Parents Feeling defeated

[MILgymFAM]

I don't know what it means, really, either.

As far as switching as soon as possible, to at least get more xcel hours... There aren't more excel hours. Every single gym I called in the east Bay Area trains xcel gold 4-6 hours. The only one with more hours we already went to for a month, and that was the one we switched from. Compulsories are already in season and since she has never learned a compulsory routine it's a little late to jump in, with gyms focused on their season.

 

[gymdog]

Oh, that sucks. I would expect at least 12 hours for diamond/platinum. Well at least 9. Of course per the latest figures from USAG apparently my state has 16% of registered Xcel athletes, lol.

 

[twinmomma]

We're in Sacramento and our gym has 12 year olds competing Level 3. We have Optional girls who run the age range and the level gamut. It's RIDICULOUS to me that a gym would turn a kid away with the drive and the ability. It would be nice if the gyms would realize they aren't grooming Olympians, that we are here to teach kids life skills through this sport. This makes me really angry for your DD. Yes, it's pretty much too late for her to jump into the NorCal compulsory season as it ends in November, but she could easily get into a Level 6 program if she could petition (I don't know how that works, I am pretty sure she has to "test" out of the required compulsory levels) and be ready in time for competition in January.

There are a TON of gyms in the Bay area, there has to be one that would let her move up. Where is your next move taking you - do you know yet?

 

[gymbeam]

I'm learning there are gyms like that here, too. One actually says JO is their college scholarship track and everyone else goes Xcel. That pretty much translates to "no late starters allowed."

 

[MILgymFAM]

Ok so here is the update... After talking here and via pm with a few people, I emailed a local gym that is said to be open to older girls on their JO team. I laid everything out for them, re her age, skill level, commitment level, and desires. I told them what she is doing currently, and even told them we are a military family and not a permanent fixture (maybe that actually is an issue for some gyms, I don't know- it has definitely been for jobs, so what do I know). I then asked them if they think it would be better to bring her in to test now, after their compulsory season, or after her xcel gold season. I am hoping to hear from them soon and make a more solid plan for the close future at that point.

As for where we will move next, well it's an either or situation (the Marine Corps loves these). Either we will move next summer to New Orleans or we will move the summer after that to Quantico VA. They are pretty disparate in terms of planning, and I would need to plan the girls middle/ high schools and YDDs gymnastics too, so I am not ready to jump into thinking much about it until we have at least a 70/30 idea of what's coming.

 

[MILgymFAM]

If we are laying all cards on the table here, money is a part of this too. I don't know about all gyms, but I do know about our current gym, and the JO girls pay MUCH less per hour than xcel girls. I mean we are talking 3-4 times the hours at 2/3 the tuition. Of course they only want the most promising (by their particular measure) girls in the JO program. It stinks, but it makes a kind of sense.

 

[sce]

Ok so here is the update... After talking here and via pm with a few people, I emailed a local gym that is said to be open to older girls on their JO team. I laid everything out for them, re her age, skill level, commitment level, and desires. I told them what she is doing currently, and even told them we are a military family and not a permanent fixture (maybe that actually is an issue for some gyms, I don't know- it has definitely been for jobs, so what do I know). I then asked them if they think it would be better to bring her in to test now, after their compulsory season, or after her xcel gold season. I am hoping to hear from them soon and make a more solid plan for the close future at that point.

As for where we will move next, well it's an either or situation (the Marine Corps loves these). Either we will move next summer to New Orleans or we will move the summer after that to Quantico VA. They are pretty disparate in terms of planning, and I would need to plan the girls middle/ high schools and YDDs gymnastics too, so I am not ready to jump into thinking much about it until we have at least a 70/30 idea of what's coming.

I'm glad you at least are talking to another gym Ultimately, your daughter wants to do gymnastics and is getting very little of that where she is right now.

 

[bookworm]

If we are laying all cards on the table here, money is a part of this too. I don't know about all gyms, but I do know about our current gym, and the JO girls pay MUCH less per hour than xcel girls. I mean we are talking 3-4 times the hours at 2/3 the tuition. Of course they only want the most promising (by their particular measure) girls in the JO program. It stinks, but it makes a kind of sense.

Team girls always pay less per hour than everyone else....our rec kids basically pay $25 an hour and go one hour a week...you couldn't ask a team kid going 20 hours a week to pay $25 an hour (or 500 a week) or you wouldn't be able to have many on team ....we pay roughly 400 a month for 20 hours a week which boils down to 5 bucks an hour . Kids that go less hours (Xcel and lower level gymnasts) generally pay more per hour because that enables the gym to pay its bills...

