Parents Help w/ choosing the right gym

[Lisa Dawn]

Hi everyone. I am new on the board and new to gymnastics. We have a 4 children, our youngest is 6 and in kindergarten. She has been competing level 3 at unsanctioned meets at a small gym near our home this year. She has competed in 6 meets and done very well. They are beginning to work on level 4 skills now. I think she has a lot of natural ability and could be a very good gymnast.

What path should I take now? Stay at the local gym? Change to a bigger gym that has a team program and competes in sanctioned meets? I like the local gym, but they don't do any sanctioned meets and don't have a formal team program.

How do you know what the best place is for your child? What is the difference between the sanctioned and unsanctioned programs?

Thanks a ton. I would love some direction from those who have more experience.

 

[Aussie_coach]

Generally you will find the difference is in the focus of the gym. A gym that attends only unsanctioned meets is probably more of a recreational base, they will generally have the kids train less hours and have more focus on fun than on progression. They are great because they are more inclusive a child that might not make the team at another gym may get a chance there. They don't tend to be aiming to develop college gymnasts, Elites or even high level gymnasts.

A gym that attends sanctioned meets usually is more focused on competition. They will train more hours and focus more on perfection, their teams will be more exclusive, usually with a lot more rules and expectations for you to follow. They are more likely to be developing girls for higher levels, college or elite gymnastics.

The best gym of course will be the one that suits your child. It sounds like she may have the ability to make it at a more competitive gym. But be aware this will mean more hours, more money and more hard work, sweat and tears.

 

[ZJsMom]

If she's interested in competitive gymnastics, now might be a good time to switch to a gym with a team program. If your state is still in the compulsory season--some states still have spring states coming up--I would find a competition and go to it. That would give you and your dd a sense of what it's about and you could check out the teams. If you google "your state USAG" you should be able to find the state's website and it will likely have a competition schedule.

If you decide to make the move now, go to visit the gyms around you and watch the level 4 practice. Talk to parents in the bleachers. When you figure out which gyms appeal to you, you can call and they'll likely have your dd in for a try out so she and you can get a sense of how she likes it and fits in there.

 

[Lisa Dawn]

Thank you for the advise. I am going to take her to another gym in our area that team program (training team, pre-team, etc.) and competes in sanctioned meets.

What questions should I be asking?

 

[bogwoppit]

What are the hours?

What are the costs? Tuition, booster club, comp wear, coaching fees etc

Do they have optional level gymnasts?

How do they let parents know how their kids are doing?

How do parents communicate with the gym?

What is the ratio of coaches to gymnasts?

WIll she always have the same coach?

 

[Lisa Dawn]

Thank you so much. Great list of questions.

 

[NotAMom]

Also another good thing to know is how the kids and coaches interact. With that, you may have to schedule a session or two with the gym so that you can watch the kids practice. In your case, pay closer attention to the younger and lower level gymnasts. It should give you an indication of whether your child will fit into the culture.

 

[gym law mom]

One way to approach it might be for you to go watch part of a L4 practice if you can't sit through the whole thing and talk with the coaches after. If you get a good feeling and they've answered your questions then set up a time to bring your dd in. They will most likely want her to either practice with the girls looking to move to L4 or have her do a try out with one of the coaches. Then you get dd's input plus you have another chance to watch---you see how your child fits in and ask any other questions.

One reason I suggested you go without dd is the younger ones can easily get "hooked" on a new gym, but you may see the tuition and want to go running for the parking lot! If you go and get information up front that turns you off to this gym then you can move on and keep looking.

Do tell her that her visit to the gym is for fun and she's not going there for sure until you have a chance to talk with people.

BTW--Bog gave you a great list of questions. Make sure you ask if there is a parent association/booster club for team parents. Believe me, you'll want as much info about it as possible.

 

[thnkGd4kds]

Also another good thing to know is how the kids and coaches interact. With that, you may have to schedule a session or two with the gym so that you can watch the kids practice. In your case, pay closer attention to the younger and lower level gymnasts. It should give you an indication of whether your child will fit into the culture.

Yes, carefully observe lower level gymnasts, but also pay attention to higher levels.

My dd first took gymnastics in a rec class at age 4. When it was obvious that she absolutely loved it and was good, I paid attention to the optional girls. Were they happy? No. I didn't see them smile. Did I like the way the coaches spoke to them? Not always. So, I asked a friend who had girls in gym for gym suggestions, and I observed our current gym. Happy-looking younger and older gymnasts and encouraging coaches were the first clues that this gym was the right fit for us. Yes, our gym does well competitively, and I did pay attention to that when I chose it. However, the environment fitting your expectations and desires is as important as the outcomes of the program.

 

[Lisa Dawn]

Ok, we have visited the new gym twice now. DD has enjoyed the classes, head coach would place her on the training level 4 team (she has competed level 3 rec team this past yr) and this seems like a good fit. The practice time would increase from 3 hrs (old gym) to 6 hrs (new), cost is very similar for classes, meets, leo, etc. The major difference is being at a gym & team that competes in sanctioned meets.

Help me understand the real difference in competing in sanctioned vs. unsanctioned meets at level 4,5. What is the difference? Are the skills & routines the same?

I don't mind changing gyms, but I want to think this through well before making a decision. Thanks again for the input.

 

[NotAMom]

I am assuming you are referring to USAG L4/5. If so, the format will be similar and all the requirements are pretty much the same. The major differences you will find are the participants and the overall atmosphere. You normally do not find too many highly competitive gyms at non-sanction meets. Also, the scoring tends to be much tougher at a sanction meet. IMHO, I think it's good for a gymnast at any level to have a mixture of both.

 

[kristilyn73]

Another question to ask is "move up policy". At what point does the gym move kids to the next level. Some gyms move kids up once a year, some move up when skills are obtained. USAG Requires a pass up score (obtained at a sanctioned meet) but some gyms require that pass up multiple times or require a higher pass up score.

My DD was/is motivated by skills and the next level.. being in a gym that holds kids in a level for 2 - 3 years just wouldnt be the right fit for her.

Good luck with your search!

 

[Lisa Dawn]

Thank you all so much for all of your input. I talked with our current coach today and discussed my DD, levels, meets, practices, etc. I feel so reassured that we are in the right place for her age/level.