WAG Gyms in Sarasota, Florida?

[MaryA]

Is anyone familiar with the gym options in Sarasota, FL? There seem to be a good number of them. My daughter is a senior in high school, competing level 9, and coaching pre-team (plus whatever other classes they throw her into when they need her). She is considering New College of Florida in Sarasota and it is the most affordable school she has been accepted to so far so I would REALLY like her to go there. We're going to an "Accepted Students Day" in April and I thought I might encourage her to contact some of the gyms there about employment opportunities while we're there. EVO Athletics seems to be the closest to the college. I guess I'm mainly curious about gym atmosphere, management, etc. Do most gyms generally need coaches most of the time? I feel like if a college student with higher-level gym experience and some coaching experience walked into my daughter's gym, they'd hire her on the spot. Not for team, but for classes, birthday parties, etc. Is that generally the case or is it hard to find a coaching job as an 18-year-old college freshman?

Thanks!

 

[MILgymFAM]

Following, as my DD hopes to continue coaching in college next year too- not in FL, but I’ve wondered about the general job outlook as well.

Good luck to your DD- I’ve heard such lovely things about the New School, and my YDD may apply there.

 

[txgymfan]

MaryA, so good to “hear “ from you. I’ve been wondering how you all were doing. So glad that she’s coaching and competing.

 

[coachmolly]

I emailed a gym in college about coaching and they told me to stop in and meet them. Meeting them actually meant me being thrown into a staff shirt and starting immediately. I've coached at 2 other gyms since and anytime someone with gymnastics experience (especially if it's substantial) walks into a gym and asks about coaching they are very well received and given at least a few hours.

I know there is also Lakewood Ranch in Bradenton, I used to work with a coach who grew up in that program and had great things to say. She also stopped in to check out EVO on a trip home and raved about their facilities.

 

[MaryA]

MaryA, so good to “hear “ from you. I’ve been wondering how you all were doing. So glad that she’s coaching and competing.

Yes, she took last year off because she spent spring semester at the Conserve School in Wisconsin (sort of an outdoorsy naturey semester school where she had an amazing experience). We really wanted her to be done with gym... financially, time-wise, stress-wise it just didn’t seem to make sense. But she wore us down and is coaching in exchange for her gym fees and she really does seem happy, if tired.

 

[MaryA]

Wow! Coachmolly, txgymfan... I disappear off the main boards for years at a time but the gang’s still here! All I need is for Dunno to chime in with a “yikes” and my life will be complete!

 

[MILgymFAM]

Wow! Coachmolly, txgymfan... I disappear off the main boards for years at a time but the gang’s still here! All I need is for Dunno to chime in with a “yikes” and my life will be complete!

Oh, you missed the Dunno drama. Suffice to say he won’t be back. My DD went to a semester school too!

 

[MaryA]

Oh, you missed the Dunno drama. Suffice to say he won’t be back. My DD went to a semester school too!

Not sorry to have missed the drama, but if somebody wants to message me the Cliff Notes version...

 

[raenndrops]

Not sorry to have missed the drama, but if somebody wants to message me the Cliff Notes version...

@MILgymFAM ... you wanna take care of that? You are good at making long stories short.

 

[MaryA]

@MILgymFAM ... you wanna take care of that? You are good at making long stories short.

Aw... and now Raendrops is here! It really is like I never left! Flipfloppy gave me the skinny on Dunno. Yikes, indeed!

 

[skschlag]

Good to see you! And happy to hear all of this Good luck with finding her a gym home in Florida!

 

[txgymfan]

MaryA, we miss you. Please stop by to give us updates once in a while.

 

[mommyof1]

So glad to hear she is still competing!

One of my grad school classmates coached compulsories at a local gym, and at least two of my daughter's compulsory coaches have been college-aged, so who knows, there might even be a gym willing to hire her as a team coach if she can make the schedule work.

 

[John]

DD's gym has a college 2 away. Any college student with upper level gym experience who finds there where into the place looking for work gets a job. Some work with pre-team others rec. Most of the rec and pre-team coaches are either college students or former athletes of the club.

Good luck to your daughter.

 

[Freddy's Fred]

Yes, she took last year off because she spent spring semester at the Conserve School in Wisconsin (sort of an outdoorsy naturey semester school where she had an amazing experience). We really wanted her to be done with gym... financially, time-wise, stress-wise it just didn’t seem to make sense. But she wore us down and is coaching in exchange for her gym fees and she really does seem happy, if tired.

I am another semester school parent giving a shout out to semester schools. They are such an amazing opportunity. My current L9 will attend one in the fall. I assume that that will be the end of gymnastics for her, but I'm OK with whatever she wants to do. I know she won't regret her time in the woods.