All-Star Switching Gyms Mid-season

[BubbleToes]

Sorry! I didn't mean to sound so harsh and accusatory....

 

[MissCongeniality]

Sorry! I didn't mean to sound so harsh and accusatory....

I totally understood what you were saying. If safety is truly an issue... pull her immediately. The going to another gym is a separate issue really. That is what I think gets so confusing in this whole gym hopping debate. I don't think anyone thinks you should be FORCED to stay anywhere you are unsafe or miserable... but that has nothing to do with switching to a different team mid-season. Leave where you are unsafe and miserable and take a few months off. Then, at the start of the following season, join a different program. In the meantime you can continue to work your skills at whatever gym you choose.

 

[BSS2000]

It allows kids to leave as long as there not joining a worlds team, which his sister is not.

That sounds even more ridiculous. Why is it only worlds teams?

 

[Mr.Kevin]

I don't want to "dog pile" on the issue ... but I'm already in mid-leap, so here I go.

The reason to change gyms during the competitive months should be extremely few and easily proven: Parents have to move for work. Old gym closes down. Few others.

"Safety" is a very tough thing to prove. I believe that the sentiment has been intimated, if not outright stated, that one knows before mid-season whether or not your feel safety is an issue. Listen kids, this is a dangerous sport (note: SPORT!). I would caution you all from reacting to a singe incident and claiming "safety" as your reason to change gyms. If you feel that there is an environment of unsafe practice, then make the best choice for your family - but also take responsibility, be brave, and discuss it with the owner. Notice that I didn't say be a crazy fool about it; make them aware of your concerns and be a part of the solution, if able. We all have different perspectives on safety. I think that I'm a safe driver. My wife thinks that I'm a lunatic behind the wheel. Different perspective.

If you must change, research the gym that you are considering switching to. You wouldn't buy a house without an inspection done on it first. What greater investment do you have that with your children?? If you jump from the pan and into the fire, it just might end up leaving the sport altogether. That would be a bummer!

Sorry for the dog pile.

 

[Mr.Kevin]

What greater investment do you have that with your children??

Sorry, correction: What greater investment do you have than with your children??

 

[BSS2000]

You shouldn't have to take the rest of your season off just because you quit another gym. If theres a gym down the way that has room, why not?
It really just kills me to hear people talk about switching gyms mid season like it's this sudden epidemic in all star cheerleading.

Say for instance your daughter tried out for a junior level 5 team, and she is strong in all categories at her level. Your daughter makes the junior 5 and a few competitions into the season her coaches decide to add a boy and go junior coed 4. You don't think you have the right to go across town and let your daughter finish her season on another gym junior 5? If we're going to hold athletes responsible for the teams they compete on, why not make coaches responsible for the levels and divisions they compete in? I could say before competition season a coach should know what division their team is going to compete in.

 

[ufomom]

Maybe your sister should pull her daughter out of cheer (safety), but not go the other gym until next season. Take tumbling for now. I am thinking of the family reasons...keeping the drama down with step-mother (I think you said?) It sounds like the reason for the desire to change now has to do with the try out for the other team. I don't want to be disrespectful in anyway, but the family dynamic that maybe kept her there longer than they should have stayed is still there.

 

[ufomom]

Maybe your sister should pull her daughter out of cheer (safety), but not go the other gym until next season. Take tumbling for now. I am thinking of the family reasons...keeping the drama down with step-mother (I think you said?) It sounds like the reason for the desire to change now has to do with the try out for the other team. I don't want to be disrespectful in anyway, but the family dynamic that maybe kept her there longer than they should have stayed is still there.

Opps, I mean ex-husband's girlfriend. Just concerned about impact of the adults on the child. Would they make it hard on her if they took this personal. And for that matter, can the ex-husband stop her (custody and all that stuff.) How do they make decisions for their child?

