All-Star Trending Towards "mega-gyms"

AndrewSky said:

But a lot of these gyms don't breed their talent. It's basically given to them.

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yojaehs said:

But this argument is void. Those gyms draw talented athletes BECAUSE of the athletes they have trained. No kid travels to a gym that hasn't trained anything. That just doesn't make sense.


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AndrewSky said:

I completely agree - I just don't understand the point in flying to the complete other side of the country when you have the talent at your program to make it happen. There are plenty of people moving this year from solid programs - who are smaller or have less popularity and are doing fine for themselves. Soon worlds announcers are going to have to say "Representing NCA from Dallas, Miami, Philadelphia, San Marcos, and Canada we have Cross Country Elite Senior Movers."
This is an issue where we'll have to agree to disagree.

I think this saying basically encompasses my feelings:
"You may think the grass is greener on the other side. But if you take the time to water your own grass it would be just as green."

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yojaehs said:

But that's your opinion on how the grass looks. I hear your frustration. I think it's why gyms like GBE are fan favorites. But if you talk to Cherokee or her staff she wants to go after the big dogs (she's on my top 5 list of favorite cheer people EVER!).
Just bc you don't want to move to compete why should you judge others for doing it?
My gym is a fairly well known gym and we have kids that come to us as well as leave us. Some I understand some I don't but regardless I support them.

For me this hits deeper. I see it the same as a coach saying "my double full" garbage. Unless that athlete has ONLY heard from you and wears ear muffs the rest of the time the athlete success is a group effort. Often times training from soccer, softball, gymnastics a high school coach and several tumbling/cheer coaches equal a double full. No coach owns the skill or the athlete. If the gym is offering the services the customer desires the customers stay. If the customer leaves it doesn't always mean the gym is doing anything wrong it just means they aren't the fit for that kid.

Wow this soapbox turned a few directions oops


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AndrewSky said:

For me, our area of the country... gym switching is unfortunately TOO common. My opinion has been shaped by where I am in the country. I don't judge these athletes - if you live in Washington and want to fly to Maryland to shake your sugar jello then do it. But in my eyes, half the kids leaving don't appear to be leaving because they outgrew a program - some of course are, and that makes complete sense. But, a lot aren't. And that's mainly what I'm taking about here. The difference between ring chasing and leaving for outgrowth reasons.
A coach around here has led well over 50 athletes to a worlds ring without ever winning one himself. Why? The minute these kids get taught how to do everything, they leave. When the programs they're leaving are just as competitive. If even half of those kids had stayed, where would these other programs be? I think there would be a lot more diversity in finals that's for sure.

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yojaehs said:

It's funny bc we just finished our tryouts this week and this subject of "gym hoppers" came up. I heard several people that (for example only ill say level 3) "I am/my kid is level 3 so we are going to xyz gym". Our take on it is "Yes, at xyz gym you are level 3 at our gym you/your child is level 2".

I've personally had the opportunity to work with 50+ kids that currently are wearing Worlds rings, I don't have one. I am completely fine with that because a kid wearing the ring is more important than me.


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stuntjumptumble said:

I'd rather be at a "mega gym" that helps me develop my skills, than a small gym that gets me nowhere.


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quitthedrama said:

I fully agree, and last year I had posted in one of the threads (lord knows which one now or I would have referenced it!) that Worlds almost is at the point where it needs something like a Division I and Division II, in order for the gyms with under 300 athletes to feel like they have an opportunity to stay competitive. If I remember correctly, most felt that it wasn't necessary - which is fine - but with this new trend of your best kids leaving for the gyms that are already winning Worlds the talent pool is becoming even more uneven.

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AndrewSky said:

But a lot of these gyms don't breed their talent. It's basically given to them.

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King said:

What if you had to apply to be qualified to have a level 5/6 team? Not restricted mind you, but some qualification to do worlds level. That could fix a lot of things.


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gymcatmomx2 said:

Small gyms have produced highly talented ring-bearing athletes. The problem lies in the fact that these small gyms can't field a competitive worlds team, so these athletes that they have taught the level 5 skills are forced to go to a mega-gym whether they want to or not. Someone could argue that if the small gyms could run their business like ____ (insert mega-gym name here) they could be a mega-gym themselves. Some small gym owners choose to stay small for several reasons. Unfortunately they lose talented kids but that is the price they pay.

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