All-Star Gym Hopping

[CheerMomNTx]

Well people are free to test the waters but remember, you don't want to burn bridges. With so many competitive gyms out there, the word loyalty no longer exisit.

 

[BamaCheerGuy]

Well people are free to test the waters but remember, you don't want to burn bridges. With so many competitive gyms out there, the word loyalty no longer exisit.

As a gym owner I never felt a child leaving was not being loyal nor did they burn a bridge. It's not personal. Maybe we didn't do something right. It's not about us (coaches or gym owners) it's about kids.


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[CheerMomNTx]

As a gym owner I never felt a child leaving was not being loyal nor did they burn a bridge. It's not personal. Maybe we didn't do something right. It's not about us (coaches or gym owners) it's about kids.


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But not all coaches/gym owners think like you.

 

[BamaCheerGuy]

But not all coaches/gym owners think like you.

That's true and sad. I am a really nice guy! :)


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[Cray_Z_CheerMom]

Switching gyms is definitely different than gym hopping. For example, my CP is switching gyms this season from a small 3rd year gym to a large, more established gym. The larger gym has more athletes at her age and ability level than the smaller gym. We LOVE the owner/coaches at the smaller gym, but at this point it is about what is best for CP.
There is another family that gym hops. They joined the larger gym, but didn't make the team they wanted so they moved to the smaller gym. When the coaches at the smaller gym told them they didn't have the skills for the team they wanted there, they left and went back to the larger gym.
The smaller gym now has a $500 fee if you quit the team before the end of the season. They are hoping this stops the gym hopping.

 

[thatgymowner]

I have noticed in the past that MOST of the kids/parents who leave for another gym mid season are ones that cause issues anyways, and its just less stressful for all if they leave. The ones who leave after the season, I can honestly say it doesn't make me mad. Sad sometimes, yes. I love them like my own and it's like a child moving out when they leave...

But I've had kids move onto bigger gyms with worlds teams, university's to cheer at, JAMZ staff, UCA staff, etc and I never feel mad. Isn't that like the same thing as leaving for another gym? They're moving on to another cheer experience that will broaden their horizon. If you LOVE that child, you won't be mad. You'll be happy for them that they're going to be able to even further advance their skills!

And typically, when they move on to another gym, they don't forget where they came from. And when they finally get that big win, you can feel like you had a part in that.. It's a super tough line and sometimes hard not to take it personally, but its so much better for everyone if we're all just gracious about it :)


Ashley

 

[12stepCheermom]

If you LOVE that child, you won't be mad. You'll be happy for them that they're going to be able to even further advance their skills!

I can't shimmy this enough.

Because if you choose to make it all about you, and be selfish, and angry, and belittling and then talk about them directly and in sub-tweets and vague-booking then everything you ever told that kid about how much you "love" them was nothing but one big, obvious, lie. You never loved them, you loved their tuition check and how they made YOU look....because it was only ever about you anyway.

And even a 13 year old is smart enough to figure that out.

If you're a coach, and in this position, I beg you to think about the KID you claimed to love before yourself. I've lived both of these scenarios. One only strengthened my love and respect, the other showed me the true character I never wanted to see.


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[CheerMomNTx]

We had friends at smaller gyms and they simply wanted to try a larger gym so that they could travel and experience larger, out of state competitions. It does get boring after a while, competing against the same gyms/teams week after week.

 

[Cheermom1969]

I have noticed in the past that MOST of the kids/parents who leave for another gym mid season are ones that cause issues anyways, and its just less stressful for all if they leave. The ones who leave after the season, I can honestly say it doesn't make me mad. Sad sometimes, yes. I love them like my own and it's like a child moving out when they leave...

But I've had kids move onto bigger gyms with worlds teams, university's to cheer at, JAMZ staff, UCA staff, etc and I never feel mad. Isn't that like the same thing as leaving for another gym? They're moving on to another cheer experience that will broaden their horizon. If you LOVE that child, you won't be mad. You'll be happy for them that they're going to be able to even further advance their skills!

And typically, when they move on to another gym, they don't forget where they came from. And when they finally get that big win, you can feel like you had a part in that.. It's a super tough line and sometimes hard not to take it personally, but its so much better for everyone if we're all just gracious about it :)


Ashley

Having only just completed our first year in the all star cheer arena, how common is it that a child would move to another gym after the season has already started? I find that mind boggling that someone would do that? I know we had one girl on our team that wanted to quit for this or that reason about 3/4th of the way through but she stuck it out and I respected her and her parents for honoring her commitment to the team.

 

[thatgymowner]

Having only just completed our first year in the all star cheer arena, how common is it that a child would move to another gym after the season has already started? I find that mind boggling that someone would do that? I know we had one girl on our team that wanted to quit for this or that reason about 3/4th of the way through but she stuck it out and I respected her and her parents for honoring her commitment to the team.

