WAG Going to camp at a different gym than daughter is training at?

[gymmommy123]

My dd started at a gym, and went there for 3 yrs, all the way up until she got an invite to the team. Last summer, she attended their "team camp" when she was on pre-team, and it was the best part of her summer. She loved every minute, it was high energy, a lot of fun, very positive instruction, 2 hrs of swimming every day, and of course, lots of gymnastics. Well, this past winter we left that gym, to move somewhere new that was opening closer to our home, and I think we left on good terms. Lots of hugs, no rudeness or mean words, we really had no major issues with her original gym and told them as much. The gyms are obviously rivals though. Well, her new gym isn't really offering a "team" type camp, only rec camps and DD has been asking A LOT about doing camp again this summer. I really want her to be able to go back to the original gym for their team camp again, but I feel like it might be awkward or weird to ask. I don't care about politics, and DD won't even be competing against their girls in the fall anyway, since she was moved down to a level the original gym doesn't even compete at. She is in such a funk lately, I just want her to have something fun, gymnastics-wise, to look forward to. Should I ask the old HC, or just forget it. She's at the point of major regression, I'm not sure why, but thought some fun and new skills to try might refresh her.

Thanks for the advice...

 

[SignHere]

As a mom, I'm going to say, don't go there.

There may not have been hard feelings when you left, but going back for camp will be looked at as a conflict of interest.

How about a non - gymnastics camp? Swim team, etc?

 

[B&M's mom]

I'd look elsewhere. My daughters are at two different gyms, the oldest outgrew the first gym, they encouraged her to move and to this day love seeing her when we come to get her sister. Her gym has a camp, the old gym doesn't. I sent her younger sister to the camp last year because it logistically made sense. The coaches were NOT happy even though I told them up front and explained the reasons. I also told them that there is no chance that she would move (and there isn't). This year all the parents got an email telling us that we were not to send the girls to other gym's camps. We were encouraged to send them to local college camps or the commercial gymnastic camps. Needless to say, she's not going.

 

[gymmomtotwo]

I wouldn't do this unless you are prepared for DD to decide that she wants to go back to the old gym. If she's going through a rough patch, this seems like the opposite of what you should be doing to acclimate her to the new one. I'd look into giving her a week off and sending her to a fun based camp with campfires and lake swimming, and just give her a break.

 

[Iwannabemargo]

It would not be a good idea in my mind, but more so is the point you make that since leaving gym A you daughter seems to have gone backwards. Was the move really a good idea ? I know geographically its closer but seems she was doing better at the first gym from your comments

 

[BlairBob]

Local college camps are great if you are near one.

Won't she be having gym practice during the week? Does she need to go to a camp because she needs to be kept an eye on or because of the fun camp experience?

 

[Krystan]

I agree that this could cause problems and awkwardness. Is this camp just for that gym's team? If that's the case, I'd say it's a definite no. If it is open to all team gymnasts in the area and advertised as such, it could be a different situation - but I wouldn't do it without approval of her current coach. Also, you would never want to be in a situation where she is missing practice at her current gym to go to the camp at her previous gym. Unless you are planning to change back to that gym, I'd leave the door closed.

 

[iwannacoach]

So why not switch back to the first gym? It seems she was happy and been invited to the team there. Is there a substantial difference in the two programs that keeps you at the present gym, and if so, is the difference enough enough to counter your child's state of funk?

Getting back to your question about is it ok to send your dear daughter to camp. I'm not sure ow to answer that because I don't know how close she is to making the team at the new gym. If she's right on the cusp of making the team, or is in an exclusive training group that functions as a "holding until ready" training group, I'd say no..... maybe. Nothings ever simple, and what complicates my position is that I don't know if moving onto team at the new gym will get her out of her funk, or just have her in a funk at a higher level of gymnastics.

I guess I'll sum it up like this....... If she's bummed because she's not on the new gym's team, and is nearly on the team, and is otherwise happy with the new gym's staff and atmosphere, then don't do the camp. I can't stand the absurdity of the politics that make "crossing enemy lines" unwise, bu it is what it is, and tilting at that windmill usually results in nothing more than a bent sword.

