Parents Not excited, but not sad

[Texasmomof3]

Ok, so I hear of these things all the time and it literally makes me nauseous. Where does the bulk of the expense come from? Is it mostly due to travel?

My dd is a level 8. Tuition is $440 per month ($5280 per year). Competition fees (meet registration fees plus coaches fees for meets through regionals) are $1600 this year. $57 USAG registration. $175 coaches fund fee. $675 in competition leo/warm ups/bag/spirit tshirt/spirit leo. $50 per year for new grips. $500 for floor choreography. $150 for beam choreography. $175 for summer dance/ballet clinic for floor training.

Travel costs for distance meets. Gas to drive to and from practice 6 days a week. A full wardrobe of leotards, nike pro booty shorts, sports bras. Every bun-making device known to man.

Xrays for various sprains and breaks. Chiropractor co-pays. Coaches gifts. Team activities. Icy hot. Advil. Pre-wrap and athletic tape.

I could go on and on.

 

[MILgymFAM]

Ok, so I hear of these things all the time and it literally makes ne nauseous. Where does the bulk of the expense come from? Is it mostly due to travel?

Not just travel, but that adds up too (entry for parents and siblings, food, parking, gas, hotels, flights.. so fun), but also all the other stuff- meet and coaching fees, tuition, uniform, choreography.. the last time I added it up (and I was too scared to ever do it again) we spent $16,000 that year on two girls. And that could've been way worse- one was in t&t, which is cheaper.

 

[Texasmomof3]

I forgot to mention private lessons with the coaches. Ours charge $30 for 30 minutes. Even just a few lessons a year coming back from an injury or getting ready for an event and that has added $$. There are also annual team photos and the professional photos at at least one meet per year.

And @MILgymFAM makes a good point about meet expenses. Even for a meet with no hotel stay and no flights, consider: Parking at the venue has been up to $30. Entry fees at the venue anywhere from $10-$30 per person. Meet t-shirts $30-50. Snacks at the meet for the siblings who come along $10-20. Snacks and meals before/after the meet, easily $50-100 for the family. Multiple by 5-7 meets per season.

 

[Mamabear123]

I forgot to mention private lessons with the coaches. Ours charge $30 for 30 minutes. Even just a few lessons a year coming back from an injury or getting ready for an event and that has added $$. There are also annual team photos and the professional photos at at least one meet per year.

And @MILgymFAM makes a good point about meet expenses. Even for a meet with no hotel stay and no flights, consider: Parking at the venue has been up to $30. Entry fees at the venue anywhere from $10-$30 per person. Meet t-shirts $30-50. Snacks at the meet for the siblings who come along $10-20. Snacks and meals before/after the meet, easily $50-100 for the family. Multiple by 5-7 meets per season.

All these figures from this and your last reply honestly make my head spin. At our gym the monthly fee has everything rolled into one very high monthly price. But looking at these figures from everyone, it actually makes the most sense and I feel like I'm not over paying (I was seriously confused as to why our monthly was so high).
I know that us parents are paying for this crazy sport because our children love it so much, but can a small part of me hope that she takes this to college and gets a scholarship? One is allowed to dream right?

 

[Mamabear123]

Maybe she shows a different side to the coaches than what you are seeing...

I know 100% she shows her coaches a different side. But I've come to realize that she suffers from a condition called "getting there is half the battle" (as does her mother). So as everyone has said, I need to chill out and let the kid breath and follow her lead.

 

[Azgymmiemom]

All these figures from this and your last reply honestly make my head spin. At our gym the monthly fee has everything rolled into one very high monthly price. But looking at these figures from everyone, it actually makes the most sense and I feel like I'm not over paying (I was seriously confused as to why our monthly was so high).
I know that us parents are paying for this crazy sport because our children love it so much, but can a small part of me hope that she takes this to college and gets a scholarship? One is allowed to dream right?

Nope. Don't do it. Not at training level 4 age 7. There are a million and one good reasons to let her be on team, but do not expect a college scholarship at this point. If all your eggs are in that basket, you are better off putting all the money you would spend on gym in a savings account and by the time she's 18 you wouldn't need a scholarship you could pay cash.
When she's a solid level 9 training 10 and still loves gym and is basically injury free and still remotely young (like jr high, or high-early high school) they maybe, just maybe you can start tentatively hoping for a scholarship. But even then, be cautiously hoping...

