Hi all,
I'm new here so I will give a short intro. I'm mom to N. who is L8 and T. who is L4. We also have 2 other children not in competitive gymnastics.
We've been at our current gym for the last 5 years. I would definitely describe our gym as "developing". There are 4-5 other gyms in this area and all of them have been around for a long time and have a strong reputation for placing girls high at meets. Those gyms are also harsher on the girls and more strenous and after looking at 2 of them (one of which we stayed at for a year on the L2-L3 team), we left, knowing that it was not the right vibe for us. N. my L8, is competitive and works hard, but she does not want her life to be gym gym gym and neither do I or my dh.
Our current gym has a thriving and well established boys' program with a good reputation and it was clear, even 5 years ago when I first stepped into the gym, that life there revolves around the boys' program. That was okay by me and N. (who was my only gymmie at the time).
The girls' program through these 5 years has struggled with coaches with no gymnastics knowledge or coaching know-how. About two years ago, when N. was a L5, there was a mass exodus and 12 girls left--3 from the senior girls team (L5 and up) and 9 from the afterschool team (L4-L5).
That actually helped things--bad coaches were fired, good coaches were promoted or hired and for the next 2 years, the teams began to improve. Last compulsory season, they had an extremely successful L3 season and every girl on the L4, L5 and L6 teams made it to State with half of them ranking in the top 10.
Just 2 months later, one of the coaches just quits. Out of the blue. This coach is very experienced and has worked at a lot of gyms which sounds good but actually isn't because what it means is that she has never stayed at a gym for more than 2 years.
So there were tears, questions, confusion and I think our gym should have had a parents' meeting of some sort, to settle the parents down, explain how the staffing will now work, introduce them to the newer coaches who will be taking over, etc. But this didn't happen, and I guess doubts began to arise, despite having had a good season. I guess our gym hasn't established itself enough to win the parents over?
To make things worse, 2 weeks ago, the co-owner who is also one of the Boys' HCs comes over and "talks" to the L5-L7 girls' teams. Neither of my dds were there, but he apparently said inappropriate and unprofessional things, revealed negative and personal things about the coach that left and basically said that the boys' team is much better and more organized and whatever whatever. Idiotic stuff.
Mass exodus #2. Two girls have already left, and 4 more have called the nearest competing gym (the one that we left) to try out there. I anticipate those 4 leaving. The teams are small enough to begin with. N. said to me, "wow, it will just be me left." Sigh.
We are committed to our current gym. We love our HC and she loves us. N. is their only L8 so far and our HC told me that she will get N. wherever she wants to go (which is L10 and maybe college). N. is also a competitive dancer and our HC has worked with us over the years with N's practice schedule and all of our many vacations.
So far the drama has only affected the L5-L7 girls. The L4 parents are still on cloud 9 after such a great L3 season and they are all fairly new to the gym and don't know any of the old history or drama or bad coaches. Life is grand for my T. and her L4 teammates. But I feel so bad for my N.
Anyway--all this to say, has anyone stayed at their gym after a mass exodus? Any encouraging words I can say? Anything I can do?
I'm new here so I will give a short intro. I'm mom to N. who is L8 and T. who is L4. We also have 2 other children not in competitive gymnastics.
We've been at our current gym for the last 5 years. I would definitely describe our gym as "developing". There are 4-5 other gyms in this area and all of them have been around for a long time and have a strong reputation for placing girls high at meets. Those gyms are also harsher on the girls and more strenous and after looking at 2 of them (one of which we stayed at for a year on the L2-L3 team), we left, knowing that it was not the right vibe for us. N. my L8, is competitive and works hard, but she does not want her life to be gym gym gym and neither do I or my dh.
Our current gym has a thriving and well established boys' program with a good reputation and it was clear, even 5 years ago when I first stepped into the gym, that life there revolves around the boys' program. That was okay by me and N. (who was my only gymmie at the time).
The girls' program through these 5 years has struggled with coaches with no gymnastics knowledge or coaching know-how. About two years ago, when N. was a L5, there was a mass exodus and 12 girls left--3 from the senior girls team (L5 and up) and 9 from the afterschool team (L4-L5).
That actually helped things--bad coaches were fired, good coaches were promoted or hired and for the next 2 years, the teams began to improve. Last compulsory season, they had an extremely successful L3 season and every girl on the L4, L5 and L6 teams made it to State with half of them ranking in the top 10.
Just 2 months later, one of the coaches just quits. Out of the blue. This coach is very experienced and has worked at a lot of gyms which sounds good but actually isn't because what it means is that she has never stayed at a gym for more than 2 years.
So there were tears, questions, confusion and I think our gym should have had a parents' meeting of some sort, to settle the parents down, explain how the staffing will now work, introduce them to the newer coaches who will be taking over, etc. But this didn't happen, and I guess doubts began to arise, despite having had a good season. I guess our gym hasn't established itself enough to win the parents over?
To make things worse, 2 weeks ago, the co-owner who is also one of the Boys' HCs comes over and "talks" to the L5-L7 girls' teams. Neither of my dds were there, but he apparently said inappropriate and unprofessional things, revealed negative and personal things about the coach that left and basically said that the boys' team is much better and more organized and whatever whatever. Idiotic stuff.
Mass exodus #2. Two girls have already left, and 4 more have called the nearest competing gym (the one that we left) to try out there. I anticipate those 4 leaving. The teams are small enough to begin with. N. said to me, "wow, it will just be me left." Sigh.
We are committed to our current gym. We love our HC and she loves us. N. is their only L8 so far and our HC told me that she will get N. wherever she wants to go (which is L10 and maybe college). N. is also a competitive dancer and our HC has worked with us over the years with N's practice schedule and all of our many vacations.
So far the drama has only affected the L5-L7 girls. The L4 parents are still on cloud 9 after such a great L3 season and they are all fairly new to the gym and don't know any of the old history or drama or bad coaches. Life is grand for my T. and her L4 teammates. But I feel so bad for my N.
Anyway--all this to say, has anyone stayed at their gym after a mass exodus? Any encouraging words I can say? Anything I can do?
We have a large level one team(very common in our state), our level 2 team(3 girls), level 3 team(2 girls), level 4 (4 girls), and one lonely 5. Currently, one level 4 is leaving and trying to take everyone with her. We aren't going. Our gym just merged with another gym and these are what are left. But meanwhile we have four awesome coaches and a well known higher level coach is about to join us as well. Our powerhouse team is the level 2 girls(three of them just won the grand champions of the level 2 teams at their last meet). The hope is to move those girls and a couple of others to four for next season. 
