Parent Organizations in the gym

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GasnGoMum

Hi...I think i posted this in the wrong thread last time, so let's try again!

Do you have a Parent Organization in your Gym?
Hi! I am relatively new parent to this forum, but I like the way everyone is pretty candid with the topics. I wanted your opinion on a few things:

1. How many of you have Parent Organizations at your gym (to fundraise, organize meets, etc)?
2. How effective are they? (Do they accomplish a lot, or does it become a complaint session?)
3. How do you keep to the tasks at hand (which is working together to make things better for our DDs), and keep people from being catty, complaining, or bragging?:confused:
 
Hi GasnGoMUM & welcome to CB! Our gym has a PO that is VERY well run & VERY professional. We have a 2 or 3 mandatory fund raisers each year. They also offer non-mandatory ones too for parents/gymnast, who would rather fund raise to pay down meet fees, rather then paying so much out of pocket. We have 1 meeting per month that is very well organized b/c everyone pretty much wants to get in & out. These meetings involve parents from all of the levels. Our gym has a large team, so no one usually gets to "personel" or we would never get out of the meetings & everyone knows that,LOL!! Our President is very good at keeping the meetings professional, on task & moving quickly. Most of the discussion is regarding planning our home meets.
 
. How many of you have Parent Organizations at your gym (to fundraise, organize meets, etc)? We have a booster club that fundraises, runs meets etc. I'm actually on the board for it.

2. How effective are they? (Do they accomplish a lot, or does it become a complaint session?) I think we're very effective! Very little time is spent complaining (mostly because we have a great gym, but we also like to stay focused and not waste time). We actually have very few general meetings--because people just don't come! We have one board meet a month or two--more this year than last year.

3. How do you keep to the tasks at hand (which is working together to make things better for our DDs), and keep people from being catty, complaining, or bragging?:confused: The person in charge needs to bring things back on track--if someone starts complaining about a coach--mention that this isn't the forum for that and they should talk to the coach about issues.
 
Our club is relativly new it opened 2000. I came with DD in 2001. We were prep-team right away as she had been at another club already. When I came we had no Booster club but after a couple of years it was formed.

Here is what I learned:
1. it was important to become a non-profit
2 organize a board with a list of duties for each position
3. decide on you focus and goals
4. Have a strong President and everything else falls into place

For the first few years we exsisted mainly for parties and minimal fundraising support. I will admit things were tough and yes sort of catty at first. We lacked organization and support from our parents. With the help of a strong President a few years ago and almost a whole new organized board we have become a repsected well run group.

The things we do now are:
1.Fundraise for individuals and coaching expenses
2. Run a banquet and parties for team kids
3. Assit the gym in paperwork stuff they would need to pay staff to do

The third is a great plus for the gym and also parents as it keeps team costs down.

Our obstacle still is how to get everyone involved and how to distribute funds so it is fair for those who do volunteer more. I believe it is a process. I know our parents (well moost some will always complain) and coaching staff appreciate the Booster Club.

Sorry for the ramble hope it helps.
 
Our gym is owned outright by our headcoach. There is no parent organisation. There is one fundraiser a year that we all have to paricipate it, all funds raised go to purchase new equipment.

Parents just show up and pay their bill.
 
Our gym does not have a Parent or a Booster club. Starting at Level 5 you sign a contract of commitment. Part of that contract is a $2000/year fundraising responsibility. It sounds like a lot but in reality it's not too bad. The fund raising is dollar for dollar credit. We only have like $300 more to go for the year. Anything above that amount gets credited to next year. All of our fees go towards coaches salaries and general gym functions. We pay for everything else out of pocket. I think I'm going to have a stamp made with our gym's name on it to keep in my purse. I'm going to get major writers cramp from all the checks I write! :D
 
haha - my checkbook goes something like this: gym, gym, gym, gym, piano, tennis, gym, gym, gym....

As for parent groups, I have an opposing veiw point.
We had one at our old gym and did lots of fund raising and bingo(YUCK!!). Personally, I didn't see much return for the time or effort we spent fund raising. Everyone grumbled about it, but because the group was well established at a well established gym nothing changed. I also felt that a few of the parents who served on the board thought that their children should get preferential treatment during practice and competitions.

We are at a new gym that has no parent group or board. I love it. I find most of the parents more supportive and helpful then at the old gym. There is just a great team spirit there. When a need arises everyone chips an to help as they can. Some donate money, some their time and energy. It all works out.
 
Wow! I'm suprised by the variety of responses to the GPOs. I think I have to agree with gymjoy and gym monkey's mom...if you don't have strong leadership you don't get much done, and there is A LOT of discontent. I have been involved in two GPOs, and it seems that there is a constant battle between the parents for who will do the "high visibility" jobs, and they do seem to expect their child will get extra attention. I wonder if part of the problem is not having enough parents involved?
 
As I already posted in your question under parents board I agree that a parents group needs strong leadership. I think that is why ours is so effective. Like I said the owner /headcoach is very involved and keeps everybody in line her goals are the same as the parents to help raise funds to help our daughters compete. She is very fair with the gymnasts keeps the coaching separate she does not give preferential treatment to the kids whose parents are on the board. Everybody is forced to do a fundraiser or pay a fee so this makes everybody involved. You are required to attend the meetings. Last year when my daughter first joined the team it seemed alittle extreme but after being involved in this sport I think it really works well and I would be leary about joining a gym that did not have a parents organization.
 

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