Parents Seriously considering Xcel

[duyetanh]

Exclusively. It's a requirement.

Seriously?

 

[notthatmom]

Seriously?

Lol no. Our gym also isn't actually called Shaggy Joe's Gym Barn

 

[duyetanh]

Lol no. Our gym also isn't actually called Shaggy Joe's Gym Barn

Ok....good to know....I honestly was feeling like it was quite racist.

 

[notthatmom]

So, an update: I am 99% sure we found our new gym!

It's the one I mentioned before that had their team fees and hours posted online (awesome marketing if you ask me).

DD went there for a trial last week and the coaches loved her...the head team coach chatted with me and told me that DD has a raw talent for gymnastics she just seems as if she hasn't had proper coaching to perfect things (which confirms I'm not just a crazy mom who thinks my kid is a speshul snowflake). He said he and the other coaches are ready to help her perfect the skills she already has while also up training her for L4 skills and beyond. They're going to start her out in the new season as a L3 but will move her up to 4 if and when she is ready. They also gave me the option of signing her up for the L4 hours if I want (they train at the same time as L3 just with an extra 30 minutes on some days...and at $15 more per month I'm thinking that's a no brainer). This particular gym seems to have hit a lul for a while with their girls team but have hired new coaches (including the head coach) who are basically rebuilding their girls team to become more dominant again. So it seems like a great time to start her there. They had all their L3s make state this year, other levels as well...some compulsories made regionals, so I know their coaching is producing good gymnasts.

She has a trial at another new gym two days this week so I haven't completely ruled out all other prospects, but aside from the one she's trying this week, the others I have spoken to don't seem like a great fit schedule wise (most start practice 15 minutes after she gets out of school, and it's just too early in the day for me to work out with my work schedule).

The tuition and other fees are astronomically smaller than our current gym, so my bank account is smiling

It's just so relieving to find a gym that doesn't seem as if they see my DD as a lost cause, and won't leave her in the dust as our current gym seems to be doing.

After state is over and done with it's clear they're not willing to work with DD at all, and it's a shame, but I'm glad I'm noticing it now. She's left practice in tears this week and last, and that just justifies it so much more that we need to get out of where she is.

Most importantly, DD said she LOVES this gym, at her trial she got to work on skills she's never had the chance to try before and she's excited to do new things. She even wants to write out goals and give them to the new coaches in hopes that they know where she wants to be and where she wants to go. I'm so excited for her. She loves gymnastics more than anything and being in a positive environment where she feels like an equal is so incredibly important to me and I'm so happy that we have found that.

So we will see what the other trial looks like today and Thursday but I'm pretty close to positive we have found our new gym home. (Plus it's minutes away from my YDD's dance studio, as well as one of my work locations, so the perks seem to be endless).

 

[Seeker]

That is a great update! So glad you decided to look around. I hope this is a good move for her.

 

[notthatmom]

So DD did her first trial day yesterday at this other gym (we'll call that gym B) and I've pretty much solidified the decision to get her into the gym we tried last week (lets call that gym A).

The drive to get to gym B, while physically not far away, the drive to get there is mostly residential side streets and took so long to get there we were almost late, which pretty much made me make MY decision right there. When we got there she realized there are two girls on the team she already knows from school(or camp or something) so that made her excited. From my observation gym B seems way too relaxed, which for some kids is great, but DD needs more structure, more seriousness, which gym A has. And the drive to gym A is a straight shoot on a big main road, so much easier to get to, plus practice starts a tad later which is so much better for my work schedule.

After practice DD says "I like this gym!" And so I told her we'd talk about it at home.
When we got home I said "ok, tell me what you liked about gym A"
She said "I liked the way they trained me"
I said "ok that's awesome! Now what did you like about gym B?"
She said "I have friends there"
I told her "we can have play dates with your friends anytime you want, I think you need to be at a gym where you're going to get the best training"

She understood.

Gym A told me on the spot exactly what they'd be able to do for her, for now and for the future.
Gym B basically told me "she has the skills but everything just needs work"
To which I basically replied "Yes I know, that's why we're here" they didn't seem to have A's in depth of a plan as Gym A did (which I didn't even have to ask them for)

The prices at gym A and B are pretty much the same, and I'm even more aware now how disgustingly over priced our current gym is.
Gym A as I said before is in the rebuilding process and it seems to be on the right track. Gym B is also in the rebuilding process, may be about a year ahead of gym A, but at DDs level, by the time she gets to the higher levels, gym A will be in a great place, so the difference is tiny.

Now I just need to figure out when to leave our current gym, and how to do it. As much as I'd like to say "good riddance current gym, eff you, give me back the extra $$ I've wasted so I can go on vacation" (exaggeration for effect, but you get what I'm saying) However, I'm not one to burn bridges in this small town called gymnastics.

I'm just not sure who I talk to. Do I talk to her main coaches? Do I talk to the head coach/owner? Can I hire someone to do it for me? (Lol). Ugh, this is the hard part.

I'm so happy with gym A though and the future they are willing to give to DD, I just need to rip off the band aid with current gym and get this over with.

 

[SMH]

I'd talk to her main coach(s) and just explain that you've found a new gym that's better suited to your daughter. Say thank you and be on your way into the sunset
I can imagine it will be awkward, I'd want to get it over as fast as possible!
Also that's awesome you have so many options close by!

 

[Texasmomof3]

Pick your last day at the gym. On that last day, after practice, tell the coaches and thank them. Get your child's belongings, make sure any autopayments are turned off, and that is that.

I would tell the coach who you consider your child's main/head coach as well as the person at the front desk/main office who handles billing. Let your child say goodbye to her event coaches, too.

