All-Star What Would You Include In Your Dream Gym?

[mamabear]

These are two wierd ones but an automatic button to open doors for athletes on crutches.

A special parking space close to the front for the temporarily injured (no placard need)

 

[cheer9497]

Transportation to/from practices -- van/bus with scheduled pick up/drop off points along the highway.

 

[Official OWECheer]

A SAM spotting system.

A system of buses that stop along their assigned routes to pick up athletes from their houses.

 

[cheerinatorXdad]

good A/C in the parent/viewing area!

 

[JayySoFierce]

1. A quiet study area/room for athletes to do homework, study, etc.
2. A staff lounge only allowed to be used by staff. Put a fridge, TV, microwave in there. I'd say some seating and even a futon because lord knows there are times when I have an open hour at the gym and I could sure use a nap between coaching teams. - Also a separate bathroom for staff only.
3. Water fountains, I feel like this often gets overlooked.
4. At least one spring floor and one flat floor, that way you can rent the flat floor space to high schools and rec programs if needed.
5. Id say two large wedges, two small wedges and definitely a crash mat.
6. Sell things like cliff bars and things along that sort behind the counter, maybe out a a pro-shop.
7. Spit balling off #6, but a proshop.
8. A room for the cheerleaders to wait before their practice begins big enough to hold two teams.
9. WI-FI
10. Parent viewing where parents can see their child at all times, if not possible, have cameras to flat screen tv's in the parent area so they can see their athlete.

... i'm sure i'll think of more.

 

[Sharkie]

1) large parking space for cars and bicycle (since i got quite alot of kids that come by bike), gym needs to be close to highways and public transport.
2) nice entry with a desk, space to place thropy's, walls painted in gym colors, pictures of the teams and coaches. so whoever walks in, inmediatly feels like a part of the gym.
3) several dressing rooms so coed team girls' don't have to feel uncomfortable changing in front of the boys or seniors get crazy by little ones "hyperactive behaviour". lockers where they can lock their bags. seperate showers.
4) meeting room where we can have meetings with a projection screen for presentations/video's. also to use for teams to watch their competition video or where the coach can show a video he shot during practice to point out mistakes.
5)pro shop with shoes, bows, shorts, T-shirts,.... but also equipment they can use at home like stretching bands.
6) little cafetaria where you can get good (!) coffee, soup, salats, fruit, sandwiches, meal of the day. tables and chairs to eat but also a lounge area for athletes to relax.
7) toilets!!
8) seperate lounge area for coaches where they can relax, work, take naps.
9)study room where kids can make their homework, a few computers they can use.
10) gym room where athletes can workout with also a little spa area.
11) physical therapy room: with a physical therapist who can tape if needed and help with recovery after injuries.
12)tumble room: with tumble track, airtrack, pit, equipment to help tumbling. (this is a seperate room so other kids don't get distracted with seeing others tumble; whenever my little ones work on stunts, they always get distracted seeing seniors tumble on the other side of the gym).
13) parent room: no windows but large tv screens so they can see what happends in every training room (one screen for each seperate training room).
14) at least two spring floors rooms, seperate room for every spring floor so again noone gets distracted by other teams and music. surround system for music so you hear music at equal volume no matter where on the floor you stand. (one of our locations has this problem, depending where you stand you either are not hearing anything, or you are completely deaf).
15) one smaller room with a dancefloor /dead floor
16) one special stage room: full spring floor with stage lights and large viewing area: for showcases and allows teams to practice in front of a crowd.
17) every room must be in gym colors with gymlogo on the wall/floor, water fountain in every room.
18) around the gym a running-track
19) outside a bit of grass, few trees, some benches so they can sit outside when the weather is nice.
20) all rooms have airco, heating and wifi!

