Parents The Dreaded Gym Switch! HELP!!!!

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Maxcat83

Proud Parent
DD is on a compulsory team-TAAF (like AAU) Gym didn't do USAG this year but will next. Some coaches got fired, there was a change of coaching philosophies and they bumped DD down in October w/ 2 other younger girls. My dd issue they say was lacking 2 bar skills for her level. Their 1st comp is Feb so... those couldn't have been addressed in 4 months? There has been communication issues. No full time coach for her level. There are 2 assistant coaches, both 16, both former team mates, one likes to yell at the girls and then sit there and do 40% of effort on coaching. The other I have no issues with. Their part time coach is only there for 1 day of their 2 days per week of practices and yelling 16 year old assistant coach and her get into debates about different things while our kids are on deck to vault, practice floor, etc etc etc. So they stand there and stand there and stand there. Upper coach (interim head coach) is great, loves the kids but she was the assistant coach before the other coaches got fired. This is her 1st head coaching job so she is still lacking on Organization and Communication. This is the 3rd major coaching change in the last 3 years. There is a program director out of our gyms other location who makes all the decisions at this time (She use to just handle that locations small gymnastics program), but she is never at our gym, yet can override our head gym coach. Some of these decisions have impacted my daughters esteem, ie my daughter was told by our head coach that she will be leading her levels warm ups and stretches at a meet and the program director doesn't allow any of our locations girls to lead and had her girls lead. This crushed my daughter doing a meet for pete sake, the time when you don't want to do that.
Apparently also the owner has allowed each level coach to make decisions and not be overridable by the head coach, ie head coach wanted to keep my daughter at level 2 and work on it. Level 2 coach said no she would not compete her after spending 15 minutes with her even though she aced all her other apparatus evals for that level. Our daughter has made improvements but now her technic is starting to slip she isn't pointing toes or kicking high she just half a$$ing it on dance. She tells me she misses doing the skills she was proud of and could do well and wants to go back up a level, I told her that it didnt work that way and she would have to earn it back. They said that they were doing to give her extra work but they haven't. We have paid in full for comp fees and leo and warm ups... First Comp is Feb

We have found a gym 35 minutes from us (the current one is 3 miles away) There is another local gym but our gym and them have a toxic drama filled rivalry and I feel also run their businesses as machines (cattle call). The new gym does AGA and USAG. My daughter has an eval on Monday. Lengthy Convo with owner seams like it may be a great fit and she feels she could see her defiantly immediately having a spot on their team and start competing her in March. Its smaller but they get more personalized attention. They train more hours for the same price I am currently paying and do way more competitions. AGA allows my daughter to have her own personalized routines (something fun she may need right now) and USAG keeps them in check with the standard.
My concern is the usual... my daughters friends. And the fact that she has been to that gym every week for the last 3 1/2 years. Starting at age 3. Everyone knows her and its like a second home. In rec things were ok, but it seams like maybe that is part of the issue to maybe they are more of a rec gym? However it hasn't solved the staffing issues and bad business decisions that have been made over the last 3 years. It seams like gymnastics is a second thought, cheer is more important, $ is more important.
The team girls as a whole are amazing, we have grown to be a family, there is never any drama between parents and even the upper level girls have loving nurturing friendships with my daughter. I looked back at last year and of the 8 girls she was with, not one is still with the program, not one. Only 1 is still with the gym, but is doing cheer. Of the 9 that were on my daughters level over summer, there are 6 total. I don't know if that is normal. Something tells me this other place will be so much more rewarding for her and there system will allow her to move up more quickly. Im just so emotional over this and making the right decision. Help? Advice?
 
