Parents Gym Switch Dilemma

[mhallenb]

This is my first post here...scary! But I've been going back and forth about switching my daughter (8) to a different gym for a few months...since her gym was bought out by another gym in our area.

We live in a very small area of East Tennessee. Last summer the gym she'd been at since she was itty bitty and had competed levels 1, 2, and 3 at shut down. We chose our best option, which was practically the only gym in the area that competed compulsory levels (the others only do xcel until higher levels). I really trusted the coaches and liked her philosophy and it's 5 minutes from our house. My daughter likes the coaches too, though her teammates haven't been the most welcoming all year. I was fine letting her stay there.

However, we found out in February that this gym had been bought out by another gym that doesn't do compulsory levels. They haven't confirmed it (and told everyone they won't until August), but their other gym does xcel through Platinum until the girl is ready to compete level 7 or 8. I don't trust this new owner. He seems like a salesman. I'm not comfortable with xcel, my daughter competed level 4 last year. I know some people like it, but it doesn't all make sense to me. Her coaches are still the same, but they don't have much say in what goes on and who knows how long they will stay.

This weekend, my daughter tried another gym 30 minutes away. She liked it, the girls were welcoming, and they do compulsory levels, but in the car after practice at her old gym this week she started crying. She'd just been moved up to train with the optional level girls and she really loved that. She said she understands and if it's to make her gymnastics better she will switch, but she'd rather stay. The other gym is new, so they don't have optional level girls yet. She wouldn't have those older girls to look up to.

Honestly, she's not going to be an Olympic gymnast. She was the worst one on her team this past season at L4, so am I making too big of a deal about this? Should I let her decide and just go with it? Just enjoy the more convenient gym? I feel like the other gym would make her a better gymnast and I trust that owner. We've never switched by choice before, so I am super hesitant about everything. I don't know if I'm involving my daughter too much or if the choice should totally be hers.

Any advice in this stressful situation would be much appreciated!

 

[txgymfan]

Trust is a powerful thing, especially in a sport like gymnastics. Now is the perfect time in the season to move. I would make the change. You have to trust the owners and coaches with your child’s life plus a large piece of their time. If you haven’t been comfortable for months get out.

Also, welcome, we’re not so scary.

 

[duyetanh]

I second the move. And if you don't trust, your child eventually won't either. She takes her cues from you....
Good luck. I know it's hard. The time is now.

 

[ProvB]

I agree. Do it now.

We went through something very very similar last year. Old gym got rid of JO, DD didn’t want to leave her existing teammates and the familiarity, but knew for sure she wanted to compete JO.

We switched last July, it took a few months but she now has new gym friends and the new gym feels like home. Her gymnastics has improved, she has moved up 2 compulsory levels, and new gym happens to be a good fit philosophy wise. A good portion of her friends from the old gym are not happy with the new program there, and I’m almost certain at least a couple are switching to our gym as soon as this season is over.

Your gymmie is 8. If she wants to stay on the JO track for now, keep her on it. There is always the option to go to xcel in the future if that’s what she decides.

 

[Gymmonkeymomma]

At 8 years old, of course she will want to stay in a familiar setting, but she will also settle into a new environment and make new friends. I waited too long with my oldest, and attribute that to her quitting at 14, but moved my younger DD at 10 to a new gym. In fact, yesterday was her 7th anniversary at "new" gym, which we still celebrate as a great day.

Trust your mom radar.

 

[rjb123]

If you don't trust where you are, you need to move. Trusting the coaches is SO important in this sport, and I always believe in following my instincts. Your instincts (from what you said) are telling you to switch. Take a deep breath and go for it. Welcome!!

 

[Along4theRide]

Hold up...Xcel is very competitive in Region 8! And it allows girls to differentiate routines based on their strengths....which gives girls who might struggle in Compulsory a path to success. I know many girls that have moved through Xcel to become very strong JO Optional gymnasts. I would encourage you to evaulate your daughter's trust in her coaches. Are they responsible and skilled, and do they work well with your daughter? I doubt any of that will change.

