Parents Team Leos

[gymmom0826]

This is my daughter's first year of competing. We are leaving tomorrow for our first competition and she still does not have her competition leo or warm ups. None of her coaches know anything about the leos, when I ask they say they don't handle that. Is this normal? I have no clue what my daughter should wear when she competes on Saturday. A regular tank leo?

 

[l.c.o]

Have you checked with the gym's office staff? Or booster club? I'd start there.

As for what to wear, or further direction in general, you could chat up another team mom and ask for input.

Odd that the coaches don't seem willing to point you in the right direction, or ask around for names!

 

[gymmom0826]

They have 2 people who sit at the desk every day and they don't know. The other team parents don't seem concerned as they plan to use theirs from last year. I just think it is crazy to spend $500 on team gear and not get to wear it at each meet. We only have 6 meets.

 

[l.c.o]

Who did you turn your order in to? Have you asked the moms who you should ask about the leotard? Maybe who typically places the order?

Edit: Also - do all girls compete the same session? Perhaps some leotard sharing could happen.

 

[gymmom0826]

I have asked the gym owner. He said he didn't know when they would be in and that my daughter might have to borrow someone else's leo. The problem is none of the parents hardly ever come to practice. I only see 1 of the parents from my daughter's team every now and then at practice.

 

[txgymfan]

That's horrible. Ask the owner what you should do.

 

[l.c.o]

Then I would definitely ask the gym owner, office staff, or a coach to help coordinate the borrowing. Generally, while maybe not a frequent issue, this type of thing has been known to happen in this sport. But they'll have a good idea which girls are similar sizes, which sessions they'll compete, etc.

So frustrating. Hope they figure it out quickly!

 

[Momma Bear]

How terribly stressful for you both! I can’t believe the coaches couldn’t even point you in the right direction of whom to speak to. You would think the person in charge of ordering them would of already contacted you to let you know about borrowing one or something. I hope you find some answers before you have to leave for the meet! Good luck!

 

[rjb123]

Wow- that is awful! I would ask the coach to help facilitate a leo borrow. I would also be prepared with a plain tank leo ideally in the team colors. Does your gym have some sort of pro shop? Good luck - I know this has to be a stressful way to start competing!

 

[suebee]

Are you new to the gym this year? Definitely ask one of the moms of a kid who was on the team last year if she can help you find a Leo/warm up from last year for your dd to borrow.

Some new kids to dd’s team had a similar issue. It was not the year to order new team leos, but since these girls were new to the gym, they ordered leos, which ended up not arriving on time for the first meet. Gym staff told them to borrow from someone else, but being new, who were they supposed to ask to borrow from? They only knew kids in the same level, who were all competing the same session. Moms of kids on the team the prior year ended up contacting moms of a few kids who had left the gym and were more than happy to let the new kids borrow leos and warmups.

 

[duyetanh]

WOW.
Perhaps the coaches will help handle this once they see your child in competition without the team garb.
Just wow.

 

[SurpriseGymMom]

Issues with uniforms do happen, unfortunately. One of our teams is in the same boat; their competition Leo’s aren’t in and their first meet is this weekend. However, the difference is that us coaches check daily for any delivery updates, and have reminded the kids verbally as well as parents via email of the backup plan so that everyone looks the same.
I am so sorry that your club isn’t being more helpful in this. You need to know what your DD is supposed to wear. It sounds as if you have tried everything but I would talk to AND email both the office, the coaches and the owner (if you get no response from the others within 24hrs) again.
I second the idea of having a practice Leo in somewhat team colors( if you have one) ready, or the clubs official practice Leo as a Plan B.

ETA: missed that you leave tomorrow. That’s unacceptable and I am so sorry. I cannot believe her coaches have shown zero concern about this. I do know a lot of coaches don’t like dealing with uniforms and it isn’t “our job” to handle the details of it BUT it is part of our job to make our kids feel like part of the team and to do our best to answer parents’ concerns, at the very least point them in the direction of someone who can (and will) help them if it is something we don’t know.

