Parents Late Policy

[cbifoja]

Our gym doesn't punish the girls for being late. If they miss some of warm up, they might be doing a different sequence of warm up, but it feels like that is more to ensure that the late child is adequately warmed up, rather than being some sort of exclusion or punishment. I think if someone was having excessive tardies, HC would talk to the parent about the situation.

I was speaking to another gym earlier this year about a possible transfer but when I found out that their start time wasn't compatible with our school schedule, I thanked the coach for her time and explained that getting there at 3:30 wasn't possible for my daughter. She said it would be fine for her to come at 4:30 (the earliest I could get her there).

I was raised in a military family and we don't "do" late. LOL Not to mention, why would I take my DD to a gym where she would miss 20% of her training time every weekday? Plus it would be so disruptive to always be late and having DD be off rotation with her group. I guess being late is okay in some gyms.

 

[duyetanh]

I feel the same way as someone who posted earlier...when kids are absent, my kid gets more attention. Works for us! As far as being on time, we get there right when the running starts, but she still needs to change. So she is invariably a bit late, say 5 min, at times. The coach is fine within and gets it.

 

[xxStumpyxx]

I feel the same way as someone who posted earlier...when kids are absent, my kid gets more attention. Works for us! As far as being on time, we get there right when the running starts, but she still needs to change. So she is invariably a bit late, say 5 min, at times. The coach is fine within and gets it.

That is also how I feels generally when most of the kids don't show up, but these are on the odd occasion, not regularly.

 

[xxStumpyxx]

If the child is able to perform well, should it matter?

And do you know that they are not doing make ups?

On the scheme of things it doesn't matter as it will only effect their progress at the end of the day,

Let me explain my reasoning behind my post (valid or not)
Recently our gym reshuffled most of the girls groups, split them up into age groups and gave them more hours (all good), but for some reason they ended up with two groups on the same level and age group ( probably are there were more of this age group and they seem to have a ratio of 8 gymnasts to 1 coach), of these two groups made of the same age range you have some girls that cannot make certain practices regularly from both groups, these two groups practice different days and times. We were not given the option as to what days we were were given, so surly some days would suit some parents/gymnasts more than others given the fact of regular non attendance.

At the end of the day it doesn't effect me as my daughter can make all her practices, it just puzzled me as to why the gym did it like this.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

On the scheme of things it doesn't matter as it will only effect their progress at the end of the day,

Let me explain my reasoning behind my post (valid or not)
Recently our gym reshuffled most of the girls groups, split them up into age groups and gave them more hours (all good), but for some reason they ended up with two groups on the same level and age group ( probably are there were more of this age group and they seem to have a ratio of 8 gymnasts to 1 coach), of these two groups made of the same age range you have some girls that cannot make certain practices regularly from both groups, these two groups practice different days and times. We were not given the option as to what days we were were given, so surly some days would suit some parents/gymnasts more than others given the fact of regular non attendance.

At the end of the day it doesn't effect me as my daughter can make all her practices, it just puzzled me as to why the gym did it like this.

I would have a huge problem with changing times, without notice and some say in when. Also would have a problem with no ability to do make ups.

My daughters has a piece in her school districts art show on Tues (a practice day), her coach will let her practice on Wed instead.

Flexibility was huge for me in picking a gym. This gym recognizes that they are just kids and have families and other things going on besides just gym. (Yeah I know that's blasphemy to some). They don't want to lose a good gymnast to burn out and no life balance. Yes when she gets higher up the time commitment will increase but right now she needs flexibility in her life as well as her body.

 

[xxStumpyxx]

I would have a huge problem with changing times, without notice and some say in when. Also would have a problem with no ability to do make ups.

My daughters has a piece in her school districts art show on Tues (a practice day), her coach will let her practice on Wed instead.

Flexibility was huge for me in picking a gym. This gym recognizes that they are just kids and have families and other things going on besides just gym. (Yeah I know that's blasphemy to some). They don't want to lose a good gymnast to burn out and no life balance. Yes when she gets higher up the time commitment will increase but right now she needs flexibility in her life as well as her body.

We had no say in the change at all, we were notified by letter telling us within two weeks the groups were changing and for some of the girls it meant a new coach as well as an extra day and extra hours, for some the change isn't good due to other commitments, parents should have been given a chance to say if it is suitable or not, some of the gymnasts have already left due to the changes, it is a shame to see some training sessions emptier due to this but good for the ones that can be there as they get more coach time.

On the upside for my daughter, she has more gym time, two coaches to 6-7 girls depending on the day, girls all close to her age, on a similar skill level and the coaches know how to keep them busy with very little standing around.

 

[Iwannabemargo]

but here we practice a lot fewer hours - so there are no other sessions to use to make up

 

[xxStumpyxx]

I don't think it is common for our gym to offer you make up session for missed training unless on the rare occasion the session has to be cancelled for everyone, when this rare event happens the make up sessions are usually offered during the school holidays during the day time as the gym is usually very busy in the evenings and weekends.

