Parents New Here - Not on Team Yet (Long)

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Sorry! I know we are digressing a bit from topic at hand, but this just makes it seem like exploring options needs to be a stealth operation. Our gym is coached by mostly college aged former gymnasts so I am having trouble imagining them caring enough to text other gyms, but I might be very naive. And have y'all found that the gym you leave ends up badmouthing you to the new gym? Ugh. But it seems like the new gym would want your business.
 
Wow. That is really fascinating. It's nice to know how these things work before really committing to a gym...but...this makes me also want to really make sure we make a good decision from the start. Yikes. No pressure.
 
Keep in mind that most of this happens with girls already on team! And coaches know each other--many are friendly and talk.
 
Gymmomtoo, I understand. And for the record, I don't even mind coaches talking to each other about these things. It seems like a professional curtesy. What *would* bother me very much is to be asked to leave a team or preteam just for looking around. That seems a little extreme. My point in the last post was just that I understand why it is important to try to make team at the same gym you want to end at. It sounds very complicated to change after you've started at one place. I still don't think we're in any situation like that right now. In fact, this is probably my one good chance to really do some anonymous digging...not that I really even know where to start.

It would help if I actually knew people who had kids on the teams in my area. I don't know any at all, and websites are not too informative. So that leaves calling or visiting gyms in person to try and get a feel for each one. I mean, I can find out who has elites or a good record of college scholarships pretty easily online. What I can't seem to find is how the coaches interact with the gymnasts. Who yells? Who is patient? Who makes them work through illnesses, and who doesn't? Who uptrains, and who works only on level skills? Stuff like that is elusive when you don't know insiders, and the rec coaches are almost never the same as team coaches. I doubt the office staff will give me the lowdown on their coaches if they are really tough, you know? Everyone wants to sell you on their program.

Anyway, I seem to be rambling. All of this could very well be moot. It's just stuff I've been mulling over the past few days while reading through this thread.
 
Go to some meets in your area and check out coach/athlete interactions, as well as the demeanor of the coaches and athletes during warm ups, competition and between rotations (as the athletes are waiting to move to their next event). Are the girls rowdy and uncontrolled as they wait. Are they sitting like statues or are they somewhere in the middle? Are there hugs and high-fives after a routine, even if the routine wasn't perfect? Do the coaches seem loving and supportive or are they more like number crunching drill sergeants? All these are important observations especially when you have a little one.

These interactions don't tell the whole story but they do tell a story, especially if it seems consistent across several levels.
 
I love that idea!! It may sound silly, but I've never even considered going to a meet. I just thought those were for team parents only. This might be a great opportunity - especially if I take DD. She doesn't know what team competition looks like, so this could be a great way to show her without the pressure of performing, and I can scope out the team atmospheres. Thanks!
 
Another observation is team appearance. Do the girls come in all shapes, sizes and ages or do all the girls look like carbon copies of each other? Not that one way is better than another but it may help you get an idea about how well your DD would fit into a particular system. Our level 3's come in all shapes and sizes and range in age from (6 to 13) and that's something that is easily observable if you see us at a meet.
 
You could also just ask here on CB! I am sure that someone here lives in your state and knows a bit about the different gyms. That is what I did when we moved to a new state this year. First, I narrowed it down to the top 5 by commute time. I also went to mymeetscores.com and looked up the different gyms to get an idea of the scores girls were getting. I also looked at how gyms were placing at state for the different levels. That doesn't tell the whole story, but it at least gives you an idea. For example, I wouldn't want to have moved my daughter to a gym who had all of their Level 4's getting low 8's and below because to me, it shows that the training may be lacking something or the girls were moved to that level before they were really ready. I also didn't want a gym where my daughter would get lost in the shuffle if she wasn't a total super star. I also asked the owner of our last gym (in another state), who is very involved in gymnastics beyond just her gym, and she recommended the gym that we are currently at.. which is conveniently right near our house. Many people on CB recommended the same gym, and the scores that I saw online were great. It has worked out really well for us. Good luck!!
 
Wait...$20-25 per hour is your price going DOWN? We are at $20 per hour for rec right now, and I thought that was high.
Don' t know what area you live in but I think geography plays a part....city living=high rent!

My daugher's gym tops at $590/month for 8-10s. (my daughter is a 9)

Our Privates are $75/hour and if my daughter does one once a year, it's a lot!
Meet fees are close to $1000/season.
Factor in travel cost etc and it's not a cheap sport (none are, really!)

I would not do privates for a 6 year old......especially if she's not on the team!
 
You could also just ask here on CB! I am sure that someone here lives in your state and knows a bit about the different gyms.

I have thought about that. I've searched old threads for my city/state/gym on here and have found a little bit of info. I've also sent pm's to two people who appear to live in my area. I don't really want to disclose our location publicly since we've been talking about price, gym communication, and such... It may be harmless, but you just never know. I don't want to throw anyone under a bus. But, I don't mind saying that we live in Texas. It's a pretty big place. ;)
 
I suggest you start a "conversation" with Dunno. He knows EVERYONE in the gymworld and will have an idea where you should go. He is an invaluable Chalk bucket resource. He is discrete and will tell you without hesitation his opinions on gyms that he knows about. Dunno has helped many many people on CB.
 

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