WAG Should I stay or should I go? How to decide...

[esor]

This is my first post, and figured I would get some great advice here
So here's the situation. My daughter was a 9 yr old level 7 this last year and moving to level 8 for the next season. She is at a gym that has only been open 3 years. My daughter loves the gym and her coaches, and has scored well each year with top scores above 37 by end of each season. They progressed her fast and she only competed one old level 6 meet before going to 7. Did I mention I like the gym and the coaches too?

So what's the issue? Well, they don't have a strong upper level optional program. This year they will have 2 level 9's, 10 level 8's, and 7 level 7's. The problem is, each season there is so much turnover at level 8 and 9 and most of the optional girls who were here 2 years ago have left, to be replaced by the next up and coming group. There has not been a level 10 at the gym yet, and from what I know, few of the coaches have had level 10 coaching experience. (But, they are really working hard to get there!) Sadly, my daughters best friend who was also a level 7 left because her older sister was a levle 9 and the parents felt that she would do better in a gym with a bigger optional team.

We are committed where we are at for sure this year. But, what is the best criteria to use to determine if we should stay, or if we should consider other options? My daughter still claims she wants to try to go elite, but doesn't want to leave where she is at (she is 9, of course she doesn't want to change!). Just trying to figure out what the best approach is with all of this!

 

[raenndrops]

The gym is still young... they haven't really had much of a chance to cultivate their own gymnasts to the upper echelon of gymnastics. If they are taking the classes and getting the training to coach the higher optional levels, then I would stick with them. Your daughter is only 9. There is plenty of time to go elite, if that is still her goal. Your gym is never going to get experience coaching L10 if girls always leave before L10.

Another thing... I think it would be better to have a smaller group of upper level optionals at first for more 0ne-on-one coaching

Good luck.

 

[gymbeam]

what kind of classes are you referring to, raenndrops? our gym is also young and has no successful optionals yet. i like the gym, the coaches, the location, etc., but i think, we too, will probably need to switch next year.

is there a nice way to ask the coaches if they are participating in professional development to help them learn to coach the higher levels? (so far, they have had about 10 girls reach level 7-8 and they've all topped out there with so-so scores.)

 

[hawaii_gymnast]

If the coaches have the experience coaching higher levels like you said I think it will be fine. The program is only 3 years old, that is not a lot of time to get kids to the higher levels. If your daughter is happy and healthy and is still learning lots it should be alright. All gyms have to start somewhere, if people aren't willing to stick with the program as it grows it will never get there.

 

[esor]

Thank you for that insight! I was leaning the same way but it just gets depressing when you people leave and it makes me second guess our decision to stay - like is there something they know that I don't. I really want to see the coaches and the girls succeed.

 

[raenndrops]

what kind of classes are you referring to, raenndrops? our gym is also young and has no successful optionals yet. i like the gym, the coaches, the location, etc., but i think, we too, will probably need to switch next year.

is there a nice way to ask the coaches if they are participating in professional development to help them learn to coach the higher levels? (so far, they have had about 10 girls reach level 7-8 and they've all topped out there with so-so scores.)

USAG offers classes and trainings for coaches through their "gymnastics university." I believe that all practitioners in any profession should be involved in professional development on an on-going basis.

I am a little blunt... Before OG started with the team, I asked HC outright how often she does trainings or takes classes and what classes are required of the assistants. I did explain that I was only asking because am big on PD, and wanted to be sure they kept up on techniques, skills and drills, etc.

 

[happychaos]

If the coaches are doing a good job with the level 9's, I would consider staying. If your DD gets to L10, she will probably get tons of attention from the coaches, and they will put a ton of energy into her as an individual, something she may not get at a gym with 25 L10's.
Does your DD thrive as a big fish in a small pond, or would she prefer to be "one of many"?

 

[htimcj]

I would give the gym more time. Like others have said, the gym has only been open three years. That is not a lot of time to develop a team. And the girls leaving could very well just be done. LOTS of girls tend to quit at the L8-L10 range for a variety of reasons.

 

[iwannacoach]

Stay. It sounds like she's progressing well and the entire program is heading in the right direction. Well maybe not the high turnover, but that happens for so many reasons it's very unfair to consider the coaches are any more the problem than are the kids or their parents. Geez, just consider your question, and that you asked it after a pretty good ride through three levels. If you can wonder if this is the right gym for your dd, just think how easy it would be for someone whose child took one year more to do the same...... and really a four year run is probably considered to be good progress by many parents and more than a few coaches.

Reasons to quit......

