All-Star Switching Gyms Mid-season

[Num1Stunta]

The question in my mind is why your sister started there again after last season...

yeah, again... family drama... she didn't want to leave because it's the "stepmom's" gym

 

[ErinS]

yeah, again... family drama... she didn't want to leave because it's the "stepmom's" gym

I kind of get what you mean about not wanting to leave because of the "relations" with the owner. but.....that's like weird reality show drama and should be secondary to safety. Let us know how it turns out

 

[cartwheels&cupcakes]

if she doesn't feel safe, and mom doesn't feel like it's worth her money, and she is will the 1.5 hour drive, go for it. Go to the new gym. It's not worth it for her to stay where she is unhappy and not safe.

 

[flcheermom]

If safety is an issue, I am with the others that said leave. Sometimes you can be "blinded" to certain situations and return to a gym or stay at a gym out of a feeling of loyalty or obligation - and then in an instant your eyes are opened and you realize it may be best to leave. I am not advocating leaving in the middle of the season - but I know things happen/situations occur and sometimes the best case scenerio is to leave. I think its on a case by case situation on whether it is right or wrong to leave after the season has started - and if safety is an issue that is certainly a valid reason to leave.

 

[Hungry]

When just looking at the safety standpoint, I say run as fast as you can. Then you add in the family drama and that totally changes things, I get that. However, the child's safety is still the number one priority.

Would it be absolutely devastating to your niece to just take the remainder of the season off? Rather than go directly to a new gym? Maybe it would cause less friction with the stepmom? Good luck! I hope it all works out!

 

[Rudags]

So... coinsiding this with the rules vote we just had - Should "safety" be an acceptable "excuse" (for lack of better word) to void a contract with one level 5 worlds team and get released to go to a new level 5 worlds team? I really dont think it should... I still stand by if you dont know your coaches qualifications (or lack there of) after 5-6 months of training prior to a competition season (even more time if your down south or on the East Coast) then that is on the parents. I know in Saint Louis, some of the kids that just came to our program this year did a lot of research about us as a program as far as success record, coaching qualifications, injuries, etc. Perhaps the midwest parents are crazier, but I still think 6 months is a good enough time determinant to make decisions on a gym being safe, etc.

 

[The Sixth]

Since you were against the idea prior to, I'd say compromise. Encourage her to quit for safety reasoning. But sit out the year and join a different gym next season. Like a lot of situations, everything is always black and white till it affects ppl directly. Then all of a sudden everybody can find things to justify their change of mind.

 

[Audrey]

I'm against gym hopping as much as the next person but it seems a lot of people forget that all star cheer is a business and if something is wrong with the product you're getting, you shouldn't continue spending your money on it. If there is a legitimate problem with a gym, like safety or unfair treatment, then you should leave. It's just when people leave gyms for bad reasons that makes me mad.
So in your niece's situation, I would say leave. Safety is a huge issue and is by all means a valid reason to leave a gym.

 

[BSS2000]

I think this new rule is STUPID STUPID STUPID!!! Our industry with all it's flaws does not need to be locking kids into gyms.

 

[ctgatormom]

I had to make a very similar decision last season with my own daughter and let me say that it was one of the hardest things that Ive ever dealt with in this sport...I'll be the first to tell you I hate gym hoppers but december of last year my daughter was completely miserable where she was and not progressing at all, not to mention numerous other "issues" that were happening with the gym itself. She would have left earlier but stayed because of her friends even though she was so unhappy, she was very close to quitting the sport altogether....so in the end we decided to go. I agree with one of the other posters this is a business after all so if your not running it right dont expect kids to stay and their parents to keep paying for it....Once she did leave and went to the gym we are at now the change in her was amazing. She loved the sport again. All this being said I still believe that switching gyms mid season should only be done in extreme cases...but your sisters definitly sounds like one to me!! Good Luck

 

[hannahx0xbananaa]

this is kind of like my situation about 1 1/2 years ago i was at a very small gym that was trying to open up. it was my first year of allstars so i was level 1 so i stuck it out the 1st year but when it came to working on level 2 tumbling for the next season i would be dropped on my head while being spotted & i was miserable there. this wasn't exactly mid season it was over the summer but i left for a gym farther away that was more established & safe. i'm proud to say that when i first came to my new gym i was terrified of throwing my back handspring from my old gym & today i'm perfecting my full. there was a lot of drama because all of my friends & girls i went to school with stayed at my old gym & my old coach was my school gym teacher who i saw daily.. (awkward..) but in the end i'm so much happier where i am now & wouldn't have gotten this far if i didn't leave so i think your niece should leave, she'll be happier & get so much more out of it & besides the drama it's her safety that comes first.

 

[ztaprincess]

I know that gym hopping is awful but I agree with Audrey, if I am paying for the services and they are not what I should be receiving then I would want out. I don't care if it is mid-season or not, if I am paying then it should be up to me to leave. I do think that there should be a real reason behind leaving such as safety. If I was your niece's mother I would yank her from that program as soon as possible. There is no way I would sit by and let coaches allow my child to constantly be dropped and injured because they can't teach simple level 1 stunts.

 

[BSS2000]

Its not locking kids into gyms though.

So what does it do then?

 

[hopskipandjump]

safety and stealing money????! GET OUT!

 

[BubbleToes]

Why now, not before? It doesn't sound like this all JUST happened. It sounds as if its been this way since she's been there, but an opportunity came up at another gym so you can bail now. You just discovered how they are un-safe, un-certified, and what rip-offs they are? If anything, I'd say pull her if you have to, but it something doesn't seem right that you've already tried out at another gym, made the team, but STILL contemplating keeping her at this horrible gym.

If it is truly this un-safe, you should pull her out immediately for her own safety....not worry about what happens next or what others think....just get her out if its that bad.