Will the Olympics = increased gym enrollment

[cbone]

This question is just one of idle curiosity for you seasoned gym folk. Does an Olympic year typically bring an uptick in enrollment in general and is it tied to Team USA's performance (or your country's performance for those in other countries)?

 

[MaryA]

I know DD's gym is trying to capitalize on it... bringing in some previous olympic gymnasts for meet-n-greets, having an olympic theme to their summer camp, etc.

 

[JessLW]

Definitely. I myself got into gymnastics in a long ago Olympic year.

 

[Flossyduck]

I definately think it will increase participation here. Gym clubs are still miles and miles apart in the UK and most little girls still seem to do ballet. But our gymnasts (Beth Tweddle and Louis Smith in particular) are quite noticeable in a lot of the promotional material and the gymnastics tickets are some of the hottest seats, with demand many times the availability.
Louis Smith is being called the 'poster boy' of the olympics and very cool, which should help get more boys involved too.
It's all good!

 

[jsfofec]

At our gym the enrollment does spike quite dramatically in an Olympic year

 

[Deleted member D3987]

it used to. now it's spotty wherever your gym might be located. the bump we used to get would carry all the gyms for 4 years. the last 2 olympics have not proven so.

 

[mommyof1]

I started gymnastics just before the 1984 Olympics. The local TV news crew visited our gym to do a story on how the Olympics had inspired children to take up the sport. They aired some footage of my class, and there I was on TV doing crooked cartwheels with my underpants hanging out of my leotard. When I grew up and moved out, I took my parents' videotape with me so it could never fall into the wrong hands and be used for purposes of blackmail.

 

[Pickle's Mom]

it used to. now it's spotty wherever your gym might be located. the bump we used to get would carry all the gyms for 4 years. the last 2 olympics have not proven so.

I'm not sure about 2004. But in 2008, the stock market crash was not even 2 months after the olympics, so I'm guessing that impacted enrollment increases quite a bit. I remember being afraid to spend any money at all during those months.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

the club owners too! ^^^

 

[ivyagogo]

Nadia kicked it all off for me!

 

[JBS]

Increased coverage and awareness of gymnastics does not equal increased enrollment unless the families in your area have the money to spend in the first place.

While the Olympics definitely brings people in...it is not something to count on. A gym that is successful in non-Olympic years will have more success in Olympic years than a club looking for a luck shot.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

true dat ^^^

 

[gymnastmom38]

How cool is that?! I would love it if our gym did stuff like that with the meet-n-greets but from being in the Midwest, I don't think that would happen.

I know DD's gym is trying to capitalize on it... bringing in some previous olympic gymnasts for meet-n-greets, having an olympic theme to their summer camp, etc.

 

[MaryA]

How cool is that?! I would love it if our gym did stuff like that with the meet-n-greets but from being in the Midwest, I don't think that would happen.

We live near Woodward, and we have a coach with some connections. I hope it will be a cool thing. Of course, as with everything else in gymnastics, there are expenses involved. HC wants the team to have a certain "look" for the events which means new exhibition leos, shorts, t-shirts. I do think that most of the events themselves are being funded by sponsors, so that shouldn't require additional fundraising, and, barring any huge growth spurts (and she just turned 11, so probably we're due for one) she might just fit into her competition leo for another year... here's hoping!