Not wanting to sound so down. Again, I keep coming back to kids in other expensive sports. Dive, swim, baseball, football...none of them get asked when they're 7 or 8 if they plan to go pro or go to the Olympics. Because those sports are televised and more readily available for the general public to see. There's way more to gym than elite and college teams, but mostly only seen by those in the gym community, unfortunately.
It sounds like she has a wonderfully healthy attitude. She'll definitely let you know if/when it's no longer fun. And every thing she learns in gym will never be wasted. It's preparing her mind and body to tackle anything life can throw at her!

 

[profmom]

If you want to ensure funds for college, you are far better off saving specifically for that. With her being only 7, a little money put away every month will give you a nice nest egg by the time she's 18. I would discourage any thinking about paying gym fees as an investment toward an NCAA scholarship, because so many things can happen on the road toward college athletics -- including your child getting pretty darn good at all of this and being a possible scholarship candidate only to find at 16 or 17 that the spark has gone out.

However, gym fees are a great investment. You're investing in all of the following things that will benefit your future collegian: time management skills, perseverance, ability to succeed and fail gracefully, strong habits and routines of physical activity, experience with being on a team with a common goal that depends on encouraging others' success, experience assimilating constructive criticism, ability to manage and work through pain, ability to set and prioritize goals, experience with managing fear. Students who arrive at college with all of these assets are way ahead of the game!

 

[mommyof1]

I know that us parents are paying for this crazy sport because our children love it so much, but can a small part of me hope that she takes this to college and gets a scholarship? One is allowed to dream right?

You are kidding, right?

 

[MeetDirector]

... but can a small part of me hope that she takes this to college and gets a scholarship? One is allowed to dream right?

Mamabear - I was going to add my 2 cents, but I will just echo @Azgymmiemom and @profmom; don't start getting those thoughts in your head now. Just support her and make sure that she is rested and fed before practice. Let the coaches coach, trust them to do the best for your dd.

 

[Mamabear123]

Nope. Don't do it. Not at training level 4 age 7. There are a million and one good reasons to let her be on team, but do not expect a college scholarship at this point. If all your eggs are in that basket, you are better off putting all the money you would spend on gym in a savings account and by the time she's 18 you wouldn't need a scholarship you could pay cash.
When she's a solid level 9 training 10 and still loves gym and is basically injury free and still remotely young (like jr high, or high-early high school) they maybe, just maybe you can start tentatively hoping for a scholarship. But even then, be cautiously hoping...

Not wanting to sound so down. Again, I keep coming back to kids in other expensive sports. Dive, swim, baseball, football...none of them get asked when they're 7 or 8 if they plan to go pro or go to the Olympics. Because those sports are televised and more readily available for the general public to see. There's way more to gym than elite and college teams, but mostly only seen by those in the gym community, unfortunately.
It sounds like she has a wonderfully healthy attitude. She'll definitely let you know if/when it's no longer fun. And every thing she learns in gym will never be wasted. It's preparing her mind and body to tackle anything life can throw at her!

Hahaha thanks for the advice. I was totally kidding. I'm trying to get my 2 kiddos in the same school (kindergarten and 2nd grade) so I can have 1 drop off in the AM. College is nowhere close to my radar with her.
Right now gymnastics is easy and fun for her so I'm riding that wave. We didn't seek this team thing out so we knew nothing about it and are learning as we go. This time last year, we didn't know there were JO and xcel teams (we didn't even know what JO meant). First comp, we had no clue there were even age groups and were completely confused at awards. CB has been a big source of info for me and all my gym moms come to me for advice and information. Lol

 

[Mamabear123]

Also, we have come to realize that our gyms communication is lacking big time.

Also, just to echo my last reply, I'm completely joking about the college thing. DD is going into 2nd grade and has never even had a spelling test. Lol

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Also, we have come to realize that our gyms communication is lacking big time.

That is not unique to your gym.

 

[Gymmom0824]

My daughter is 10 and would move into the gym if they let her. She never tires of gym and comes home
And practices anything she can that is safe to do at home. I have a close friend that doesn't agree that it's healthy for her to spend so much time focusing on gym, but it's what she loves and is never forced to go, she just loves it. She has girls on her team you can tell are being forced to go or constantly miss practice for other things. I would never pay as much as
We do if my daughter were like that.

