Parents Does your gym take former gymnasts back?

[mndl]

I recently noticed that a few girls that left my daughter's gym for another gym a few years have returned. I don't know the circumstances of why they left in the first place or why they've returned, but having read so many stories about bad gym departures it got me wondering if it is common to be welcomed back to a gym you left?

 

[GymRays]

Depends on if the departure was civil. One girl left on good terms, came back but ultimately left the sport shortly thereafter. Another left and in the process ( the gymnast) bad mouthed us to other parents in the program that had no issue with us. She would not be welcomed back.

 

[MILgymFAM]

Yup, definitely depends. If the girls left for something like commute or training conflicts and the issue either resolved itself or the new gym wasn't worth it, then I could see switching back. We left our original gym due to a long distance move and every time we visit the girls are allowed to train, and they ask us to move back all the time. We left a gym here to give my DD an opportunity she couldn't have at the current gym, and were again told that if it didn't work out she would be welcome to come back.. I see lots of situations, though, where closing the door to a gym would be like cementing it shut.

 

[raenndrops]

We had a few girls leave at the end of a season. They all ended up at another gym that was a further commute. One left because she was not ready to move up a level (and she thought she HAD to at our gym). Another left because we were only a YMCA gym and she was better than that. The third left without even giving a reason.

The first girl returned after a year away and competed Xcel Gold the last two years and will be moving up to Platinum (and the High School team).
The one that was "too good" for us is on her 2nd gym since leaving us. She repeated the level she was at for us (mom said part of the reason they were leaving is that she would have to repeat old L5) and then last season, she competed Xcel Gold.
The third girl went from Old L5 to Xcel SILVER at the gym she switched to. I only know this because she was on the Jr. High team that HC coaches out of the same gym.
HC has an open door policy in most cases (only 1 gymnast permanently banned - and that is all on the parent!)

 

[Aussie_coach]

Always, it's common in the gymnastics world for families to decide that the grass is greener somewhere else only to get there and realise that it's not.

If we have a gymnast leave, we never allow it to be on bad terms. We thank them for being a part of our club, wish the, the best of luck and let them know that the door is always open if they find its not what they are looking for somewhere else.

Sometimes they are back within a week, often within a term and very often within a year.

 

[Firefly]

Not if they leave to go to another local gym, unless there was a non-training-related reason. It's not a written rule, but very well understood.

 

[wnl256]

Open door policy. For most situations, gymnasts who left on good terms would be welcomed back. I haven't actually seen it happen in the years I've been there, but I may just not be aware of those cases.

 

[l.c.o]

Ours took my DD back after a three year break. DD never competed for original/current gym. She did rec and then 1.5 years developmental/preteam. She did compete locally after leaving.

Not sure what the general rule is, but when we left I was honest about why and didn't point fingers.

DD was nervous at first, but they were very welcoming, and she seems to be treated the same as anyone else.

 

[my4buffaloes]

Our gym has taken gymnasts back - even ones that were obviously not happy with our gym the first time around. Surprised me. The worst of the worst were not allowed back, but the others yes.

 

[profmom]

I can't think of any girls who've left our gym for another gym locally -- the ones who've left have either left team or left the state. In the time I've been there, one boy left for about four months and came back.

 

[SurpriseGymMom]

I think it would depend on why and how the gymnast left. . I know we have welcomed back a few girls who have either been injured and needed extended time off or taken a year off to compete high school gymnastics etc. I know they would love to welcome a couple of former gymnasts back now that we are a offering a different program (in addition to JO) that "forced" a few gymnasts to seek it elsewhere before.
I'm not sure about how they would feel if the parting was done on bad terms though, I can imagine that would be difficult on both ends.

 

[refugee]

We've left 3 gyms...2 on very good terms (1 because of a school schedule conflict the other due to a move) and were told the door was open to return. Then there's the other one. I know they've taken girls back before. But if they asked us to go back, I don't think we would!

 

[FloMoGymMom]

Living in DFW, this is very common around here. We have multiple elite/Olympic track gyms that many of the girls want to give a try. It doesn't always work out, and they come back. But there are TONS of gyms to choose from here, TONS!

