WAG What Makes Your Gym Great, or Not

[bogwoppit]

Can the thread get back on track. Bearing in mind that we do not discuss religion or politics on the CB. As you can see from the last few posts it can be quite devisive.

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

This isn't the religious discussion forum you're looking for.

Move along.


EDIT: And I want to clarify:

We do not object to religious discussion here because of some objection to religion in general. We object to religious discussion here because we believe it is a deeply personal matter for each individual, and has a strong tendency to ruffle feathers when discussed publicly in a group as diverse as ours.

Whether you yourself are religious or not, religion is a fascinating topic and civil discourse on the subject can be engaging and enlightening, not to mention loads of fun. For those who wish to engage in such discussions and debates, there are plenty of forums on which to do so (there's one on which I myself am a frequent poster).

But this is not one of those forums.


ANYWAY, back to gymnastics

 

[thefellowsmom]

Back to why we love our gyms....

1. Great Coaching, which is always improving and is based on solid, scientific prinsiples and an eastern European gymnastics philosophy.
2. Focus on basics and conditioning leading to georgeous and strong optional gymnasts.
3. The team is growing and improving and I can see my 8 year old daughter going off to college, celebrating with friends she and I have had for over a decade.
4. Every girl is treated as an individual and given the time and opportunity to grow into the best gymnast she can be and is trained with the assumption that she can achieve the highest level she is capable of. The path is different for each gymnast based on what her needs are.
5. Even on my craziest gym mom days, I know that we are in the right place.
6. Groups are kept together so the girls form lasting and significant relationships with one another. They are so supportive and love one another. They really care about each other's successes and struggles and have a great time together.
7. Our HC. He is tough and has very high expectations and expects gymnastics to be taken seriously and be committed to. He also loves every kid like they are his own.

The could be better? Communication communication communication. Although I know that there is a plan for my dd and am really learning to trust in that. I wish that they would share with me what the plan is. I promise I would be less of a pain if I understood why the decisions about my daughter are made.

 

[2020vision]

Can the thread get back on track. Bearing in mind that we do not discuss religion or politics on the CB. As you can see from the last few posts it can be quite devisive.

So who's everyone in the US voting for in November?

(grinning with Groucho Marco eyebrows)
(now running away very quickly before Bogwoppit begins swinging)

 

[bogwoppit]

So who's everyone in the US voting for in November?

(grinning with Groucho Marco eyebrows)
(now running away very quickly before Bogwoppit begins swinging)

Ah you forget, I am Canadian, born in the UK, I won't be voting for anyone!!! Just another reason not to get into politics!

 

[gym monkeys mom]

Great: My gym has the family feel, my coach is a great coach, and we have a phenomenal boys program
Not so great: The girls aren't very competitive so we always score middle of the pack, everyone always has some type of injury, sometimes i feel that my coach isn't strict enough (I came here from a gym where my coach would make corrections by yelling and i guess i respond well to that lol), and recently alot of the girls on team have quit due to the economy so instead of huge optional team we had before we have a teeny tiny one now

Even though there are some negatives I am grateful that i even get the chance to do a sport that i really love.

This describes DD gym to a T! We have come to realize that each gym has it own feel and you need to find a spot where you are comfortable and that is different for all gymnasts. DD loves her coach trusts him completly and he has taken her farther than I think many gym would or could have. That all being said she medals and has fun but is no way top of the pack and she is ok with that.

 

[MaryA]

Ok, so even though I may "out myself" to anyone from our gym who may be on this page by cutting and pasting from the website, when you click on "Competitive Gymnastics" on the gym website, this is the first thing you see. When I first read this (at the time my DD was in a less-than-ideal gym situation) tears came to my eyes. And, after a year at the gym, I will vouch that they "walk the walk." This is why I love our gym:

The team focus will be based on the following principles:

