Women weird season…gym switch in order?

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New user, but I have been reading through many threads.

My daughter is on her first year on competitive team new level one usag. We have had a frustrating first year. We are at a very small gym and lost our head coach (she was very good and a judge as well) before meet season even started. So, we have had a high school student filling in as one of the coaches all season (no prior coaching background), and our head coach has been in and out a good bit due to some personal issues. In fact, we have a parent filling in as one of the coaches at the moment (she does have a gymnastics background).

The communication has been poor at this gym. For example, the new head coach does not return phone calls and ignores emails unless it's to schedule a private. We found out a few weeks ago through parent grapevine that the gym has always had a rule that the girls must score a 38 AA in two meets to move up a level regardless of skills. This rumor was confirmed by one of us walking up and asking the head coach after practice. This seems entirely unreasonable as the scoring seems stricter this year with the level change and no one, not even girls winning 1st AA are scoring 38s. Not a single girl at our gym has obtained this score, and it is pretty doubtful given the current state of things that anyone will--the girls in general are not doing that great. So they are saying all of the girls will repeat levels one and two next year.

My husband (and I) are not paying to repeat another year of level one, and we are frustrated with the general lack of communication. We took our daughter for an evaluation at another nearby gym. They recommended our daughter join the level 2s and 3s, and they would make a formal decision about competing 2 or 3 when they do their evaluation in June after she has had a bit of time to work on new skills. If we were to move her now, the new gym said she would have to forfeit competing the rest of the season, which we are all fine with (including daughter who says she is "bored" at current gym). If she stays at the current gym, she can compete the remaining meets, but we already know she (and everyone else) will repeat one, and she will not be learning new skills.

From reading gym switching threads, it sounds like it is NOT a great idea to leave a gym during meet season. I am usually a stickler for seeing things through to the end. I made all my kids stick with dance until the dance performance and sports through the end of the season, but I'm not sure this is the best decision right now. Under what circumstances is it reasonable to leave a gym before the end of meet season? Thanks in advance.
 
If your DD is age 5 1/2-6 or older, and the new gym has offered her a spot mid season in 2/3 then go - fast. Current gym does not sound like a good environment on the whole. If she is only age 4 or young 5, repeating 1 is not terrible as there is usually a lot of basic form to work on with the young ones, but I would personally balk at the 38AA requirement and still switch if possible.
Hope it works out! s
 
When does your current season end? If it's not that many more weeks/months, I would finish. You joined a team. What level seems irrelevant in terms of committing and seeing something through.

I've dealt with frustrating gym issues as well; it can be challenging when gym leadership is in flux or serious personal issues befall the business during season. If safety and emotional abuse are not part of the equation, I would try honoring the commitment, particularly if you don't have much longer to go. However, if it means gym #2 won't take her at the end of your current season... that changes things.

Definitely agree that a gym switch sounds like a good idea based on what you've described, and think it's great that you are considering the impact of "when" to do it.
 
I agree, going by the info in your post, make the move! It makes all the difference in the world to be in a professional gym that is organized and that 38 rule is totally bogus. And you don't want her to be bored, it could kill her gym "spirit"! She needs to be motivated.
 
I agree with everyone else. Leave now.
I, too, am one of those "Honor your commitment" types, but it is not fair to your daughter to have to go out and compete routines knowing she will not get to move up at the end of the season. It is also not fair to you to have to pay for meets that she doesn't need.

For once, the gym switch is an easy decision :)
Good luck!
 
I agree that you should go ahead and make the move. I, too, have a hard time with the honoring commitments saga, but I feel we have a general commitment to make decisions that are ultimately in the best interest of our children inside gymnastics and outside as well.

However, keep a couple things in mind. Since you are moving mid-season, be prepared for parents at the new gym to not be too receptive. Additionally, there isn't much up training during competition season so it may take some time before DD gets to test out new skills.

A 38 mobility score for compulsory levels is a little much.
 
Run, do not walk, to the other gym. This gym won't be around much longer. First, competing level 1 is ridiculous; it is rec. Second, requiring a ludicrous mobility score for that level is nothing but a way to get more of your money. Leave now and don't look back. If they ask why, tell them straight up. Maybe one day they will figure it out.
 

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