All-Star Advice For Switcng From Small Gym To Super Large Gym

[Keep_Believing]

My 2 CP' s ages 11 & 12 have grown up at a small gym. They have cheered there 5 years. This year we are switching to a super large gym. I am excited, but also overwhelmed. We will be driving about an hour and a half one way. Any advice, tips, things I should know about transitioning to a super large gym? For example, I am use to having close friends and bonds with other cheer parents. My girls are use to cheering with their best friends. How do you get to know people at these huge gyms?

 

[MLawson16]

It will be a bit different, but one way to look at is if you can find people you really like a a small gym, a large gym just gives you more opportunities to find people like that! Just start making small talk with different parents and eventually you will make some friends. Same with your CP's. You will make plenty of new friends in no time!

 

[Dixie]

We were at the biggest of the big I think (CA Plano). Every year we were on a new team so that meant meeting new people each year. I'm fairly anti-social, but there are so many chances to meet other parents that it's up to you to take advantage of it. I ended up knowing people on almost 25 other teams.
We had team bonding from the get go and that included parents as well. Team reps coordinate dinners and pool parties that will help you meet others. Once the season starts you are putting together team gifts and sitting together as a team.
If you want to meet people, the opportunities will be there.


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[goddessmommy]

We are at a decent size gym (by no means as large as CA but bigger than some others), and as my CP is a Tiny I was worried about making friends/bonds with other new first time moms for our team, let alone get to know the seasoned moms. I've found that its easier than you think-just chat people up in the parents room or lobby, if you have a FB parents page (we do) that also helps to make new friends that can translate from online to in person! We actually made a couple of new friends (we were in a new town too!) that we spend time with outside of cheer related activities. I found that being a Team Mom helped me too as I really HAD to get to know some moms to be involved!

 

[CloMom]

We are at a large gym (CA Plano). I tend to be a wallflower but have had many opportunities to meet other parents. This was my daughter's first season with All Star cheer and she was on a large team. The other parents were great for answering my newbie questions. Our team rep was great about scheduling team bonding activities and that helped a ton! I also met parents whose athletes practice at the same time as mine, so we would see each other often. There are plenty of opportunities to build those relationships. Good luck!

 

[Keep_Believing]

We are joining Woodlands Elite. I hope they also plan bonding activities. That would be great.

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

1. Don't get discouraged if your kids don't have BFFs right away.

I've seen it happen where parents go into a program and three months in, they're ready to pull their kid and go back to Small Gym because "My daughter has no friends there."

Three months is not long enough. Think about your BEST FRIEND. She didn't become that in a month or two months. Friendship takes time.

2. Encourage your kids to be outgoing (if they are not already.)

As to the above point, so often, parents will pull kids because "Everyone excludes her" when in reality, she just kind of sits there and doesn't say a whole lot. People ARE nice, but at the same time, making friends is a two-way street. If your kids hold up the wall at open gym, people will come talk to them, but if your kid doesn't reciprocate, they'll stop bothering.

3. Use your distance to your advantage (carpools/etc.) You get to know A LOT of people because your kid is in their 2 hour ride carpool or you drive their kids every other week. You also get invited to a lot of "Well, let's have Jenny sleep over Friday night after practice and you can pick her up Monday!" that way too.

 

[Keep_Believing]

So far, we really like it, but most of all they made a year commitment. So, Regardless of the friend situation they will finish their commitment. I really like the opportunities they have to improve and learn new skills. My guess is we will be there for a really long time!

 

[cheermommaRN]

The only issue we ever had with doing the long drive is that it was hard for cp to get to know kids. Team bonding activities were up where the gym was so it was an hour drive to participate. She also didn't get the opportunity of sleepovers and seeing her cheer friends at school. I noticed the kids that lived near each other bonded a lot quicker then the commuters.

 

[FierceIsTheName]

The only issue we ever had with doing the long drive is that it was hard for cp to get to know kids. Team bonding activities were up where the gym was so it was an hour drive to participate. She also didn't get the opportunity of sleepovers and seeing her cheer friends at school. I noticed the kids that lived near each other bonded a lot quicker then the commuters.

This is the most accurate thing ever. My team will sometimes go to open gym together and just stunt and have fun, but I can never go because of my 1 1/2 hour drive. Although I would say that I'm still really good friends with people on my team, but I don't see them ever outside the gym.

 

[Keep_Believing]

The only issue we ever had with doing the long drive is that it was hard for cp to get to know kids. Team bonding activities were up where the gym was so it was an hour drive to participate. She also didn't get the opportunity of sleepovers and seeing her cheer friends at school. I noticed the kids that lived near each other bonded a lot quicker then the commuters.

Do you think the issue of developing close friendships/strong bonds is more due to long drive than it being a big gym?

 

[cheermommaRN]

Do you think the issue of developing close friendships/strong bonds is more due to long drive than it being a big gym?

For us it was the long drive. She made lots of friends on her team but felt left out when we would come to practice on Sunday and she heard about the awesome sleepover someone had that she was to far away to go to.

 

[Keep_Believing]

For us it was the long drive. She made lots of friends on her team but felt left out when we would come to practice on Sunday and she heard about the awesome sleepover someone had that she was to far away to go to.

Did you stay at the gym where you had the long drive? Over all, was it still worth it to you?

 

[Cheer Dad]

Do you think the issue of developing close friendships/strong bonds is more due to long drive than it being a big gym?

Like cheermommaRN the drive is issue mire than size of the gym for this.


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[cheermommaRN]

No we left. We are back at a small gym where she has a group of about 5 girls she texts all the time, they are always at each others houses. She found out Thursday one of her best friends is coming to our gym so she was even happier.
I also work a lot so it was hard for me to get her to extra things so I shoulder a lot of that on myself. If I worked a typical 9-5 our experience probably would have been different.