My daughter isn't going through the sadness of having a coach leave, but is very down about some friends who have quit team. One was just about her best buddy on the L6 team and we shared a hotel room with her and her mom at our out of state meet in Feb. Nobody saw it coming that this girl would quit. She came in about 3 wks after we all got back and told the coach and team it just wasn't for her anymore. Now, she does stop by the gym and the girls email each other plus my daughter will be at the same middle school as this girl this coming year. But, I think they both know it will never be quite the same. Just as she thought she had worked this out, another friend from pre-team days came in a few days ago and also quit. She had stayed back an extra season on pre-team, so the girls didn't compete at the same level, but tried to chat etc. when the teams practiced together. This girl has had some back strains and just said she has lost her desire to do gymnastics. She was no slouch in her year as a L5---4th AA at states and scored in the mid 36s- low 37s all season.
Now my daughter is starting to question whether she is doing the right thing by staying. Both girls who have left have talked to her about joining them in competitive cheerleading or volleyball.