All-Star What About Coaches Gym Hopping?

[Just-a-Mom]

I know, I know..."Do some work Just-a-Mom, and stop posting all these threads! Maybe YOU'RE the reason Facebook is blocked at your job... " But this is the last one and them I'm back to work. I can't focus--my daughter is taking ACTs today and I'm dying for her to call and tell me how it went! <3

OK...so we all talk about releasing athletes. And how gym hopping is such a problem. And now we've got a rule facing all levels stating that once you compete, that's your gym for the rest of the season unless you get a release.

What do you guys think about coaches gym hopping during the season? I know that at least some of the time when athletes gym hop it's because they are following a coach. I know most businesses have non-compete contracts for their top people (I know my job does...if you leave here you can't work for a competitor for 12 months). Why don't cheer gyms have this? We get so upset about an athlete leaving mid-season and the toll that takes on the morale of the team...what about when a COACH leaves and goes to a new gym? I think that can be devastating to a team. I know the new rule prevents the athletes from following, but what about the morale of the team after this? What would you (all of you: athletes, parents, coaches, gym owners) think about non-compete contracts for coaches stating that if they quit they can't go work in another gym until the following season?

 

[Just-a-Mom]

OK...replying to myself...

This goes along with my other thread in that I think a LOT of the drama that goes with switching gyms goes with the bad feelings associated with a coach leaving.

For instance, the gym we are going to. We waited until the season ended officially before making the switch, but one of our coaches left before the season was over and went to the new gym. So now we are dealing with all the drama of everyone thinking he "stole" us--even though we had made the decision LONG before he left.

I'm wondering how it would be if he'd had to wait until the new season to start at the new gym? Maybe less hurt feelings? Less drama all around? The new season always brings change, and I think people can adjust better then. Losing a coach (and getting a new one) so late in the season can really hurt a team.

And for most coaches, isn't this a second job? So it's not like a non-compete contract would ruin their chance at earning a living (although that doesn't seem to matter in other businesses)

 

[mdcheerdiva]

I know of some coaches who had to sign a contract stating they would have to wait 1 year before they could start their own program. So I would assume that if it was a high profile coach that they would have a non-compete clause in their contract.

 

[coachTSC]

I'm almost positive that someone posted here that their gym requires coaches to sign a non-compete contract, but I can't remember who/where. Our gym does not and I don't think it is all that common in our area...

 

[MomOf2ThatsMe]

I think it is a fabulous idea to have coaches sign no-compete contracts. Especially coaches of level 3 and up. That seems to be where I hear a lot about people following their coaches around. Tumbling coaches too. IMO they aren't that easy to come by, depending on where you live.

 

[Just-a-Mom]

Hm...maybe it's just around here. Because they DEFINITELY don't have them enough here. I've seen some pretty high profile coaches bouncing around and some pretty sad athletes left behind...and that's just in the few months I've been here. I mean, I'm not trying to screw these coaches out of a good opportunity, but I hate to see these kids when these coaches leave. It happened at our first gym in VA too (after we left) and those kids were DEVASTATED.

I know if I ever opened a gym (Ha! Wouldn't that be a hoot to see?), I think I'd have to have one in place for my coaches. Just for the season--same as athletes.

 

[TwistersPride]

I know, I know..."Do some work Just-a-Mom, and stop posting all these threads! Maybe YOU'RE the reason Facebook is blocked at your job... "

you are totally making me laugh no worries... i will be in the unemployment line with you if they check my internet history here

 

[canttouchthis]

lordy women do some work!!! hahah but i think that if you choose to leave a gym(as a coach) you shouldnt go to your competitor that just seems obvious to me.

