Hi, all. I feel like my dd and I have a big decision to make. But, it is breaking our hearts to think of switching gyms. I need a sounding board. She loves her coaches and her friends at her current gym. They have had a strong compulsary and optional program. She made huge improvements last year. The problem is the gym is so crowded now that she is not getting very good practices anymore. She is in a 3000 sq ft building with team gym (boys and girls), rec gym, cheerleading, and tumbling classes. And our team is a large team-sixty or so. We have been promised a larger building for over a year now, but for one reason or another this has not come to pass. We have been told that they are moving the rec classes to another building soon. While I hope this alleviates some of the crowding, I'm afraid it won't solve the bigger problem. The cheerleading classes take over the floor (we only have one at the gym) and often the tumble track. The other night my daughter came home complaining that they did beam for three rotations because all the other apparatus were taken. Her tumbling coach is being pulled away to do rec classes, because they lost a rec coach. AND it has been so crowded that some girls have been hurt or had close calls.
Now if my daughter just had a casual interest in gymnastics, I wouldn't be so worried. But, my daughter wants to try for college gymnastics.So what do I do? I feel like my daughter will not have a great year if things continue this way. They can't practice complete floor routines or even leaps! She gained so much over the summer and it feels like it's going to be gone. And it's not like she has time to practice at home between 4hr/4days a week practice and school.
We have a couple of options. One gym has a great optional team, but not so great compulsary team (dd is lvl 6), due to different coaches. Dd did a camp there and loved it. She worked with the optional coaches and started to learn twisting! The other team has strong compulsary and optional teams. They keep their team small and you have to try out. I have heard they hold girls back too (don't know how true that is). They are also the team that lately has had the most gymnasts go on to college gymnastics.
Any suggestions? I hate to be the gym hopping mom. But I hate that we are BOTH unhappy with the current situation. She really doesn't want to leave her coaches and I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings. But, I want to give her a chance to achieve her goals. I am going to talk to the head coach too, but I have a feeling it's going to be the same old "things will be better soon". Sorry about the rant. But I guess I'm wondering-what would you do?
Now if my daughter just had a casual interest in gymnastics, I wouldn't be so worried. But, my daughter wants to try for college gymnastics.So what do I do? I feel like my daughter will not have a great year if things continue this way. They can't practice complete floor routines or even leaps! She gained so much over the summer and it feels like it's going to be gone. And it's not like she has time to practice at home between 4hr/4days a week practice and school.
We have a couple of options. One gym has a great optional team, but not so great compulsary team (dd is lvl 6), due to different coaches. Dd did a camp there and loved it. She worked with the optional coaches and started to learn twisting! The other team has strong compulsary and optional teams. They keep their team small and you have to try out. I have heard they hold girls back too (don't know how true that is). They are also the team that lately has had the most gymnasts go on to college gymnastics.
Any suggestions? I hate to be the gym hopping mom. But I hate that we are BOTH unhappy with the current situation. She really doesn't want to leave her coaches and I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings. But, I want to give her a chance to achieve her goals. I am going to talk to the head coach too, but I have a feeling it's going to be the same old "things will be better soon". Sorry about the rant. But I guess I'm wondering-what would you do?