What's unique about your gym?

[bribri514]

I was assistant coaching at my old gym today when I started to think about where it is. I never thought about it as a kid, but since being on CB, it seems gyms are all over the place. Big giant gyms in industrial areas, rec centers in the middle of town, etc.

My niece's gym is at the YMCA in a suburb away from the city, with sidewalks and trees and houses. It reminds me more of a school than a gym.

My gym is in a small (but newer) building on the side of a mountain, near the elementary school and post office. It overlooks a giant ski area, which is unlike most gyms I know. Our team also doesn't have top priority like most gyms, we got second picks to the ski teams in our area (both the private ski club and the big ski racing school).

My cousin's gym is one of the bigger style gyms in a suburban area, it's a giant building in a nice new "industrial" area with a few other office complexes.

I know this seems dorky and off topic, I was just thinking how cool that a place like CB and a sport like gymnastics can bring us all together, despite us having a million different experiences with it!! I was thinking maybe some people here have gyms along the beach or in the middle of a city or something else. What makes your gym experience unique?


I added two pictures of the two different views from my gym. The last picture is the road I have to take to get to my gym from my house (shows the traffic and weather when it's bad, but on a flat stretch, other parts are down steep parts of the mountain).

 

[gymgurl]

Well currently my gym is in an old firetruck garage with a leaky tin roof so when it rains the volume of the gym is insane and we get wet patches on the floor and pit which is rather gross and we are in need of a new gym that we are thankfully moving soon to a bigger gym. But the thing that makes my gym special are the people that are in it we have some incredible coaches in ability and just their personality we have coaches ranging from ex chinese national team coaches to coaches just starting out but still have a world of knowledge to contribute. The squads are made up of such lovely people and such a diverse range of people as well. I also find it great that the gym offers all three levels of competition (State Stream, NDP and IDP) which allows everyone to get everything out of the sport they can.

 

[Canadian_gym_mom]

I think the most unique thing about dd's gym is the fact that it has been open for only a year and a half at this point. A brand new gym opened by a partnership of coaches that just wanted a different kind of atmosphere, a gymnast-centered atmosphere as opposed to a PROFIT-focused atmosphere.

Location, we are in the typical commercial/industrial area close to subdivions and shopping. Nothing special about the view (yours is incredible bribri!) or the location. Like gymgurl, it's the people that makes our gym special.

EVERY girl is important at this gym. From the 14 year old competing level 3 for the first time, to the 11 year old national novice to everyone in between, each girl is an equal member of the "team", and given the opportunity to excel.

Plus there is a workout room that parents can use for free!!

 

[Danica76]

I was assistant coaching at my old gym today when I started to think about where it is. I never thought about it as a kid, but since being on CB, it seems gyms are all over the place. Big giant gyms in industrial areas, rec centers in the middle of town, etc.

My niece's gym is at the YMCA in a suburb away from the city, with sidewalks and trees and houses. It reminds me more of a school than a gym.

My gym is in a small (but newer) building on the side of a mountain, near the elementary school and post office. It overlooks a giant ski area, which is unlike most gyms I know. Our team also doesn't have top priority like most gyms, we got second picks to the ski teams in our area (both the private ski club and the big ski racing school).

My cousin's gym is one of the bigger style gyms in a suburban area, it's a giant building in a nice new "industrial" area with a few other office complexes.

I know this seems dorky and off topic, I was just thinking how cool that a place like CB and a sport like gymnastics can bring us all together, despite us having a million different experiences with it!! I was thinking maybe some people here have gyms along the beach or in the middle of a city or something else. What makes your gym experience unique?


I added two pictures of the two different views from my gym. The last picture is the road I have to take to get to my gym from my house (shows the traffic and weather when it's bad, but on a flat stretch, other parts are down steep parts of the mountain).

Vail is a beautiful place to live, BriBri I know this is OT, but I moved to Breckenridge right after high school and loved living in the Rockies. That Vail pass can be treacherous! Love that part of the country, though I moved back to PA to go to college.

Anyway, our gym is in the middle of an small town in Western PA. Population is about 6,500 people. There are 14 girls on the team from L4 through L8/9 and prep. What makes it special is the atmosphere. The HC/owner really puts her effort into each and every girl and you can see her passion for coaching. It is not an ultra competetive team like some of the elite/D1 scholarship gyms we compete against, but it is the right fit for my DD. She is progressing on her own time and gets lots of encouragement to keep working hard. The team moms are great (except for the 1 or 2 CGM's, but you'll always have that) and it's a really supportive environment. We moved to this area from a major city and I was worried that I wouldn't be able to find a gym for DD since we were pretty far out in the sticks. I am very glad she is where is is - it's actually a much better fit than the big gym she used to go to before we moved

 

[bogwoppit]

Bri your drive looks strangely like ours!

 

[profmom]

Free wireless!

"Hey, Profmom, did you see what your DD just did on the bar?"

"Uh . . . huh, what?"

 

[Canadian_gym_mom]

Free wireless!

"Hey, Profmom, did you see what your DD just did on the bar?"

"Uh . . . huh, what?"

LOL!! We have this too! Like gym isn't expensive enough, but then add all the time we have to shop online....YIKES!

 

[Mack_the_Ripper]

The most unique thing about my gym is our philosophy. We've been open for like 40 years or something, but my head coach recently became the owner as well. Her philosophy is that anyone who is willing to work hard deserves to do gymnastics at a competitive level and the highest level they can/want to achieve. Our team is invitation only, but we don't make girls stay in rec classes just because they don't show enough "promise". Nobody has ever been kicked off the team since she's been head coach, even when another team would have had someone out of there before you could say "attitude". My head coach/owner knows that gymnastics isn't just about gymnastics...it's about work ethic and achievement, teamwork and making connections. Another thing is, she doesn't get involved in what we do outside of gym. If we want to date every guy at school (and some of us have nearly done that) or get Cs, that's our business (except maybe she'd let us leave early to work on our homework!). She refuses to intervene on a parent's behalf. I love my coach so much and I'm going to miss her as much as my parents when I leave for university.

 

[Jen H.]

Her philosophy is that anyone who is willing to work hard deserves to do gymnastics at a competitive level and the highest level they can/want to achieve.

You summed up beautifully what I believe to be the best part about our gym.
Our program pushes the girls to do their very best-whatever that their personal best may be.
I love that they recognize the small accomplishments, and understand that each girl is unique and different, and has their own path-whatever that may be.
I love that they don't "burn" through girls, and that many girls stick with it through high school.

My daughter is appreciated for trying her best day in and day out. She rarely misses a practice, and works her tail off every day. She may not ever be one of the best, but her hard work and resolution is recognized.
I appreciate the open line of communication that I have with our head coach, and always feel as she is approachable.

I love our gym, and believe that is the very best place for my girl to be.