All-Star Gym Hopping

[trueblonde613]

Gym hopping happens everywhere...I would say it was worse in Arizona. It wasn't uncommon when my oldest was in cheer for her friends to change gyms each season. I have also seen it here in Texas but for different reasons. In AZ it seemed like people were looking for better team placements. I saw a lot of "Oh your not going to put my Susie on level 5? Then I'm taking her Gym B!" Gym B would usually put Susie on that level 5 but next season move her down...and off they would go again!
Our reason for hopping so much was drive time. We started at CA and then moved gyms for a shorter drive. Then CA moved closer to us, so we went back. I don't forsee us moving again unless we move out of state!

This is kind of what I meant by this thread. In Arizona you see a lot of switching when they don't get added to the team they "think" they deserve. I applaud AZ Thunder and USA Starz for sticking it out and getting level 5 teams, but as a whole it is difficult for them to get true level 5 teams when athletes will switch to be on those well known teams. Another thing I have heard is some gyms don't create/make their athletes they just collect them from others gyms. But overall I think the Valley is just not big enough for all of these gyms and with the high school rule added to it, it makes it even smaller

 

[alexamarysouza]

I was at a very large gym for 7 years. It was great in the beginning but started to get watered down, and we didn't do so well in the last few seasons. In fact, pretty much none of the lower level teams at this gym did well my last few seasons because of the obvious focus on certain teams and lack of coaching staff for lower levels. My freshman year we decided to move from big gym to small gym because in this area this small gym has been well known for outstanding lower level teams. I've been here 3 years, and am starting my 11th year of allstars, 4th year with them, and senior year of allstar Cheerleading next week...do I consider myself a hopper? Not at all. If you respectfully move, after finishing a season, there should be no issue. But if you leave in the middle of the season...get ready to be name called a gym hopper.


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[russmin]

This is kind of what I meant by this thread. In Arizona you see a lot of switching when they don't get added to the team they "think" they deserve. I applaud AZ Thunder and USA Starz for sticking it out and getting level 5 teams, but as a whole it is difficult for them to get true level 5 teams when athletes will switch to be on those well known teams. Another thing I have heard is some gyms don't create/make their athletes they just collect them from others gyms. But overall I think the Valley is just not big enough for all of these gyms and with the high school rule added to it, it makes it even smaller

Can someone elaborate on the high school rule?

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[CheerMom69]

Woodlands is huge. It's definitely the biggest in the Houston area, probably only second to CA in TX.


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Correct about Woodlands. They have at least 20 teams and plan to have 5 level 5 teams this coming season. They are doubling up teams in a few divisions (small & large like CA). We came to WE a year ago simply because they have a team for everyone. You don't have to experience the whole "sorry sweetheart, they just didn't have enough pepple to make that team that's best for you". I do feel sorry for the smaller gyms but the sport is so expensive, each family has to do what is right for them.

 

[xpressjag]

Love this response. I feel like a lot of large programs are older, they've started from the bottom years ago and now reap the benefits based off of name and caliber alone. However, there are really competitive smaller programs. Woodlands is pretty small, correct? Look at them!
Top Gun isn't the biggest gym by far, yet they have more worlds medals than most.

Any gym that started 15 years or more ago didn't face as much as adversity as today's gyms. All star cheerleading was not as cut throat as it was, when there were very few gyms around. Now there is a gym on every block, so yes those older gyms have name recognition alone. All gyms have problems, but today's industry is much more competitive, especially if your just starting out. World Champion gyms get people in their doors, even if their lower level teams aren't as competitive.

 

[CraftyKat]

I totally agree with the idea of us being "customers". We parents are here to put our childs needs first. It is not our responsiblity to make a gym successful. We pay a great deal of money and the time commitment is huge. We have to look out for what is best for our cp. I don't think leaving in the middle of the season is the right thing to do. You made a committment and many other cp's are counting on you, but after the end of the season its your choice as to what to do next.