 

[skschlag]

We never have a say in training groups/times. The schedule for summer just came out, and we just accept it and figure it out. Same for fall.

 

[xxStumpyxx]

Usually that would be the case of just put up and shut up, but as the are two training groups of the same hours, girls the same age and similar levels where the girls cannot always make then it would make sense to ask to parents what is best for their family as the two group share one day (early then the other group) and have two different days, it is on the different days where there are fewer gymnasts in both sessions.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Our summer schedule just came out, we have a few options.

They do have one day that is required per level. That way the whole team is together at least once a week.

 

[skschlag]

I guess D's options are limited due to level lol. Ours 4s have 3 days a week they can choose from (must attend 2). 5s have 4 days must attend 3, ,6s have 5 days must attend 4. 7 have 6 days, can do 4 or 5. 8s have 6 must do 5.

D is a 9. he has 6 days to choose from, must do 6. So I guess...maybe that is where I am coming from.
But the times are are 8-12, so we have to figure that out.

 

[cbifoja]

I would have a huge problem with changing times, without notice and some say in when. Also would have a problem with no ability to do make ups.

Our schedules always change about this time of year. Once season is over, we shift schedules to get the girls more in line with their summer groups. The schedule changes some and we've never had a say in our schedule. The coach says "L8s practice Mon, Tues, Thurs, Friday, and Sat" and those are the days we show up. And team has never had the opportunity for make ups unless the coach decides to cancel practice and offer a make up. But just missing for school or personal reasons doesn't qualify our girls for any kind of individual make ups.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Cbifoja that just wouldn't work for us.

I get set days, but there needs to be some flexibility. Same with summer hours.
And if I sign up and commit to schedule abc that is when I expect and commit to being there. And I expect the gym to do the same and not change to xyz without warning.

Again, they sometimes need make some temporary scheduling changes. Coaches daughter is graduating college, a Friday and Saturday practice will be canceled. Kids can make up. And sometimes the gymmies need to reschedule that can be done as long as you give notice so they are sure there are enough coaches for the kids in the gym.

They don't expect it to be a regular thing, but life happens.

If our gym were that inflexible they would lose a lot of really good gymnasts.

 

[cbifoja]

Have you had the same schedule since day 1 of being on team?

I guess for our team, we know when to expect the changes. We have a "competition season" schedule that the girls are on from August to March. Then we have a post-State schedule from April to May where the girls get put into new "skill groups". Then we have our summer schedule for June and July where we go to days with more hours and training groups rather than actual levels. Each of these schedules means different days/hours.

And for each level, we get more hours (and higher tuition of course!). So we know that each year the commitment is higher. My DD was able to play soccer during her old L3 and old L5 season, but once she hit optionals, there wasn't really a chance to do anything else.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

No, first year it was one schedule, summer was different, this school year, different again. This summer will be different still. And next school year different from the last 2. Each year the hours and fees have increased but we have always known ahead of time what the changes were. There has been some degree of choice. So this year everyone at her level had to go Monday. Then it T-Th or W-F and you could add a day or Sat. We did M-T-Th. Next year it will be M-W-F

For summer, I can send her, Monday am, T-Th eve
Or MWF, am
I can swap a day for Sat (this really helps working parents)
I can add Sat.
Plus gym camps. Not sure yet when she will go. We will probably do more summer hours, so I will get less grief about not sending her 4 days during the school year.

Now the higher levels have less flexibility but it is also easier to arrange car pooling and such because the kids are older, out of car seats and boosters, able to stay home by themselves if parents work and they need a pick up or drop off.

 

[z2akids]

Our girls have no flexibility. In August when final placements come out, the training schedule comes out. All the level 3s train 3 days a week for a total of 9 hours. Each level has its own days/hours. There is only one group per level, so there aren't other possible days.

Then in May the anticipated level changes are made and summer schedule comes out. Again, each level has its own schedule and there aren't possible other days.

As for make ups, sometimes if there us s day that practice is cancelled, it will be made up. But, there aren't individual make ups offered.

 

[Lisbeth]

Our gym schedule is like z2akids mentioned above.

 

[Anna's_Mom]

I'm lucky in that, so far, all of our girls train in one group, though I imagine that won't work too much longer. The team just started a couple of years ago and everyone, regardless of prior rec level, started at L3. Now we have our first girls moving to optionals and I'm not sure what impact that will have. Anyway, there are different days/times offered and we each commit to a schedule. L3 are required to attend 3 days, L4&5 come at least 4 days, and each practice is 2 hours. Practice is offered 6 days a week though and some are afternoon 4-6 (all schools in the area are out by 3-ish), some are evening 6:30-8:30, one is 5-7 and then Saturday afternoons 1-3. So most of us can customize to make it work with most schedules. I do use a car service to get my DD to the afternoon sessions so that she can do 5 days a week. Makeups are required for any missed practice either on a different day or an open gym session. So far when they have needed to change the schedule they have simply added more days. There will be extra summer day sessions offered but, at least so far, they haven't been required.

For those of you without that flexibility, I don't know how you manage if you aren't a stay-at-home parent or have private after school care!