Parents Advice on moving Gyms for progress - We are torn in half! UK

[twistymstwistface]

Hi lovelies

First time post here... So I have a 8 year old daughter who is in a smallish town club, she has been there since 4 and was identified as "gifted" and was in their devlopmental squad, however I was unaware and never told about the compulsary pathway as this club doesnt do them and being "on time" for national gradings etc. She is about to do her club/reginal grading 5 (UK) but it was all left a bit to last minute and rushed and only her and one other doing that grade and a handful of older girls doing the level 4. and these are the top in the club (only one higher level coach most of the coaches are young teen girls)

She is happy there and its her second family as she is there such a lot but we really didnt know there was "more" to gymanstics as we were never told and just assumed we had all the information and she really wants to be a WAG gymnast . (she can do nice strong tuck tumbles on the floor and good beam work (hand springs on beam, good jump splits etc) and vaults - her bars are weak as it wasn't much of a focus up until last few weeks fingers crossed she will scrape the grade with bars)

So after doing lots of reading about things I got her to try a session at a larger gym with all the WAG progammes in about 20 mins away from where we live - she really enojoyed it and while she is too far behind in strength for the compuslary route atm she could go on one of their national pathway WAG groups with an eye to doing all her grades maybe 1 year out of age or even catching up with the right level of coaching - which i suspect she might.

So the advice I'm after is - me and my daughter are torn right down the middle, she wants to progress she loved the bigger gym and found the girls there welcoming but we feel like we are betraying her old gym that has been her second home for so long and she has lots of friends and maybe she will never catch up to the girls already at the level she wants to be at and maybe if it doesnt work out there it would be a waste and upset her old club for no reason and shoudl she jsut do it for fun up to level 4 where her current club have said they can take her next year and then move on after that if she wants to?

It is insane but i feel so anxious about making the right choice its keeping me up at night stupid i know but she is there 15-22 hours a week and it's a big chunk of a girls life!

What should I do?/ what would you do? thank you in advance! x

 

[Jenny]

If she is at your current gym 15-25 hrs a week and will only scrape the bars for club grade 5 then move. No one needs those hours for that grade. It is a very basic bar routine and most girls will compete it very well on 8-12 hours. Time to leave.

 

[coach1234]

I agree, 15-20 hours a week for club grade 5 is a lot! My gymnasts range from National 4-2 and all currently do 15 hours a week

 

[Jessaellen]

Yes, I’m still learning about the grades etc but that does seem a lot of hours (and ultimately money) for club grade 5.
I would move if your daughter would like to progress and it’s promising that she liked the new gym and that they were welcoming.

 

[gymgal]

You were concerned enough to do all the leg work in finding other gyms and even having her trial another gym. She likes the new gym and wants to make the move. It is an easy commute for you, will be a better fit for her goals. Make the move...

 

[Learning Parent GB]

I also say move. A 20 minute drive isn't too much. It doesn't matter if she doesn't 'catch up' but it sounds like this other gym has the options that she can find what is the right level and squad for her. That might mean moving between squads at various times as she gest older, but in the larger gym she will be able to do that while still staying in the same gym.

 

[rd7]

I think you know it's time to move and are looking for reassurance as you feel bad about leaving the old gym. Try to leave on good terms but if that's not possible then look forwards and enjoy your daughters new journey.