Parents Gym switch?

[momof2gymmies]

which gym would you go with?

Gym A: girls are currently on team, and somewhat happy. Have been on team for 4 + years. Has amazing coaches, and you as a parent have been able to work with them for the most part to fix problems with one child, however you have also been super frustrated a lot because of the way one child is treated. HOWEVER, the team is huge, and growing bigger with each passing second, and is too big for the space/number of coaches. Coaches are frustrated, not with the kids, but with the situation. Girls are constantly being bumped off equipment for other groups/rec classes. In general the teams all had horrible seasons, across all levels. Went from usually being first place team, to rarely placing. Went from having multiple state and regional champions to hardly anyone making regionals. You, as a parent know that nothing will change, at least for awhile. Because of the size of the team, some of the coaches are not qualified to coach - should be assistants rather than regular coaches, are are super young and immature, and take it out on the gymnasts. Coaches also have very clear favorites, of which one child is and one child is not, and the different treatment is very obvious.

Gym B. Much smaller team. By a lot. Like 2 girls in a level rather than over 30. Had a lot of individual success, but not team success, but most likely because of their small numbers. Coaches are not as good. A lot of kids left gym B for gym A, because they said that the coaches wouldn't spot. Gym does not have a pit. Gym is maybe 1/4 the size of current gym. Have heard crazy crazy stories about owner/head coach, although I am betting most are not exactly what has been told. Half the amount of hours for their levels in the gym, but more $$$ every month. Lots of the same meets, but meet fees were a good 400 more for gym B.

Gym C - there is none. There is no other gym within 90 minutes, and we can't drive that far, so these are the two options if they wish to continue.

To compound the problem, child #2 is not sure if she wants to continue or not. Her first love is soccer, but she can't seem to say yes to quitting gym yet. Half the problems would go away if she quit - not the size of the team, but the difference in how girls are coached.

Child 2 has lots of natural talent. Child 1 does not, but does work very hard, and it shows. She trusts her coaches, and def. needs the spotting.

 

[gymmomtotwo]

Well, I wouldn't even consider Gym B. So that leaves you with Gym A. Are your kids personally making progress? I guess I would stay put, unless the situation is emotionally abusive or unsafe.

 

[skschlag]

I agree. gym b really does not seem like an option either.

 

[twinmomma]

which gym would you go with?

Gym A: girls are currently on team, and somewhat happy. Have been on team for 4 + years. Has amazing coaches, and you as a parent have been able to work with them for the most part to fix problems with one child, however you have also been super frustrated a lot because of the way one child is treated. HOWEVER, the team is huge, and growing bigger with each passing second, and is too big for the space/number of coaches. Coaches are frustrated, not with the kids, but with the situation. Girls are constantly being bumped off equipment for other groups/rec classes. In general the teams all had horrible seasons, across all levels. Went from usually being first place team, to rarely placing. Went from having multiple state and regional champions to hardly anyone making regionals. You, as a parent know that nothing will change, at least for awhile. Because of the size of the team, some of the coaches are not qualified to coach - should be assistants rather than regular coaches, are are super young and immature, and take it out on the gymnasts. Coaches also have very clear favorites, of which one child is and one child is not, and the different treatment is very obvious.

Gym B. Much smaller team. By a lot. Like 2 girls in a level rather than over 30. Had a lot of individual success, but not team success, but most likely because of their small numbers. Coaches are not as good. A lot of kids left gym B for gym A, because they said that the coaches wouldn't spot. Gym does not have a pit. Gym is maybe 1/4 the size of current gym. Have heard crazy crazy stories about owner/head coach, although I am betting most are not exactly what has been told. Half the amount of hours for their levels in the gym, but more $$$ every month. Lots of the same meets, but meet fees were a good 400 more for gym B.

Gym C - there is none. There is no other gym within 90 minutes, and we can't drive that far, so these are the two options if they wish to continue.

To compound the problem, child #2 is not sure if she wants to continue or not. Her first love is soccer, but she can't seem to say yes to quitting gym yet. Half the problems would go away if she quit - not the size of the team, but the difference in how girls are coached.

