When did PSA coach/student interaction rules start?

[Query]

Someone recently told me that PSA rules forbidding coaches to talk to other coaches' students are recent - maybe ten or fifteen years, and maybe the rules about taking a lesson from another coach without asking permission first as well.

The person said it happened because a group of immigrant coaches were aggressively recruiting other coaches' students, because such practice was entirely acceptable in their countries.

Does anyone know when such formal rules came into being?

Incidentally, were there common unwritten standards on such behavior in the U.S. before the formal rules went into effect?

[FigureSpins]

Back in the day, the skating clubs usually had a "head pro" who had to handle these type of situations.  I witnessed many a screaming session that came from allegations of "poaching."  This was well before the influx of "foreign coaches."

In my area, most coaches were not PSA members, but the ISI and USFSA had similar guidelines.  I guess the PSA followed suit when they updated their Ethics guidelines.  Better late than never.

[Nate]

All I know is that that rule is great for coaches, but terrible for skaters.

And that's all I really need to know, TBH.

It's almost impossible to discuss anything skating-related with other coaches because many of them are scared of being accused of violating ethics code, etc.  It makes an interest/hobby feel like a job where everyone are machines nad only focused on the goals and not the community aspects of the sport...

[jjane45]

It's almost impossible to discuss anything skating-related with other coaches because many of them are scared of being accused of violating ethics code, etc.  

Some coaches are still open to have in depth discussions on all aspects of skating with group students who already have someone else as private coach, some go as far as refraining to change the student's technique because the private coach may be offended.

[Skittl1321]

All I know is that that rule is great for coaches, but terrible for skaters.

I agree.  It also makes it impossible to find a coach or change coaches.  Very skater unfriendly!

[Query]

There are times when it's OK for a coach to talk to another coach's student, and times when it isn't.

I look at the PSA as a trade union, and myself as an employer. Trade unions and employers often don't see eye to eye on all issues. On top of that, sports organizations are sometimes allowed to bypass the rules on anticompetitive practice that affect other professions.

Plus, it isn't altogether fair for one coach to quietly undermine another coach's position with their student or their student's parents without giving the second coach a chance to defend themselves. I think PSA rules are partly an attempt to make coaches play fair.