Parents Seriously considering Xcel

[NY Dad]

Another thought. Depending on the gym and how you think they might react you may or may not want to tell them that you've already found another gym. You're in a great position now, your objective it to try to get kicked out "against your will". If you think they are more likely to kick you out if you don't think you have another gym, don't tell them that part.

The biggest risk you're taking is that they don't kick you out but they make your dd's life miserable.

Do you know anyone that's been kicked out of the gym before?

 

[suebee]

I have no idea how it works for gyms (dd's gym does not have a contract), but I just signed a contract for my child to attend a private school next year. The contract says that we are responsible for the entire year's tuition, regardless of whether the child attends the school for the entire year. No matter the reason the child leaves the school, whether it be due to moving, parent losing job, disciplinary reasons and being kicked out, or medical illness, the family needs to pay the entire year's tuition. There are sometimes exception for medical reasons, but it is on a case by case basis.

I would look at your handbook very carefully. If they tell you that looking at another gym is a reason for termination, and you let them know that you have done that, they may terminate you and charge you the same fees as if you quit voluntarily now. Does your handbook address that at all?

 

[NY Dad]

they may terminate you and charge you the same fees as if you quit voluntarily

Really? They can do that? Can someone with some legal knowledge chime in?

 

[duyetanh]

Really? They can do that? Can someone with some legal knowledge chime in?

Yes they can and it does happen....this said, it doesnt happen at my kid's gym. Just depends on the gym.

 

[NY Dad]

Notthatmom, did you look at the contract and read the fine print?

 

[notthatmom]

Notthatmom, did you look at the contract and read the fine print?

That section in the contract only touches on Voluntary Terminarion. In other areas it does list reason for getting asked to leave the program (behavioral reasons mostly) but it doesn't say anything about $$ when asked to leave against your will.

 

[Randomactsofcheer]

Really? They can do that? Can someone with some legal knowledge chime in?

When DD did cheer, it was common to hear parents complain about signing contracts at their gym that stated they would forfeit all money paid for the season if they paid up front AND would be charged a termination fee, or would be charged for the rest of the year (if paying month to month) plus a termination fee if they left or were asked to leave before the season was over. One gym we looked into said they would still charge tuition if she was injured and couldn't complete the season, but would waive the termination fee.

That being said, it is very hard for something like this to hold up in court, whether the reason is someone voluntarily leaving or the gym tells the person to leave. I know of someone who was taken to small claims court by their former cheer gym when they left and didn't pay for the rest of the year. The judge told them they had to pay the gym back for the rest of the competition fees because they were past due when they left the gym, but they weren't responsible for tuition if the child wasn't participating in the rest of the season.

 

[strawberries]

I can't find it, but there was a long thread a while back on this subject of termination fees. I remember it tended to be high profile gyms who wanted to protect their time investment w/ high level (primarily elite) gymnasts. The termination fee and/or request for extra months tuition fee makes sense in those cases.

For a L3 who isn't being coached, it simply doesn't compute.

The consensus on the thread was that it wasn't worth it for a gym to hire a lawyer to track down a few months worth of tuition. I don't advocate breaking contracts, but in this case, they seem to be breaking their contract where they agreed to coach your daughter, and took your money to do so.

 

[notthatmom]

At this point we are just ready to make the switch. If they really do want to go nuts about the $$ they can, but I doubt they'd waste their time. As soon as I hear back from the new gym we've chosen and they give us a start date, we'll leave current gym peacefully and with grace (trying to be Switzerland here and stay neutral, keep the peace).

 

[Mish]

At this point we are just ready to make the switch. If they really do want to go nuts about the $$ they can, but I doubt they'd waste their time. As soon as I hear back from the new gym we've chosen and they give us a start date, we'll leave current gym peacefully and with grace (trying to be Switzerland here and stay neutral, keep the peace).

That's what I would do. It would kill me to still have to pay the money, but I would take her out as soon as you can. Good luck!!

 

[raenndrops]

At this point we are just ready to make the switch. If they really do want to go nuts about the $$ they can, but I doubt they'd waste their time. As soon as I hear back from the new gym we've chosen and they give us a start date, we'll leave current gym peacefully and with grace (trying to be Switzerland here and stay neutral, keep the peace).

I am serious about canceling any autopay that you may have in place IMMEDIATELY. That way, they can't charge you. Just make sure you are up to date on payments.

 

[notthatmom]

I am serious about canceling any autopay that you may have in place IMMEDIATELY. That way, they can't charge you. Just make sure you are up to date on payments.

I'm not set up for autopsy anything....all good there

 

[GymDad9.9]

I'm not set up for autopsy anything....all good there

Is Quincy, M. E. good with this?

 

[Committed]

I'm not set up for autopsy anything....all good there

Wow, they really do take team seriously!!! HAHAHAHA!!!!

 

[notthatmom]

Wow, they really do take team seriously!!! HAHAHAHA!!!!

So other gyms don't do autopsies? I totally thought this was normal practice.

Hahahahaha omg best autocorrect ever.

 

[Seeker]

So other gyms don't do autopsies? I totally thought this was normal practice.

Hahahahaha omg best autocorrect ever.

Good thing you're leaving!!

 

[duyetanh]

Wow, they really do take team seriously!!! HAHAHAHA!!!!

Yeah i choked laughing on that one.

 

[strawberries]

Wow, they really do take team seriously!!! HAHAHAHA!!!!

I can not stop laughing

 

[raenndrops]

I'm not set up for autopsy anything....all good there

Then leave as soon as the other gym can take her. Your current gym can try to sue - if they want to waste their money… gyms often lose in cases like this, especially so close to the end of the contract year.

 

[notthatmom]

Update. DD starter at her new gym today. She was so excited that she made her list of "gymnastics goals" which included the skills she wants to get this year, and where she wants to go to college (she's 8, mind you) and a pretty awesome drawing of all the gym apparatuses. She gave it to her new coach at the start of practice today and he gave her a big high 5, told her it was the coolest thing ever. Then he took it over to the head coach to show it off.
It makes me so happy to see her so happy, she misses her old teammates, but I have to constantly remind her that many of them have switched to new gyms too, so she wouldn't have had many friends at old gym anyway.
When she walked thru the doors today, the other girls on the team remembered her from her trial a few weeks ago, were excited to see her, and gushed about how much they liked her leo. This seems like so much more of a happy atmosphere all around, and I know she's going to get the coaching focus she deserves. I can't wait to pick her up and see how practice went today!