All-Star Change Of Season: Change Of Gyms, Divisions Etc.

[DJ]

I know that most people on here are very against 'recruiting' but, no one touches the topic of 'inviting' people to tryout. Just trying to see where people think the difference in the two is. For me I see 'inviting' as hand picking recruiting - while trying to make it seem better.

I understand programs can do what they want, just trying to understand why it's okay to Invite but not Recruit.

 

[notimeforthat]

not really sure there is a difference? If you are inviting people to tryout is that no implying that you want to see what they can offer?
If someone invited me to a party would they not want me to come?

 

[DJ]

That's my understanding also. I just know that people have much to say about recruiting.

 

[Mclovin]

IMO, as long as the season is over, an athlete is fair game. If I know a kid personally that cheers at another local gym, I feel it's reasonable to invite them or encourage them to tryout at my gym IF the season is over. My opinion is that if they are happy where they're at, they're not going to take you up on that offer anyway. Once the competitive season begins, then you leave them alone.

 

[lakerfantlc]

I had my old gym call me to complain cuz I was recruiting First off...I am a customer and I can like one product more than another and tell my friends! There are NO pink slips to people! I say...do your job...become a successful gym...stop looking at everyone else and mind your biz....you wont lose anyone if you do that! Take the high road...less traffic
( for the record I never called anyone..all conversations I had were started by the other party

 

[kristenthegreat]

Inviting, as in 'You Jane Allstars, we'd like to invite YOU PERSONALLY to come try out for Super Mega Awesome Level 5', with winkwink nudgenudge on cheaper tuition/double full discount/perks etc? Or 'Hey, would you like to come to an open gym and check us out?' I'm ok with the second one, I've several friends posting on fbook about Open Gyms and such. If you're happy where you're at, you'll stay. The first one IS recruiting..

 

[CharlotteASMom]

Inviting versus recruiting to me is just semantics.

Its more of a discussion about what's ethical and everyone has different views on where that line is crossed.

 

[Born2Tumble]

My CP was what you might call "invited/recruited" to come to three gyms within the past month. I didnt take it negatively in a way they were trying to steal us from our gym, i just saw it we were given other options incase we wanted to pursue them. We happily ended up staying in our home gym, but i dont see it as such a bad thing. Professional leagues do it all the time wether it basketball, football, hockey....when you see an athlete that could benifit from your program your first instinct is to grab them. As earlier posted, if the athlete is truely happy with their own gym, then coaches have nothing to worry about.

 

[tumbleyoda]

Inviting versus recruiting to me is just semantics.

Its more of a discussion about what's ethical and everyone has different views on where that line is crossed.

Because everyone's ethical view is usually in direct correlation with what they personally feel is better for them as a person, business, etc. this makes it hard to regulate. I worry more about retaining the athletes we have instead of getting others from other gyms to switch. If they do, that's fine but it wont because we invited them to or recruited them. That is just my personal ideal.

Generally our open gyms are open so as long as they come in without bashing any program in the area it is fine. We have only had to kick one out for coming into our gym and trying to recruit kids out of our gym to go to her gym because they were too good to be at a little small gym like ours. Which is exactly why some gyms close their open gyms to outsiders. Our gym and coaches were good enough for her to tumble and stunt with but not good enough to compete with. When she crossed the line she got kicked out.

 

[Mclovin]

What's wrong with offering discounts, scholarships, etc. to athletes you want to cheer for you? I don't see anything wrong with it. If that's how you choose to run your business, that's your choice. Again, as long as it's done in the off season. Recruiting during comp season is where the unethical side of it comes in to play. At T&S I have to pay for my girls to cheer there. Every penny. Any gym within a 250 mile radius could offer my girls a 100% paid scholarship to cheer for them and I'd turn it down. As much as that would be flattering and would really help me out financially, I'll pay to keep my kids where I know they are getting the best training, best chance of winning/placing well, and most importantly, the best spiritual guidance I could ever possibly hope for. So again, if a parent/athlete is happy where they are, the recruiting isn't going to work anyway.

