Parents Switching gyms question

[texasgymmama]

We are asked to give a 30 day notice at our gym. We want to switch for several reasons so I was going to give our notice on April 1st. We have one more meet in April so the only thing I worry about is will this be awkward since the coach will know we are quitting? Anyone give notice and then still compete?

 

[Mish]

I would not give notice before competing. When your season is over I would thank them for their time, gather your things, and politely leave. Thirty days be damned.

 

[TumbleTimes4]

I would only give notice in two scenarios: if our family was going to be moving out of the area for reasons unrelated to gymnastics or if my daughter was planning on leaving the sport for good at the end of that thirty days. If you are planning to switch to another gym in the area, I would not give a thirty day notice and I certainly would not do it before a meet. On your last day, simply have your daughter clean out her locker, tell her teammates and coaches goodbye, and thank the gym for their time.

 

[gymgal]

Same as above. If it means you have to pay an extra month tuition, so be it. It will be well worth not putting your child in that awkward situation.

 

[Aussie_coach]

Would your gym really treat a gymnast differently if they were leaving for another gym? I hope this would not be the case.

When we have a gymnast leave, we generally know well before they tell us. Because the kid dies a trial at another gym, then in Australia the new gym has to ask the old gym for permission to transfer them. Just in case they leave owing money at the old gym.

Parents are generally unaware of this and always surprised that we know.

But I am 100% supportive of these families. If we have a kid who doesn’t want to be there and feels they would be better off somewhere else, then it’s not going to be a positive experience having them stay anyway.

We tell them that we understand that every child is a bit different, and each gym is a bit different and they do need to find the right one for their child. We tell them the door is always open if the new gym is not what they are looking for they are welcome back.

In the time they have left with us, I coach them exactly the same as I would any other child. Just as though they will continue to represent us, because they might.

9 times out of 10 they come back after having tried the new gym. And when they come back they are amazing, they have seen what else is out there and have a new appreciation for what we do.

 

[LJL07]

Would your gym really treat a gymnast differently if they were leaving for another gym? I hope this would not be the case.

When we have a gymnast leave, we generally know well before they tell us. Because the kid dies a trial at another gym, then in Australia the new gym has to ask the old gym for permission to transfer them. Just in case they leave owing money at the old gym.

Parents are generally unaware of this and always surprised that we know.

But I am 100% supportive of these families. If we have a kid who doesn’t want to be there and feels they would be better off somewhere else, then it’s not going to be a positive experience having them stay anyway.

We tell them that we understand that every child is a bit different, and each gym is a bit different and they do need to find the right one for their child. We tell them the door is always open if the new gym is not what they are looking for they are welcome back.

In the time they have left with us, I coach them exactly the same as I would any other child. Just as though they will continue to represent us, because they might.

9 times out of 10 they come back after having tried the new gym. And when they come back they are amazing, they have seen what else is out there and have a new appreciation for what we do.

That is really awesome, but it rarely happens that way in this country. What you describe is the exception.

Yes, a gym would 100% treat a gymnast differently if they knew the gymnast was leaving to transfer to a new gym in the area. In fact, there is a good chance the gym would kick the kid out or ask the family to leave.

I really wish there were more coaches/gyms like you.

 

[Aussie_coach]

That is really awesome, but it rarely happens that way in this country. What you describe is the exception.

Yes, a gym would 100% treat a gymnast differently if they knew the gymnast was leaving to transfer to a new gym in the area. In fact, there is a good chance the gym would kick the kid out or ask the family to leave.

I really wish there were more coaches/gyms like you.

Seems like a really bad way of doing business. When people leave they talk to lots of other parents too, you would think a gym would want to make sure that talk was not negative!

 

[MuggleMom]

I would agree with others it would depend on the reason for leaving. Moving or leaving the sport all together tell them on April 1st. It will give coaches and kids time to celebrate her before she goes etc.

Going to another gym it would depend for me. Have you seen other kids leave your gym for another gym? How were they treated? If you have seen them treated well then give your notice if you havent seen them treated well or havent seen anyone leave then I would wait till after the meet at least to give notice.

Our gym is pretty good about how they treat kids that leave for another gym, they have even helped some kids find a gym with a better fit for them but I know not all gyms are that way.

 

[texasgymmama]

Thank you for the replies, I think now that waiting until after the last meet to give notice is the best option.

 

[katrid11]

I think it does depend on the reason. Our gym KNOWS talented girls will leave at Level 8 to go to a competitor b/c that competitor has a much better rapport with Colleges. However our gym does a better L2-L7 prep. Just is what it is.

leaving in L2-L7 is different and for most other gyms.... Most parents will give notice the day they leave.

FWIW when we changed gyms last July I paid tuition at 2 gyms for July. Just the cost of doing business.

 

[rlm's mom]

Would your gym really treat a gymnast differently if they were leaving for another gym? I hope this would not be the case.

When we have a gymnast leave, we generally know well before they tell us. Because the kid dies a trial at another gym, then in Australia the new gym has to ask the old gym for permission to transfer them. Just in case they leave owing money at the old gym.

Parents are generally unaware of this and always surprised that we know.

