Parents So upset and frustrated... what should we do?

[iwannacoach]

Whoops!! I missed this part of one of your previous post.....

I'm not entirely sure at this point it's a money issue or a simple pride issue from the owner's point of view. I think they had their feelings hurt when they lost some of their best gymnasts to the new gym in town.

Here's a perspective that's been missed (I think) up to this point. The new gym has drawn kids away from the old gym, and that's affecting the old gym's bottom line. The owner of the old gym may feel refusing to take kids back is the best way to keep more people from jumping ship.

The feeling may be that this will keep kids in their program, and maybe it does. It seems to me the better course for the old gym owner would be to take anyone back who was displeased with the new gym. The statement implied by the returnees would be that the new gym can talk the talk (the snake oil salesman) but can't walk the walk.

Really, one of the best testaments to a business's worth is the people who've tried brand x and decided to go back to the better of the two brands. Geez, you can't buy advertising that can do that for your business.

So hey, owner of the old gym. If you're reading this, and I bet you are, wise up and do the best thing you can for your gym. Bring these people back in. You gotta admit it's nice to have people pay you money and serve as the best advertising you could hope to get. Seems a no brainer to me...... but what do I know?

 

[mouey77]

As far as what WE need to do to get her to move up, they won't say. This is just the start of the new year, girls are being moved this week for Spring and Fall competitions so this is her only chance for the year. They don't seem to do any moves mid-year. In the end, I'm not sure it matters what we say, we're trying to convince them to just give her a chance, and we have been speaking directly with the owner, but they have their policies and want her repeating lvl 2 again. They're claiming if she doesn't score really high at level 2, she won't do well if she ever gets to optionals... I worry if they hold her back too long, she'll get bored and give up long before she ever reaches optionals.

Nothing more to add other than this is exactly how our gym is. No one is moved mid-year. Lots of drilling on routines. We also hear same argument about needing to score high now in these lower levels to be successful in upper levels. I told the coach I was concerned about boredom as well, and he seemed to think if she isn't placing high at the meets that will be more of a deterrent. It sounds like the new gym's philosophy isn't a good fit for you. Again, I think it's ridiculous if the first gym won't take her back.

 

[OzZee]

Have you asked what she actually needs to move to level 3 - more polished skills/specific skills/certain scores?
Does she really have all the things they require?
She is only 6/7 and another year at 2 isn't such a bad thing.
Also you say they don't uptrain and just practice routines - is this really true, I know some kids will often feel like that's all they've done for a session but they don't understand the drills used to work the next skills.
So whilst they don't think they are working level 3/4 skills they may well be working the drills to get those skills - young kids don't understand that and often just want the big skills now.
Whilst I haven't seen your dd and the lower levels here are much tougher than the US I think you are probably right for wanting her to move up if she placed at state. But if that isn't this gyms philosophy and your dd wants to continue then I think you need to sell this year to her. But do find out what they are doing to get new skills and then you can tell her - you are working on x,y and z, and the routines will be easy for you and you will do well at competitions. She will be feeling she is bored and unhappy because you are feeling that way.

You said this gym has successful high level gymnasts/college scholarships? (not sure on this as you said the club had just opened) If so then the program obviously works.

I agree with iwannacoach about the old club - sounds like a much better way of showing up the new club by taking back kids!

 

[Natalia]

Wow!

A girl was injured at our gym.The mom told the coaches she was looking at other gyms.

The coach replied :"if you wish to leave do so,do not threaten to do so.Please remember that the door is always open if you wish to return.If you choose to come back your daughter will be evaluated and she will be placed in the stream that will meet her level".

If all coaches and parents played it like this cool cucumber there would be a lot less drama.

 

[bookworm]

[/B] They're claiming if she doesn't score really high at level 2, she won't do well if she ever gets to optionals... I worry if they hold her back too long, she'll get bored and give up long before she ever reaches optionals.

I think this is rubbish considering Level 2 is basically a rec level as Dunno says, so if you want to pay to repeat a rec level, have at it but I think her performance at Level 2 won't have much bearing on what she does as an optional...unless they keep her in these lower rec levels and she decides to do other things because she gives up the sport..

 

[Deleted member D3987]

Whoops!! I missed this part of one of your previous post.....