 

[leotardmakermum]

We left a gym many years ago to pursue options that weren't available to us there. We went with the blessing of the head coach/owner, and have continued to keep in touch with him since. He is a true gentleman. He has since moved on from his gym, but at his farewell (which we attended) he singled out my daughter for some unexpected but very kind attention. He is still one of her biggest supporters. We deliberately left that gym very carefully, knowing that if the new gym didn't work out, we'd want to move back there. That never needed to happen, but if it had, we would have been very welcome, for which I am very grateful.

 

[rgmom]

I recently noticed that a few girls that left my daughter's gym for another gym a few years have returned. I don't know the circumstances of why they left in the first place or why they've returned, but having read so many stories about bad gym departures it got me wondering if it is common to be welcomed back to a gym you left?

I am not sure if it's common, but we just returned to our old gym, after being gone for a few years. When we left, we were very careful to leave on good terms, as you never know what the future will bring.
My girls are thrilled to be back and we look forward to many more happy gymnastics years here.

 

[Deleted member 14190]

I will take them back if they are upfront and honest when they leave, do not talk trash etc.... So, 99 percent of the kids who have asked to return were denied, only a couple have ever been accepted back. And 99 percent of the kids who left are now retired... Grass isn't always greener, so do your homework, and be careful what you wish for...

 

[refugee]

I will take them back if they are upfront and honest when they leave, do not talk trash etc.... So, 99 percent of the kids who have asked to return were denied, only a couple have ever been accepted back. And 99 percent of the kids who left are now retired... Grass isn't always greener, so do your homework, and be careful what you wish for...

So what I hear you saying is it's all about you and your program, not what's best for the kids. Sad. But don't feel too bad...IME, many gym owners/coaches feel/act as you do.

 

[Deleted member 14190]

So what I hear you saying is it's all about you and your program, not what's best for the kids. Sad. But don't feel too bad...IME, many gym owners/coaches feel/act as you do.

I fail to see how refusing the return of a family who was dishonest and caused problems makes it all about me.... We have had parents (after exhausting all efforts to resolve issues) be very up front and I have even recommended programs for them to try. But quite often when a parent leaves, it is exactly that,,, the parent leaving. And usually they are so unhappy that they have caused all sorts of drama within the parent circle. The remaining parents a usually happy when this parent is finally gone,,, brining them back would only weaken the faith that our existing parents have in our program. So,,, no I don't feel bad at all. And again, do your homework prior to leaving....

 

[SignHere]

I fail to see how refusing the return of a family who was dishonest and caused problems makes it all about me.... We have had parents (after exhausting all efforts to resolve issues) be very up front and I have even recommended programs for them to try. But quite often when a parent leaves, it is exactly that,,, the parent leaving. And usually they are so unhappy that they have caused all sorts of drama within the parent circle. The remaining parents a usually happy when this parent is finally gone,,, brining them back would only weaken the faith that our existing parents have in our program. So,,, no I don't feel bad at all. And again, do your homework prior to leaving....

So, you quoted some interesting percentages. 99% of kids who ask to come back are refused. So, you are implying that 99% of parents who leave your gym are dishonest and trash talk your gym and cause drama?

However, given my own personal experience with certain drama loving suburban housewives, I would suggest that at least some of that trash talking from the departed/ing parents is either exaggerated or completely fabricated.

Good luck, coachp with your happy parents

 

[Deleted member 14190]

So, you quoted some interesting percentages. 99% of kids who ask to come back are refused. So, you are implying that 99% of parents who leave your gym are dishonest and trash talk your gym and cause drama?

However, given my own personal experience with certain drama loving suburban housewives, I would suggest that at least some of that trash talking from the departed/ing parents is either exaggerated or completely fabricated.

Good luck, coachp with your happy parents

No, what it means is most of the people who ask to return burned the bridge. I did not insinuate that 99 percent leave and cause problems . You see people leave for all sorts of reasons, moving , commute, want an easier program or just not a good fit. etc... Generally these people don't want to come back. But what I have noticed is unhappy parents do tend to cause problems , send blanket emails out etc... So no those people are not welcome back. Just like others here have stated, depends how you leave. I suspect that would be applicable to many things in life. Don't burn the bridge.