 

[MILgymFAM]

It’s so frustrating! We were in a similar position on two separate occasions. The first time the coach kept forgetting to order us leos. I told the coach my girls would show up in team colors and that was that- he didn’t seem invested in worrying about leos, so I wasn’t worrying about it. My girls actually ended up never getting leos at that gym.

This year my DD was in the same situation as your DD- new to a team where everyone else ended up wearing old leos because the new ones were late. Our coaches weren’t any help either. My Dd has to ask her teammate who was injured herself and we had to go pick it up ourselves. Sometimes gyms really drop the ball on stuff like this. It sounds like your DD is younger than mine and you’re also out of time, so I would take whatever she has in the team colors.

 

[profmom]

Geez, we had this situation with our boys' team this year. For the first meet, the experienced parents organized a borrowing brigade, and because we couldn't muster enough tiny singlets, we got them super cute matching teeshirts with the gym's logo on them (allowed at L4). It should not be that hard to find one person with a leo and warmups your daughter can borrow! The person in charge of managing uniforms should have been on this a few weeks ago.

If you have practice today, can you ask around at pickup to see if someone in an earlier or later session has a leo your daughter can borrow? The only alternative would be to go with MILgymFAM's suggestion.

This is stressful, I know, and I'm frustrated on your behalf, but in the grand scheme of things, don't worry too much. It's not the end of the world if she's not a perfect match with her teammates at the first meet, and the gear will eventually arrive. If your team has parents managing comp gear, I bet I know who's going to be helping out next year . . .

 

[mommyof1]

I would bring her spirit leo or official practice leo if she has one, or her preteam leo from last year, or a practice leo without cutesy prints (no flowers, peace signs, etc.) as close to the team colors as you can find in her leo drawer. For warm-ups, black leggings and whatever team sweatshirt, t-shirt, jacket, etc. she's got, or a plain warmup jacket.

 

[gymnastmom05]

That's terrible! Our Booster Club orders the leo's but our Head Coach would definitely be helping with a back up plan if they were arriving late. I know sometimes the office staff has zero clue because it's not handling through the gym (we have had similar complaints at our gym). I would think the coaches would be concerned for their team as well. I do know we had one girl forget her leotard at home (meet was 1.5 hours away). The gymnast gift was a leotard so that's what they had her wear.

 

[Flyaway]

I'm sorry you're dealing with this! IMO it's unacceptable that you have not been able to find anyone at the gym willing to help you. I hope it works out for your dd! If she ends up without a team leo at her meet, just remind her that she's still the same gymnast, with or without the team garb and she's still gonna do great! Good luck!

 

[gymmom0826]

Unfortunately we left for the meet this morning with no leo. The gym owner orders but they say they don't know when the leos will be in. There is no booster club either (we do have booster fees to cover meet expenses). We don't have practice leos or anything with the gym name on it either

 

[Sk8ermaiden]

That's awful. Our optional girls' leos weren't there for, I believe, the first OR second meets. Our coaches also do not order them, but one of them did hunt down last year's compulsory or optional leos for everyone new so they would at least kind of match. If it had been left to the other coach though, he would have told them to wear whatever. It's insane that, especially at a gym with no booster club, the coaches or owner wouldn't help you find someone with a spare.

 

[honu]

Your situation sounds incredibly frustrating. Some gyms are less organized or poor at communication, but there should be some level of customer service and help that goes beyond what you have gotten. Hopefully, you will meet more parents from your DDs team at the meet. If possible, see if you can exchange contact information (email, cell phone) with some of the parents. Some gyms will give out a team roster and contact information, but often you have to meet and exchange information yourself. At least this way, if issues pop up in the future you will have a few more parent contacts. I know order delays can happen but I would not be happy about paying $$ for a comp leo and then not having it in time especially considering you only have 6 meets. I hope it comes in soon and she can use it for two seasons!