Here's a perspective that's been missed (I think) up to this point. The new gym has drawn kids away from the old gym, and that's affecting the old gym's bottom line. The owner of the old gym may feel refusing to take kids back is the best way to keep more people from jumping ship.

The feeling may be that this will keep kids in their program, and maybe it does. It seems to me the better course for the old gym owner would be to take anyone back who was displeased with the new gym. The statement implied by the returnees would be that the new gym can talk the talk (the snake oil salesman) but can't walk the walk.

Really, one of the best testaments to a business's worth is the people who've tried brand x and decided to go back to the better of the two brands. Geez, you can't buy advertising that can do that for your business.

So hey, owner of the old gym. If you're reading this, and I bet you are, wise up and do the best thing you can for your gym. Bring these people back in. You gotta admit it's nice to have people pay you money and serve as the best advertising you could hope to get. Seems a no brainer to me...... but what do I know?

i'll tell you what, and to add to this, our staff and my wife and i have a huge laugh when kids return wearing the old gym's shirts. the parents in our program ask why they have another gym's shirts on. we tell them the truth. that they weren't satisfied for a spell. they left. they came back.

and wearing those shirts are the best advertising that we could ever hope for. and it didn't cost us a cent. we tell those kids "go ahead, you can wear those anytime you want. your parents paid money for those so you wear them. and wear them here". lol

 

[JoyAvenueMom]

Is it possible your current gym doesn't have room for another kiddo in the L3/4 group? It may not have anything to do with her. If it is a new gym, the owner may not have a really good handle on hiring and keeping good coaches....especially team coaches. The shiniest new equipment won't make a bit of difference if the coaches aren't experienced enough to teach team. That may limit how many they can serve...and perhaps your dd was turned away because she was the newest.

 

[gymmommy123]

Is it possible your current gym doesn't have room for another kiddo in the L3/4 group? It may not have anything to do with her. If it is a new gym, the owner may not have a really good handle on hiring and keeping good coaches....especially team coaches. The shiniest new equipment won't make a bit of difference if the coaches aren't experienced enough to teach team. That may limit how many they can serve...and perhaps your dd was turned away because she was the newest.

No, not at all... they have space and coaches. They have very experienced team coaches (career coaches, not college kids) and a group of kids that followed those coaches from another gym. Her current coach is the compulsory coach, she'd be staying with her anyway, just going more hours and working with a different group. I'd be pretty insulted if they said "your kid isn't good enough to move up" if it were a simple staffing issue. She's been in that group longer than any other student, as we started before they even had a gym, and had to work out in a warehouse.

 

[gymmommy123]

i'll tell you what, and to add to this, our staff and my wife and i have a huge laugh when kids return wearing the old gym's shirts. the parents in our program ask why they have another gym's shirts on. we tell them the truth. that they weren't satisfied for a spell. they left. they came back.

and wearing those shirts are the best advertising that we could ever hope for. and it didn't cost us a cent. we tell those kids "go ahead, you can wear those anytime you want. your parents paid money for those so you wear them. and wear them here". lol

I love it, that's hilarious... and you're right, what better advertising than to say they left and came back because they thought you were better ;-)

 

[juststartingout]

i'll tell you what, and to add to this, our staff and my wife and i have a huge laugh when kids return wearing the old gym's shirts. the parents in our program ask why they have another gym's shirts on. we tell them the truth. that they weren't satisfied for a spell. they left. they came back.

and wearing those shirts are the best advertising that we could ever hope for. and it didn't cost us a cent. we tell those kids "go ahead, you can wear those anytime you want. your parents paid money for those so you wear them. and wear them here". lol

We have a girl who was at our gym in preteam, then moved to our gyms only local competitor. Well about 2 months ago she came to our gym's open gym and was watching our girls and started talking to us mom's about how we liked the program and she was impressed with the girls skills. She decided to come back. She had already ordered her competition leo for the old gym and couldn't get anyone else to buy it. The girl wears that leo to practice sometimes (with the other gyms name blinged on the back) and when she talked to our coach about it our coach said the same thing you said " you paid for it let her wear it, it's excellent advertising really".

 

[happychaos]

Well calling Xcel a dead end is a bit off. Frankly a ton of kids do it, love it and stay in the sport way beyond most USAG girls do. It is not a dead end if they are happy, progressing, competing and challenged.