 

[RaRaMama]

We are moving back to southwest Virginia in June, and my daughter is starting with a new allstar team, Iconix Allstars, in Salem, VA. There are currently two other allstar teams in the area and some of the athletes from those gyms have been coming to stunt/tumble clinics because they love our coach (he's worked with him before). A few days ago we received an email from him basically stating that now the season is officially over, he will be contacting people who have expressed interest in our gym (some from other gyms). He reiterated that he's not doing it to put down other gyms, but to show people what this new gym has to offer. He has made it clear that no matter where you choose to cheer, you are always welcome to come to tumble/stunt/open gym with him. I personally think this is what drew me to this gym-they are trying to start out on the "up and up", not trying to trash another program just to get its members.

 

[tumbleyoda]

What's wrong with offering discounts, scholarships, etc. to athletes you want to cheer for you? I don't see anything wrong with it. If that's how you choose to run your business, that's your choice. Again, as long as it's done in the off season. Recruiting during comp season is where the unethical side of it comes in to play. At T&S I have to pay for my girls to cheer there. Every penny. Any gym within a 250 mile radius could offer my girls a 100% paid scholarship to cheer for them and I'd turn it down. As much as that would be flattering and would really help me out financially, I'll pay to keep my kids where I know they are getting the best training, best chance of winning/placing well, and most importantly, the best spiritual guidance I could ever possibly hope for. So again, if a parent/athlete is happy where they are, the recruiting isn't going to work anyway.

I always wonder about those parents and athletes who don't get the same deals and breaks. How they feel about it. And you well said when and where you do it plays a big part. They come inside your doors of your gym you can offer whatever you like. But during the year (because apparently for some the year begins at tryouts, others the end of the summer, others the first competition and others the big nationals season in Feb) competitions, in the parking lots of other gyms, etc is not good at all. Yet every year we hear stories of it being done somewhere by some gym. And all are denied that it happened.

To paraphrase my response from years ago the issue is the gyms that do recruit usually publicly deny they do. They usually deflect the question to "everyone else is doing it too" or "if they are happy they are not going to leave." I have seen kids and parents very happy but when offered a free ride to cheer, they all of a sudden became "unhappy." Kids and parents who actively shop around like free agents looking for the best deal first, core values , training and everything else don't really matter. I would rather hear a gym say "Yes we recruit and if we think we want you to be a part of our gym we will recruit you too" than to deny they do it.

ETA: The discounts are a business decision. As long as they can defend them to the customers who are not getting them, that is their business.

 

[ztaprincess]

I see nothing wrong with oddering discounts or scholarships to athletes in order to get them in the gym.

I will say though GA saying that ESPN is paying for 20 males to cheer next season at their gym still has me super puzzled. Now I could be totally wrong, but to me it is comical to think that ESPN would pay for their guys to cheer all because they had a lot of college placements this year. I truly feel like they are trying to use ESPN as a ploy to get boys to go Large Coed. Is that right? not if ESPN isn't really involved.

 

[CharlotteASMom]

"Yes we recruit and if we think we want you to be a part of our gym we will recruit you too" than to deny they do it.

After a lot of struggling I have come down to this same point. If a gym feels their recruiting activities are positive and above board then don't deny them.

 

[Born2Tumble]

I see nothing wrong with oddering discounts or scholarships to athletes in order to get them in the gym.

I will say though GA saying that ESPN is paying for 20 males to cheer next season at their gym still has me super puzzled. Now I could be totally wrong, but to me it is comical to think that ESPN would pay for their guys to cheer all because they had a lot of college placements this year. I truly feel like they are trying to use ESPN as a ploy to get boys to go Large Coed. Is that right? not if ESPN isn't really involved.

Hmmm, thats "suspicious"...