All-Star Drama And Unorganization

[Perkyninjamomma]

How bad is it in your gym?
If you have it, does it always seem to be the same people?
Are the coaches helpful or some of the problem?

Is your gym organized?
What kind of problems?
Have you left a gym due to any of the above?


I'm having some internal conflict (obviously!) trying to see other people's point of views

 

[NCCheerMama]

Yes, drama seems to come from the same people. Even when the coaches address it with those individuals, they don't change. They thrive on it. They usually end up leaving after a few years, and take their drama to another gym! I just don't pay attention to it, and not get involved. Some people will try and drag you into it-I just defer, and say "I don't know about that situation or prefer not to disucss"

Our gym has a strict policy written that parents sign (most gyms do) regarding code of conduct in the gym and at competitions. If you gym does not, look into it. It can squelch the gossip.

We are pretty organized (have been doing it for over 11 seasons), but if your gym is fairly new to the game it can seem like an unorganized mess (practice schedules, choreography camps, ordering uniforms etc.) Without specifics on your situation, hard to give more advice but if you feel comfortable there, and trust that your CP is in good hands, most problems work themselves out.
Good Luck!

 

[Perkyninjamomma]

This is going on our 4th season with this gym. It always the same stuff and so unorganized. I will give more details later (packing bags for wrestling camp!) but just curious how many other gyms have issues

 

[ang_k_]

I've been at a gym with many issues before, which caused me leaving the facility. However, my gym is not tolerant to drama or misbehavior at all. Sure, there are small problems every so often, but nothing huge, and definitely not on a weekly basis, such as my first gym. The owner of our gym actually has a sign outside her window saying that she doesn't deal with drama and the gym surely stands by that.

As organization goes, practice schedules and procedures for practices are always the same. Teams rotate to go into the tumble gym, taking an hour for each one or two teams in the facility then coming back to the main gym and take the same mat they take every practice. It's very well run.

 

[njallday]

This is going on our 4th season with this gym. It always the same stuff and so unorganized. I will give more details later (packing bags for wrestling camp!) but just curious how many other gyms have issues

i think you'd be hard-pressed to find one gym out there that doesn't have at least one issue. the important part is how much that issue gets to you or changes your opinion of the program.

canceling/adding practices within short notice, uniforms coming in late, lack of communication, etc. can all be small glitches... but when there's more than one small glitch, or much bigger problems, like a lack of organization at practices causing unsafe environments, for example, it can certainly make or break whether or not you want to give the gym your hard earned money.

at the end of the day, only you and CP can make the decision what's best for you, your family, and your checkbook

Good luck!

 

[CheerBank]

How bad is it in your gym?
If you have it, does it always seem to be the same people?
Are the coaches helpful or some of the problem?

Is your gym organized?
What kind of problems?
Have you left a gym due to any of the above?


I'm having some internal conflict (obviously!) trying to see other people's point of views

i think you'd be hard-pressed to find one gym out there that doesn't have at least one issue. the important part is how much that issue gets to you or changes your opinion of the program.

canceling/adding practices within short notice, uniforms coming in late, lack of communication, etc. can all be small glitches... but when there's more than one small glitch, or much bigger problems, like a lack of organization at practices causing unsafe environments, for example, it can certainly make or break whether or not you want to give the gym your hard earned money.

at the end of the day, only you and CP can make the decision what's best for you, your family, and your checkbook

Good luck!

That's really it - how much of it there is and how much of it you are willing to take.
I think the longer you stay in all-star cheer you faster you realize what isues are negotiable and what is just not negotiable for you as a parent, for your cp and for your family in general in regards to your gym.
It took us a long time to leave our first gym; we were there for 5 years but I started the 4th season not too happy and the 5th season downright angry at the way things were handled by the owners/coaches. The parents who are still there and will still speak me have told me the issues are still the same but they have chosen not to switch.
We went to another gym which was going through it's own issues (which we had no clue about when we joined) that caused the gym to actually split at the end of the season and we left with the split, stuck with that gym for a year and then found what we now hope is our long-term home.
My rule of thumb now is never to start a season angry. If you are starting a season angry or annoyed, it is only going to get worse as the season continues. And it is a LONG season, as we all know.

 

[CheerBank]

How bad is it in your gym?
If you have it, does it always seem to be the same people?
Are the coaches helpful or some of the problem?

Is your gym organized?
What kind of problems?
Have you left a gym due to any of the above?


I'm having some internal conflict (obviously!) trying to see other people's point of views

If you want to vent, feel free to PM me. I've completely been in a similar position - more than once.

 

[12stepCheermom]

If someone says their gym has no issues, they are either lying, completely oblivious or they're the problem themselves.

Every gym will have issues to some degree. Every program will have things that crop up and cause last minute schedule changes, glitches where something didn't go as planned, the difference is whether those are hit or miss things that the gym informs you about or if it's a pattern of organizational behavior that lets you know it's not well run logistically.

Then You just have to figure out what you are and are not willing to put up with. You'll figure out what your deal breakers are and they're different for everyone which is, in part, where I think the drama comes from, what's a deal breaker for one parent may not even register on another's radar and vice versa.

 

[Allstarmom2002]

Our old gym was extremely disorganized. They had issues with billing me incorrectly, not keeping track of private lessons, canceling classes and not notifying the parents. I remember last season, not knowing where we were competing up to two days before we were suppose to leave. Mind you we were traveling and we had to cancel and find new hotel reservations. Talk about frustrating! Uniforms were ordered in the wrong size and style...the list goes on and on. Coaches not showing up to our last competition...who does that? It was just a mess.

I think for our old gym a big part of the problem was the front office stay (after 5:00) were some of the older girls (16-18) from the gym. As far as the coaches, they didn't really get to involved in assisting, most of the organizing of the gym was left up to the office.

