- Joined
- Dec 4, 2005
Any coaches out there with some advice for dealing with difficult parents?
I have a promising skater whose parents have been told about off-ice opportunities and the need for off-ice training repeatedly - but continue to ignore it (even went to a trainer finally for a program but didn't follow through because the mother thought it was too hard). As my other skaters got better due to partiicpation in off-ice programs I directed them to, these parents finally clued in --and said they don't recall the emails, hand-outs etc that I gave them -- and that I have to TELL them that what I am saying is IMPORTANT or else they won't follow through!!!!! When I give advice, based on my years of education, training and experience - I don't make it up out of thin air - these parents stare off into space and nod in agreement - but nothing seems to stick. These are both well-educated parents with an only child.....whom they coddle......
The parents are basically drop and drive now - but the mother continues to tell the skater what needs to be improved, and then the skater comes in and tells me 'my mother said'.....mother has no background in the sport but seems to be able to offer destructive suggestions.
NOW - they want me to email them every time I tell their skater something in a lesson (the kid is 12 years old)...because the skater never passes on the infomation. Like I have time to email after every session....I have 7year old skaters who convey messages to their parents!!! We're not talking about earth-shattering messages - just common sense things that coaches say to all there students. This skater is the only one that does this - and these are the only parents that I have ever had this problem with.
FYI- when I do a new program, the mother expects a list of every step and a map of the choreography .........really unreasonable things like that, that she doesn't pay for.......Like Lori Nicol or David Wilson do that. I have never had a chart or map done etc. for any programs I paid $1,000's for...
End of rant -- Any suggestions? The kid has potential, but not if the parents don't get with the program.
I have a promising skater whose parents have been told about off-ice opportunities and the need for off-ice training repeatedly - but continue to ignore it (even went to a trainer finally for a program but didn't follow through because the mother thought it was too hard). As my other skaters got better due to partiicpation in off-ice programs I directed them to, these parents finally clued in --and said they don't recall the emails, hand-outs etc that I gave them -- and that I have to TELL them that what I am saying is IMPORTANT or else they won't follow through!!!!! When I give advice, based on my years of education, training and experience - I don't make it up out of thin air - these parents stare off into space and nod in agreement - but nothing seems to stick. These are both well-educated parents with an only child.....whom they coddle......
The parents are basically drop and drive now - but the mother continues to tell the skater what needs to be improved, and then the skater comes in and tells me 'my mother said'.....mother has no background in the sport but seems to be able to offer destructive suggestions.
NOW - they want me to email them every time I tell their skater something in a lesson (the kid is 12 years old)...because the skater never passes on the infomation. Like I have time to email after every session....I have 7year old skaters who convey messages to their parents!!! We're not talking about earth-shattering messages - just common sense things that coaches say to all there students. This skater is the only one that does this - and these are the only parents that I have ever had this problem with.
FYI- when I do a new program, the mother expects a list of every step and a map of the choreography .........really unreasonable things like that, that she doesn't pay for.......Like Lori Nicol or David Wilson do that. I have never had a chart or map done etc. for any programs I paid $1,000's for...
End of rant -- Any suggestions? The kid has potential, but not if the parents don't get with the program.