 

[MILgymFAM]

Team girls always pay less per hour than everyone else....our rec kids basically pay $25 an hour and go one hour a week...you couldn't ask a team kid going 20 hours a week to pay $25 an hour (or 500 a week) or you wouldn't be able to have many on team ....we pay roughly 400 a month for 20 hours a week which boils down to 5 bucks an hour . Kids that go less hours (Xcel and lower level gymnasts) generally pay more per hour because that enables the gym to pay its bills...

I get that team pays less per hour than rec kids do, and it absolutely makes sense. Where I think I see a problem is that xcel is a grey area. Are they team or rec? To my understanding it is, at least partly, supposed to be a team experience for girls who can't afford JO. It's then counterintuitive that my xcel gold (and the platinums since she trains with them) pays a higher tuition than levels 2-6. How is that a lower cost team experience? To my view, it's taking advantage of girls who really, really want it but are easily brushed aside from the JO stream. We basically pay what you do, but for 6 hours a week.

 

[skschlag]

ANd what I hear you saying is that your monthly tuition is higher, not just the $ per hour. Is that correct?

 

[MILgymFAM]

That is correct.

 

[bookworm]

ANd what I hear you saying is that your monthly tuition is higher, not just the $ per hour. Is that correct?

Well that is odd..we pay 400 a month ($5 an hour) but no one , regardless of level or team designation (pre team, compulsory team, optionals L7-9 or Xcel) pays more than us...I would inquire about it ...and you're not doing 10 million privates are you because that drives up the cost too...I'm talking about straight out tuition per month ; no team fees, travel or any extras...

 

[MILgymFAM]

No privates at all, doesn't include meet entry, coaches meet fees, uniform, etc. Ours is slightly less than yours, so not exactly apples to apples, but does cover only tuition.

We do essentially pay rec tuition, just multiplied out by hours. For instance, if I managed to get DDs hours up to 9 (trying to get the gym to consider this) then our tuition would go up to approximately $550 a month.

ETA: we do live in an exceptionally high cost of living area, and the xcel tuition we pay is on par with other gyms xcel tuition.

 

[Sasha]

We do essentially pay rec tuition, just multiplied out by hours. For instance, if I managed to get DDs hours up to 9 (trying to get the gym to consider this) then our tuition would go up to approximately $550 a month.
.

That is really strange! Our gym is the same cost per hour for XCEL and JO (and boys team as well) - it is just a monthly tuition fee based on hours attended. So an XCEL girl going 9 hours/wk and a JO girl/boy going 9 hours/wk both pay the same per month. As hours go up, monthly rate goes up, but the computed hourly rate lowers (for all teams).

And for meet fees, since our JO and XCEL teams both require the same number of coaches at meets, and both have an (approximately) equal number of meets, they actually are also charged the same annual meet expenses. XCEL is definitely not in any gray zone or considered Rec. It is a competitive team and treated the same. Just for comparison!

 

[2G1B]

We are like Sasha. Any team kid going the same number of hours is the same amount. Boys, JO, Xcel.

 

[MILgymFAM]

Our gym considers xcel an extension of rec, rather than an extension of team. That's the fundamental issue underneath all of our issues.

 

[Ginger]

You already mentioned that all gyms in your area have the same low hours for Xcel. Is their tuition philosophy same as well?
It is definitely not right

 

[MILgymFAM]

That I can't answer because I have no idea what other gyms charge for JO team, only what those I had contacted charge for xcel, and how many hours they train xcel girls.

 

[gymdog]

Huh? That's bizarre. In VA you would be paying more per hour because you'd be going less hours, but you'd be paying less per month. For example if a 6 hour team was paying $200 (I made this up) a 9 hour team would pay $250 and so on. This is regardless of Xcel or levels.

 

[Ali'sMom]

I am so sorry about this!
I know I'm repeating everyone else, but I just totally don't get why they won't even let her try. I'm glad her xcel coach is willing to help her learn... but then they won't let her use the equipment?
I have got my fingers crossed that you get a good response from the gym that you emailed.

And for what it's worth, I don't know how "good" the gym is, but I do know that when we visited New Orleans on spring break, DD visited a wonderful, friendly gym. Let DD practice with their team (for free even!). Basically, very welcoming.

I wish you luck finding what your daughter needs!!!!