Parents Would you ever move for gymnastics?

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This is not a question I'm trying to answer. It use to be pretty normal in the 80's and 90's, but not so often anymore. Of the top girls at Nationals I believe only Ivana moved for gymnastics. Shawn, Nastia, Chellsie, Sam, Jana all stayed put as far as I know.

If you were in a situation where you had a kid like Shawn Johnson and there was not a gym near you that you felt like could get her to where she wanted to be, would you ever move so she could train somewhere else?

I know many have done it and the rewards have been great, but others may have ended up regretting it.

I was watching diving Olympic Trials this weekend and that is really what sparked my thoughts on this. They were talking about the Ishimatsu sisters moving with their father and leaving the mom behind.

I think as a parent if you really wanted to do it for you kid it would be best to lie and say you had gotten a job transfer so they would never feel the pressure of having their family move for them. I know Carly Patterson moved to WOGA because of a job transfer or so they said.
 
if it were not a hard move like dh could get a good job and the schools were good and the whole family made the dec together I might! and MIGHT is a pretty strong.
 
We would. I think a kid with a special gift should be given every possible opportunity to develop that talent. Of course, we'd have to be able to afford the move, find jobs, good schools, etc, but we'd absolutely consider it. However, it would definitely be a family move, none of this leaving half the family behind stuff (except maybe for a couple months' "trial period" to try out the new gym). But if DD continues to show talent and wants to take it all the way, we'd definitely move if we needed to.
 
Oh that is at the top of our conversations anytime we discuss moving is what good gyms are there and how are the ice hockey programs. I have given DH a list of places I WOULD NEVER move to just because they are not good for either of the children's sports. The top of the list is DH's hometown in Central WV. He couldn't make enough for me to move there he would be paying way too much to send us where we would need to be for the kids sports.

If DD ever had a GREAT shot I would relocate for her or DS and his Ice hockey.
 
Put me down as a big, fat no. Uproot the whole family for a very slim shot for ONE child? I don't think so.

Keep in mind that Chow is sending his first athlete to the Olympics. Let's face it, Iowa's hardly known for it's powerhouse gymnastics. SJ is the first elite athlete produced, by this gym (it's not that old). Chow had no "history" of training Olympians. How many families would have written off that gym because it hadn't proven itself successful? In the end moving for better training wouldn't have been necessary.
 
I think a lot would depend on the child's current coach. I know if my DD had a chance of becoming an elite (and wanted to), we'd discuss her options with her coach. If her coach could get her to elite, and into the "right" meets, there'd be no need to move (ie. Chows). However, if the coach didn't feel like she could get her there, I would hope she could at least suggest where we should go, help out with the evaluation and decision process and such.
 
Yes and No...

If my child were an only child, then yes. However, with other siblings involved, no. I cannot the priority of one child over the others...forcing them to give up their home, friends, school, stability for the price of one.

Each one has to decide if the price is too high for everyone involved.
 
NO....if it was something they could continue to do well into adulthood maybe, but I probably wouldn't. In the scheme of things, female gymnasts have such a limited period of time that they're able to perform at the upper levels. It wouldn't be worth taking a risk on that tiny, tiny, tiny sliver of a chance they'd make it.
 
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