WAG What is perfectly acceptable in one gym is taboo in another...

[Mrs. Puma]

As a spin off of the “dressing during practice” thread, I find it very interesting how different things are at different gyms. As stated in that thread, some are leo or bust, and some are more lenient. Even hair at some gyms has to be in a bun every practice, or have a specific style at meets. I hear tell that some gyms do not allow hair glitter! (Gasp! Lol) Communication seems to be a big one. Some seem very hands off, and others it’s totally fine to text/email a coach or even owner. Some allow you to watch, but at many that’s a big no-no. How they use Xcel, how kids move up, what scores are considered acceptable...conditioning rules, punishment, number of hours, how prevelent homeschool is...I’m sure some of it is regional, and some of it how high level a gym is. I would assume elite gyms have more in common with other elite gyms, etc. I like reading about the differences and I especially like when people are respectful of them even when their minds are blown. To each their own, right?!

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Thank goodness for choices.

We are a no glitter (especially on Leo’s) gym, yes, gasp!
But hair color, sports bra straps and gymnastic shorts are OK

 

[MILgymFAM]

Yup thank goodness for all the variety, otherwise there would be someplace for everyone..

 

[Sk8ermaiden]

At our old gym you needed to text the coach if the kid was going to be late or absent. It STILL feels weird to miss gym and not let anyone know.

I've always wondered about hair color, because they're not even allowed to have nail polish at meets for cripe's sake. And I know there's no specific deduction, but would be worried one of the judges would take that "distracting hair/attire" deduction. We stick to colors after state, for now.

 

[reluctant]

We have direct access to our coaches, can watch and the girls can pretty much wear whatever they want. But I am still a bit weirded out by the style of wearing a leotard but taking off the top part and exposing a sports bra underneath. I get that it's hot in the gym, but they look half-clothed.

 

[MILgymFAM]

Yup thank goodness for all the variety, otherwise there would be someplace for everyone..

*wouldn't*

Stupid phone. Grumble grumble..

 

[Mrs. Puma]

*wouldn't*

Stupid phone. Grumble grumble..

I figured! Lol!

 

[FlippinLilysMom]

Our gym doesn't really have a lot of "rules" just things that are simply known to either the parents or the gymnasts. Parents are more than welcome to watch practice (thank goodness or I would lose my mind!!), glitter hair spray is ok but most of the girls choose not to use it, the communication with our coaches is very open (we can text or email them and they will always respond, one of them always comes out to the front office area after practice in case anyone has any questions or just wants to chat), there isn't an official cell phone rule for the girls, they all keep them in their lockers and are allowed to go and get them if they want to record a skill, our gym doesn't home school but does allow (even encourages) the girls with a lot of homework to sit in the back office during one of their events (usually the event that needs the least amount of work/practice) and do their homework. One of the things I really enjoy about our gym is that they really encourage comraderie between the girls, they encourage the level 10 girls (especially the 2 team captains) to plan some sort of team bonding event at least once a month (not usually feasible during competition season but they still try), they've coordinated a picnic lunch for all the team girls (optional girls, not compulsory), a lunch trek to Culvers (within walking distance of the gym), some have even invited all the team girls to their houses in the summer for pool parties. We also do the big sister/little sister thing (where you get your "sister" a small gift or good luck token before a meet and for holidays, if/when they are injured, etc..). It's a very laid back gym, which I love and so does my daughter. Can't imagine being anywhere else!

 

[FlippinLilysMom]

The one major rule is if the gymnast is going to be absent or late for practice that the phone call or text come from the gymnast and not from the parent. That was a hard one for my DD when she moved to optionals as she was only 8 years old and was VERY intimidated by the coaches (I admit I was too at first), but it made such a difference. She's not afraid to approach them or communicate with them at all anymore.

 

[raenndrops]

Leo with or without tight shorts, biketards, athletic tanks and booty shorts all acceptable at practice.
Hair out of the face for practice and no specific style required for meets. Glitter hair and non-natural colors are fine.
Xcel and JO practice the same hours, the same days. 2.5 hours, 3 days a week. Team is team. Currently, due to numbers, we have 4 to 5 practice groups they break into after stretching: Level 3, Levels 4&5, Xcel Gold, Level 6 (this is the one that is sometimes combined with another group), and Level 7+&Xcel Platinum.
Move ups are decided after summer training... And often not finalized until the beginning of October. It is based more on skills than reaching a specific score (as long as they met the minimum).
Transferring to Xcel Gold is for: 1. Gymnasts stuck in level 3 that are at least 6th grade. 2. Gymnasts that competed on the Jr. High team that aren't ready for Level 5. 3. Gymnasts looking at a 3rd year at L4. Xcel Gold can switch back to JO when ready.
Mid-season move ups are allowed for repeaters... They have to score out 2x to move up (Regional Rule). There have to be at least 2 meets left before districts though, so they basically have 3-4 meets in which to do it so they need to stay healthy, lol.
Coaches are available to talk before or after practice. HC also communicates thru the Remind app. Don't have to tell them when you wont be there, unless it is a meet week and you've missed a few practices but you WILL be at the meet.