And did I read above that the potential new gym doesn't have any upper level gymnasts? Are you willing to let your daughter be the guinea pig in an untested program?

Of course, you know best about the situation...but I would encourage you to learn more about the opportunities of Xcel before writing it off.

 

[Flyaway]

You said you live in a small area of East TN. I don't know if by small you mean rural, but I will say that it's becoming more and more common for gyms in smaller population areas to switch to Xcel, at least for compulsories. I imagine there are a variety of reasons for this, not the least of which is those that do and then provide mobility to Optionals actually do it quite well. I wouldn't necessarily write off riding out the change in owner simply because they want to do Xcel instead of Complusories.

You said you don't trust the new owner, but do you trust the owner of the other potential gym (that does JO). What are you basing that on? A few interactions? Hearsay? How much have you actually spoken with either gym owner? I completely agree with going with your gut so really only you can decide what you mean by "trust" and whether you have enough information to make that judgment call. I would caution you to be sure that the whole Xcel thing isn't clouding your perception of either coach.

I think that my instinct is to ride out the changes and see what happens. That other gym isn't going anywhere.

And welcome. Gym switches are some of the more challenging things that gym parents go through. Glad you came to ask our thoughts. Good luck!

 

[Muddlethru]

I’m a little confused. I might have missed something.

Old gym: Still will have the same coaches you and your daughter love and trust. Your daughter loves it at the old gym and has friends. Your daughter further loves that she was moved up to the optional group. Old gym has optionals team. Old gym is 5 minutes away.

New gym: 30 minutes away; has no optionals team.

The only difference is you state you trust the coaches/owners in the new gym and not the owners in the old gym. You’ve met the owner of the new gym once. I’m not saying you should not listen to your instincts but it appears to me it is not a matter of trust since you really do not know either coach enough to know if they can be trusted. I think you just really like the owners of the new gym or like what was said and how it was said to you. My interpretation could be wrong. Just a food for thought. Lastly, you further state the new gym does not have optional level girls but you think your daughter will get better training there.

From what you’ve posted, I don’t understand how you would conclude the new gym will make your daughter a better gymnast. How has your old gym done in the optional levels?

 

[raenndrops]

This is my first post here...scary! But I've been going back and forth about switching my daughter (8) to a different gym for a few months...since her gym was bought out by another gym in our area.

We live in a very small area of East Tennessee. Last summer the gym she'd been at since she was itty bitty and had competed levels 1, 2, and 3 at shut down. We chose our best option, which was practically the only gym in the area that competed compulsory levels (the others only do xcel until higher levels). I really trusted the coaches and liked her philosophy and it's 5 minutes from our house. My daughter likes the coaches too, though her teammates haven't been the most welcoming all year. I was fine letting her stay there.

However, we found out in February that this gym had been bought out by another gym that doesn't do compulsory levels. They haven't confirmed it (and told everyone they won't until August), but their other gym does xcel through Platinum until the girl is ready to compete level 7 or 8. I don't trust this new owner. He seems like a salesman. I'm not comfortable with xcel, my daughter competed level 4 last year. I know some people like it, but it doesn't all make sense to me. Her coaches are still the same, but they don't have much say in what goes on and who knows how long they will stay.

This weekend, my daughter tried another gym 30 minutes away. She liked it, the girls were welcoming, and they do compulsory levels, but in the car after practice at her old gym this week she started crying. She'd just been moved up to train with the optional level girls and she really loved that. She said she understands and if it's to make her gymnastics better she will switch, but she'd rather stay. The other gym is new, so they don't have optional level girls yet. She wouldn't have those older girls to look up to.

Honestly, she's not going to be an Olympic gymnast. She was the worst one on her team this past season at L4, so am I making too big of a deal about this? Should I let her decide and just go with it? Just enjoy the more convenient gym? I feel like the other gym would make her a better gymnast and I trust that owner. We've never switched by choice before, so I am super hesitant about everything. I don't know if I'm involving my daughter too much or if the choice should totally be hers.

Any advice in this stressful situation would be much appreciated!

So, you got a lot of good advice on both sides. What was your decision?