Child 2 has lots of natural talent. Child 1 does not, but does work very hard, and it shows. She trusts her coaches, and def. needs the spotting.

This sounds shockingly like what we dealt with, only I know you're not near me since there are more choices within 90 mins.

That said, having been at both Gym A types AND Gym B types (and currently at Gym C due to nobody else having T&T, otherwise we would have stayed at Gym A) - I would ask for a meeting with the HC and/or Owner to discuss your concerns. Like another poster said, unless there's an abusive situation, I'd stay put. Every gym has their own issues, and the goal is to find one that meets the majority of your child's needs within an acceptable range of risk (distance, cost, schedule, etc...) for the rest of the family.

 

[NutterButter]

So, gym B is more money, no pit, crazy coaches and people have left for gym A. Seems pretty obvious that gym A. No pit especially would be a deal breaker for me.

 

[momof2gymmies]

So even though the better coaching is at Gym A, the girls are struggling to even get coaching some nights, because of the number of kids in the gym. YDD learned her floor routine on the vault runway.

Yes, both of my girls are making progress themselves, although YDD is starting to score lower because she is lacking the attention to detail. It is just not being pointed out, b/c one coach can not watch that many kids.

Emotionally, ODD is fine. She has one coach who is overly sarcastic, but DD knows that is just how she is, that it is not directed at her, so she is able to ignore her for the most part. YDD is another story. She has had issues in the past, and while she has worked it out with most of the coaches, there is one who still holds everything against her. She is continually told that she has a lack of effort. She gets punished with rope climbs for things that the other girls do and do not get in trouble. She gets punished with rope climbs when her arms are not straight in her kip. She is not allowed to have privates with anyone, per this one coach, because of her lack of effort. Which honestly, I don't see. She is a kid who likes to get the bigger harder skills, and doesn't care about the details, but will try to correct them when she has it pointed out to her. She thinks that she is trying, she doesn't feel like her foot is flexed. She threatened to leave her in bronze for a third year, despite scoring high 38s all season last year, because of her lack of effort. And honestly, that is one reason she is in xcel.

It shouldn't be this hard. I may talk to the head coach next week. The girls are trying a practice at gym B, so I may try and talk to our coach before that happens.

 

[Mish]

She threatened to leave her in bronze for a third year, despite scoring high 38s all season last year, because of her lack of effort.

Her effort can't be so bad if she is getting high 38s!!

 

[Deleted member 14190]

Explain how one child is treated different.

 

[momof2gymmies]

Explain how one child is treated different.

It is hard to explain. One is not allowed to have privates. One gets a ton of hugs and high fives from the coaches, and lots of good jobs, we are proud of you, while the other one gets nothing. One can do no wrong, even when she is clearly in the wrong, one can do no right. I am constantly called into the office to discuss YDD's lack of effort. She is told she needs to compete certain skills (tucks, kips) at silver, when no one else does, but then gets told that she is not scoring well because she is not trying, yet she is the only one in her level doing those skills. When she says she doesn't understand a correction she is told she is being rude and does understand. When she is with any other coach she is fine. I never get spoken to. It is just with her main coach.

 

[blueberrygym]

Such a complicated situation but you likely need to revisit your goals for your two gymnasts. If it's higher level gymnastics, then it sounds like neither gym is a good fit. If it's a great way to stay fun and be active and receive individualized attention, then Gym B is better. But if it's more about being a part of a team and friendships, then Gym A is best. But overall, Gym A seems better because there aren't sufficient resources at Gym B. But please talk to the HC about your concerns for your child who is treated differently. That doesn't sound like a healthy environment for her at all.

 

[twin2gymmie]

That is a tough situation. I would definitely voice my concerns with coaches and owners.

 

[tortuga]

At our gyms no one gets bumped from equipment - rotations are scheduled like clockwork you know how long you have on each piece. It sounds like management and/or coaches need to figure out how to manage sharing the use of the equipment with all the classes and teams.