- Mar 3, 2010
- 41
- 19
- Thread starter
- #16
Gym hopping happens everywhere...I would say it was worse in Arizona. It wasn't uncommon when my oldest was in cheer for her friends to change gyms each season. I have also seen it here in Texas but for different reasons. In AZ it seemed like people were looking for better team placements. I saw a lot of "Oh your not going to put my Susie on level 5? Then I'm taking her Gym B!" Gym B would usually put Susie on that level 5 but next season move her down...and off they would go again!
Our reason for hopping so much was drive time. We started at CA and then moved gyms for a shorter drive. Then CA moved closer to us, so we went back. I don't forsee us moving again unless we move out of state!
This is kind of what I meant by this thread. In Arizona you see a lot of switching when they don't get added to the team they "think" they deserve. I applaud AZ Thunder and USA Starz for sticking it out and getting level 5 teams, but as a whole it is difficult for them to get true level 5 teams when athletes will switch to be on those well known teams. Another thing I have heard is some gyms don't create/make their athletes they just collect them from others gyms. But overall I think the Valley is just not big enough for all of these gyms and with the high school rule added to it, it makes it even smaller