I have illuded to this in a few other posts, but we have finally committed to a gym change. We have let the new gym know (and it's really new... like not even open until next week) and today we let Kathy's gym of the last five years (half her life!) know. It was SO hard, and there were tears all around, but in the end, her coaches were great and really showed a lot of class. They told her that they were crying because they loved her and would miss her, but that they knew that the gym change was the best thing for her, and that they are proud of her and excited to see what she will be able to accomplish in a private gym. I think THEM telling Kathy that this was a good choice made Kathy feel worlds better. She's been feeling SO guilty about the whole thing. This was by far the hardest decision that she's ever been a part of making.
Of course, the proof is in the pudding, so to speak, but the new gym seems like it's going to be wonderful. A woman with a PhD in kinesthesiology (had to look the spelling of that word up) will be coming twice a week to teach "Conditioning for Injury Prevention." There will also be dance instruction twice a week by a former gymnast who took up dance after an injury. All of the coaches made it to college and/or elite level gymnastics and have coached up through level 10. Since parents are not allowed to watch practices (that will be a big switch for me, but just think how productive I'll be!), each gymnast level 4 and up will have a private lesson once a month for the parents to come watch so the parents can see how their gymmie is progressing. Plus there's an open gym every Friday night, free for team members, but open to anyone, so Kathy's former teammates can come and do gym with Kathy once a week if they want (and the HC at the "old gym" is O.K. with this). AND the owner has a degree in business and had a career in business for a while, so I'm hopefull that if anyone can make a go of it, she can. In her business plan, she was planning for a team of 12 the first year and a team of 18 the second year. Well, last I heard, she was up to a team of 27, and she's not even open yet. I realize that it's the rec classes that support the gym, and I have no idea what her enrollment there looks like, but her gym is certainly becoming well-known in a very short time (she did "jump ship" from the other private gym in town, and had quite a following there, though I am quite sure that she didn't ask anyone to follow her. She has been the utterly professional in all of my dealings with her). While there's definitely a price increase from the YMCA gym, per hour it's not really very much different. It's just more hours (13... not an excessive amount for a level 6).
I realize that no gym is perfect, and I'm sure there will be things that annoy me about this gym too, once it's up and running. But I think it has the potential to be a really great, fun, and nurturing gym environment. A few months ago on Chalk Bucket, in a fit of frustration about DD's current gym, I posted a list of what my "perfect gym" would be like, and this sure checks off a lot of those squares... more than I could have hoped for!
Anyway, it feels good to have it all resolved and decided, even if it was hard. And it's neat to be starting in a gym from before it's even open. They had a picnic in the building last week and the girls got to watch the HC/owner put the final concrete block (her kids had painted it gold) into the pit.
So, many exciting changes! Will be sure to post occasionally to let everyone know how it is going. Thanks to the many of you who have helped out with kind words and advice throughout this difficult decision!
Of course, the proof is in the pudding, so to speak, but the new gym seems like it's going to be wonderful. A woman with a PhD in kinesthesiology (had to look the spelling of that word up) will be coming twice a week to teach "Conditioning for Injury Prevention." There will also be dance instruction twice a week by a former gymnast who took up dance after an injury. All of the coaches made it to college and/or elite level gymnastics and have coached up through level 10. Since parents are not allowed to watch practices (that will be a big switch for me, but just think how productive I'll be!), each gymnast level 4 and up will have a private lesson once a month for the parents to come watch so the parents can see how their gymmie is progressing. Plus there's an open gym every Friday night, free for team members, but open to anyone, so Kathy's former teammates can come and do gym with Kathy once a week if they want (and the HC at the "old gym" is O.K. with this). AND the owner has a degree in business and had a career in business for a while, so I'm hopefull that if anyone can make a go of it, she can. In her business plan, she was planning for a team of 12 the first year and a team of 18 the second year. Well, last I heard, she was up to a team of 27, and she's not even open yet. I realize that it's the rec classes that support the gym, and I have no idea what her enrollment there looks like, but her gym is certainly becoming well-known in a very short time (she did "jump ship" from the other private gym in town, and had quite a following there, though I am quite sure that she didn't ask anyone to follow her. She has been the utterly professional in all of my dealings with her). While there's definitely a price increase from the YMCA gym, per hour it's not really very much different. It's just more hours (13... not an excessive amount for a level 6).
I realize that no gym is perfect, and I'm sure there will be things that annoy me about this gym too, once it's up and running. But I think it has the potential to be a really great, fun, and nurturing gym environment. A few months ago on Chalk Bucket, in a fit of frustration about DD's current gym, I posted a list of what my "perfect gym" would be like, and this sure checks off a lot of those squares... more than I could have hoped for!
Anyway, it feels good to have it all resolved and decided, even if it was hard. And it's neat to be starting in a gym from before it's even open. They had a picnic in the building last week and the girls got to watch the HC/owner put the final concrete block (her kids had painted it gold) into the pit.
So, many exciting changes! Will be sure to post occasionally to let everyone know how it is going. Thanks to the many of you who have helped out with kind words and advice throughout this difficult decision!