 

[skschlag]

The one major rule is if the gymnast is going to be absent or late for practice that the phone call or text come from the gymnast and not from the parent. That was a hard one for my DD when she moved to optionals as she was only 8 years old and was VERY intimidated by the coaches (I admit I was too at first), but it made such a difference. She's not afraid to approach them or communicate with them at all anymore.

LOL. Another thing of "something acceptable at one gym is taboo at another"

At D's gym, kids are not allowed to contact the coach individually. If they email a coach, they have to CC the parent and/or the gym. No texts, unless again, the parents are included. It is against the CAP Policy. No individual contact...

 

[FlippinLilysMom]

LOL. Another thing of "something acceptable at one gym is taboo at another"

At D's gym, kids are not allowed to contact the coach individually. If they email a coach, they have to CC the parent and/or the gym. No texts, unless again, the parents are included. It is against the CAP Policy. No individual contact...

I should clarify that they are only to contact the female head coach...they are NOT allowed to text or email or call our male head coach.

 

[MILgymFAM]

Meanwhile, my DD and two male teammates get rides home from gym two nights a week from a female coach.. thank goodness too because I already drive on an endless loop to co-op-dance-gym-home. I welcome the help like you wouldn’t believe!

 

[mommyof1]

I like the idea of giving kids, especially teens, responsibility for reporting their own absences (safely, of course), but the cynical side of me wonders whether this policy isn't designed partly to discourage absences. In college I was a member of an orchestra whose conductor, an elderly person of some note, required us to phone him at home to report absences, instead of reporting them to the personnel manager. This was absolutely terrifying, even for a young adult, and I am pretty sure I showed up to some rehearsals when I really should have been home sick.

 

[tucktwisttumble]

they're not even allowed to have nail polish at meets for cripe's sake

I heard that this was a safety thing (Not confirmed true or not). If you pinch the tip of your finger it turns white under the nail - and when you let go, it turns pink again, indicating circulation. If you're wearing nail polish you can't see the nail. Because this was always the rule when I was in gym too.

But when I went to cheerleading - there was really no such rule as girls always had their hands manicured for competition and we were still doing activities that pose serious risk, like gymnastics does.

So who knows what the real story is... But I would assume medical personal are trained to check for circulation in other ways then just pinching a finger. So my guess is its a uniformity thing with gymnastics, and being presentable (i.e. no chipping nail polish, especially when feet are at judges eye level on the beam)...

 

[skschlag]

I should clarify that they are only to contact the female head coach...they are NOT allowed to text or email or call our male head coach.

Mine is a boy and is not allowed to contact his male coaches. lol. Only via or with a parent.

 

[gymmomx2]

Mine is a boy and is not allowed to contact his male coaches. lol. Only via or with a parent.

I like this rule, it protects everyone involved.

I don't know if there's a rule but here's what we do: they will tell their coach at practice about any planned absence. If it's unplanned (sickness), then I text the coach. My kids don't have their coaches' phone number and though I trust the coaches 100% I think it's better this way.

Also they strongly encourage kids to stay home if they are sick - they don't want the entire team and coaches to get sick.

 

[Mrs. Puma]

At our gym it’s not a problem at all for parents to text/email/message coaches, but kids are not allowed to at all. Also, they make a big deal that coaches cannot be friends with/follow parents or kids on social media. A coach who I knew from the old gym happens to be at the new gym now and had to “unfriend” me on FB. I was obviously not offended. Lol

 

[Jard.the.gymnast]

I have the phone number from my coach and I don't see it as a big deal. Now this is a coach who maybe has a 6 year difference with me and it is a she, plus I am now also her collegue. I don't have the HCes number, I do have his email address and we are supposed to let him know if we are absent, either the kids or parents. You can't just not show up, he will punish you for that.

 

[SurpriseGymMom]

Gymnasts are *supposed* to contact gym if gone. I prefer the parents to email me (A, my gymnasts are younger and B, I don't check the gyms voicemail and the office staff cannot always get to me with the info). The older girls have a "gone board" for schedule absences, for sick days they usually text eachother/female assistant coach or have a parent text/email HC.

FWIW, my DD had "distracting" hair her first season of L7. I was told they would have to let us coaches know if they were intending to deduct her for it and give us a chance to fix it. HC was told about halfway through her season by a judge, and after that we just styled it so it was unnoticeable. She was not deducted for that meet but we were told she would be if they saw it again.

This year our new assistant coach wants the girls to have all the same hairdo for meets and some are grumbling about it. I really don't care much one way or the other, I think it looks really sharp when they all look similar. I can do a nice bun in my sleep after so many years in ballet, lol! If it was some tricky hairdo I might feel differently.

I agree that it is nice that there is generally a variety of philosophies out there. I can imagine a few dealbreakers for my family...