Parents Creating a Middle School Team?

[flipnmom]

Has anyone out there ever been a part of creating a middle school team? DD thinks she may be done with club gym, but would like to compete in high school... which is another year away. Our middle school doesn't currently have a team, but I think there could be enough interest to get one started. It's been hard to find any information on starting a team, though. Has anyone had any experience with this? We're in Ohio, if that makes a difference...

 

[raenndrops]

Has anyone out there ever been a part of creating a middle school team? DD thinks she may be done with club gym, but would like to compete in high school... which is another year away. Our middle school doesn't currently have a team, but I think there could be enough interest to get one started. It's been hard to find any information on starting a team, though. Has anyone had any experience with this? We're in Ohio, if that makes a difference...

We are in Ohio too. Our HC created the first Middle school team in our area 3 years ago. It is technically Jr. High team (7-8 grades only). The Jr. High season in our area is the fall, as opposed to winter for the High school.
You have to have a coach willing to take responsibility. Then you have to contact the School Board and get the issue before the board. The coach has to come to the meeting. The coach needs to follow the rules to be allowed to coach for a school. If you are going to do this, it needs to be ASAP because the meet season is September-October.
Good luck.
Oh, and they use Xcel Platinum rules with high school bonus (so they can do higher skills than Platinum would normally allow).

 

[OHGymMom]

Ohio here too. Didn't start a MS team but started a HS team a few years ago and I would imagine the process is similar. Start with your school's AD. Explain to him/her what you want to do and how it will benefit the school and its students. Our school AD took the request to the school board and admin for approval.

Also, make sure you have a coach or coaches with a pupil activity permit or are willing to get one. There's no coaching a school sport without this credential. Around our area of Ohio it's mostly club coaches that coach HS/MS gymnastics teams most of whom have no actual affiliation with the school, so don't be surprised if the school asks that you or another gymnast parent takes on the role of volunteer coach. I had to take the coaching classes required by the state and get my pupil activity permit so that the school had an official contact person they actually knew. Now I've never been on the actual competition floor with the team but I am the go to person for the school if questions arise.

Next be ready to answer questions about the cost to the school. Budgets are tight and they will want to know who's paying. We pay for the Leo, warm up, competition fees, coaching fees, and provide transportation to all meets. The school was all for having a team as long as it doesn't cost them anything. Basically I pay for all the same stuff I do for club except the meet fees are a heck of a lot cheaper ($10-$25 usually).

The nice thing about school gym is the girls get recognized locally for all their hard work and dedication to the sport. Good luck with getting a team started.

 

[flipnmom]

Thank you both! This is very helpful! OHHymMom, do you have any idea what the cost was for coaching fees? I'm pulling together a list of anticipated costs to take the the district now!

 

[flipnmom]

That was supposed to say "OHGymMom"... can't type on my phone! Sorry!

 

[OHGymMom]

Honestly I haven't paid much in coaching fees because DDs HS coach is also her club coach and she coaches 3 HS teams total including one team that her daughters are on so she never charges me cos hing fees for HS. Usually at least 2 club coaches are with the high school team coaching and sometimes up to four. HS gym is a real bargain compared club.

 

[raenndrops]

Honestly I haven't paid much in coaching fees because DDs HS coach is also her club coach and she coaches 3 HS teams total including one team that her daughters are on so she never charges me cos hing fees for HS. Usually at least 2 club coaches are with the high school team coaching and sometimes up to four. HS gym is a real bargain compared club.

That is like ours. Our HC coaches 2 Jr. High teams and (as of this coming season), 2 HS teams. There really are no coaching fees.

Now, I will say that at the local schools, gymnastics is seen more like a club sport (but they do earn varsity letters). SO, while they don't pay the school's "Pay to Play" fee, they instead pay, I think, $250 for the entire season (plus leotards and warm ups - and she got very reasonably priced ones). The $250 covers meet fees and practices and all that good stuff. Parents transport the girls (or carpool) to meets and practices. It works out great.

 

[Gymmom0824]

I wish our area had school level gymnastics! Good luck on your venture.