Rules on changing gyms mid season

[GymAllDay]

Does anyone know the rules for changing gyms during a season? My daughter switched to a new gym this year & still has not competed for the new team & may want to switch back to her old gym. Does anyone know if there is a waiting period for this type of situation?

 

[cftmoonlight]

You can switch whenever, but you can't count towards the new team score until you have been there for 30 days.

 

[GymAllDay]

Thanks! So she doesn't have to wait to compete? What if she did compete for the new team? Would she have to wait then?
Does this happen alot, you know thinking you will like another gym better then finding out it isn't what you wanted.

 

[cftmoonlight]

She can compete, her scores will not count towards her team score until she has been there for 30 days. That is the rule as I understand it.

 

[gymdog]

The only thing that really matters for her individual competition/training is the individual gym's policies on switching. You probably did USAG registration for this competitive year with your old gym but the gym switch is no problem. I know girls who have done it weeks before meets. I didn't know the exact rule on the score thing, but I have seen girls who switched relatively soon before a state meet competings as "independent." Either way she should be able to compete.

Yes, sometimes people regret switching. It's hard to say without knowing the circumstances. She might just be missing people and having a hard time adjusting or it might be a bad fit. The older/higher level you are, the harder it seems to be to adjust to a new gym as well.

 

[GymAllDay]

She is a 2nd year Level 9 & was training Level 10 skills. We left the old gym for more experienced coaching, better spotting & less drama in the gym. Which the new gm has all that but it is also 1.5 hours away, no close friends, harder work, stricter coaching, no pit & it is all work & no play. She thinks it has just burnt her out.

 

[gymdog]

She is a 2nd year Level 9 & was training Level 10 skills. We left the old gym for more experienced coaching, better spotting & less drama in the gym. Which the new gm has all that but it is also 1.5 hours away, no close friends, harder work, stricter coaching, no pit & it is all work & no play. She thinks it has just burnt her out.

Yeah. It's gonna be hard to adjust no matter what, but after you have been in a certain situation for so long you get really used to it. We kind of had to switch but it was really hard for me to adjust. That said she may still adjust if it has only been a couple months. Honestly I think if both of your guts are telling you it was a mistake, I would switch back if the old gym is receptive. At least it's a known quantity and you and she both know what it is you're after. You could wait and see on this situation but that's the unknown quantity. If it isn't looking particularly fortuitous, I'd be inclined to not wait it out. I made a major mistake doing that (after awhile optional program at old gym picked back up but I felt I "had" to finish out the season at the other gym, etc). I did end up going back and it was a really good decision. That gym isn't perfect. I mean objectively the other gym situation was probably even "better" if I looked at it on paper. Great gym, nothing wrong it, nice people, nice place, no complaints. But the reality was that I was very used to a certain thing and the not quite perfect elements there weren't nearly enough to outweigh what I was used to and liked.

It's a lot to think about but ultimately I think that's what it comes down to, if in hindsight the "known" quantity of the old gym is looking pretty much to come out on top, then that's going to say a lot, even though it won't be perfect when you go back of course. But even considering the social aspect, if she was more comfortable with the culture at the old gym, well that means a lot this far down the line when you have tied so much time and social identity into this. In a lot of ways that is a very real consideration. Most people I know who did well switching this late either switched with several teammates or to a gym where they knew people well. It can be difficult to come into a L9/10 group. Some of the girls might have been in training groups together for a decade. It all depends on the gym culture but that can have a very real affect on how someone feels when you're spending hours and hours somewhere.

 

[GymAllDay]

Thank you, gymdog for your reply, everything you say is so true & it helps to know that there are other people out there that have had the same problem & understand.
She took a break for about 4 weeks & then I made her go back in to the new gym. She didn't want to go & it was really hard for her. Things were fine for a few weeks & then there was a situation at practice & now she won't go back again. She is a very compliant perfectionist type person & does not like to be haulered at or pressured & that is what the new gym represents for her. I was trying to get her to finish the season out but that doesn't seem to be an option anymore. She was suppose to switch with a teammate & then that girl changed her mind & stayed at the old gym but we kind of had already burned that bridge. i just hope & pray that the old coach will accept her back. The problem with the old coach is really more with me & not my daughter so I am trying to let my daughter do the talking with the old coach & just stay out of it, but I know that we need to resolve our issues. Any suggestions on me resolving old issues?

 

[gymmomntc2e6]

Thank you, gymdog for your reply, everything you say is so true & it helps to know that there are other people out there that have had the same problem & understand.
She took a break for about 4 weeks & then I made her go back in to the new gym. She didn't want to go & it was really hard for her. Things were fine for a few weeks & then there was a situation at practice & now she won't go back again. She is a very compliant perfectionist type person & does not like to be haulered at or pressured & that is what the new gym represents for her. I was trying to get her to finish the season out but that doesn't seem to be an option anymore. She was suppose to switch with a teammate & then that girl changed her mind & stayed at the old gym but we kind of had already burned that bridge. i just hope & pray that the old coach will accept her back. The problem with the old coach is really more with me & not my daughter so I am trying to let my daughter do the talking with the old coach & just stay out of it, but I know that we need to resolve our issues. Any suggestions on me resolving old issues?

Maybe request a meeting at a neutral place (coffee shop etc) and just tell HC - As two people who care for DD I would like to work out our problems (or put our differences aside ) so that she can continue to do what she loves.

 

[gymdog]

i just hope & pray that the old coach will accept her back. The problem with the old coach is really more with me & not my daughter so I am trying to let my daughter do the talking with the old coach & just stay out of it, but I know that we need to resolve our issues. Any suggestions on me resolving old issues?

I think you might be surprised. Most gyms and coaches are actually pretty good about that. They probably understand and have reflected on the situation and what led to it, and probably take some responsibility. Now usually if a person comes back and then switches again it will have to be permanent, but I think most people understand that we all make mistakes. Once I went back I was so happy, it was just almost like everything never happened.