All-Star Training Athletes From Other Gyms

[drewpate]

I understand gyms not want the appearance of recruiting athletes, however if I know the athlete cheers at another gym, i'm more than receptive to them and the rest of the gym is the same way. We don't actively recruit them if they are just tumbling here, but i'm not afraid to make small talk and ask how coach so and so is doing (since I cheered at the only two other gyms that are our main competition kidwise) or if someone still works/cheers there, what team they are on etc.
In all honesty, I'm gonna make sure i'm doing a dang good job as coach if they cheer someone else and they're tumbling in one of my classes, its good marketing. Maybe they will come cheer here eventually. Maybe their friends will quit that gym and ask them if they know of any good gyms in the area, etc. Its just really good business to be more than receptive to it.
And honestly if your worried so much about appearing like you are recruiting, if you aren't actually being unethical you might as well accept that people will think what they will and you can't do anything to stop it, so to lose money over it isn't a smart idea IMO

 

[CheerMomNTx]

My thoughts...

That ONE kid training at YOUR gym is not going to make that kids ENTIRE team beat you!!!

It's ridiculous that some gyms will turn away a paying customer. We always have kids from different programs tumbling at our gym.

 

[ctgatormom]

This is just silly!! We have different kids from all over at our open gyms

 

[anythingforcheer]

We have a 2 good gyms not far from Texas Cheer and they do not allow you to train at thier gyms if you are a "Texas Cheer" cheerleader...

One gym just told a child on my daughters team since you didn't sign up with us and your staying at Tx you can't tumble here anymore...

But kids from those 2 gyms come tumble and play at Texas Cheer all time time. Guess that's another reason Texas is just better

This sounds like a gym I'm hearing about in the Maryland area and I think its an awful business move as well as causing unnecessary friction, gossiping and disharmony between parents, athletes, and coaches. I would hope that a
all can just be professional, train the athletes no matter what gym they are a part of and wish them well, in the end, a win win situation for all involved!

 

[CoachDerek]

I have athletes that do lessons with me from almost every gym in our area. It seems silly that a coach would turn away a kid. If you are in coaching or owning a tumbling or cheer facility, you should be in it for the right reasons and want to help everybody that you can. I have kids in my classes that are on teams that my team I coach goes against head to head. I will help any kid that wants me to.

 

[dawn]

My feeling is that we are doing this SPORT a dis-service if we dont promote friendships within ALL gyms. These are kids...and they have a lot of friends...some may be on different teams, who cares? If they get to tumble at an Open gym together..thats great !! Kids learn off of each other and are encouraged by each other. And are challenged by each other..I love when my daughter gets a chance to hit an open tumble when we are away from home.

Shame on those who wont allow a "cheerleader" to cheer/tumble every chance they get. These kids have fun when they see each other at Competitions , and they "cheer" each other on !! Promoting friendships and possitive values is what this SPORT is all about

 

[cheer97]

My feeling is that we are doing this SPORT a dis-service if we dont promote friendships within ALL gyms. These are kids...and they have a lot of friends...some may be on different teams, who cares? If they get to tumble at an Open gym together..thats great !! Kids learn off of each other and are encouraged by each other. And are challenged by each other..I love when my daughter gets a chance to hit an open tumble when we are away from home.

Shame on those who wont allow a "cheerleader" to cheer/tumble every chance they get. These kids have fun when they see each other at Competitions , and they "cheer" each other on !! Promoting friendships and possitive values is what this SPORT is all about

Yes! i would like to shimmy this a thousand times....not allowing a kid in a gym because of the team they are on is terrible sportsmanship. It would be nice if adults could set the example of good sportsmanship. It would be nice to walk into a competition and be able to say hello to others from different gyms instead of feeling like we have to take our opposing corners.

 

[Num1Stunta]

I love training kids from other programs, they usually end up being mine for the next season

 

[caobsession]

Tumbling, clinics, etc. at other gyms made me realize I'd be stupid if I didn't leave my gym. More kids, helpful instruction, & awesome classes open to others = more business = $$.

I see the a poor future for coach who kicked this girl out at Gym B

 

[CDRCoach17]

There are always heads and tails to each coin.
a) as long as everyone exhibits good taste, then there shouldn't be a problem. It is a business.
b) gym owner should not take any "shots" at this cheerleader for cheering at a rival gym or make that person feel uncomfortable.
c) the athlete must respect that when she is training with her high school, she should not be bad mouthing the gym or trying to convince kids to go elswhere.

 

[tumbleyoda]

I know I am in the minority when I say this or that will post it. If you are allowed to tumble at another facility do not put down their cheer teams, coaches or attempt to recruit kids at that gym to leave and go cheer someplace else. They are allowing you to come in and get something that for whatever reason you are not getting where you cheer. They don't have to do this because at the end of the day since it is a business there is no law that says they must let you tumble. They can choose the customers they desire to serve. Good or bad, right or wrong.

If you would ask why instead of assuming why you might discover that usually gyms that don't allow it have had problems with these types of things happening. It is not always the fear of losing athletes but the unecessary distraction that becomes problem. It could be a space issue. Or an instructor to student class ratio. Or insurance. There are reasons why some of them don't allow people from other gyms to come in and tumble. Not just because they are turning down $$$, fear the local rivals or are being just plain rude.

 

[wcdad]

I know I am in the minority when I say this or that will post it. If you are allowed to tumble at another facility do not put down their cheer teams, coaches or attempt to recruit kids at that gym to leave and go cheer someplace else. They are allowing you to come in and get something that for whatever reason you are not getting where you cheer. They don't have to do this because at the end of the day since it is a business there is no law that says they must let you tumble. They can choose the customers they desire to serve. Good or bad, right or wrong.

If you would ask why instead of assuming why you might discover that usually gyms that don't allow it have had problems with these types of things happening. It is not always the fear of losing athletes but the unecessary distraction that becomes problem. It could be a space issue. Or an instructor to student class ratio. Or insurance. There are reasons why some of them don't allow people from other gyms to come in and tumble. Not just because they are turning down $$$, fear the local rivals or are being just plain rude.

Then why have and offer an open gym? If the issue is space, ratio, insurance or what ever do not offer open gym.

 

[tumbleyoda]

Then why have and offer an open gym? If the issue is space, ratio, insurance or what ever do not offer open gym.

Different gyms use open gym differently. Some use it for their own kids to supplment their own tumbling schedule as a lower price alternative to private lessons. Some like a gym I used to work for actually used it as a structured tumble time much like a class setting with a lower attendance policy requirement. It also doupbledas an extra practice time if necessary during the competiton season. I think in those cases perhaps it should not be called open gym but something different.

 

[wcdad]

Different gyms use open gym differently. Some use it for their own kids to supplment their own tumbling schedule as a lower price alternative to private lessons. Some like a gym I used to work for actually used it as a structured tumble time much like a class setting with a lower attendance policy requirement. It also doupbledas an extra practice time if necessary during the competiton season. I think in those cases perhaps it should not be called open gym but something different.

In this case it is not open gym and the owner has every right to only allow his own teams to practice and it would be considered tumbling classes. But if he is advertising "open gym" than he should be allowing any one the opportunity to come in and tumble.

 

[putri]

We are in the same situation. We are in an all star gym which is about 40 minutes away. Just about 10 minutes from our house is a relatively small and little known all star gym with GREAT coaches. That's where CP did all her Level 5 tumbling practices. Last season, they did not have a Level 5 team. This season they do. That's when he politely told us that it's a conflict of his interest and he couldn't coach CP in tumbling anymore. We totally understand his reasoning. Too bad, we love him. He's a great coach.