I came to this gym to get away from serious training.

I finally figured out I'm not making the national team.... ever!!

I just discovered... hmmmm.... boys!!

Cheer leading??? You mean I can just show up and tumble/toss/fly my way to glory.

I just can't believe the school record in the long jump is only 16'11"...... well it was 16'11" until this morning in my freshman PE class.

Diving is a high school sport????

Drama club???!!! You mean I can finally act like a cgm without having to grow up? Whoops, I guess they haven't grown up yet either.......

Your darling daughter is only 9..... be happy!

 

[AmandaLynn]

19 optionals in a gym that has been open for 3 years isn't terrible, IMHO. Especially when you consider just how often people do exactly what you are describing... Leaving for a more established program once their child shows serious "potential"

How are their L8s and 9s performing at meets? Are their routines full of "dead end" skills to fulfill requirements, or are they clearly building a base of skills that will be useful in combinations for upper levels? Are they doing only the basic required skills for their current level in practice, or are they training and working toward skills necessary for L10?

I guess what I am getting at is that it is nearly impossible for any of us to tell you if they have the capability to get kids to L10. However, for the limited info we have, it sounds like they are on a good path for the age of the program.

 

[BlairBob]

Not every high optional kid makes it out of L7, L8, or L9. In an ideal world, they all would while scoring 36+, but by the numbers that's not the case.

 

[esor]

19 optionals in a gym that has been open for 3 years isn't terrible, IMHO. Especially when you consider just how often people do exactly what you are describing... Leaving for a more established program once their child shows serious "potential"

How are their L8s and 9s performing at meets? Are their routines full of "dead end" skills to fulfill requirements, or are they clearly building a base of skills that will be useful in combinations for upper levels? Are they doing only the basic required skills for their current level in practice, or are they training and working toward skills necessary for L10?

I guess what I am getting at is that it is nearly impossible for any of us to tell you if they have the capability to get kids to L10. However, for the limited info we have, it sounds like they are on a good path for the age of the program.

You all have been very helpful. To your point AmandaLynn, they are uptraining skills, which looks promising. Their skills are definately not dead end and my daughter is working some skills on beam and floor that are L9 skills but that she can compete at L8. And again, I have spoken to the coaches about their plans, and they are doing a lot of modifications to the program to try to take things to another level. For example, they have been networking with coaches at other gyms we all know of quite well to learn more about their programs, and supplement our programs, including coaching at these other gyms summer camps to learn more from the "elite" coaches. And they are required to go to Congress (not sure what this is exactly) to continue their learning as well.

I agree that no one can see the future, but it does sound like from the experienced folks in this chain that they are doing many things right. Also, our last year L8s did pretty good with several girls in the top 10 at state. Our 7's did very well too and just missed placing as a team at state by 1 tenth, while the L7 seniors took 5th at state! We only had 2 L9s last year and they were awesome in the gym, but had a bit of a rough time at meets.

I think what doesn't help is we have many gyms between a 5 min and 1 hr drive in our area, so very easy to jump gyms if things don't seem perfect too. Not the case for all that left, but definately for some.

Honestly, I think I just needed to understand other perspectives on this. Many of the parents who left are friends of mine and our kids are still good friends. So of course they are going to talk about how awesome their new gym is, and what a good choice it was for them, etc. I have no perspective as this is the only place I've known since my daughter made team. This conversation is definately helping my perspective.

 

[Aero]

Stay. It sounds like she's progressing well and the entire program is heading in the right direction. Well maybe not the high turnover, but that happens for so many reasons it's very unfair to consider the coaches are any more the problem than are the kids or their parents. Geez, just consider your question, and that you asked it after a pretty good ride through three levels. If you can wonder if this is the right gym for your dd, just think how easy it would be for someone whose child took one year more to do the same...... and really a four year run is probably considered to be good progress by many parents and more than a few coaches.

Reasons to quit......

I came to this gym to get away from serious training.

I finally figured out I'm not making the national team.... ever!!

I just discovered... hmmmm.... boys!!

Cheer leading??? You mean I can just show up and tumble/toss/fly my way to glory.

I just can't believe the school record in the long jump is only 16'11"...... well it was 16'11" until this morning in my freshman PE class.

Diving is a high school sport????

Drama club???!!! You mean I can finally act like a cgm without having to grow up? Whoops, I guess they haven't grown up yet either.......

Your darling daughter is only 9..... be happy!

So this is pretty much the best reply ever. Laughed quite loud at some of these! This is also very true, though. These are very common reasons for jumping ship.