 

[e'smum]

we are sort of going through this with a 10yo/lvl 7. it's a lot. it's basically a part time job, on top of school. and it will get harder as they get older.

i also asked if mine wanted to move to xcel or stay in lvl 6 another year and the answer is no to either one. but we are not going to miss things for gymnastics anymore. ie - in 5th grade they do a "circus". she will miss a night of practice. my parents are coming and she will miss a saturday so we can all go apple picking (you have to go early or it's too crazy otherwise). she's been invited to a party, she will miss a night of practice for it (hoping this isn't also the same night as circus!). actually, she does better if given a breather. we opted to not go to a weekend of clinics at another gym. so she will just do a regular practice on saturday. vs. all wkend long. last year she missed an impromptu sleepover with a bunch of her school friends. she would have missed fri/sat practice. she regretted it.

my advice, it's ok to miss practice. don't let her miss out on life.

 

[CCGymbug]

Hearing all of you guys I almost feel like something is wrong with DD....she would live at the gym. She will go for 4-6 hours and come home and condition. Her world revolves around it and she will choose to miss anything for it. A few times I have stepped in and made her miss but very seldom. That said we are in gym 4 days 13hours/wk. Maybe she would be different if it was more....

 

[MILgymFAM]

Hearing all of you guys I almost feel like something is wrong with DD....she would live at the gym. She will go for 4-6 hours and come home and condition. Her world revolves around it and she will choose to miss anything for it. A few times I have stepped in and made her miss but very seldom. That said we are in gym 4 days 13hours/wk. Maybe she would be different if it was more....

My girls would miss just about anything for gym. They've skipped concerts (big ones), dances, parties, holidays- my ODD even skipped her eighth grade graduation. It's always been their choice and gym is just where they want to be. Last year they both went thanksgiving morning and Christmas Day. Ha. They were going close to 30 hours a week then too. Gym totally, 100% felt like family to them at that point though.

 

[e'smum]

Hearing all of you guys I almost feel like something is wrong with DD....she would live at the gym. She will go for 4-6 hours and come home and condition. Her world revolves around it and she will choose to miss anything for it. A few times I have stepped in and made her miss but very seldom. That said we are in gym 4 days 13hours/wk. Maybe she would be different if it was more....

oh, when dd was doing 4days/wk 12 hours/wk (plus another day of 2 hours with a high performance group) she was like that. even last year, going to lvl 6 and adding another day and more hours she was like that, then she decided she needed a break.
she goes m,t,w,f,s during the school year for a total of 18.5 hours now. so she only has thursdays and sundays off. it's a huge jump in hours/days at our gym from lvl 4 to lvl 6. she dropped out of the high performance group. and now that we've stepped back and i've made it clear she won't miss out on what we have the ability for her to make (meaning, no meet that wkend and they've also cut back in meets this year (!)) and i've listed all that she is going to be able to do in the next couple of months alone, she is doing much better and is more focused at the gym/seems happier.

but yes, her first 4 years in gymnastics she was always wanting to be at the gym and was doing stuff at home. but it was less days/hours. and it's totally normal. and totally ok if that is what your daughter wants to do!

 

[e'smum]

My girls would miss just about anything for gym. They've skipped concerts (big ones), dances, parties, holidays- my ODD even skipped her eighth grade graduation. It's always been their choice and gym is just where they want to be. Last year they both went thanksgiving morning and Christmas Day. Ha. They were going close to 30 hours a week then too. Gym totally, 100% felt like family to them at that point though.

what?!? your gym was open those days? we are open the day before and the day after each of those days but not the day of.... lol

 

[MILgymFAM]

what?!? your gym was open those days? we are open the day before and the day after each of those days but not the day of.... lol

Yup, they were open for extra practice. The owner/HC was Jewish and an immigrant and didn't celebrate either holiday. On both occasions my kids and his kids were the only ones there, and my kids had the absolute best time.

 

[e'smum]

Yup, they were open for extra practice. The owner/HC was Jewish and an immigrant and didn't celebrate either holiday. On both occasions my kids and his kids were the only ones there, and my kids had the absolute best time.

i was wondering. lol. i don't doubt it was a lot of fun. it's great when you have the whole gym (and coach) to yourself! i am hoping our gym does a special 3 hour open gym again on our school system's half days. last year i pulled dd out of school 1/2 hour early and she went and was able to practice her new floor routine (minus tumbling) and work on a skill that was her nemesis. i hope to be able to do that again at least once before meets start up.