Some of these things I could deal with, we felt very strongly about supporting our community gym. After all this is were all CP's friends went for classes so we really wanted to stick it out. But for us, the final straw was when we tried out for this season and she was placed on a team 30 minutes from our home (at our other gym location) which was never mentioned to us as even a possibility. I even circled on our try out form that we would not be able to attend the other location. After that, combined with the coaches not coming to our last compeition, we elected to try out at another gym and make a switch...best descion we ever made! Although at the time we were very conflicted on what to do.

I think the most important thing is honesty and communciation. I can deal with the issues if they are communicated to me. There is always a solution but you have to be upfront with the parents.
Sorry for the novel!

 

[Underestimated]

i'd say every gym has some type of unorganized day's or time.. people are human and bound to make mistake its just as a parent/athlete/staff how you choose to make of it..

i was at my previous gyms for 6yrs(?) and there was many unorganized things and communication was not there. i rolled with the punches and was very passive till the last yr was there. i just grew sick of it and wanted out as well!

i do think that if a gym makes a mistakes the parents (customers) deserve some type of explanation. it erks me when gym owners dont respond to email, phone calls, text messages(via phone or facebook) as if they're soooooo busy they cant return a simple reply. but when it comes to them the world must revolve around them and you better respond ASAP to them

sorry.. i kind of vented for a sec. ill shut up now.

 

[dawgshow]

Every gym has its issues but constant disorganization is a deal killer for me. When last minute changes are the norm and not exception, there are often underlying issues.
As for drama, let's face it...you get a group of girls/women together drama will happen. You can choose to be a part of it or not. I do my best to stay out but do get sucked in from time to time. Thankfully, I have friends who will hit me with a reality stick to pull me out of it

 

[Perkyninjamomma]

I'm a little OCD so disorganization drives me insane. The drama is off the charts and on a whole new level. Unfortunately the owner/coach thrives on it.

Some of the disorganization:
1. $350 uniforms ordered last season. Never received uniforms until Mid-Jan and no shorts. (just tops) it is now almost the end of summer..still no shorts. We may not get them and they want to refund us $60. Lol we only wore the tops for 4 or 5 comps I believe. Just had the girls wear purple spankies for bottoms.

2. 2 of our teams had full paid US finals bids and another had a partial. Parents reserved rooms, took vacations etc because they said we we're going no matter what. The other 2 coaches would stay behind for the worlds team. Cancelled us going the week before due to the owner not feeling like going to both VA and FL. Screwed a ton of parents

3. 3 diff comps in the past 2 seasons my daughters team had no coach. Performed and did warm ups on their own and with the help of older teams

...the list goes on....

 

[dawgshow]

I'm a little OCD so disorganization drives me insane. The drama is off the charts and on a whole new level. Unfortunately the owner/coach thrives on it.

Some of the disorganization:
1. $350 uniforms ordered last season. Never received uniforms until Mid-Jan and no shorts. (just tops) it is now almost the end of summer..still no shorts. We may not get them and they want to refund us $60. Lol we only wore the tops for 4 or 5 comps I believe. Just had the girls wear purple spankies for bottoms.

2. 2 of our teams had full paid US finals bids and another had a partial. Parents reserved rooms, took vacations etc because they said we we're going no matter what. The other 2 coaches would stay behind for the worlds team. Cancelled us going the week before due to the owner not feeling like going to both VA and FL. Screwed a ton of parents

3. 3 diff comps in the past 2 seasons my daughters team had no coach. Performed and did warm ups on their own and with the help of older teams

...the list goes on....

This rarely happens but I'm...speechless.

 

[cheerheart4life]

I'm a little OCD so disorganization drives me insane. The drama is off the charts and on a whole new level. Unfortunately the owner/coach thrives on it.

Some of the disorganization:
1. $350 uniforms ordered last season. Never received uniforms until Mid-Jan and no shorts. (just tops) it is now almost the end of summer..still no shorts. We may not get them and they want to refund us $60. Lol we only wore the tops for 4 or 5 comps I believe. Just had the girls wear purple spankies for bottoms.

2. 2 of our teams had full paid US finals bids and another had a partial. Parents reserved rooms, took vacations etc because they said we we're going no matter what. The other 2 coaches would stay behind for the worlds team. Cancelled us going the week before due to the owner not feeling like going to both VA and FL. Screwed a ton of parents

3. 3 diff comps in the past 2 seasons my daughters team had no coach. Performed and did warm ups on their own and with the help of older teams

...the list goes on....

That's beyond unorganization. That's the gym not being run properly! Y'all should have been notified about the competition being canceled a month in advance. Or in enough time to cancel plans!

 

[CheerBank]

I'm a little OCD so disorganization drives me insane. The drama is off the charts and on a whole new level. Unfortunately the owner/coach thrives on it.

Some of the disorganization:
1. $350 uniforms ordered last season. Never received uniforms until Mid-Jan and no shorts. (just tops) it is now almost the end of summer..still no shorts. We may not get them and they want to refund us $60. Lol we only wore the tops for 4 or 5 comps I believe. Just had the girls wear purple spankies for bottoms.

2. 2 of our teams had full paid US finals bids and another had a partial. Parents reserved rooms, took vacations etc because they said we we're going no matter what. The other 2 coaches would stay behind for the worlds team. Cancelled us going the week before due to the owner not feeling like going to both VA and FL. Screwed a ton of parents

3. 3 diff comps in the past 2 seasons my daughters team had no coach. Performed and did warm ups on their own and with the help of older teams

...the list goes on....

I'm just wondering where you will draw the line and start looking at what else is out there for you and your cp....