Good luck

 

[gymmommy123]

Thanks everyone. I did check into the local university camp, but unfortunately, it's just too expensive for us right now. They also don't offer anything but just straight gymnastics and I one of the things she loved about the old gym team camp was that they went swimming and had lunch together everyday. I will hold off on asking them. They do advertise that it's open to "all team gymnasts", but I was worried it might be awkward and it sounds like it would be a bad idea. We can't decide whether she should just move back to her old gym, they both have positive and negative points, but the last month or so at the new gym, she is just WAY off... right now they're threatening to kick her off team and into rec classes. For a kid who was always such a hard worker, it's strange to me. She won't tell me what's wrong, and when I ask her if she wants to take a break, move, stop, etc., and she always begs me to stay and says she loves her new gym, but obviously something is off right now. They are very meticulous at the new gym, fixing, fixing, fixing... this is good in my eyes, but maybe for her at her young age it's just too much. She will purposely ignore the coach about things she KNOWS how to do. When the coach threatens to send her home for the day, she'll suddenly whip out the skill really well, and then 5 minutes later, she's back to doing it sloppy, whining, complaining, etc... I don't blame the coach, it's frustrating as a parent to watch too. New gym is more "competitive" but maybe she just should have stayed with the more "fun" gym instead, they did more rewards, sleepovers, etc., that she really loved. I asked if she just wants to try a different sport and she gets very upset, and says she loves gymnastics more than anything else... hopefully it will pass. We're sort of at our wits' end right now.

 

[iwannacoach]

How old is she?

 

[gymmommy123]

Won't she be having gym practice during the week? Does she need to go to a camp because she needs to be kept an eye on or because of the fun camp experience?

Just simply for fun... I don't really care if she learns new skills, just want to bring the joy back into gymnastics for her.

 

[gymmommy123]

How old is she?

She is 6, been doing gymnastics a bit over 3 yrs, and been at the new gym about 4-5 months now.

 

[Muddlethru]

I would probably go with what many suggested just because that is the rule of the trade. But I will say there does not seem to be any other sport, after school/extra-curricular activity as gymnastics. There seems to be too much politics. While of course all sports have their own political setbacks, coaches and teachers of other disciplines don't seem as sensitive and/or gossip as much as many gymnastics coaches. i have 4 kids who've done every sport and have at least two major serious sport each and I have yet to hear coaches tattle tail on each other, bad mouth each other or carry rivalries outside the playing field. The rivalry is there but the pettiness is not. Yes, there can be some hurt feeling with switching teams or animosity, but they seem to hold it at bay. I feel in gymnastics (my experience at least) once you join a team you are held hostage; they own you body and soul. Every move has to be handled with a high level of delicacy. Being accepted to another team seems contingent on the reputation of your old team and the two coaches relationships. It is frustrating. While some coaches have legitimate reasons (in the case of the Op, some don't trust other coaches because of the bad habits their gymnasts may acquire from camps and other less experienced coaches), many just have large egos. As I've said, majority of the coaches in this website have their heart in the right place and appear to be very logical, eithical people. Sorry, if I offended anyone. I may be in a very combative mood this morning. And if my post is inappropriate or appears to highjack this post, please feel free to remove. I will not be offended....really!

 

[GymGirl's Mom]

Don't. NOT because it's another gym, BUT because it's a gym you left. Move on, find another camp.

 

[gymmommy123]

^^^^^^^^^ Yes, I am learning that! I don't want to get anyone angry or upset, at either gym. They both care for their gymnasts and do their best I think but they are definitely rivals. Sometimes it's just trying to find the right FIT for a specific child I think. But I sure wish it wasn't such an "all or nothing" deal. I feel like I am having major anxiety about the whole ordeal...

 

[SignHere]

I was going to suggest a college gym or commercial camp. However, my DDs coach told me a few years ago they were a waste of money until the child has her kip. Something to think about....

 

[gym law mom]

I would set up a time to talk to the current coaches and see if you can figure out what is going wrong. It may be simply adjusting to a gym that does a lot of corrections and maybe if your dd understood why she was being corrected, it would change her attitude. Find something fun she can do over the summer that is not related to the gym.

 

[gymmommy123]

I would set up a time to talk to the current coaches and see if you can figure out what is going wrong. It may be simply adjusting to a gym that does a lot of corrections and maybe if your dd understood why she was being corrected, it would change her attitude. Find something fun she can do over the summer that is not related to the gym.

The coach just talked to us and basically said, if she doesn't change soon, she'll be kicked off the team. She was fine the first couple of months, and it's not missing friends since she is great friends with her teammate. I am wondering if she feels like she's not "good enough". She went from being invited to level 4, to moving to a gym where she was put at level 3. They had her at 12 hrs a week, and then recently she was put to "new level 2" and lower hours. She was so upset about that. I think in HER mind, she has gone down two levels and they won't let her work out as long either so maybe she just thinks she's not doing well. She's already in other day camps, but what she asks for MOST is a gym camp. But it doesn't look like it's meant to be.

 

[SignHere]

Well, it also sounds like the new gym is a lot tougher with respect to basics and form. That is best in the long run but HARD for the little gymmies to understand. Heck, it's hard for parents to understand at first, to! I'd be in a funk if I went from Level 4 to level 2 - and a 6 year old is gonna have a hard time "getting " that in their gut - no matter how many times you explain it.

I don't have an easy answer for you, but - I think if form issues are needing correcting, a week at the old gym might make that worse. Sounds like they weren't as tough on her!