All-Star End Of The Season: How To Exit And Leave Your Gym Gracefully

[SparkleSpankies]

I can understand it's hard for small gyms, but I think when an age group ends up being almost eligible to compete in a different age group, that's a problem. If only 2-3 girls on the team cannot compete in youth or mini, that's no longer a junior team. I think at that point, the gym should be honest and acknowledge the situation-and if the athletes aren't comfortable with it, suggest moving somewhere else. The same is true if the only age group team is a much higher or lower level. I think there's a point where the onus is on the gym to say "look, we really cannot offer what you need. You can either be on a team that isn't an ideal fit here, or you can look elsewhere. If you decide to go elsewhere, we'll miss you, but we understand".

This is so important. An athlete needs to be equally comfortable and challenged, while also knowing they are successful. A friend of mine just had this issue, she has been at her gym with her girls for 4 years and they are making a move, one of the major reasons is that the older daughter has aged out of youth, they are not looking to field a junior team in her level, and so she was likely being placed on the same level, while her skillset is surpassing that level. She got a lot of backlash however, she knows her kids need to stay happy and challenged!

 

[cupieqt]

What about when you leave a gym that goes from Large Gym to Small Gym? You've been loyal to the gym for 5 years plus, but they are going to have to move to the small gym division and you have 2 Worlds winning programs in your town within a 15 minute drive of your house? You leave and the gym is furious? They bad mouth you personally for the entire season, pictures of your daughter end up on social media in a negative light and it's a rough year socially the first year because of the torment from the old gym? Everything is great at the new gym! Does it sound like I am speaking from experience? You also paid the old gym competition fees in full and they refused to refund them. So essentially 2016-2017 you paid cheer twice.


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If this happens then you know you've made the right choice in leaving. Unfortunately for many, there are some very immature and irresponsible gym owners and coaches out there that don't know how to be professional.
Ignore, block and move on.

 

[mamabear]

We have left a few gyms and moved on. Heck, we left the state . For my daughter and our family, finding the right place for her to cheer was first and foremost. Who cares what other people have to say? What will they do, slander her on social media? Block them all the second you leave. If my child truly wanted to cheer, and was no longer happy at the current gym regardless of the reason and before the new season started, we would find another place for her to cheer. If your child simply wants to take the year off, then that is another issue albeit still valid.

I agree with this completely. Pay your bills (if you owe any). Wait for the last essential event of the season. Say your goodbyes and move on. Only three families knew we were leaving (One of which switched too). We didn't make it blow up into an issue.We sent a quick "thank you for helping our kid become the athlete she is, but we are pursuing other options next year" to the owners. We blocked a few of the judgemental SMs who always had something to say, and made a clean cut. Be prepared that friendships will end. Some of them will be ones that never mattered in the first place. Others might hurt, as it always does when you realize that proximity is what made your friendship strong. The real ones will last!

Focus on your new cheer home and try to ignore all the drama that others might create. We were one of the really lucky ones. CP is exactly where she is supposed to be and she never looked back.

 

[CLynn]

Be prepared that friendships will end. Some of them will be ones that never mattered in the first place. Others might hurt, as it always does when you realize that proximity is what made your friendship strong

So well stated. This is a life lesson, and is applicable in so many situations outside of cheer.

 

[mamabear]

So well stated. This is a life lesson, and is applicable in so many situations outside of cheer.

Yep.. even at 46, I still struggle with the loss of the fast burning proximity friendships that die as soon as effort needs to go into it

 

[dat.jpp]

I left my gym because this incident happend between me and this one guy on sc on my team which turned into this drama because I guess he told his friend (another boy on my team) and so that guy told this other guy on my team about me and the guy and so they all blocked me. I didn't have any friends there either. There were other factors on why I left but I don't want to talk negative about them because I might get caught again. But anyway, I found a new gym, I like it there, I just started going there since last Saturday, I already have a few friends there

 

[Keep_Believing]

@Atxmom you marked my post as gossip. If accidental please reclick to remove it. Thanks