WAG Gym bags. Are they necessary?

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About two months ago I placed my order with GK for our team leotards, capri leggings, and warm-up jackets. They are due in mid-October and the girls are very excited. I'm excited too because they look fantastic and I can't wait to see the girls walk out on the floor in their new digs! However, we did not order gym bags. The girls are on the Xcel track, and I have one bronze and eight silvers, so they do not use grips yet. My question is, do they need bags for meets? If so, can they use any kind of bag, or should they have matching gym-specific bags? If this is something they need, I better place an order right away because the season is fast approaching. Any opinions on this?

Also, another area where I have slight concern: footwear. Is footwear required at all? What's acceptable or commonplace?
 
They will want some kind of a bag- you will want them to put their warm up & shoes in something as well as drink bottle, snacks, etc. You could easily order inexpensive drawstring bags if you want in a color that matches your leos or just plain black.
 
Matching bags are cute but not necessary. I would say any bag will do. They will need a bag to put their warm-ups in, a water bottle, and a snack. The first year my dd competed we just provided our own bags. The second year we had matching monogrammed bags. I prefer the matching bags, builds on the team spirit.
For foot wear, the first year we didn't have matching shoes. The second year, we had ribbon covered flip flops. This year we are doing matching converse. Again, matching foot wear isn't a necessity but it sure does look good.

You could do something as simple as a cinch sack with a monogram or a cute name tag attached. For shoes, you could do a plain flip flop. Make it easy this year. Next year you will have more time to plan!

Good luck!
 
My DD had a uniform bag last year, that they were required to carry, and she filled it up with stuff just so it wouldn't be empty. Ha ha. There wasn't really anything necessary in it. She didn't have a warm up though, so she always just went to meets in her leo, with her hair already done. This year she will be required to have a warm up, so the new bag will at least hold that! As for shoes, she always wore flip flops to the meets, and went barefoot inside the venues, and for awards. Some gyms had matching socks, some matching shoes, and some- like ours- didn't care.
 
We opted NOT to buy the team specific gym bag but I did make DD a simple backpack in the team colors and embroidered it with her name and team. The girls like to give eachother good luck cards and treats, and we always keep a water bottle, small snack, eye drops (contact lens wearer) and inhaler (for asthma) in the bag plus an extra Leo in team colors just in case. Apparently a few years back a gymmie on our team had a Leo disaster (seam split) and nobody had an extra Leo on the floor.... So because of that, we carry one around, just in case. :)
Simple is fine, I see no need for a big $50 backpack. :) As long as it can fit warmups, a water bottle and a snack all is good. :)
 
You will definitely need some type of bag but they don't have be GK bags. Lots of sports places have decent bags that can then be embroiddered with the team and girl's name.

You woul dbe amazed at what they put in those bags!
 
We have matching sling bags or backpacks with the gym logo. There are lots of teams around us that have way more fun bags, and our girls get all "OOOH I WANT THAT BAG!!" when they see them. We've seen sequin backpacks, zebra gym bags, etc. None of them I'm certain were made with the intent of being team bags, but they look great.
 
At most meets, all the other teams will have matching bags. At our current gym (which I love dearly), they seem to assume that, if you have enough money to have your kid in gymnastics then you must have money to burn, so our girls have personalized GK bags that match their leos. At our past gym (which made me totally crazy in all ways except this one) they tried to keep costs reasonable and we ordered bags from Lillian Vernon. http://www.lillianvernon.com/catego...uffels.do?pp=24&sortby=priceAscend&sortType=1
$20-ish for a bag, a fair number of color choices, and you can get the kids' names on them for free (helpful when they all have the same bag).
 
We use a local embroidery shop for our team bags. With the child's name, gym logo, and bling it's less them $20 for the string bag. They can also order a duffle bag, which is a little more.
 
I think it's great to have matching bags-if you live in a colder climate, they will also need a bag to put in their shoes and coats. Dd used to have a small sling type backpack and I would have to hold her coat and boots but her gym got nice duffel bags that everything can fit into. She also can carry her water bottle, snack, warm-ups and anything else she wants.
 
At our gym, the bags were originally optional, but all the girls had them, so of course everyone got them. I'd say they are necessary. When we first joined, we did plain black flip-flops and the girls decorated them with ribbons in the team colors. We have new gear now, and they wanted a sportier look, so we all had to find slip on black athletic shoes.
 
I guess I never answered the question...

Yes...they are necessary.
 
I just got my new bag yesterday and it is now compulsory to have a gym bag! It looks cute when we are all walking home (out of the door) with our back packs on. I honestly don't think they are necessary but they do look 'professional'
 
Yep, I kinda figured I would need a bag. Now to tell the parents they have to make yet another purchase for the girls. :eek: Anyway, thank you all so much for your opinions, insight, advice, and recommendations. I very much appreciate it.

@Sasha, @raenndrops, @magmom, @MaryA, @JBS | Thank you for the wonderful bag suggestions guys! I looked at all of them, and two of them really stood out. I like the sports duffle-style bag that magmom suggested because it seems very versatile and has lots of compartments, but I also like JBS's Adidas sackpack suggestion because it's available in my team's colors, and, well... I really love Adidas. Both bags are pretty darn cheap, too!

@EmilyisOk | This isn't really related to the topic at hand, but I have to say that your daughter's beam handstand in your avatar picture is nearly textbook. Very impressive!
 

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