Women Feeling pressured?

[Vaibicy]

I know I sound like a Debbie Downer and be prepared for a rant...:sorry:

So we moved to a whole new province and I had to start over at a new gym. I guess I'm still a littleeee bit in the "getting used to things and buckling down" part but I feel like I already have an idea of what my new gym is like. I mean, the facility is nice and they have a good amount of gymnasts but I can't get used to the atmosphere. My old gym was small and it felt like a family and it was easy to talk to the coaches and was very personalized.
The new gym is WAY larger and very busy and the coaches don't really seem to be able to focus on you.


But my main stress is about the gym's handbook and all the rules with it. There's the normal standard good attitude, rules of the gym and such but then it talked about how you couldn't miss more than 4 practices per month or else you have to be suspended for a week (what!!) and pay a fee, the 12 month contract we signed must be followed through and if we must stop, regardless of what reason we have to pay for the remaining months, fundraisers for parents and gymnasts like casinos, gym cleaning, etc must be participated in or there will be a fee of $100-300. I'm not sure if that's all normal but it makes me feel like i HAVE to go to gym and my parents have to pay for things no matter what circumstances.
I honestly am getting bad vibes from the gym and I don't think it's the gym for me, but we can't switch until the contract ends. Also, I'm only training 12 hours but the cost each month is nearly $400 ($376.64, to be precise) not including comp fees and stuff, which is a lot more than my old gym. My dad also is unemployed right now and I feel really guilty for bringing a burden on my family that's already starting to struggle.




I'm not sure what to do right now because I kind of want to switch to another gym or just stop gymnastics for good, but we can't. Should we go talk to the head coach or something?
Thank you

 

[sglemon]

What exactly do you want to talk to the owners about? You have listed several things. A gyms " attitude" is a very difficult thing to talk about and by you talking to the owners will not change how you feel a out the place. I really wouldn't even bring it up. I suspect your attitude about the place my be coming from the guilt you have about the financial burden. First talking from a parents perspective, if gymnastics is something you really want to do, as a parent, I would do everything I could to keep you in the sport, through financial instability. I would only pull you if gymnastics meant, no food on the table. You really need to sit down and talk with you parents about the possible strain gymnastics is causing on the family. Until you know, how you parents really feel, the guilt is going to remain.

when it comes to contracts, most gyms have rules like that in place, because they want to discourage gym jumping. I think if you sit down and talk with the owners and how your parents can't afford gymnastics currently because of unemployment, you will probably fine them to be reasonable. Most wouldn't hold you to contracts for unemployment, career ending injuries or sickness.

 

[Pineapple_Lump]

Why would you sign up to the team if you don't feel comfortable with their team policy/rules?

 

[Deleted member D3987]

yikes....................

 

[GymBee97]

Enjoy the Gymnastics and don't worry about the contract or the money part of things. You parents are Adults and know exactly what they signed up for and committed to - that part of your gymnastics is something for youre parents to worry about. Keep in mind too there are "rules" and then there is what actually happens. Some rules are put into place because the gym had some issues in the past with specific parents and the rule is there but sometimes isn't enforced unless necessary.

So just consintrate on your gymnastics, getting use to the gym and the coaches and you will do fine. It takes a while to get use to new things so give it until the end of the season and see how things go. Be friendly and try to assert yourself and I think you will be fine. If not then talk to your parents and let them handle it from there but give it a chance and some time.

 

[Gymmommy71]

$400 a month and on top of that they make the parents clean the gym! Oh my goodness...

Kidding aside, you probably do need to stick it out and at least finish out the meets. After States is over, if you want to continue w/ gymnastics but still dislike it at that particular gym, you can start looking for a new gym using this as a learning experience for what you *don't like* when considering new gyms.

For now, just work on being the best gymnast you can be so that when your contract is up you'll be good and ready to show the new gyms how great you are . Oh, and like other posters above said, parents are the ones who should worry about the financial stuff, not the children...and most of us actually *enjoy* finding a way to make it work because it's our kids' dreams and futures that are involved.