Wow! Sounds like there are a lot of not-so-great things going on at your current gym both in terms of coaching and management. I made a gym switch when my DD was 7 yrs old (almost 8) and had just finished Xcel Bronze. We made the change for a variety of reasons but mostly because my daughter wanted a shot at JO (USAG) and old gym felt she was not JO-worthy. Old gym was 3 minutes away, new gym is about 35 minutes away. And I was definitely worried about leaving friends behind. In fact, my daughter was very reluctant to leave at first. Two and a half years later, and I have a very happy 10-year old JO L7 gymnast. Despite all of my angst at the time, it was definitely the right decision. If I were you, I would very discreetly check out the new gym. Keep in mind that your current gym might not be happy about this, so I would make every effort to keep it on the down low. (There are stories on here about gyms asking girls to leave for checking out the competition!) See how you like the other gym. See what they can offer your daughter. Happy to weigh in again once you have more details. Also, if you do make a change now, you probably will not get back the money you have paid to your current gym (comp fees, leo/warm up, tuition, etc.), so you should either be prepared to walk away from that money or wait until the spring. Good luck.
 
From a parent point of view.

My daughter changed gyms at 6. She had been at first gym since our Mommy and me classes when she was 2. Loved her actual coach. Was a L3.

Other coach insisted more hours. Daughter would of hated it. I moved her.
She got put back to L2. After I saw how good the kids at the new gym were it was a no brainer. Just sorry I didn’t move her sooner. Daughter cried and cried when she found out. Cried the whole first week on the way to and home from gym. Was just sullen the next week. When she started getting to know kids and get more training and stronger.

Now a 13 yr old L8. Loves her teammates. Not as many as at L2. But all from her original group. We love the gym. And should the environment or my kids needs change we would move again if we have to.

All the chaos you describe it’s time to change. Cheer focus will never be gymnastics focused on my opinion.
 
My son switched when he was 11 (level 6), and he had been with his teammates for 4 years. The old gym had an owner who would kick kids off the team if parents complained, a head coach that played favorites, and told my son he was "too old" and was "never going to be good" (even though son routinely placed in inviatationals and won events at state every year). We switched 2 years ago and it was a good choice. When he went to try out for the new gym, I was concerned he would not want to switch because of his friends at the old gym - he's a pretty shy guy, but after the try-out, he said "I practiced 2 new skills, I want to switch now". So, we switched. He has been just as successful, has a coach who he really likes, and is now good friends with his new teammates.

My philosophy was that we were just wasting time and money at the old gym, the coach didn't want to coach him, and would my son would have probably quit eventually because he wasn't enjoying himself.
 
Hi, good luck with your gym switch.

I don't love AGA---and yes, I have experience with a child competing in it, although it was several years ago. I think I'd find a USAG Xcel team or a TAAF team before I'd do AGA. I like the philosophy, it's just kind of confusing and I just think the JO and Xcel programs make a little more sense. Just my opinion!
 
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Hi, good luck with your gym switch.

I don't love AGA---and yes, I have experience with a child competing in it, although it was several years ago. I think I'd find a USAG Xcel team or a TAAF team before I'd do AGA. I like the philosophy, it's just kind of confusing and I just think the JO and Xcel programs make a little more sense. Just my opinion!
I didn't like the idea either but they do both AGA and USAG. If there was no USAG then I would be looking somewhere else. I think that being my daughter is 6 the idea of being able to design her own routines right now may just bring the sparkle back. She very fast at learning routines and has retained 2 levels of routines pretty easy so knowing and competing 2 per season isn't an issue I think.
 
We switched gyms not too long ago when my daughter was 6. We left because the old gym was just pushing too much, too soon. The old, "we see talent so let's have her train 15 hours of week" nonsense. Anyhow, the coaches were kind and that was all we knew so it was hard to leave. (Old gym was also 3 miles away and we now have a 25 minute drive.)

I can tell you my daughter was sad about leaving for a hot minute. I couldn't believe how fast she fell in love with the new gym, her coaches, and teammates. She's now competing level 3 and my only regret is that I didn't find this gym sooner! I hadn't seen her this happy in the gym in quite awhile. It's awesome! No matter how far she goes in this sport I definitely feel like her memories will be great because of her new gym family.

Good luck with your switch!
 
DD changed gyms at 10.

I just want to highlight something you said. You mentioned your daughter loves her friends, you also mentioned the turnover rate is extremely high. Knowing the turnover rate I would not let friends be the determining factor with your 6 year old. Join a gym that has girls with longevity and your daughter has a better chance making true long time friendships. It is very hard to have friends for a year or two just to have to make a new set of friends.

