How to deal with the influx

[virginiacoach]

Question for everyone... mostly looking for perspectives from owners or coaches... I work at a gym where we get a lot of local gym transfers... and I mean a lot - like an average of 10 - 15 new team kids each summer from the time one season ends to the time one begins. And regularly... not just one summer, but every summer for the past 8 years that I have been there. We love the program we have created and all of the coaches really work well together - but it is hard always having so many new gymnasts coming in. We had two start the first week of september, one new one last week and another new one yesterday and another new one tomorrow. The owners of the gym are beyond wonderful -- they treat the staff extremely well and no one ever leaves - coaches ever and very, very few kids. I can only think of about 4 team kids that have gone to other gyms in the time I have been there - 8 years. However, the owner has a hard time saying no to anyone. It doesn't have anything to do with their gymnastics ability.. she is just a sucker for the kids - so they come in and they are nice families and somehow we find somewhere to put them. We have a very creative practice schedule which has staggered start time etc. and that allows us a lot of space to have a lot of kids. We also have a very big gym and a team ratio of 8 - 10 kids per group with now two coaches for every group like this. I just wonder how other gyms deal with this sort of problem of never turning kids away. I know it isn't really a problem, but I just wonder if some gyms put caps on the numbers or if they just hire more coaches or if they have a date cut off... like don't take new team kids after september or december etc.? Just trying to see if anyone does it a better way?

 

[sportyspice]

WOW! I am beyond jealous - the way you describe your gym makes me want to immigrate to the other side of the world! I am sorry I cannot help you with any solutions but I can say that our gym is the polar opposite in respect of philosophy, set up (a charity with no one responsible for numbers, quality control of coaching etc.) and our gymnasts have suffered as a result, most leaving the sport completely. Sounds like you have created a fantastic gymnastics environment, well done!

 

[bogwoppit]

Virginiacoach I had understood that you are the gym owner, maybe I have you confused with another member?

I cannot imagine what it must be like to operate with a team of 150+ competitive team gymnasts, that would be a huge challenge. But I imagine that as you now know that you will inherit 10-15 new team girls a year that you must have developed some great strategies, and you van help us more than we can help you.

Be grateful that you have such a popular gym!

 

[cher062]

Well my 2 cents - Thats called good business - no business would turn away revenue. they will take the kids and hire more staff. Every business should have that "Problem"

 

[virginiacoach]

It is a good problem to have, but it is always a balance of keeping those happy that have been loyal customers year after year, and wanting to make room for the new kid. As a program grows, there are growing pains associated and if you get too big, too fast it can be problematic. We have been able to head off any major issues, but I always just wonder if we are doing a disservice to the loyal people who have been with us forever in order to accomodate the "gym hoppers".... that being said, usually even those with a reputation as such don't tend to hop once they land in our program.. Just wondering if anyone has caps or timelines or something else creative that they do. Thanks for the input.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

as Bog stated...are you asking as an owner? or as a coach??

 

[virginiacoach]

I asking anyone who will give input? I would love to hear anyones perspective and different perspectives. I am not technically an owner anymore, had owned another gym in the past, but have a lot of autonomy in my position as we all do. Any input would be appreciated from anyone

 

[bookworm]

My daughter's gym tends to get an influx every year after States as well...and the difference is that we do not have the coaches to accomodate it so the numbers in the groups just keeps climbing....some groups have 17 girls in them and there are some groups with 4 in them so there's no real plan in place. We have approximately 100-110 girls on team with 4-5 coaches!! The practices are staggered but it still seems like more coaches should be hired for these kind of numbers. There should be a "try out" for team but our HC/owner just sees it as another tuition unfortunately...

And to VirginiaCoach's point, I would at least have some sort of try out system where the girls who are coming to your gym at least have the minimum of skills for the levels they are entering ( if not, put them back a level in your program and see if they still stay) ...I think it's tough when you're a "loyal customer" as you say and you see new kids come in that say they are a Level 9 for example but don't have the skills , are taking up a coach's time getting through the kids balks and fears, and your kid isn't getting coached properly because of this...I'm not saying the new girl shouldn't get coached but it should be the determination of the gym/coach (not the parent) as to what level she trains with and is therefore appropriately placed. I have no problem with the gym taking new people and having the coaching staff to accomodate it but I do have a problem when it impacts my daughter.

 

[beamer]

lifers vs. interlopers

I'm a parent, not a coach, but since we just went through this (from the gym switcher's perspective!) I can describe what has happened at my DD's new gym. Level 5/6 DD left her old gym in April, after a coach there made a really inappropriate and threatening remark to her.

We switched to a gym that was farther away but, really, much better...in all areas. The same sort of influx described by virginiacoach was taking place at the new gym throughout spring and summer.

I could tell that some of the parents of girls who had been at the gym since they were little were getting discouraged by the constantly changing workout groups/needy and not up-to-speed interloping gym switchers. I count my own DD among this group. She came to the new gym never having practiced bars into a pit, so certainly did require extra attention...and in many areas, not just bars.

At first, I was sort of self-righteous about the whole thing: am I not paying the same amount of money for this gym and investing the same amount of time in my kid's gymnastics world as are the lifers? But then I put myself in their shoes.

I admit I would be discouraged too if I were a lifer and not an interloper. Their investment in the gym over the years puts them in the category of "customers" whom you want to keep happy. We interlopers are still among the unknowns at the gym.

DD's new gym's response to the aggravation was to move the higher-level lifers (they will compete L6 this year) to a more stable and established workout group. My DD (whom, I admit, was sorry to see them go, as she had established friendships in her brief time in their group) is in a group with several girls who are new to the gym and the higher-level L4s who will be competing 5 this year (my DD is repeating L5). The arrangement seems to be working for everyone.

The coaches made the changes openly -- but with little fanfare -- at a time that made sense: end of summer schedule/beginning of competition season.