I wouldn't say it's SUPER common, but it happens. Sometimes people can't pay their bills so they disappear. Sometimes they just don't wanna do it anymore.

We had a set of Tiny's this year that just didn't show up to comp and when we called and called, they ignored us. Then 4 weeks later had the audacity to ask if I'd buy back her uniforms. Needless to say my 3-5 year olds had to relearn their routine backstage.

It's a sad reality, but people do leave mid season. It's terrible. We have a contract in place, so when they leave they pay out their tuition for the year, but they still go. And then I am usually forced to send them to collections.

Like I said, it's NOT common. But it happens. And if you have NO contract, it will happen A LOT more often.


Ashley

 

[Cheermom1969]

I wouldn't say it's SUPER common, but it happens. Sometimes people can't pay their bills so they disappear. Sometimes they just don't wanna do it anymore.

We had a set of Tiny's this year that just didn't show up to comp and when we called and called, they ignored us. Then 4 weeks later had the audacity to ask if I'd buy back her uniforms. Needless to say my 3-5 year olds had to relearn their routine backstage.

It's a sad reality, but people do leave mid season. It's terrible. We have a contract in place, so when they leave they pay out their tuition for the year, but they still go. And then I am usually forced to send them to collections.

Like I said, it's NOT common. But it happens. And if you have NO contract, it will happen A LOT more often.


Ashley

Wow. I've always taught my kids, no matter which sport they're participating in, you will always honor your commitment to the team. I never threatened to keep them home from a game as a punishment - and I know some parents do that. I'm not holding myself out as some parent saint - because sometimes I suck at it LOL - but parents need to finish what they started and that goes for their child too. (Sorry, pet peeve)

 

[Cray_Z_CheerMom]

Wow. I've always taught my kids, no matter which sport they're participating in, you will always honor your commitment to the team. I never threatened to keep them home from a game as a punishment - and I know some parents do that. I'm not holding myself out as some parent saint - because sometimes I suck at it LOL - but parents need to finish what they started and that goes for their child too. (Sorry, pet peeve)

I wish more parents would instill this in their children. I have told my kids the same thing. You start something, you finish it. You want to go a different gym this season, you stay there all season.
There was a girl on my CP's school team this year that was up for a magazine's Cheerleader of the Month. Because people at the gym we practiced at didn't vote for her, her mother was going to pull her from our team a week before a competition. She said she wanted to hurt the people at the gym, but what she didn't realize it would hurt all her daughter's teammates. We would be down a flyer and an itegral part of our pyramid.
Luckily she took some time to cool off and realized her mistake, but kids do it all the time. They get bored or think the grass is greener somewhere else and they just quit. They don't think about the consequences for everyone else on their team.
Thank goodness for parents like you, @Cheermom1969

 

[cheermuse]

I agree whole-heatedly with finishing what you start and we teach our CP the same value. We have watched over the years folks come and go in the middle of a season, 2 days before a comp for various reasons, etc.

Our decision to try a another gym was done with the utmost respect. I didn't go around talking about our decision during the season at anytime. We finished the season, right. I'm guessing this is why it came as such a huge shock to some who had no idea until the end of summer.

Fast Fwd to last comp with new gym and CP was excited she would be able to see coaches/teams/kids from old gym. She got the surprise of her life, they treated her like crap, wouldn't speak to her and called her names. It hurt her feelings so much she had no idea she would be treated that way. There ignorance just created another teachable moment for us.

No loyalty in cheer or any sport for that matter.

 

[Cheermom1969]

I agree whole-heatedly with finishing what you start and we teach our CP the same value. We have watched over the years folks come and go in the middle of a season, 2 days before a comp for various reasons, etc.

Our decision to try a another gym was done with the utmost respect. I didn't go around talking about our decision during the season at anytime. We finished the season, right. I'm guessing this is why it came as such a huge shock to some who had no idea until the end of summer.

Fast Fwd to last comp with new gym and CP was excited she would be able to see coaches/teams/kids from old gym. She got the surprise of her life, they treated her like crap, wouldn't speak to her and called her names. It hurt her feelings so much she had no idea she would be treated that way. There ignorance just created another teachable moment for us.

No loyalty in cheer or any sport for that matter.

That breaks my heart! I'm so sorry to hear she went through that. Tough lesson to learn. :(
Since my CP is new, we haven't experienced any of her friends switching gyms, but if and when she does, I'll remember what I'm reading here on this subject. Her two best cheer friends aren't coming back this year and this has bummed her out big time. Not switching, just not doing all star cheer anymore.

 

[AndrewSky]

What I will say about this issue:
It's really annoying when you have kids/teammates on your team, work out with them all summer, and then leave high and dry a week before choreography or competition after a roster has been set to go to a "better" team with the chance of them getting a ring.
To me, that isn't fair. What does that kid learn? You can abandon your commitments? Be greedy? I don't know.
In my opinion there's a big difference between leaving due to outgrowing your program/moving to a larger program with good intentions and straight ring chasing.