5 minute read
Best Practices for Virtual Lessons
BY JIMMIE SANTEE, MG, MPD, CFS
One unplanned benefit of COVID-19 is that teaching virtually is a viable business model. While rinks were initially closed, this required coaches and athletes to think outside the box in order to maintain relationships and to keep all engaged. The simple answer to not violating health codes was to teach remotely using any number of videomessaging platforms or apps.
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But COVID did not discover virtual lessons. Virtual lessons have been around since the advent of Skype® in 2003. While initially only a small number of coaches taught virtual lessons, each arena or club had to fend for themselves, creating their own policies and procedures. As a former rink manager, the first policies I created had to do with the video capabilities of our smart phones or camcorders. In those days, parents would video lessons or practices. To get better video, parents would invade the team boxes or stand in the doorways. This became very intrusive and coaches complained about their invaded space.
Today, virtual lessons are becoming more prevalent. Video capabilities of our smart phones and tablets continue to evolve. Online payments system like PayPal® and Venmo® make the business aspects both easy and efficient. Many of the best practices you use in your physical location can easily be transferred online. However, there are also adjustments that need to be made in order to maximize your effectiveness and preserve a safe environment.
The Professional Skaters Association and its membership aspire to the highest ideals of professionalism and recommend the following best practices to consider incorporating into your virtual program:
Please note: the following are best practices and should not be interpreted as legal advice.
1. Treat virtual coaching as a new relationship with an arena or club
In many ways virtual coaching is a new kind of relationship and working out the details is essential to starting out on the right foot. Review the arena or clubs policies and procedures.
A. Club or arena guest coaching policies — A virtual coach must agree to abide by the arenas and/or U.S. Figure Skating Club guest coaching policies. In some instances there is a written/signed agreement.
i. In situations where the ice is run by a U.S. Figure Skating club, the coach must be fully compliant (U.S. Figure Skating rules GR 4.00-4.04, in the current U.S. Figure Skating Rulebook).
ii. The arena should also provide detailed written instruction for virtual lessons. Many arenas prohibit virtual lessons on congested sessions. What is considered congested is at the discretion of the arena management.
iii. Who is filming and from where? Generally, off-ice filming is preferable as to not interrupt the flow of the session. Additionally, some arenas only allow a staff coach or arena employee be filming.
iv. Recording — Is the lesson being recorded and by who? Who has access to the recording?
B. Commission — If the arena charges a commission, the virtual coach would be responsible for payment.
C. Certificate of liability — Virtual coach must supply the arena and/or U.S. Figure Skating Club with a certificate of liability naming the arena or club as an additional insured. It is also a prerequisite that the insured determines that their policy allows for virtual lessons.
D. Waivers — All skaters must provide the virtual coach with an Assumption of Risk, Waiver and Release, and Indemnification agreement.
E. U.S. Figure Skating SkateSafe policies — The virtual coach must abide by U.S. Figure Skating SkateSafe policies, including Two-Deep Leadership.
i. Specifically, Two-Deep Leadership is a mandatory policy that requires at least one other person, preferably an Adult, be present at all times with an Adult Participant and a Minor Athlete when the interaction between the Adult Participant and Minor Athlete is not within a public viewing area where interactions can be easily observed and at an interruptible distance from another Adult (i.e., “rule of three”).
ii. Coaches should inform and gain permission from the parents of their athletes for the various ways they plan to communicate with their skaters, including copying an adult for all communication with minor athletes. Communications with minors (e.g., notes, email and internet exchanges, telephone calls) must be for professional reasons only. SkateSafe policies can be found at www.usfigureskating.org/skatesafe
2. Closely monitor skater safety and provide appropriate and specific feedback
The safety of the skater is the responsibility of both the virtual coach and camera-person.
Virtual Coach:
• Is it safe? Is it efficient? Does it produce the desired result?
• Remind the skater to be careful when skating into traffic.
• Use video replay sparingly.
Camera-person:
• Stand by the barrier when videoing or off-ice as much as possible.
• Videoing from the team box areas will give the coach the perspective of the video feed provided to the technical panel and judges.
• Do not follow the skater while filming.
• Keep your eyes up, ears open and pay attention to your surroundings at all times.
• When reviewing video with the student, stand by the barrier or off-ice.
• During feedback, allow the skater to see the coach.
3. Emergencies
In case of an injury, or building emergency, you should have an emergency action plan in place. As a virtual coach, you are supervising the athlete. It is important that you understand your duties and to assign additional responsibilities to the camera person. The camera person should understand their responsibilities regarding the safety of the skater in all potential emergencies.
Although these best practices were compiled with virtual coaching in mind, the responsibilities and expectations for an in-person coach during a lesson are largely the same.
