All-Star Is The Grass Any Greener At Another Gym?

[Maddie's Mom]

As the season end approaches and I think about the frustrations of the current year I wanted to pose this question to the more experienced parents and coaches out there. I don't know whether or not it is best to not uproot kids from their current gym if they are ok but a parent feels it isn't the best fit. My cp is 8 and is not always happy with being warned that she will be standing in the back if she makes a mistake. At this age how much competition within the team is healthy? How does one even figure out if a move is the best way to go. It is tough to go to another gym to tryout when it is so frowned upon. Tryouts will be here before we know it and I'm stuck wondering if there is a perfect fit or you just have to get thicker skin to make it work and be on a successful team. Can you only get the nurturing at a small gym? Does it have to be a trade off for winning?

 

[cheergirlbrey]

I've experienced the small gym, medium gym and mega gyms in my area in over 10 years between my niece and daughter. Small gyms tend to be all "let's have lots of activities and have fun and try to win", and at the mega gym they barely know who your cp is let alone you...my daughter wanted to win, didn't mind hard work or fighting for a spot and wanted more team mate closeness (geographically) then my niece had at the mega. I personally regret every day keeping holding her back at our old program which has gotten even smaller. We stayed out of mostly obligation and friendship but it kept her back some skill wise and away from large competition (which she wanted, she was over winning against no one) she was ready to leave by age 9 and knew what she wanted. She was more than ready to leave being a star of the team to the back corner until she proved herself and I prepared her for that prior. You need to feel out what both your cp and you want in the long run. Both my cp and niece had a gymnastics background so being instructed harshly and hardly (find me a Russian gymnastic coach that isn't beyond frank) so that doesn't bother them. The mega gym was perfect for my niece as her mom wanted no involvement nor did they welcome it and she ultimately went where she could get the carpool with former teammates. My cp wants me involved though I have stepped back greatly from the past and that has helped us both as this is her sport and I want to be her supporter not in "the craziness" anymore. All things to think about and my best advice is listen to your cheerleader some....is cp happy with their advancing or are they not advancing at all, do they accept change well, and what can their personality and practice ethic handle. Good luck!!


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[Cheer Dad]

If you are concerned enough to ask the question it might be worth talking to some other gyms if possible. No, the grass is not always greener (sometimes worse) but maybe a better fit.

You can always talk to a gym owner in confidence or if you know any parents a different gym that you trust it could be worth a conversation.

Being your first year at the gym a move would probably not be too big of a deal and may go largely unnoticed. I would sit down and make out a list of things you think are important to you and see how the gyms compare. You may find your current gym is the lesser of 2 evils.

 

[dawgshow]

There is no such thing as a perfect fit! However, if your CP is unhappy for a legitimate reason (and only you know what a "legit" reason is in your household) it may be worth it to look around.
As for being warned about moving, is it approached as "Susie, if you can't hit it you're going to have to switch spots in the routine" or "SUSIE!!! If you can't HIT that (fill in skill here) then move to the back row. NOW!" Those are two very different approaches. Each works for different personality types.
Nurturing happens at the coaching level, so it doesn't need to be a tiny gym to have that environment.

 

[Keep_Believing]

You have to find the right fit for your CP, but not all small gyms are easy going. You might not get all the perks of a mega gym, but our small gym is also very competetive. The girl that perfects their jumps will be front and center. If they slack and another girl works their but off, the two will be switched in the blink of an eye. With that said 2 of our 4 teams got first and jackets at NCA nationals. All of our teams were in the top 3. And all 4 of our teams have bids to summit.

 

[CheerBank]

When we changed gyms the first time, my older cp had one foot out the door for most of that last season before we left, while my younger cp was dragged kicking and screaming. The gym was no longer a good fit for our family and that was what finalized my decision.

I think though as you continue to be an all-star parent, you do tend to develop a thicker skin, as does your cp. I do not know if any gym is a perfect fit, but you learn to prioritize what is important, what you can accept even if it is not they way you might do something, and what is an absolute deal breaker.

In terms of how much competition within a team is healthy at your cp's age, it definitely depends on the program and the team she is on. Should kids on a youth 2 be threatened that they could still lose their spots in March? If a kid is slacking, and her performance is affecting her stunt group or overall team performance, then I do not have an issue with that. I never think kids should take their spot for granted, and I respect coaches who are willing to make changes in a routine to make things work better rather than turn their backs on it because it is close to the end of the season.

You are smart to realize that news of changing gyms will travel fast, however, if you look at the other gyms you are entertaining switching to on your own and do not share your plans even with cp until your season is over (especially if she is happy at her current gym), you may find it is easier to make the change with little fanfare. Good luck with whatever decision you come to!

 

[Maddie's Mom]

Thanks for all the comments...it is a youth team that she is on and the spots are being taken by more advanced kids to prepare for summit. I just think if the kids earned the right to go with the performance that got them there stacking the team doesn't tell them anything but winning is the only thing. I know everyone has their own opinion on this but hey live and learn

 

[CheerBank]

Thanks for all the comments...it is a youth team that she is on and the spots are being taken by more advanced kids to prepare for summit. I just think if the kids earned the right to go with the performance that got them there stacking the team doesn't tell them anything but winning is the only thing. I know everyone has their own opinion on this but hey live and learn

That is a completely different story and would really piss me off. Are these kids on higher level teams at the gym but still youth aged?

 

[dawgshow]

Thanks for all the comments...it is a youth team that she is on and the spots are being taken by more advanced kids to prepare for summit. I just think if the kids earned the right to go with the performance that got them there stacking the team doesn't tell them anything but winning is the only thing. I know everyone has their own opinion on this but hey live and learn

That would be close to a deal breaker for me. I'd seriously start side eyeing the gym and would start looking around. I'm not saying that's what you should do by any means, JMO

 

[retiredl5cheer]

It's never a bad idea to investigate other gyms. Yours may not be a good fit for you. But .that threat is a common one in cheerleading, and it's important to look at the context of it. Are they hollering and telling your kid they're terrible? Or are they having to give your CP the same correction 50 times and threatening is the only way she'll make an effort to fix it?

 

[Keep_Believing]

I am not sure I understood right, If they are pulling girls from higher level teams for their spots that is very disappointing.

 

[Maddie's Mom]

I am not sure I understood right, If they are pulling girls from higher level teams for their spots that is very disappointing.

Yes they are replacing some and just pushing some others to the back.

 

[Keep_Believing]

Ugh! Technically legal and allowed, but still shady! :/

 

[retiredl5cheer]

Yes they are replacing some and just pushing some others to the back.

Peace out cub scout. I can sort of accept adding kids. I can't accept kicking youth kids off of their own team just to stack it for the Summit. Shady morals there, and I think I'd be leaving.

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

^^^I don't know how fair that is if they're pulling higher level kids in.

However, that threat in itself happens everywhere (the general "you'll get moved if you _____" not the "we're replacing you with a higher leveled athlete." thing.)

I have never told a kid they're terrible.

I've also never replaced a S2 kid with say, an S4.

However, I WILL move said S2 kiddo to a different spot and place another same-leveled athlete in her spot.

For context, if I EVER move anyone, they've been warned. Several times. I'd never surprise move a kid.

If I moved your jump, you've likely been given the same corrections for 2 weeks and they have gone in one ear and out another.