Over the years, I’ve learned that boundaries in your gym make life so much easier – both personally and professionally. So, let’s talk about three boundaries I put in place that actually worked. Not theoretical, not from a webinar — just trial, error, and a few Google reviews I’d rather forget. These changes made things calmer, more professional, and less like a group text with a bunch of angry parents.
Boundary #1: All Communication Lives in One Place
Two years ago, I started sending out as weekly email to my competitive parents. That’s it. Thursdays, sometimes Fridays if the week gets away from me. Yes, email. It’s not trendy, but it works.
What’s in it:
- Program updates for all competitive programs cheer, dance, tumbling—clearly labeled
- Upcoming events, fees, bonding stuff
- Anything due in the next two weeks
Parents stopped asking the same questions over and over because now there’s one place to check. I am also using an email marketing system, so I can see at the beginning of the season who isn’t paying attention to the emails. It shows me who opens! We can attack it early and make sure they know to check it each week. No more chasing people down or explaining something for the fourth time in a group chat they never read anyway.
The key here though: Keep all the old stuff on the email until the date passes. As a parent of four kids, it was awful searching emails because I knew I saw something coming up, but I couldn’t find it again.
(Want to see one of my recent emails? Enter your email at nextgenowners.com/podcast, and we’ll send you an example of it!)
Boundary #2: No Mid-Season Changes Without a Plan
We don’t randomly swap athletes mid-season. If a skill’s not there, or someone backslides, we build a plan—with coach, parent, and athlete at the table. That might mean a timeline, workouts, privates. But it’s never a surprise.
This way, everyone knows what’s going on. It keeps things steady and gives athletes a chance to work through it instead of just getting shuffled around.
Flyers don’t come out of the air because they magically aren’t hitting body positions. Good coaches can see that well before competitions begin. Tumblers don’t get moved unless they’ve been through a process that included an action plan for both the coach and homework for the athlete.
By the time someone were to get shifted around or removed from a section of the routine, it’s no surprise to anyone.
Boundary #3: Parents Can Watch, But They’re Not the Coach
Our lobby’s open on purpose. I believe safety is more important than “effective practices.” On top of that, if good coaches can teach athletes to focus enough to perform in front of thousands, then they can teach them to practice in front of a few dozen without distraction.
In fact, in my gym, parents are really close…just a few feet away at times. That’s fine. Though it can make it a little loud for me, I actually prefer it.
- Coaches know parents can hear everything, so it holds us accountable in those moments when we’d rather be a little snarky with 13-year old Suzy who is giving some attitude.
- Parents see how we actually coach. There’s no question if practice was well-planned and effective, because they can see if athletes are standing around or sweating.
- No mystery. No rumors. Just practice.
If a parent crosses into coaching territory, and it happens from time to time, I pull them aside. I don’t make a scene—just a reminder: support your child, but don’t coach. That line matters, and most people get it once it’s explained. Since we’ve been in our current building (9 years now!) I’ve had just a handful of times between rec and competitive programs that a parent has needed a more firm approach. Never once has it come to removing a parent from a practice or the gym itself.
That’s not how I roll. I’m here to coach their kids and I like when they’re part of the process. Sometimes you just have to teach them what their best-suited role is.
Why This Works (Even When Parents Are… a Lot)
It’s not magic, and I don’t have a herd of unicorns at my gym. It’s simply:
- Great culture = fewer surprises
- Clear roles = better behavior
- Consistency = trust
My parents are just like yours. They’re normal — with questions, concerns, opinions, and busy schedules, but boundaries teach them how to engage without running the show!
I hope this helps you as you navigate your own boundaries and build a great culture in your gym!
Watch or Listen now:
📺YouTube: https://youtu.be/-IWG-At05I8
🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1IYdKPQMKIVEa02Zv2Rw7y?si=92wwv6nERLaiMy2kJmzmYQ
🍏 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-fullout-cheer-podcast/id1763244914?i=1000719948806
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