• Respect yourself. Dress properly for the occasion you are attending. Be sure your hair is up appropriately for practice. Wash your hands before and after eating, after a workout and after using the toilet. Eat a well balanced diet to keep your body healthy. If you are sick with fever, stay home and rest. Drink plenty of water. Sleep enough!
• Respect your parents, guardians and family members for the sacrifice they make for you to pursue your gymnastics dreams. Without a good support system, you won’t get far. Thank them often, even if it feels awkward.
• Respect the sport. Gymnastics should not be taken for granted. Be mentally and physically prepared before performing any gymnastics skills. If you do not feel prepared, you must tell your coach or instructor.
• Respect all teammates, coaches, students in the gym and their family members. Speak politely. Use manners, say “pleaseâ€￾ and “thank you.â€￾ Everyone in the gym is important.
• Respect the gym. Treat all equipment with care. Use only what you need. Ask before moving a piece of equipment. Share the space with everyone. Put everything away you get out
• Arrive at practice before the start of practice. Be prepared to make at least one improvement over the previous practice. Don’t make it everyone else’s problem if you have a bad day.
• Leave the gym on a good note – say good bye to your friends and teammates, your coaches, other families. Be excited to come back for the next practice. Don’t let a bad practice prevent you from being eager to practice again.
• Stretching, strength, dance and other physical conditioning are just as important as gymnastics. Work hard at all of these to make yourself a well-rounded athlete.
• Work hard at school and have outside-the-gym interests. Gymnastics may help you get into college, but you won’t go anywhere without good grades. And, while gymnastics is important, so is life. Find at least one thing you love to do outside the gym and do it!
• Remember that someone is always looking up to you – do not disappoint. Even in your bad days, you can teach a younger child a lot by choosing to behave in a positive manner in any situation.

Your child’s enthusiasm for gymnastics is the most important part of our coach/parent relationship. We must work together to help your children achieve as much as they desire from this sport.

 

[MaryA]

Oh, and the coaches are amazing too!

 

[LizzieLac]

What to love:
1. Gym is 25 minutes away, but that is not the real reason
2. Family atmosphere, parents all seem to get along with each other, and the club has the team do things together like Christmas and go to AT&T Cup
3. Reasonable amount of hours, which to me equates to balance with school and the rest of life
4. Focus on the fundamentals and fine-tuning skills...not pushing kids through levels
5. Any kid who can get the skills can be on the team - it isn't about the most naturally gifted gymnasts or perfect body type, it is about hard work and commitment
6. Coaches are generally nice

What not to love...
1) Communication (or lacking). Occasional status reports (quick verbal is fine) about how kids are progressing or what they're struggling with and how to approach it would be nice. Also, never seem to discuss any long-term plans.
2) Sometimes coaches could be a little more nurtuting, but I understand that this sport is so hard that being too soft as a coach will also not work.
3) We lost our pit (long story) and it will be great when we build a new one.
4) Consistency. But maybe this is communication again. Parents and kids are often confused about why/how decisions are made. Why someone works out with a group one day, but not the next. Why certain skills can be tried but then not...

 

[NewtoGym]

Wash your hands before and after eating, after a workout and after using the toilet.

Ah, from a neurotic, clean-freak parent - I think I am in love!

 

[C's MOM]

What I think makes DD's gym so great is:
* A HC who really cares for his gymnasts.
* HC/coaches who know what to expect from their girls and do NOT let them get away with mediocre performance from day to day.
* Actual daily plans that place the gymmies best interest at heart.
* Individual progression for each gymmie.
* Efficiency as a whole.
* Teammates who 'like' each other and are supportive.
* Older optional girls who look out for the little teammates.
* NEW equipment!

What isn't so nice ( but I deal with it!)
* is the hour commute.... Oh well! You can't have it all!

 

[kayjaybe]

I like that they balance gymnastics with being a growing young girl/woman. The philosophy is that gymnastics should be an important PART of the girls' lives, NOT their whole lives.

Dislikes - on the small bit of practices I've observed, the coaches often don't seem to be very engaged. Sometimes they are off to the side talking or they appear to not be giving their full attention.

Communication could also be improved. My dd has been going to the gym since she was 3.5 yo (she is 10.5 now) and I could count on one hand (and have a finger or 2 left over) the number of times the gym or coaches have initiated a conversation with me about my child's development. They also don't seem to invite you to initiate conversations (although the few times I have, they have been helpful. I just always feel like a pest. And before you think I AM a pest, I'd say I initiate an average of 1 conversation per year.)

 

[Moxiegrl83]

Communication could also be improved. My dd has been going to the gym since she was 3.5 yo (she is 10.5 now) and I could count on one hand (and have a finger or 2 left over) the number of times the gym or coaches have initiated a conversation with me about my child's development. They also don't seem to invite you to initiate conversations (although the few times I have, they have been helpful. I just always feel like a pest. And before you think I AM a pest, I'd say I initiate an average of 1 conversation per year.)

