New gym mom

[MILgymFAM]

Hello all! This will be long winded, as I am a new gym mom floundering around trying to figure things out as we go.

I have two girls, ages 10 and 12, both of whom are new to the sport. Both girls have been dancing for many years, and recently (1.5 yrs for the little & 5 months for the big) found gymnastics after some issues with the cost of ballet schools at our duty station. We are a military family and move every two-four years, so keeping any serious activity flowing smoothly is a challenge.

My younger daughter does 3 hrs of advanced rec a week, and just finally got her pullover on bars last night (yay!) after a frustrating year of trying- oddly enough they have told me she is doing silver level xcel beam routines despite not being on the team. Lol. My older daughter started gymnastics (beginner 10+ rec) in September and was asked to join team in December. Not being able to afford the money commitment of the JO or the IGC teams, we opted to put her in the xcel program. Luckily our gym participates all three, and was able to offer us a scholarship to make her team dues affordable. She trains 7 hrs a week and is in bronze level. She had her first competition a few weeks ago after a month of team training and placed 3rd AA with a 34.5, despite a fall on the beam.

We are happy the girls have found a new passion, but having been here in SoCal only a year and a half, my husband just receieved orders to move to the Bay Area of NoCal this summer. So we get to figure out this gym/dance/karate (little)/ cheer (big) thing all over again in about 4 months. Fun times of a military gym mom!

 

[COz]

Wow. Mine are only little and I'm struggling enough with coordinating things. Trying to do that with regular moves adds an entire level of difficulty/stress that I don't even want to think about. Well done.

 

[gymmomtoo]

Welcome to the board! Can't imagine packing up and moving every few years. My hat goes off to you

 

[magmom]

Where exactly will you be? I'm pretty familiar with the gymnastics options on the peninsula and especially in the South Bay.

Also, just as an aside, I wouldn't recommend you call it "NoCal".

 

[MILgymFAM]

Ok, not NoCal! Lol. I am a Philly girl at heart so this is all just "not home". Ha! We will be in either Mountain View or Dublin, as that's where base housing is, and I would love suggestions. I nearly had a heart attack when I started looking and everything was 3-4 times what we pay and double what we would pay even without our scholarship!

Where exactly will you be? I'm pretty familiar with the gymnastics options on the peninsula and especially in the South Bay.

Also, just as an aside, I wouldn't recommend you call it "NoCal".

 

[txgymfan]

Fawn, I suggest you send a Conversation to Dunno. He knows everyone everywhere in US figure gymnastics.

 

[magmom]

Fawn,

I don't know about gymnastics near Dublin, but I'm betting you can find good opportunities there or in nearby Pleasanton.

But, we used to live pretty close to Mountain View, so I have some knowledge there. Keep in mind though that we moved away over a year ago, so my experiences are a bit dated. Also, I have little knowledge from the xcel side.

First of all, if they want to go back to ballet, I highly recommend the Academy of Classical Ballet - California, in Campbell, CA. Very small school. The director/head instructor is absolutely top-notch.

Airborne Gymnastics in Santa Clara has an excellent, excellent girls program. Very hardcore, high-level team. Highly rated. My son started there and we absolutely would have stayed if they had a boys team.

Gold Star Gymnastics is right in Mountain View. I don't have personal experience there, but a friend of mine had a daughter on team there and they seemed happy with it.

But, your sweet spot may be at California Sports Center. They have a few different locations that do gymnastics, dance, and swim. I remember that the owner had quite a bit to do with the Olympic trials of 2012 being held in San Jose. Very strong gymnastics coaching (especially at the Race Street location if I may be biased). I don't have any first-hand knowledge of their dance program (I think the dance program is only at a couple of locations). But, if your girls want to do both gym and dance, it may save you some $$$.

 

[luvmygymdtr]

Fawn - can't help you with gym or any other activity in NoCal - or SoCal. But I can say, I've had several friends that I've met in my adulthood, that came from Military or Salvation Army families, that were forced to move quite a bit as children. They have all shared an outgoing, gregarious quality that made them all appear well adjusted, surrounded by lots of friends, and so much fun to be around. So much so, that sometimes I feel I'm doing a disservice to my children by staying rooted. So it may feel challenging now, but the lessons your children are learning, are priceless, and I envy you a bit.

Congrats on finding a new passion for your girls.

 

[MILgymFAM]

Have you ever heard of community youth center in Concord? It seems almost too good to be true, considering the cost of $46 a month for two kids- especially since tuition covers dance, martial arts, and rec gym classes. We currently pay $192 a month for both girls at gym (7 hrs xcel team, 3 rec advanced), $50 a month for karate, and $50 a month for dance. It seems at most gyms up there we will be paying around $500 a month just for gym, so the youth center seems heaven sent. Thanks!

Fawn,

I don't know about gymnastics near Dublin, but I'm betting you can find good opportunities there or in nearby Pleasanton.

But, we used to live pretty close to Mountain View, so I have some knowledge there. Keep in mind though that we moved away over a year ago, so my experiences are a bit dated. Also, I have little knowledge from the xcel side.

First of all, if they want to go back to ballet, I highly recommend the Academy of Classical Ballet - California, in Campbell, CA. Very small school. The director/head instructor is absolutely top-notch.

Airborne Gymnastics in Santa Clara has an excellent, excellent girls program. Very hardcore, high-level team. Highly rated. My son started there and we absolutely would have stayed if they had a boys team.

Gold Star Gymnastics is right in Mountain View. I don't have personal experience there, but a friend of mine had a daughter on team there and they seemed happy with it.

But, your sweet spot may be at California Sports Center. They have a few different locations that do gymnastics, dance, and swim. I remember that the owner had quite a bit to do with the Olympic trials of 2012 being held in San Jose. Very strong gymnastics coaching (especially at the Race Street location if I may be biased). I don't have any first-hand knowledge of their dance program (I think the dance program is only at a couple of locations). But, if your girls want to do both gym and dance, it may save you some $$$.

 

[txgymfan]

Give it a try. You can always change later.

 

[pamred4]

My karate costs $100 per year and includes 2 karate lessons per week and holiday training

 

[MILgymFAM]

My karate costs $100 per year and includes 2 karate lessons per week and holiday training

That's fantastic! That's at a regular dojo or a community center type of place? I would love to find something like that!

 

[COz]

Wow! $100/year is certainly not your average training prices for anything in Australia. I would have been impressed with $100/term with 1 lesson a week!!

 

[pamred4]

Yeah idk we have such a great dojo! It's privately owned and operated and we rent a building but we regularly do fundraising things like sausage sizzles and chocolate drives... Idk why it's so cheap... It just is