But I am 100% supportive of these families. If we have a kid who doesn’t want to be there and feels they would be better off somewhere else, then it’s not going to be a positive experience having them stay anyway.

We tell them that we understand that every child is a bit different, and each gym is a bit different and they do need to find the right one for their child. We tell them the door is always open if the new gym is not what they are looking for they are welcome back.

In the time they have left with us, I coach them exactly the same as I would any other child. Just as though they will continue to represent us, because they might.

9 times out of 10 they come back after having tried the new gym. And when they come back they are amazing, they have seen what else is out there and have a new appreciation for what we do.

We had a very decent experience when we switched gyms. We moved when my oldest reached level 8 bc she had only one team-mate left and coaches didn’t have much experience coaching optionals. We arranged a meeting with the coaches and told them we would like to find a larger optionals gym, thanked them for the positive experience they have given our DD’s etc. They were very understanding and actually helped us decide on the best fit between the few options in our wider area. We left on very good terms and DDs have been back to visit their former coaches since. I get from this forum that this is a very rare case. So we gave about a month’s notice (I think the coaches knew it would inevitably happen at some point. Depends on your situation. If there is any possibility they will shun your DD dont give notice.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Seems like a really bad way of doing business. When people leave they talk to lots of other parents too, you would think a gym would want to make sure that talk was not negative!

Parents can talk negatively even if there is no negative. I’ve seen that happen

 

[Deleted member 18037]

We are asked to give a 30 day notice at our gym.

Asked, not required. I would give notice right after the last meet

 

[bookworm]

To echo others, you keep your mouth, AND your kid's mouth, shut until you are out the door with all her stuff, do not tell any friends , it is all done on the down low.... and then you send a polite email to the gym thanking them for their time, period ....at the same time , you email (separately from the coach email) any of your friends at the same gym letting them know you are leaving before the gym gets a chance to tell people at the gym not to have any contact with you because "they're a negative influence".

And even if your current gym asks where you are going , you say nothing as it's none of their business. I like that Aussie coach can be supportive of kids moving gyms but here in the US, coaches are downright vicious and cruel when kids move gyms for legitimate reasons....and as someone says, unless you're moving or leaving the sport, the current gym expects you to die there because no reason is ever legit in their eyes.

 

[Janneke]

Wow, so different from here. Some of our upper levels train with a different gym on a regular basis, with the full knowledge and blessing of their coaches. They recognise that sometimes the best person to teach certain skills is at a different gym or the session times work out better. There is still plenty rivalry, but nothing of this rather toxic/petty vindictiveness (well not as far as I know).

 

[PeanutsMom]

Would your gym really treat a gymnast differently if they were leaving for another gym? I hope this would not be the case.

When we have a gymnast leave, we generally know well before they tell us. Because the kid dies a trial at another gym, then in Australia the new gym has to ask the old gym for permission to transfer them. Just in case they leave owing money at the old gym.

Parents are generally unaware of this and always surprised that we know.

But I am 100% supportive of these families. If we have a kid who doesn’t want to be there and feels they would be better off somewhere else, then it’s not going to be a positive experience having them stay anyway.

We tell them that we understand that every child is a bit different, and each gym is a bit different and they do need to find the right one for their child. We tell them the door is always open if the new gym is not what they are looking for they are welcome back.

In the time they have left with us, I coach them exactly the same as I would any other child. Just as though they will continue to represent us, because they might.

9 times out of 10 they come back after having tried the new gym. And when they come back they are amazing, they have seen what else is out there and have a new appreciation for what we do.

This is absolutely the case in my gyms. My daughter was out for 2 months due a back fracture that had to heal (complete rest) and when she went back, the coach had already written her off. We decided to take a break (we are exploring other options after everyone's seasons are over) and told the gym that after the State meet we would not be returning as she needed to figure out where her gymnastics journey was going after returning from the injury. The head coach/gym owner literally stood next to her at the state meet and said nothing. Arms crossed, no words, no corrections, and my daughter was the only gymnast from our gym in the session.

 

[KineticChris]

That is really awesome, but it rarely happens that way in this country. What you describe is the exception.

Yes, a gym would 100% treat a gymnast differently if they knew the gymnast was leaving to transfer to a new gym in the area. In fact, there is a good chance the gym would kick the kid out or ask the family to leave.

I really wish there were more coaches/gyms like you.

That is so sad! As a coach surely you desire is to support gymnasts. I will support any gymnast to the point where they stop being a gymnast. They know who has helped them, as do others, so its not even detrimental to your gym!

 

[Deleted member 26368]

The coaches/owners at DD's gym have great relationships with gymnasts who have left; most of those have been upper level optionals who went elsewhere to prepare for NCAA D1 or elite. We have an open door policy. Several girls who left (not necessarily for another gym) have come back.

 

[novagymmom]

It sounds like situations where people leave because their gym is not equipped for higher level optionals tend to be more supportive. But otherwise so sad that this is not the normal situation.

At our gym, a younger JO gymnast was going to switch to a gym that she and her family thought would be a better fit. The family wanted to leave the older Xcel daughter at the existing gym with her friends. When the younger daughter left, the gym told the family that there was no longer room for the sister in the Xcel program. So awful and disgusting that they would take this out on a child that wanted to stay.