You are frustrated as you cannot get what you want at the current gym and the old one will not take your dd back. But to rule out xcel because it is a dead end is really unfortunate. If your dd loves gym she will love Xcel a lot. Own routines, using skills they have, fun meets. What is not to like?

I both agree and disagree with this. Excel IS pretty much a dead end in our area. The gyms in our area have jr. coaches coaching excel, and the hours are not enough to really progress past basic skills. You just can't get very far with 4 hours per week. But some states/gyms do have very popular, competitive excel programs. You should figure out what excel is in your gym, and see if will be a good fit.

Also, it just seems like something's not adding up. What is happening with the other girls who have the same skills/scores as your DD? Are they repeating as well, or is your DD being singled out to repeat?

There is a very successful gym in our state that repeated their entire (old) L3 team last year. This is a very good gym, with tons of success at the very highest levels. They are not known for sandbagging. I'm not sure exactly what their logic was, as the girls would probably have been reasonably competitive in (old) L4 last year. This year the girls are cleaning house in new L3, scoring 38+ and I have no doubt these girls will fly through L4 and L5 quickly, winning all the way (and probably uptraining all the way, too).

I think you need to have a conversation with both the coach and owner, and should expect to have all your questions answered. If they expect you to pay for another year of L2, it is the least they can do. Now you may not like what they have to say, but at least you'll know. Perhaps they have a "big-picture" philosophy that you are not aware of. Or maybe they are just one of those gyms that thinks they can pick "winners" at an early level (an idea that most chalk bucket experts don't agree with).

 

[gymmommy123]

Well, we've decided we'll likely leave her current gym and move to an entirely different place. Downside, is we're back to a long drive again, and it conflicts with her diving schedule so she'll have to stop going to diving class (which disappointed her), BUT it will allow her to continue doing the sport she loves and we'd rather drive than make her quit. Luckily my husband is very supportive too, and will help with the driving too. Such a shame if it comes down to that, we really would rather just stay where we are, she has a good coach, the facility is beautiful, and we'd don't want to have to change gyms. I wish they'd just let her train L3 even if they don't want to let her compete :-(

We'll do a full week trial at the new place and see how it goes. DD did one practice with their level 3/4 team this week, and did really well. She had a great time, was doing well on her level 3 skills, and even had a little time to work a couple level 4 skills... her cartwheel on the high beam looked great, she made it about 30 times, (prior to that, she'd only ever been allowed to try it on the high beam one time.) She learned to do a 1/2 turn on the beam, and could do every skill they asked her to do from the level 3 routine. She was allowed to try a squat on jump to the high bar, and did it by herself on the 2nd try, and even remembered her undershoot pretty well, despite the fact she hasn't worked on it in a loooong time. She kept up with a rather rigorous conditioning for over an hour at the beginning and seemed to fit right in the group. Rather than stare off into space half her practice, she ran from one rotation to the next, a nice sight for me to see!

I want to let everyone know how much I appreciate all the great feedback and advice, and allowing me to vent. It's been a rather disappointing week, and I really hoped we could just have a little chat with her gym and they'd give us some options but it's not looking like that will happen. Even if we leave, we still think they have a quality program, and are sad we weren't able to make it work for our dd.

 

[my4buffaloes]

Even if a gym has a great program that doesn't mean it is right for everyone. Good luck at the new gym.

 

[bookworm]

So are you going back to the original gym? It sounds like the place she tried out this week is more in line with what you're looking for...

 

[txgymfan]

You said there were only two options so I agree with Bookwork and am curious. Did you go back to the old gym or are you driving 2 hours?

 

[gymmommy123]

So are you going back to the original gym? It sounds like the place she tried out this week is more in line with what you're looking for...

No, this is an entirely new gym... *sigh*. It's about an hr drive, kind of a pain, but we'll make it work. Luckily only 2 of the practices are on weeknights and end at 8, so we can get dd home by 9. I feed her and have her do homework in the car those days. The other practice is on a Sat. It's probably not as "good" as the gym 2 hrs away, but honestly, I don't think I could handle such a drive right now, 3 days a week and our other child would suffer I think.

 

[SignHere]

I'm glad you seem to have found a gym, and sounds like your DD will thrive!