All-Star What Is It That Makes A Good Gym?

[Fionaelite]

What do you think makes a really successfull program?

Is it the location? e.g. if its a "richer" area, more money can be spent on coreography, or unis or comp fees, or is it if the gym is the only one in the area, so all tallent automatically goes to them?

Is it the natural tallent? So just luck to if you get good athletes or not

Is it the coaches? e.g. their talent in leadership, passion patience? Full time coaches V part time/volunteer

Is it the facility? e.g. if youve got a great facility, then your athlete will be of a higher standard?

Is it the timing? e.g. if the gym is 7+ years old, then through progression of skills, they will have very successful high level teams as they cheerleaders on them have been raised from the group up?

Or something totally different all together?

 

[ohsnapitslex]

Personally I think it is the athletes, coaches, and fans. You have to have a good group of athletes that are willing & determined to work hard and be there for the team. The coaches help develop & discipline the team to be great, and succeed in each cheer season. Lastly I say the fans because they help pump up the team before they compete which is always a good thing to know you have full support whether you win or lose!

 

[F!ERCE]

Coaches coaches coaches coaches coaches. There is a reason good gyms and teams remain good through the years. Perfect routines, advanced skills and good technique are the DIRECT product of the coaching staff.

You can have the most talented group of athletes in the world, but if you don't have the proper staff to guide them, they will go nowhere. Generally, after a while, a talented coaching staff will attract naturally talented athletes, as well, but good coaching must come first.

 

[wcsstilldeath]

I agree with everything you said above minus the part about facility. I know some great teams that have practiced in make shift buildings or less then ideal gyms. I believe the coaches have the greatest influence. Money somewhat plays a factor because kids need to be able to pay for tumble classes etc. but also if you have raw talent, then you could be dirt poor and still be a fantastic self taught cheerleader.

 

[cheermommaRN]

I think it's the coaches, the owners, and how they run their business. If you have good coaching you'll bring out the best in your athletes and they'll learn the proper way to execute. Good coaching will also treat each kid like an asset to the team, parents want their child to feel special. Owners should be supportive of their teams and coaches, plus understanding that people come and go. I have never seen a gym implode faster then one led by someone who burns bridges because a family wants to leave or try something new. All it does it make sure that you've lost that customer for good. Also good business practices...make sure whoever is running your books has it all in check, no double or triple billing, hidden fees, ect.
If you build it and it is good, athletes will come....

 

[Num1Stunta]

Yeah, I agree with most of what's being said..... the coaching is the most important aspect, and the second most important would be the organization/structure of the program. Great coaches can only be as great as their program allows them to be. If you're dealing with a director who micromanages EVERYTHING or a director who manages nothing, somewhere you are going to end up with coaches or kids who are dissatisfied.

On a more general note, I judge a gym's quality based on how well they do across the boards. Having one or two good teams is not enough to qualify you as a great gym. The teams should all have uniformity, using the same technique, using strong technique, teams that are built age/level appropriately, coaches who work well together, knowing how to use coaches with certain abilities to maximize the potential of the program, and add to that that the kids and parents should love it.

 

[onetrupairing]

The people at my gym are my family. And they always will be.
That's what makes a good gym.

 

[zonkadonk]

I think it takes a combinations of things -
#1 good coaches - who are very knowledgeable about every aspect of the industry, and who are focused on the gym as a whole looking good and not just one team
#2 dedicated athletes - athletes with good work ethic and personal drive - a lot of the work ethic though stems back to the coaching and how effective coaches are with getting the athletes to do what they need to do, and these athletes don't need to be the worlds best tumblers or stunters, but they do need to ability to move forward which comes from personal drive and dedication
#3 good choreography - I have seen so many teams with a lot of potential as far as skill, but choreography was awful - bad transitions, people crossing all over the floor, dances that made you say "what just happened"
#4 The owners understanding that it is both a BUSINESS and a SPORT - i think sometimes people get too focused on one or the other
#5 parent and local support - the best way to expand and build a business is word of mouth, and when parents are happy with the program they are going to tell everyone they know, however this works the opposite way as well - when parents are unhappy they are going to pull their kid and a few more will follow as well

 

[athau]

What makes a good gym?

I would have to say that it takes a good leader. A program Owner/Dirrector who knows how to make the right or best choices for their gym from Coaching Staff, team placement,choreography, tumbling instruction everything. A leader that is in tune with their program and makes the best choices end up creating a productive & positive enviroment for their gym.

 

[DXAMom]

I'm a new gym owner this year and appreciate any and all feedback I can get from parents about what they love in their gym and t they don't. I have been on the parent side for 6 years, but it's all new over here and I'm trying hard to implement the things I didn't like as a parent, but balance it with best decisions for the gym. Any ideas/suggestions/recommendations from other parents and/or coaching staff out there on how we can make our second year the best?

 

[nhgurlnh]

I agree with everything you said above minus the part about facility. I know some great teams that have practiced in make shift buildings or less then ideal gyms. I believe the coaches have the greatest influence. Money somewhat plays a factor because kids need to be able to pay for tumble classes etc. but also if you have raw talent, then you could be dirt poor and still be a fantastic self taught cheerleader.

Just to play devils advocate here, what if you had two equal coaching staffs with two equal teams, but one, Gym A, had a top notch facility with everything they could have ever needed, and the second, Gym B, practiced in the basement of a church (My rec team actually did this when the gym we would have practiced in burnt down in a electrical fire. Peachy). Obviously, the coaches have a big role, but I would think that Gym A would excel overtime because they not only have a great coaching staff equal to Gym B's, but they have the resources to help those girls excel and practice in a safe environment without distractions.

So, while coaching is obviously the most influential, I think having the proper resources to optimize practice time and improvement is also very important, which is crucial in a facility.

 

[Fionaelite]

I think there is an element to the gym attracting more people, and the more people have, the more chances of having great tallent you have...along with the fact that having your own purpose built facility means you can run classes when you want, and what you want for (coaches available permitting obvs.) which opens up availability for extra practice if needed, or open tumble,...so I think that after coaching having the most influence, facility does come second.

 

[wcsstilldeath]

Just to play devils advocate here, what if you had two equal coaching staffs with two equal teams, but one, Gym A, had a top notch facility with everything they could have ever needed, and the second, Gym B, practiced in the basement of a church (My rec team actually did this when the gym we would have practiced in burnt down in a electrical fire. Peachy). Obviously, the coaches have a big role, but I would think that Gym A would excel overtime because they not only have a great coaching staff equal to Gym B's, but they have the resources to help those girls excel and practice in a safe environment without distractions.

So, while coaching is obviously the most influential, I think having the proper resources to optimize practice time and improvement is also very important, which is crucial in a facility.

yes i agree, of course if you have all of the state of the art tumbling/stretching etc equipment then obviously those children will excel faster. But overall I think its the coaches that make all the difference.

 

[Goosepatrick]

It's all about the coaches/owner. Equipment is just one of the many tools that coaches/owners can use to make great athletes. But the greatest equipment or facility will not make up for poor coaching.

 

[cheerluvr]

When the athletes are great and the people are nice.