 

[Just-a-Mom]

you know, before I moved here i seriously would have thought "Oh honestly...it's Illinois. How much of a problem can this possibly be?" Boy was I wrong. There are some coaches around here that are A. MA. ZING. So if I was a gym owner I'd want a way to keep them...at least for a season!

you are totally making me laugh no worries... i will be in the unemployment line with you if they check my internet history here

I'm surprised they haven't...they already raise their eyebrows at my "mail"--all of which is giant boxes of BOWS (that always say SUPER SUSIE'S FABULOUS BOW COMPANY or whatever all over them...or catalogs from GK. (I only order my stuff to be shipped to work because it will get stolen by some thugs if it goes to my house. Can't you just see some thugs in my daughters' Fierce bows??? But mail sure always seems to come when the company president is walking by)

 

[cheer coach k]

my gym has all the coaches sign a non compete contract or they cant coach....we had an issue with a coach secretly trying to start her own gym and recruit our kids behind everyones backs! everyone would have supported her in starting a gym, but the way she went about it was totally wrong, thus resulting in the contracts we sign every year....i think they are a great idea, btw.

 

[Just-a-Mom]

my gym has all the coaches sign a non compete contract or they cant coach....we had an issue with a coach secretly trying to start her own gym and recruit our kids behind everyones backs! everyone would have supported her in starting a gym, but the way she went about it was totally wrong, thus resulting in the contracts we sign every year....i think they are a great idea, btw.

An incident like that is what made me originally think of it. That happened at our first gym. A coach left in JANUARY to open his own gym and took about 20 kids with him--from a gym with only about 100 kids. It was awful--it ruined the season for everyone. I can't imagine what would possess someone to do something like that. Like you said everyone would have supported him...just such a horrible way to go about it. It really was ugly. And I mean seriously...to open a GYM he had to have been doing everything behind her back for months! I was disgusted.

 

[Num1Stunta]

I've seen this happen many times at my old gym.... Coaches think they're going to start up their own program, without realizing how entailed that can be, and how impossible that is to do in NJ when you have well-established, worlds caliber gyms within less than a half hour of just about anywhere in the state. I mean North Jersey, just where I live, I could drive 10 minutes and hit Just Cheer, Star Athletics, and CC Champs. In Central Jersey, near where I go to school, I could drive 20-30 minutes and hit CJA, Comets, and World Cup. In South Jersey, you have just as many- SJS, NJSE, etc. Even the number of non-worlds caliber gyms in the state is pretty numerous for such a small state. Inevitably, you hear of these coaches not being able to get something off the ground and they end up going to another gym to coach- which is easy to do, because there are so many within close proximity to each other.

I know 5-6 coaches from my old gym who left (including me lol) around the same time to join different nearby programs. We all left because of the same reason- the gym was under new ownership, and we did not like the changes that were being made. At least 3 of those coaches have moved onto ANOTHER program after that move, which is like 3 programs in 5 years. I can understand if you're leaving for a financial need- say Gym A pays $12 an hour and Gym B pays $20, you have a baby on the way and you're behind on the mortgage, ok, then Gym B it is. But, if you're someone who is constantly moving from one gym to another, just because you don't like something there, maybe it's not the gym that's the problem...

 

[INeverStopCheering]

I do not think coaches should be allowed to switch half-season. I think it's unfair to all involved, especially the children. A really good coach would know that though, so maybe it's not such a loss. In terms of a non-compete contract, It's a good idea, but not feasible, at least in a lot of states. Virginia for example, it a Right to Work state, meaning that employers can ask you to sign a non-compete contract, but it is not legally binding and cannot be upheld in court.

 

[Just-a-Mom]

I do not think coaches should be allowed to switch half-season. I think it's unfair to all involved, especially the children. A really good coach would know that though, so maybe it's not such a loss. In terms of a non-compete contract, It's a good idea, but not feasible, at least in a lot of states. Virginia for example, it a Right to Work state, meaning that employers can ask you to sign a non-compete contract, but it is not legally binding and cannot be upheld in court.

Oh, hahaha! How quickly I forgot--I only left VA 6 months ago so I should have known that. I don't know how many states have that though. VA seems to be its own little country sometimes. I would bet the only other states that have that are the other commonwealths...but I might be wrong?

 

[Seeker30]

you'd think these coaches would be more professional!