 

[notthatmom]

So I just read the section in our handbook that covers voluntary termination and I'm glad I did. It states that prior to June 1 (end of the commitment time for the year) if and when we terminate, the date we give notice will be our last day. Any fees due prior to June one will be charged to us including the astronomical termination fee. They say the reason for this is they don't want to waste coaching time on gymnasts who won't be staying in their program. So unless I want to waste anymore money we are seriously locked in through the end of May. Oh and we have to notify the head coach first.
So I guess we're stuck here for another month and a half. At least that will give DD time to finish up the season with her teammates which really is owed to her, some of these girls have become her best friends and it's the number one reason she is sad to leave here.
I just can't get over the "wasting coaching time" portion of this, I feel like they've already given up on her anyway so not much will be wasted.
I now also at least have a defined date I can give to the new gym (although they've already stated they don't really need one, DD can start there at any time).
Counting down the days...

 

[l.c.o]

So I just read the section in our handbook that covers voluntary termination and I'm glad I did. It states that prior to June 1 (end of the commitment time for the year) if and when we terminate, the date we give notice will be our last day. Any fees due prior to June one will be charged to us including the astronomical termination fee. They say the reason for this is they don't want to waste coaching time on gymnasts who won't be staying in their program. So unless I want to waste anymore money we are seriously locked in through the end of May. Oh and we have to notify the head coach first.
So I guess we're stuck here for another month and a half. At least that will give DD time to finish up the season with her teammates which really is owed to her, some of these girls have become her best friends and it's the number one reason she is sad to leave here.
I just can't get over the "wasting coaching time" portion of this, I feel like they've already given up on her anyway so not much will be wasted.
I now also at least have a defined date I can give to the new gym (although they've already stated they don't really need one, DD can start there at any time).
Counting down the days...

Congrats! I'm happy you found a great place for her...

That said - WOW... That policy is kinda crazy, especially coupled with their already high tuition! Did you actually sign anything agreeing to the rules in the handbook?

 

[notthatmom]

Congrats! I'm happy you found a great place for her...

That said - WOW... That policy is kinda crazy, especially coupled with their already high tuition! Did you actually sign anything agreeing to the rules in the handbook?

Yep, we signed it...not sure why they call it a handbook when it's really a contract. Of course when I signed it I never dreamed we'd be leaving. Ya live n learn

 

[duyetanh]

I would probably eat it and move on...thats just me though.

 

[flowerchild]

I was just thinking, how is there a termination fee if you have to pay training fees through May ? I'd probably leave now, and just realize I'm going to have to pay double fees for 6 weeks. She's not getting great training right now anyway, and with the coaches not really paying attention to her, she's more likely to be injured. Plus, I'll bet they already know you've had try outs at the other gyms.

 

[notthatmom]

If I were made of money I'd be happy to pay double tuition, but such is life, that's just not durable.
The termination fee does seem dumb for the last month of the season. I could just pay for May and stop showing up, but I'd still have to do double tuition for a month and I just can't do that.
If they know she's tried other gyms and they kick her out, I guess we'd be off the hook for tuition that way...weirdly hoping that happens lol (totally joking)

 

[duyetanh]

His old is your dd?
Its a lot to ask your kid to be quiet that long...mine is a very quiet mouse, so whike she wouldnt say anything, the stress of not saying anything would get to her...and the practices would be worthless. Does your dd know that in a month she will be leaving?

 

[Sk8ermaiden]

DD was practicing at her old gym and her new gym for 6 weeks (pre team, so the hours were manageable.) She really wanted to finish the year with her training group and also see if she made the next level. But she had to start learning the routines at the new gym if she wanted to compete with them this year. I think one coach kind of knew for the last couple weeks, but she was supportive of the move. It only stayed secret I think because we were at a big JO gym and were moving to a small Xcel gym in another part of town.

It didn't bother DD at all. On her very last day she finally got all the way up the rope with pike legs, which was a big goal of hers. In fact, she asked if she could just keep doing both gyms. Nope kid. I don't think that would work out.

 

[notthatmom]

His old is your dd?
Its a lot to ask your kid to be quiet that long...mine is a very quiet mouse, so whike she wouldnt say anything, the stress of not saying anything would get to her...and the practices would be worthless. Does your dd know that in a month she will be leaving?

She's 8, she knows she's leaving since she's been trying out other gyms. She'd never say anything because she knows she's be in trouble with the coaches. She's an extremely easy going, but very focused kid. While she's at the gym she probably completely forgets that she's got this "secret". I'll talk to her about it though and see if it's making her nervous at all. Good point

 

[kayjaybe]

Although if they kick her out, then you aren't terminating the contract. They are. So you then shouldn't have any fees to pay. So....maybe she should let it slip!

 

[raenndrops]

Although if they kick her out, then you aren't terminating the contract. They are. So you then shouldn't have any fees to pay. So....maybe she should let it slip!

Just make sure to cancel any autopay you may already have set up.

 

[NY Dad]

I just skimmed the thread so I might be missing something but my 2 cents.

I know you were kidding but can you set up a meeting with the coach/owner and speak your mind. Be as frank and honest (almost) as you are here.

1. What your concerns were
2. That you've looked at other gym options (and the reasons)
3. You've decided on a new gym. Since your contract goes until the end of May that's when you're planning to switch.

Act surprised and disappointed when they kick you out. (make sure her locker is already packed up).

maybe she should let it slip!

I wouldn't make your dd do the dirty work. Even if she's not stressed about it. Why not end this chapter as soon as possible and move on?

Side note, spending a ton of extra money would really bug me too.