Is that common coaches? I see a lot of people have communication problems with their coaches, or just very little dialogue. I don't feel I have this problem with DD's coaches, which I'm definitely appreciating as I read some of these posts. While we don't have daily discussions or anything, they usually tell me when something happens, good or bad.

 

[Aerials Gymnast]

bad things about my gym (im not happy where i am right now): their is only one coach who i feel completely comfortable with. I go to a gym with no level 10s or elites, and 1 9 who is injured. the gymnasts dont have respect for their coaches and the coaches dont have respect for their gymnasts.The gymnasts and coaches should push equally for success. Where the gymnast gives 100%, the coach should too. In my gym, the girls arent taught to work hard, and the coaches act like they dont care. They raise most of the girls letting them come to gym with a negative attitude, and they dont do anything about it. at a good gym, the gymnasts should be taught to have a positive attitude.
sorry, i had to vent a little but all in all, if i could switch, i would, but there are no other gyms close enough. i just have to work with what i have

 

[iwannacoach]

Communication could also be improved. My dd has been going to the gym since she was 3.5 yo (she is 10.5 now) and I could count on one hand (and have a finger or 2 left over) the number of times the gym or coaches have initiated a conversation with me about my child's development. They also don't seem to invite you to initiate conversations (although the few times I have, they have been helpful. I just always feel like a pest. And before you think I AM a pest, I'd say I initiate an average of 1 conversation per year.)

Is that common coaches? I see a lot of people have communication problems with their coaches, or just very little dialogue. I don't feel I have this problem with DD's coaches, which I'm definitely appreciating as I read some of these posts. While we don't have daily discussions or anything, they usually tell me when something happens, good or bad.

Not say'n I approve of limited or absent communication, so don't misplace my intentions. Some of the communucation problem can be attributed to the coach not knowing what a parent would hope for, want, expect, or demand.....because they themselves aren't parents.

Many of them have recently graduated from college, and it's not rare to see a recent high school grad coaching L4 to L6. I just don't see these younger coaches being aware of your needs as a parent for communication that allows you to meld the entire family schedule with dd and ds schedules. So either get used to it or take up a constructive role to positivly affect better comunication.

Another contributor is the H/C that is stretched too thin, and who hasn't seen one of those? Most H/C's are so wrapped up in doing everything they can for your child, they simply turn to denial and begin to believe that you understand more about the very things you need to talk to them about. I think Kayjaybe has exposed that dynamic when she observes that the coach seems to avoid her, but is helpful once pinned down and into a conversation.

I know there are other origins to the communication problem, but most are exceptions to reasons I've stated. I'm sure that in an international forum there will be many of you that want to chime in with complaints about communication, but those comments may deserve a thread of their own. So please excuse me if I've stepped over the boundary of this thread, but I just couldn't let Moxiegrl83's question go with-out a response.

Were all good people that can work together to create a common, benificial center with-in our own miniature societies. So give it a go.......

 

[wallinbl]

I know there are other origins to the communication problem, but most are exceptions to reasons I've stated. I'm sure that in an international forum there will be many of you that want to chime in with complaints about communication, but those comments may deserve a thread of their own. So please excuse me if I've stepped over the boundary of this thread, but I just couldn't let Moxiegrl83's question go with-out a response.

I know our HC will tell you that if he doesn't come talk to you, things are going fine with your child. If your child is excelling or is struggling, he (or one of the coaches) will come talk to you. Otherwise, there are practices back to back and overlapping all afternoon and evening, so they'd have to leave practicing gymnasts to come out and talk. He's only going to do that when there's something that needs to be said.

It's frustrating sometimes, because it can still be nice to hear that everything's going along just fine, but I get their position that 99% of the time, there isn't much to tell a parent. I'd love to think that my DD is so important that he should be giving me regular updates, but they're coaching more than 70 gymnasts throughout the week, so even talking to a few parents a night means I'm getting an update only once a month or so.

 

[GlitteryGymmie]

What makes it good: The coaches can teach you so much in one day, i got my aerial from only doing gymnastics every Friday once a week, on my 5th 'week' I got my aerial.

Whats not-so good: Some of the coaches are really intense and yell at you, like one of the coaches at my gym, she was yelling at a six-year old, pushing her, the other coaches push, but in a good way.