I've read numerous posts here about people changing gyms, but I never thought it would be me! We have been at the same gym for about seven years, and for most of that time I hadn't really considered changing gyms. But this year many things are changing. DD had trained with many of the same girls for the past few years, and they were a close-knit group, but this year several girls in DD's group have left for various reasons. Most of the others have qualified to move up but DD didn't qualify so will be repeating. DD was disappointed with her results, coming last or near-last all season. DD's coach is leaving at the end of the year and we don't know yet who the replacement coach will be. While DD is not a super-talent, I feel that she has the potential to do better than she has been, and I must admit to feeling a little disappointed with the coaching for various reasons.
There are actually only two gyms we can feasibly get to, the one we were at and the one we are moving to. This gym has been getting very good results at competitions and I had heard good things about the head coach. So DD recently tried out the other gym and we were both impressed with the coaching. The new gym is a lot smaller and the training style is quite different, but in a good way. The manager, coaches, parents and other girls were all friendly and made us feel very welcome. The coaches expressed interest in coaching DD and their belief in her potential to do better. The other thing we like is that the new gym is much closer to us so our travelling time each week will be a lot less (taxi-driver mum likes this a lot). She is going to do two more training sessions at the old gym then switch.
While all this is very exciting, we are both feeling a bit freaked out by it all. It is kind of scary going to a new gym after so many years at the old one. I will miss the cameraderie of the parents I've hung out with for the past few years. I'm also feeling kind of disloyal to the old gym. It feels like I'm leaving a marriage to shack up with someone else! I really like the manager/head coach and I think she may be quite hurt by us leaving as she puts her heart and soul into running her gym. I've sent an official email to let her know we're leaving but haven't had a discussion in person yet and I'm kind of dreading that. What if she wants know why we are leaving - how honest should I be? I'm also nervous about the new gym, you know, hoping that it was the right decision and that it all works out okay there. There is nowhere else we can realistically go if it doesn't. DD loved the female coach but the other coach, the head coach, is a guy and I think she found him a bit intimidating. I'm hoping it is just a case of them needing a bit of time to get used to each other. Oh boy, I'm rambling. I just feel like we had to take the chance and try this.
There are actually only two gyms we can feasibly get to, the one we were at and the one we are moving to. This gym has been getting very good results at competitions and I had heard good things about the head coach. So DD recently tried out the other gym and we were both impressed with the coaching. The new gym is a lot smaller and the training style is quite different, but in a good way. The manager, coaches, parents and other girls were all friendly and made us feel very welcome. The coaches expressed interest in coaching DD and their belief in her potential to do better. The other thing we like is that the new gym is much closer to us so our travelling time each week will be a lot less (taxi-driver mum likes this a lot). She is going to do two more training sessions at the old gym then switch.
While all this is very exciting, we are both feeling a bit freaked out by it all. It is kind of scary going to a new gym after so many years at the old one. I will miss the cameraderie of the parents I've hung out with for the past few years. I'm also feeling kind of disloyal to the old gym. It feels like I'm leaving a marriage to shack up with someone else! I really like the manager/head coach and I think she may be quite hurt by us leaving as she puts her heart and soul into running her gym. I've sent an official email to let her know we're leaving but haven't had a discussion in person yet and I'm kind of dreading that. What if she wants know why we are leaving - how honest should I be? I'm also nervous about the new gym, you know, hoping that it was the right decision and that it all works out okay there. There is nowhere else we can realistically go if it doesn't. DD loved the female coach but the other coach, the head coach, is a guy and I think she found him a bit intimidating. I'm hoping it is just a case of them needing a bit of time to get used to each other. Oh boy, I'm rambling. I just feel like we had to take the chance and try this.