:) ok maybe add a room where i can live:)

our gym will start building a new location soon, maybe i should just print this and give it to the gymowner:)

 

[tumbleyoda]

Sorry but I don't feel like an inground pit is necessary for cheerleading gyms. The skills that are being taught if they are being taught by certified competent professionals so not require a pit. The pit for many has become a default for athletes to just chuck and try skills, instead of teaching them properly. We have taught tumbling up to Triple Fulls and Full In Back Outs without a pit, so it is possible. Yes they are fun, add to your reps and yes they can help. But does the risk of injury and extracting an injured athlete out of the pit negate the cost of putting it in? A head entry into the pit can be just as dangerous if not more so than landing on the head on the floor when you combine it with factors like rotation, if the pit was properly fluffed, has the local EMT's practiced getting someone out it, etc. How about cleaning it, especially with the wild strains of flu bugs going around? The amount of socks, cell phones, hair extensions/weaves, hair, etc is crazy to clean out on a regular basis. IMO if you have a pit, you definitely need to have properly certified and safety trained tumbling instructors present anytime it is in use, which would not be likely in many cheerleading gyms.

If I owned a cheerleading gym and I had to have one it would be an inground resi pit flush with the floor. Now if I had a mixed use facility with power tumbling and gymnastics, or just a tumbling facility where that was all that was taught, then I would be more inclined to have a pit.

Things I would have in my dream cheerleading gym:

In - ground tumble tracks (2) and trampolines (2)
Overhead spotting rig on one of the trampolines.
Double Mini (2)
84' Rod Floor (2)
2 spring floors and one scholastic (dead) floor
Air track and 2 air floor strips.
multiple size wedges, panel mats, barrels, and landing mats.
Mirrors on all cheer floors
Two wifi set ups - one for parents/athletes and the other for the gym staff only
Multiple mens and womens bathrooms
Secure cubbie/storage area for athletes belongings with video cameras
Video feeds into private parent viewing area
Coffee/Snack bar for parents that is not near the cheer floors
Pro Shop
Office Space (included a dedicated space for the financial person so they don't get distracted with questions someone else can answer)
Child's play room/lego room
Homework area
Coaches office
An easy rigging system to hang banners
Good parking with overflow possibilities

Thankfully we already have quite a bit of this. We just need some more room to lay it out a bit better.

 

[kristenthegreat]

I'm surprised nobody mentioned a personal competition backdrop like Cheer Athletics.

 

[omgitssydthekid]

I would love a building with two separate floors. The first floor overlooking the second floor. The top floor would contain:
•study room for the athletes
•locker room for the athletes
•pro shop area
•large/formal front desk
•snack bar
•area with tables/chairs/booths to eat and sit at

Bottom floor:
•a track around the entire gym for athletes to run on
•three spring floors
•one dead mat
•tumble track
•Trampoline
•coaches office

plus a bathroom on each floor as well as water fountains

Most of this was borrowed from my gymnastics gym that I went to as a child. It was very functional and set up very well.




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[INeverStopCheering]

None of these things has anything to do with actual training but:
-A homework/study room
-A nursrey/playroom with toys, rockers, and activities for little siblings. It kills me when they run hog wild all over the gym.
-A snack bar area with real food. I hate seeing kids go to McDonalds between tumble and practice. My childhood pool had a wonderful snack bar staffed by teenagers. Most of the food was pre-prepared except for very easy things like grilled cheese. They had fruit cups, munchy snacks, salads, cheese and crackers, chicken sandwitches etc.
-Changing rooms SEPARATE from bathrooms. Tired of having to wait to go because Susie is taking 15 minutes to change out of school clothes. Also would be handy for uniform fittings
-A workout room with weights, equipment etc.
-Coaches back room with fridge, microwave, and somewhere to sleep. Like I wouldn't even be opposed to little cots. Sometimes you need a nap

 

[MavsEmma12]

I saw a picture from Top Gun of one off those little toy dispensers. Instead of the plastic container things being filled with candy or small toys, there were hair ties. I definitely think my gym should have that!! Put a quarter in, get a hair tie out!!