 

[Ashley]

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

Honestly, leaving mid season is going to create more drama with the "stepmom" than sticking out the season and then having your sister explain that she needs to do what's best for her daughter to develop as a cheerleader. It's not her first year there, and she's done enough of this season that she should have realized all of these issues months ago. It seems like this wouldn't even be up for debate if the new gym didn't want her.

At the end of the day, there's no stopping her from switching (yet), but she might be burning some bridges in the process and causing drama. If she absolutely doesn't want to keep cheering there, it's probably best to take the remainder of the season off and maybe do some privates at the new gym or something to stay in shape.

 

[BSS2000]

What if it's the kids last eligible season on a senior team, you can't just tell them to sit the rest of the season out.

 

[Num1Stunta]

All very good perspectives... A little more background on this gym... They don't practice at all over the summer and they don't get their choreography until late november. Their season is very short, so where they are now is about equivalent to sept for most gyms.

My sister knows/knew nothing about cheerleading, and like most new parents out there,she just thought all gyms are created equal. This coach hides them at competitions with other similarly awful teams, so none of the parents see a difference. It was only when she saw her friend's team compete and then went to a practice that she realized how bad their own gym is (despite my advice lol)

Parents trust coaches to an extent, especially if u know them prior or they are family. So, when your coach is telling you it's normal to fall and get hurt because cheer is such a dangerous sport, a new parent will believe that.

They also haven't officially announced to the parents what level their teams are competing this season... And they compete in 3 weeks lol... Nightmare

 

[Ashley]

You shouldn't have to take the rest of your season off just because you quit another gym. If theres a gym down the way that has room, why not?
It really just kills me to hear people talk about switching gyms mid season like it's this sudden epidemic in all star cheerleading.

Say for instance your daughter tried out for a junior level 5 team, and she is strong in all categories at her level. Your daughter makes the junior 5 and a few competitions into the season her coaches decide to add a boy and go junior coed 4. You don't think you have the right to go across town and let your daughter finish her season on another gym junior 5? If we're going to hold athletes responsible for the teams they compete on, why not make coaches responsible for the levels and divisions they compete in? I could say before competition season a coach should know what division their team is going to compete in.

There's no reason to believe why a coach wouldn't release the athlete in a case like that. If she made the team assuming it was level 5 and then it went to level 4 because of a boy, I think most gym owners would understand and release the athlete.

 

[BSS2000]

I understand, I was just confused that it took affect for teams this year. I haven't paid too much attention to this rule since it was passed. I still just think its unnecessary in our sport. Competitive cheer is a business at the end of the day.

 

[Ashley]

I understand, I was just confused that it took affect for teams this year. I haven't paid too much attention to this rule since it was passed. I still just think its unnecessary in our sport. Competitive cheer is a business at the end of the day.

The rule that passed doesn't go into effect until next year. USASF implemented the rule for Worlds this year before it was even up for debate for next year.

Here's the info for Worlds this year from the packet:

All athletes participating on a team at The 2011 Worlds, must be a registered member of that team’s gym during the 2010 – 2011 competition season. Any athlete that has competed with another team from another gym (Primary Gym) or has been registered with the USASF as an athlete member from another gym (Primary Gym), during the same 2010 – 2011 competition season, will have to complete a USASF Gym Release Waiver, located at www.USASF.net, signed by the owner of that other gym (Primary Gym) before that athlete is eligible to compete at the 2011 Cheerleading Worlds with another gym (Secondary Gym).

 

[NJ Coach]

Since they haven't competed yet, I'm less against taking her out. First and foremost, her safety is the most important thing in this conversation. If they are dropping her to the ground in level 1 stunts, she can still get as hurt as getting dropped from any other level. All she needs to do is fall wrong, and then you're in trouble. Obviously the sticky situation is the family dynamic. The dreaded stepmom lol. Seriously though, the child's safety needs to be forefront, and there needs to be less concern over what the girlfriend or ex is going to say/do. Since it's almost Feb, wouldn't the other team be on the home stretch of their season? It might be difficult to jump onto a team this late.

If it was me, I'd pull her.