All-Star What's Your Thought - Calling Athletes Back To Your Gym?

[anythingforcheer]

We've had discussions on the board regarding recruiting efforts, varying opinions etc., regarding the topic. However, what's your thought when an athletes decides to try out at gym A, makes a great team and their previous gym finds out and decides to call the parent to offer the athlete a position on the same team at their gym? The kicker here is, they were not considering the athlete for that team hence the reason the athlete tried out somewhere else. I'm in no way bashing anyone, but would really like to hear from parents and athletes - is this a common practice?

 

[cupieqt]

I would not call a former athlete that has been placed on a team at another gym. It's unethical and unprofessional.

 

[JulieP]

We would never do it. There's a reason that this kid wasn't on that team in the first place and trying out somewhere else doesn't change that. Maybe that gym doesn't have a different team for that kid. The lower level team could be full or maybe they see potential for growth that the original gym did not. Either way, that's their choice, and it wouldn't change my opinion if I was the coach for the original gym.

 

[CheerBank]

We've had discussions on the board regarding recruiting efforts, varying opinions etc., regarding the topic. However, what's your thought when an athletes decides to try out at gym A, makes a great team and their previous gym finds out and decides to call the parent to offer the athlete a position on the same team at their gym? The kicker here is, they were not considering the athlete for that team hence the reason the athlete tried out somewhere else. I'm in no way bashing anyone, but would really like to hear from parents and athletes - is this a common practice?

We just recently got an email from a gym my cp used to go to asking us if we were interested in coming back and that if so there was room on a sr level team that I can't imagine my daughter ready to be on (she is 12 and a level 4 tumbler but is really just learning level 4 basing skills this season). Our situation is a little different - we did not leave this gym because my cp was not placed on the team she wanted to be on, but because the gym split and we left with the majority of her teammates, however, if the split had not happened and things had stayed as they were, there is no way IMO she would have or should have made this higher level sr team this season. The email was very nice, and somewhat apologetic in saying that if we were happy then by all means ignore the rest, but it was more to let us know that if we were not happy that this was an option for my cp. I responded with thank you but no thank you, and that was it.

 

[Keep_Believing]

Yikes!!!! That could send the message if you don't like the level you made just try out at a differnt gym to get what you want!

 

[kristenthegreat]

I see this as two different viewpoints-
Scenario: Athlete A tries out at Gym 1. Gym 1 can't/doesn't/won't give them the spot/team/level they 'want.' (Either because Team Purple was full of true-level athletes and Athlete A is lacking, they're on the team but not in the spot they want, they're trying to keep it a certain age level or avoid young ones on Senior teams, etc). Athlete A goes to Gym 2.

Now, where it falls is on why the athlete left and why the gym is calling them back. Did the athlete leave because there wasn't enough kids to make a level/age-appropriate team? Or did they leave because they weren't going to get the spot/team they wanted? Is Gym 1 calling them because a spot opened up? Mending a bridge? Team is progressing faster than planned so they might be able to accommodate Athlete A's level? Or trying to recruit them back saying 'We're so desperate to have you back we're willing to do anything!'

Obviously, some of those instances are ok, some aren't.

 

[cheerforeverever]

In most situations, I believe this is a no-no........very shady. If someone leaves a gym, they obviously left for a reason, so I don't see the point in begging them to come back. Even if the athlete did ditch the other gym he/she tried out at and came back (which would be wrong in my opinion as well to just leave that new gym hanging), the second they were unhappy again what would stop them from leaving again? It's just prolonging inevitability. Additionally, if the coaches were not considering that athlete for the team initially (for whatever reason), now "giving" them that spot as a result of another gym's decision is not good business sense and sends up a red flag to me. Does that mean every time someone threatens to leave, they get what they want even if they don't necessarily deserve it? The result of that business practice is a team full of kids that compete "level 5" with level 3/4 skills and will not be very successful, causing those kids/parents to leave eventually anyways. Gyms should do what is best to develop the kids they do have and not waste time worrying about what other gyms in the area are doing about team placements, because it's not under their control. If you're too worried about other gyms, you aren't focusing on your own gym.

 

[jcheermom]

I believe that it is unethical to call an athlete back and offer them an 'incentive' to come back to their former gym. There was a reason why they left their gym and looked elsewhere: cost, skill, unhappy with current situation whether it be coaching, financial, or competition schedule, they left. It is hard to make the decision to leave and it should have been considered carefully and a call or offer to come back shouldn't change that decision. It is unethical for a coach/owner to contact a former athlete/parent of an athlete to sway them to come back, however if you are considering going back to your former gym, but IMO I find it acceptable to 'test the water' by contacting the former coaches/owners to see if your athlete would be welcomed back and where the athlete would be placed.

 

[MyGirlCheers]

Regardless of why an athlete left or why a gym wants/needs them back, the fact is the athlete has a commitment to another gym. It's unethical for the gym to try and "steal" the athlete away from their new gym and it's wrong for the athlete to break the commitment they've made.

 

[CHEER4LIFE!!]

There is a coach in our town that constantly facebook messages all of our athletes!!! He tells them they will be on a level higher squad to get them to leave. We have had squads set since May and he is still sending them messages. It happens every year, he is a snake in the grass!!!!!!

 

[NCCheerMama]

Our owner has always said she will never beg anyone to stay or come back. They left for a reason, for whatever reason, and coming back will inevitably cause more problems in the end. It is not worth the headache to the coaches to deal with more drama than necessary.

 

[XtremeWpg]

There is a coach in our town that constantly facebook messages all of our athletes!!! He tells them they will be on a level higher squad to get them to leave. We have had squads set since May and he is still sending them messages. It happens every year, he is a snake in the grass!!!!!!

I cannot begin to tell you the frequency with which this happens where I'm from. We've made it our stand point that if people want to be on our teams, great, if you think you'll fit somewhere better, great. But no way will I ever make promises I can't/won't keep, or try to get someone from one team to mine.

 

[SmileCat]

Is that to intense? I've always wanted to use this gif

But seriously, If an athlete has left your gym, LET THEM BE.

 

[JulieP]

There is a coach in our town that constantly facebook messages all of our athletes!!! He tells them they will be on a level higher squad to get them to leave. We have had squads set since May and he is still sending them messages. It happens every year, he is a snake in the grass!!!!!!

That happens here too. I have also heard that they tell people that I am a bad coach and that I bully kids. If I am such an awful coach, then why are my kids so talented that you won't stop contacting them?

 

[tumbleyoda]

That happens here too. I have also heard that they tell people that I am a bad coach and that I bully kids. If I am such an awful coach, then why are my kids so talented that you won't stop contacting them?

:chestbump: It happens everywhere. The difference is some people will at least own up to it and admit they do it, while others deny it even when it is posted everywhere for everybody to see. I used to always wonder what you posted about in past years too. I mean the gym sucks, the staff sucks, the teams suck, BUT you want to recruit as many of these kids that attend that gym that sucks as possible. Won't that make your teams at the "bigger, better, badder gym" worse - especially since they kids suck? How much time will you have to spend fixing technique, training new stunt positions, etc. Or maybe they don't suck it it is just because they don't cheer for you and once they leave the old program they automatically don't suck anymore.