wildrosejmj
Proud Parent
Our 12 y/o daughter is a level 5 gymnast. She's been in gymnastics since she was 6, started in rec, but fast tracked into the competitive team and has been competing for 4 years. This year started a little rough but she finished off getting solid mid to high 8s in all events and they plan to move her to level 6 next year.
T is the oldest and highest ranked team member at her gym. There were older girls there until a year or so ago when we had a coaching shake up and they went to the one other gym in town. So it's a young team. I clean the gym to pay for her fees so we didn't really have the option to move, nor did we want to. Up till now I have felt very confident in our coaches and like the gym philosophy overall.
The other day we got an invite from one of the other parents for the girls to go to a painting party during practice time to celebrate the end of their competitive year. The girls are going to paint a picture, have some snacks, and it was going to cost us $25. I verified that this had been approved by the coaches and was told, in no uncertain terms, that this was considered practice for that night in the name of camaraderie and team building. I see it that she is losing a day of practice that we already paid for and being asked to pay more. I'm all for team building and the girls having fun occasionally, (Mon night they had a short practice and then watched the Gabby Douglas Story), but I feel like I'm paying for her to be at the gym. If they want to do this activity and call it practice, the gym should pay for it.
Am I completely off base? For the record, T doesn't want to go. She lives for her gym time and doesn't have any interest in hanging out with a bunch of 7-10 year olds and doing something she has no interest in especially at the cost of her practice time. Any thoughts? Thanks.
Jen
T is the oldest and highest ranked team member at her gym. There were older girls there until a year or so ago when we had a coaching shake up and they went to the one other gym in town. So it's a young team. I clean the gym to pay for her fees so we didn't really have the option to move, nor did we want to. Up till now I have felt very confident in our coaches and like the gym philosophy overall.
The other day we got an invite from one of the other parents for the girls to go to a painting party during practice time to celebrate the end of their competitive year. The girls are going to paint a picture, have some snacks, and it was going to cost us $25. I verified that this had been approved by the coaches and was told, in no uncertain terms, that this was considered practice for that night in the name of camaraderie and team building. I see it that she is losing a day of practice that we already paid for and being asked to pay more. I'm all for team building and the girls having fun occasionally, (Mon night they had a short practice and then watched the Gabby Douglas Story), but I feel like I'm paying for her to be at the gym. If they want to do this activity and call it practice, the gym should pay for it.
Am I completely off base? For the record, T doesn't want to go. She lives for her gym time and doesn't have any interest in hanging out with a bunch of 7-10 year olds and doing something she has no interest in especially at the cost of her practice time. Any thoughts? Thanks.
Jen