 

[OkCheerCoach]

This is not in direct reference to anyone on this thread but I'm pretty sure "Gym Hoppers" don't ever think they are "Gym Hoppers" lol. Jmo.


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[CraftyKat]

This is not in direct reference to anyone on this thread but I'm pretty sure "Gym Hoppers" don't ever think they are "Gym Hoppers" lol. Jmo.


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lol....I think your right

 

[mecheermom]

This.... FTW!!! Especially the "As a customer" part.

What's FTW??


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[quietmom]

I do not think moving to another gym after finishing up a season is necessarily bad as long as there is not any negative behaviors. Coaches and gyms have to graciously accept that people may want to change. Families and athletes need to be gracious and respectful when departing a program. You have the right to decide where to spend your money, your time, your talent, and your energy. However, unless there is an extraordinary situation, leaving mid season or switching mid season is rude to the gym and your team members.

 

[THEJOEL]

What's FTW??


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For The Win

 

[hawkeye87]

I haven't ever switched gyms but I do know a few gym hoppers. Where I am from, ooooooh it was bad at first, allstar is a relatively new thing as the two gyms in the city opened in the same year. Kids flipped flopped every week it seemed and it also destroyed some of the high school teams in the city because the grudges got sooooooooooo bad! Coaches from one gym were actively recruiting kids from my gym it was crazy!!! There were even threats of lawsuits! I think as long as you aren't hopping in the middle of the season its ok. I think it is extremely important to finish out your season, routines are built around the kids and if you pull them from that routine, you are punishing other kids for your choices and thats not a good thing.

 

[xo sarah]

Well, one May I was going to tryout at another gym besides the one I had been at the past season because I wanted to since a lot of my friends were at that gym as well.. and my coach from my other gym called my mom.

Mind you, this was after our season was over and I wasn't committed to any gym. I feel like as long as you fulfilled your season commitment at your gym, you can do whatever you want/go wherever you want to tryout the next season. I ended up very unhappy with the decision to stay at my old gym & it had nothing to do with lack of level 5 teams (not level 5 anyway by far, lol, in fact the seasons I spent there were from 3 to 4 back to 3).

But in Ohio, it doesn't seem to be much of a problem. Most kids I know are very happy at their gyms for different reasons. Some like the powerhouse type gyms, others like the smaller, more family oriented gyms. I think after spending a season at a gym, most kids will know either if they want to stay their or not, but I don't think it's usually a "well I was to be on a level 5 team" gym because not everyone is level 5.

 

[cheermommaRN]

Can someone elaborate on the high school rule?

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A few years ago the cheerleading got recognized as a sport in high school, and was held to the same rules as other HS sports meaning you either compete for your high school or you compete club (all star) and you can't do both. This is why 1/2 year teams have taken off so well out there. Before the HS rule cheer in AZ was on the bubble of breaking out, the new rules killed it.
There were quite a few gyms that chose not to fight for the higher level athletes and just grow their own. The result is really strong lower level programs like AZ Allstars, Desert Devils, ect.
Out here I would consider Spirit Extreme to be one of the strongest lower level programs. Their level 1-4 teams are probably some of the best in the DFW.

 

[CheerBank]

A little bit off topic BUT:
Part of the problem may very well be there are too many "small" gyms. We are in a relatively large metro area that comprises Augusta GA, Aiken SC and surrounding areas. There are 5 gyms here but not one is fielding a level 5 team. A lot of area athletes that are level 5 caliber are making the 2+ hour round trip to ACX in Columbia so they can be on a level 5 team.
There are some extreme rivalries between a couple of the gyms because there are so many and they are all pulling from the same pool of athletes.

Where we live on Long Island, that is the main problem. We have at least 8 gyms that I can think of, the level 5 talent pool is extremely diluted, very few boys cheer so coed teams are rare, and the only way to be part of a true level 5 team at this point is to drive to NJ.