Good luck with your decision.
 
DD switched gyms at 6. She already knew a friend from school who was on preteam at the new gym so it was pretty smooth since she was excited to start training with her friend. Have any of the other girls who left your DD's gym switched to the new one? Even having just one person she knows as an anchor could make it easier to sell her on the change. For the record, based on your description I think you're absolutely making the right choice.
 
DD switched gyms at 6. She already knew a friend from school who was on preteam at the new gym so it was pretty smooth since she was excited to start training with her friend. Have any of the other girls who left your DD's gym switched to the new one? Even having just one person she knows as an anchor could make it easier to sell her on the change. For the record, based on your description I think you're absolutely making the right choice.
There is one other girl whos mom is looking into the switch as well. We may choose to make a strategic switch together.
 
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We checked it out. Because of her current schedule we came on a night that the upper level girls were working. The coach threw her in and modified what she was going on vault and bars. But never in my life did I expect to see my daughter so eager to learn, usually she has a mini cry when stressed but she told me she knew she needed to be ok with new things. It was neat to see her little wheels spinning. We think for the time being the right thing to do is finish out her obligation and make a move after state.
 
DD changed gyms at 10.

I just want to highlight something you said. You mentioned your daughter loves her friends, you also mentioned the turnover rate is extremely high. Knowing the turnover rate I would not let friends be the determining factor with your 6 year old. Join a gym that has girls with longevity and your daughter has a better chance making true long time friendships. It is very hard to have friends for a year or two just to have to make a new set of friends.

Good luck with your decision.
I totally agree, but that doesn't make it suck any less. She told me last night, she could just make new friends.
 
Wow! Sounds like there are a lot of not-so-great things going on at your current gym both in terms of coaching and management. I made a gym switch when my DD was 7 yrs old (almost 8) and had just finished Xcel Bronze. We made the change for a variety of reasons but mostly because my daughter wanted a shot at JO (USAG) and old gym felt she was not JO-worthy. Old gym was 3 minutes away, new gym is about 35 minutes away. And I was definitely worried about leaving friends behind. In fact, my daughter was very reluctant to leave at first. Two and a half years later, and I have a very happy 10-year old JO L7 gymnast. Despite all of my angst at the time, it was definitely the right decision. If I were you, I would very discreetly check out the new gym. Keep in mind that your current gym might not be happy about this, so I would make every effort to keep it on the down low. (There are stories on here about gyms asking girls to leave for checking out the competition!) See how you like the other gym. See what they can offer your daughter. Happy to weigh in again once you have more details. Also, if you do make a change now, you probably will not get back the money you have paid to your current gym (comp fees, leo/warm up, tuition, etc.), so you should either be prepared to walk away from that money or wait until the spring. Good luck.
Yes current gym says you have to be perfect to considered for USAG comps. New gym says its up to the parents as it is more $ so she lets the parents choose (this is a novel idea to me that they would allow the parents to have a choice)
 
DD is on a compulsory team-TAAF (like AAU) Gym didn't do USAG this year but will next. Some coaches got fired, there was a change of coaching philosophies and they bumped DD down in October w/ 2 other younger girls. My dd issue they say was lacking 2 bar skills for her level. Their 1st comp is Feb so... those couldn't have been addressed in 4 months? There has been communication issues. No full time coach for her level. There are 2 assistant coaches, both 16, both former team mates, one likes to yell at the girls and then sit there and do 40% of effort on coaching. The other I have no issues with. Their part time coach is only there for 1 day of their 2 days per week of practices and yelling 16 year old assistant coach and her get into debates about different things while our kids are on deck to vault, practice floor, etc etc etc. So they stand there and stand there and stand there. Upper coach (interim head coach) is great, loves the kids but she was the assistant coach before the other coaches got fired. This is her 1st head coaching job so she is still lacking on Organization and Communication. This is the 3rd major coaching change in the last 3 years. There is a program director out of our gyms other location who makes all the decisions at this time (She use to just handle that locations small gymnastics program), but she is never at our gym, yet can override our head gym coach. Some of these decisions have impacted my daughters esteem, ie my daughter was told by our head coach that she will be leading her levels warm ups and stretches at a meet and the program director doesn't allow any of our locations girls to lead and had her girls lead. This crushed my daughter doing a meet for pete sake, the time when you don't want to do that.
Apparently also the owner has allowed each level coach to make decisions and not be overridable by the head coach, ie head coach wanted to keep my daughter at level 2 and work on it. Level 2 coach said no she would not compete her after spending 15 minutes with her even though she aced all her other apparatus evals for that level. Our daughter has made improvements but now her technic is starting to slip she isn't pointing toes or kicking high she just half a$$ing it on dance. She tells me she misses doing the skills she was proud of and could do well and wants to go back up a level, I told her that it didnt work that way and she would have to earn it back. They said that they were doing to give her extra work but they haven't. We have paid in full for comp fees and leo and warm ups... First Comp is Feb

