Parents Alternatives to JO?

[twinmomma]

If your daughter has a negative opinion about Xcel all the other options would garner a similar response.

I disagree with that. As the mom of a daughter who has competed both Tumbling and Trampoline and Acro, they both require fewer hours, and actually provide MORE opportunity for their athletes because there are fewer of them. My daughter has competed at Nationals in both disciplines, something she never would have had the chance to do in JO. Currently, she's a level 9 acro athlete practicing three times a week. Even our elite trio practices 3-4 nights a week. There are options.

 

[GymDadWA]

I disagree with that. As the mom of a daughter who has competed both Tumbling and Trampoline and Acro, they both require fewer hours, and actually provide MORE opportunity for their athletes because there are fewer of them. My daughter has competed at Nationals in both disciplines, something she never would have had the chance to do in JO. Currently, she's a level 9 acro athlete practicing three times a week. Even our elite trio practices 3-4 nights a week. There are options.

she has friend in higher levels who she admires and they made Excel seem ‘less than’ or for those who weren’t good enough for JO

Absolutely there are other options, but it's her daughters opinion of anything other that JO which is the issue. It sounds like she was holding her friend and her accomplishments up on a pedestal and anything but the same path isn't good enough.

If her DD is open to other disciplines, forms, or organizing bodies than that opens up options and opportunities, but if it is JO or bust than her options are pretty limited.

 

[3rd_time_around]

We spent over $5000 on JO3, and I don't think we were paying an usually high amount (judging by another thread on chalkbucket about monthly tuition). I wish we could keep it that low as she levels up!

She said $5000 was for travel for meets, not meet fees plus tuition. That was in addition to the fees. Our meet fees plus tuition is less that $4000 for level 3, and our gym keeps levels 1-3 in the state.

 

[Racpp]

I second or third or fourth the idea of looking for a Y program. Unfortunately they’re not everywhere.

I have two girls in a Y program, both are now at the top of the hours offered (12 a week) and I don’t pay that amount for the two of them combined in a year. (We’re in the rural Midwest and in a low cost area.)

If you have a Y around, it would offer you several things. First, a chance for your dd to decide if she likes competitive gymnastics at a lower cost. She’d have meets and a team leo and all the frills that go with that, but not the same kind of money or travel. Typically, our meets are within a 2.5 hour drive. We rarely even pay for a hotel during the season and when we do, it’s weather-based due to roads being bad after the meet and not wanting to drive country roads home. Second, there’s time for your dd to do other things. My girls are in multiple school sports, participate in musical groups in and out of school, active in school and community theater, and sing in the church choir. Maybe she finds that competitive gymnastics isn’t her thing or maybe she finds she loves gymnastics and has a passion for something else too and can do both or more. Third, if she finds she loves gymnastics in a few years and wants to make it her life, she will have been in a JO program and can go back to a higher hours gym. We’ve had several girls do up to level 5 with us and then decide to go to a higher hours club and did so successfully.

Just like all clubs aren’t equal in coaching, neither are Ys. You’d need to do the same kind of research as you would any gym change. The training hours vary from Y to Y as well.

 

[Racpp]

Hit send too soon and can’t figure out how to edit:

Ys also have scholarships and sliding scale payments to allow all to be a part of programs.

 

[amiandjim]

She said $5000 was for travel for meets, not meet fees plus tuition. That was in addition to the fees. Our meet fees plus tuition is less that $4000 for level 3, and our gym keeps levels 1-3 in the state.

Not that it really matters but I read the OP as over $5000 with the addition of meet fees.

 

[John]

Some Y's have incredible programs. Think YMCA of Hanover Pennsylvania. They compete JO and have a very cost-friendly program. I would put their top athletes up against most club gyms.