This is an intriguing topic for me and I hope it is for most as well.
I wrote in on another topic "We all need to remember this gym was in existence before some of these coaches walked in the door. the only thing that was new was the name - one athletics. oh sure the gym saw a one year migration of staff from another neighboring gym. But the building was there, the equipment was in place, and there were cheerleaders all ready in the building.
It's tough to make these gyms work and hope that you will be able to build a career out of coaching. It can be a whole lot of fun to stick around and coach forever but will the career last to be able to support your financial needs for the rest of your life? will it pay the mortgage, provide you the medical coverage you and your family will eventually need, or build you a complete retirement package?
Most coaches are faces with these adult questions and for the most part most coaches need to move on and find a job that will hopefully provide some sense of financial reassurance for the next 50+ years.
I have not doubt this is a tough decision for most because cheerleading is their passion. It never feels good when you have to walk away from what you LOVE."
Tell me what is the average coaching length of a coach in an all star gym. Sure there are going to be some mainstays in the many gyms but for the most part how long does a coach coach? And when its time to leave the cheerleading business, why do you leave? Is it because you are burnt out? Need to find a consistent job? Looking for a career opposed to a job? Need a Retirement Plan? Benefits?
And for those that do stay with the industry, what keeps you around? Is it financial security? Are there gyms out there that can rely on enough clients to ensure a continual career the rest of your lives? Do coaches need to work multiple jobs so that they can coach cheerleading?
How does it work for you and your staffing peers?
-- Edited by tracy on Friday 5th of June 2009 06:31:50 AM
Every year I think of quitting!!! Seriously! The pay is horrible, there are no financial benefits for most such as retirement, and full medical. I have coached for over a decade and for much of that time had multiple jobs to make ends meet. The amount of drama and entitlement at times is overwhelming and discouraging. As an adult this job make little sense to continue doing it.
I put up with the crap (sometimes I am swimming in it!) because when push comes to shove I LOVE what I do. I love to work with the kids in the environment that I do. Every day is a little bit different and never boring. I still love going into work everyday. I hate to miss it. How many people do you know who can honestly say that about their job!?
A coach I know of was coaching for the same reason. They finally left the coaching world and finally graduated from college! With the amount of time they invested into night practices, they could finally go to the required night classes for their major. So I guess at the end of the day they ended up spending money on college just so they could stay enrolled!
Coaching is not a way to make money. Its a passion, a hobby. You must LOVE IT!
As a coach for 10+ years, I have been around many coaches that have been in the industry for as long as I have. A lot of coaches use this field as part time work. Most of them have day jobs which allows them to still coach in the evening, since that is when practices generally start. They coach because they love it and not necessarly cause it makes them lots of money. To have a full filled carreer out of being a coach they either coach at different high schools, choreography, privates, etc. If a coach worked full time at a gym their work week is generally about 20 - 25 hours. I work part time coaching 2 teams and I work 8-10 hours a week. It makes it perfect for me, since I have a full time job. I just have 2 very long days out of my week, but I love doing it and I also get to coach my daughter. It really just becomes part of your life if you enjoy doing it. For some moms they have their different hobbies, mine is just coaching. The cool thing is I even get paid for it!!!
-- Edited by raesmomma on Friday 5th of June 2009 08:29:39 AM
Absolutely agree that coaching needs to be a passion. Passion needs to be there every single night. If the passion isn't there then you really shouldn't be coaching our youth.
My question is "How long does one hang their hat on the passion?" At what point in one's young (?) adult life does someone finally say this isn't going to give me the security I need to talk me in to the golden years? Now is the time for me to find a job that will.
Does this current coaching generation even think about this? Could this be a reflection on the entire generation? The attitude of "live for the moment and not worry about tomorrow?"
I start to think about where will all these people end up financially 20, 40, 60 years from now? Is there going to be any type of retirement option for them? We have been told that Social Security is not a guarantee and don't look for the federal government to bail you out (that money is gone). Large corporations (like GMC) are stating it's the pension plans that have destroying their budgets forcing the corporation into bankruptcy.
It worries me to think that the mind set, of so many, is just walk through life without thought of what tomorrow may bring.
I would love to hear from those that do not have a second job and cheer is their only job. The jobs don't have to just be about coaching. What about everyone in the cheer industry. What about those that help out at cheer camp? What about those that travel with the competition companies? Or even those that sit at the vendors' booths? oh and how about those photographers and videographers? Anyone that may have an interest in cheer.
Financially I own my house, have a generous savings, and a retirement plan. I know I am the exception not the rule. In order to fill financially secure I have had to save and not rely on my employer to do it for me. This also meant that I do not leave beyond my means and do not live off of my credit card. This was not a lesson easily learned and came with time, maturity and a few moment of panic.
I think the majority of coaches will quite because they can not survive of what is made as a coach. If they continue coaching it is down graded to a few hours a week, just enough to scratch the itch.
The sport of cheerleading has lost quite a few coaches because of finances. I am sure the parent think that their children's coaches are racking it in. But in reality we are all try to make enough to continue for a little longer.