We have found a gym 35 minutes from us (the current one is 3 miles away) There is another local gym but our gym and them have a toxic drama filled rivalry and I feel also run their businesses as machines (cattle call). The new gym does AGA and USAG. My daughter has an eval on Monday. Lengthy Convo with owner seams like it may be a great fit and she feels she could see her defiantly immediately having a spot on their team and start competing her in March. Its smaller but they get more personalized attention. They train more hours for the same price I am currently paying and do way more competitions. AGA allows my daughter to have her own personalized routines (something fun she may need right now) and USAG keeps them in check with the standard.
My concern is the usual... my daughters friends. And the fact that she has been to that gym every week for the last 3 1/2 years. Starting at age 3. Everyone knows her and its like a second home. In rec things were ok, but it seams like maybe that is part of the issue to maybe they are more of a rec gym? However it hasn't solved the staffing issues and bad business decisions that have been made over the last 3 years. It seams like gymnastics is a second thought, cheer is more important, $ is more important.
The team girls as a whole are amazing, we have grown to be a family, there is never any drama between parents and even the upper level girls have loving nurturing friendships with my daughter. I looked back at last year and of the 8 girls she was with, not one is still with the program, not one. Only 1 is still with the gym, but is doing cheer. Of the 9 that were on my daughters level over summer, there are 6 total. I don't know if that is normal. Something tells me this other place will be so much more rewarding for her and there system will allow her to move up more quickly. Im just so emotional over this and making the right decision. Help? Advice?


Follow your gut. We just left our gym of 10 years. Literally the last family out of 13 original girls. We hung on — devil you know vs. the devil you don’t — train of thought. Bad move in hindsight. You pay for training. If you are not getting training, go where you will. It’s as simple as that.
 
Well we did it. We left. Tuesday her coach told the level 1 & 2 girls to stop doing arm circles during their vaults, some of these girls are still occasionally running up the spring board. Why? Why?why? The. Tonight, her last night, the coach told the whole team that they were not coachable and needed to listen to her more. These are 5 to 8 year olds. That you just told were uncoachable. One girl cried the entire practice and shes the oldest. Looks like we made the right choice. We start the nee gym on Tuesday!
 
Well we did it. We left.
Glad to hear it. If I'd seen this thread earlier, I would have said.. Don't be afraid of change. All that dithering and stress? It's telling you something needs to resolved, one way or another. All the reasons to go were sound and reasonable. The reasons to stay were emotional. Girls can remain friends and be at different gyms, but their mental, physical, and emotional health are your first concerns. Rocky foundations lead to years and years of issues. Congratulations on her new gym. New adventures await! Great job!
 
Glad to hear it. If I'd seen this thread earlier, I would have said.. Don't be afraid of change. All that dithering and stress? It's telling you something needs to resolved, one way or another. All the reasons to go were sound and reasonable. The reasons to stay were emotional. Girls can remain friends and be at different gyms, but their mental, physical, and emotional health are your first concerns. Rocky foundations lead to years and years of issues. Congratulations on her new gym. New adventures await! Great job!
Thank you. My daughter is excited. I think us parents were taking it harder than she is.
 

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