New coaches at the rink

When I returned from my long Europe trip, I found that the "new" coaches are here (refer to entry Once again, coach hopping). They started coaching that week.

Well, ok, they're not all that "new" as they have been in Singapore, but at another rink - which closed, and they left and... its a long story. In any case, I have always been on ok terms with them. After all, I was also at the same other rink they were at until it closed. I think their arrival is a positive change...

What is not so positive is the whirlwind that seems to come with every new arrival.

It is absolutely understandable that some of the skaters who were training under them before would like to return to them. However, I had heard (and I'm not sure how accurate this is) that the rink office had also been "advertising" their arrival, telling skaters who were struggling to find time with their current coaches about "new coaches" who are "very good" and they could pre-book desired times on their schedule.

What's more interesting is the coaches' reaction.

One coach told his students to "go ahead, switch coaches, but don't think of coming back". While this may seem rather harsh, it simply points to the fact that the coach does not believe he would work well with the new coaches. Which is also understandable. And it is fair that this is made clear to the skaters at the beginning.

On the other end of the spectrum, another coach told his students, "Go ahead, take lessons from them, BUT you cannot stop lessons with me!". What kind of philosophy is this? Aren't skaters free to make decisions? They may decide to train under one coach and not another. They may decide to change coaches *knowing* they can't change back. They may, if opportunity allows, decide to train under two coaches. How many of them were aware when they started with this coach that they were bound for life?

No, you cannot leave!!