The #1 Tool That’s Improved Parent Communication in Our Gymnastics Program

Parent communication can be tricky. There are usually only a handful of coaches, a lot of kids, and even more parent questions. One of the biggest things that has helped me is having systems in place to ensure clear communication and expectations—so everyone stays on the same page.

A system I’ve used for years is what I call our Stoplight Sheets.

One of the most common (and often controversial) topics every season is deciding which athletes are ready to move up a level and which athletes need another year at their current level. As coaches, we know repeating a level is often not only normal but also in the athlete’s best interest for long-term development. However, some parents may not always understand this as well as we do.

That’s where the Stoplight Sheets come in. I use these for all levels in the gym. They clearly show what skills an athlete needs to move to the next level, along with a space next to each skill that I color in using a simple system:

• Green = The skill is consistently performed with good form.

• Yellow = The skill is there but may need refinement or is inconsistent.

• Red = The skill is not yet independently performed.

At the end of the season, athletes receive a blank version of their Stoplight Sheet—just the list of required skills for the next level. Then, each month during the off-season, they receive an updated version that’s been colored in to show their progress.

This kind of system has transformed our gymnastics parent communication. It’s a super simple visual that both athletes and parents can understand, even if parents aren’t familiar with the specific skills. Instead of wondering how their gymnast is doing, they have a clear, color-coded visual to refer to throughout the off-season. I always remind parents that it’s normal to see a lot of red in the beginning, but progress should be visible month by month.

It also helps us as coaches. Taking the time once a month to track each athlete’s progress gives us insight into common skill gaps or trends we can address in lesson planning. It also helps us identify athletes who may be falling behind, allowing us to proactively reach out to parents and recommend private lessons or additional support before we make official level placements.

At the end of the day, parents just want to know how their child is doing. I’ve found this to be one of the easiest ways to keep them in the loop. It’s simple, straightforward, and incredibly effective.

We use Stoplight Sheets for all our athletes from Pre-Team through Level 10, and now we’ve made it even easier for other gyms. You can download our printable Stoplight Sheets for Compulsory Levels—a simple PDF you can print and fill in by hand to track skill development visually and consistently.

Stoplight Skill Evaluation PDF

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