches. Maybe you could check the rules of the club and file a grievence...

Realistically, prooving what people say is just about impossible and can end up backfiring and making you look bad. It wouldn't hurt to talk to the club board and take a look at the policy and maybe put a reminder in the newsletter.

I've experienced people telling lies about me in the church (I'm a pastor) and I really think it had effect on some people...but in the end, you have to hold your head high, be true to yourself, be ethical, do your best and trust that in the end people see through dishonest and unethical behavior and if they don't, those are people you are better off not dealing with anyway.

j