When To Switch Gyms

[JJ Mom]

Hello all,

As the season winds down and Try outs begin shortly I find myself trying to decide if I should switch gyms for my CP. My CP is 5 and this is our second year at her all star gym. It is a small but wonderful program. I love the coaches etc. And the price is unbelievable. With what I pay I dont even know how she is available to cover competition fees!!! And our teams have always done well at the comps. With this being said, it is a smaller gym and they only have a Mini level 1, youth level 1, and Junior level 2, last year they had a level 3 but they either went onto High school cheer or a larger program.

There is a great larger program close by, that is really good. But the difference in price is crazy. it is almost 3 times and they go to the same competitions!! Right now my daughter loves to cheer and she LOVES competitions!! However does it makes sense to switch and pay more money now just because it is a larger more recognized program or stay where we are and spend the extra money on extra tumbling classes, privates, cheer camp etc and wait until she is older and I am sure Cheering is what she really wants to do.

How have you handled switching programs for your CP if they are really young.

Thanks in advance

 

[retiredl5cheer]

If the instruction at your current gym is quality you seem to be safe to stick around for another year. Unless your CP is throwing crazy tumbling skills above a level 1, she probably still has room to grow at your gym. In fact, staying a level 1 team may be beneficial to her because she can work at her own pace on higher tumbling skills outside of practice and perfect before progressing. Remember she's only 5 so she still has 3 more years on a mini team which means plenty of time to switch to a gym with a mini 2 or 3 in the future.

 

[ntlgnt1]

If the instruction at your current gym is quality you seem to be safe to stick around for another year. Unless your CP is throwing crazy tumbling skills above a level 1, she probably still has room to grow at your gym. In fact, staying a level 1 team may be beneficial to her because she can work at her own pace on higher tumbling skills outside of practice and perfect before progressing. Remember she's only 5 so she still has 3 more years on a mini team which means plenty of time to switch to a gym with a mini 2 or 3 in the future.

I agree? Unless she has outgrown the small gym, it doesn't make sense to go to a bigger gym, unless you feel she needs to be pushed to step it up a little bit. But at 5....she probably doesn't need that added pressure that a larger gym will most likely have.

 

[crazeecheermom]

I agree with everyone else. We are changing gyms for similar reasons, but my daughter will be twelve and talks about Worlds as a goal and which college she wants to go to based on their cheer teams success. Don't get yourself crazy but use this time to learn about more gyms in your area. We moved back to NY from FL and it took me two and a half years to find the gym we are moving to next season. They only became successful in those two years. (Worlds bid 2x in the two years since they expanded) . Your options may change in a year or two. Two years ago I thought my only other option if we changed was something like what your describing. high fees and a successful program do not need to go hand in hand. good luck

 

[lovecheering]

Because she is 5, they usually love their coaches and their surrondings. If there are no problems at your gym, moving her to another larger gym, I personally think, might not be in her best interest right now. Have you asked her thoughts? She might not have any desire to leave and go to new coaches, new surrondings, new kids. I moved my daughter when she was 9, she knew it was coming, but it was devastating to her at her last competition leaving her friends and coaches she loved so much. (I was just over our gym, and ready to leave). If she's happy, and you're happy .... leave it be. JMO. Good luck to you all with whatever you do!

 

[ntlgnt1]

Because she is 5, they usually love their coaches and their surrondings. If there are no problems at your gym, moving her to another larger gym, I personally think, might not be in her best interest right now. Have you asked her thoughts? She might not have any desire to leave and go to new coaches, new surrondings, new kids. I moved my daughter when she was 9, she knew it was coming, but it was devastating to her at her last competition leaving her friends and coaches she loved so much. (I was just over our gym, and ready to leave). If she's happy, and you're happy .... leave it be. JMO. Good luck to you all with whatever you do!

My CP has cheered at several different all star gyms in our area since the age of 9, she is now 16. We left our first gym b/c they were not organized and my daughter did not want to wait to see if they would have a season! They no longer exist. The 2nd gym also had issues w/if there would be a season, so she decided to go to another gym. The 2nd gym also dissolved! We left our 3rd gym b/c she felt like she had outgrown the organization, was working too hard, and wanted to be w/a team that she felt like everyone was pushing towards the same goal and not on the team by default. In each instance, the decision was hers to make! The only time I made a decision to leave an organization is when I pulled her from doing rec to going all star, which she started at the age of 4 up until the age of 9.

In addition, you have to be careful about your CP wanting to stay somewhere b/c her friends are there! My CP learned early that when her friends made a decision about what they wanted to do, the did not consult or take her feelings into consideration...THEY JUST DID WHAT THEY FELT WAS BEST FOR THEM! Don't let her be a follower, loyalty is good, but it works both ways!

 

[JJ Mom]

Thanks for all the responses. Still confused. Right now she is very personable and makes friends easily. She may miss her friends at the program but she will/ can easily have new friends at the new program. I don't want her to get to the point where switching gyms ( if the decision is made by me and not her) is going to be devastating. I want her to be in a program that she can grow with to a level 5 should this be her thing. As much as I love our gym, coaches, and most parents Its never going to be a level 5 gym and the director has even said so. That is why most of her level 3 girls have moved onto larger programs. However, it costs a lot more at the larger gym and that is a lot of an investment to make if at 9 she decides she doesn't want to cheer anymore.

Thanks again for all your responses. Try outs aren't until May so I still have time to ponder.

 

[ntlgnt1]

Thanks for all the responses. Still confused. Right now she is very personable and makes friends easily. She may miss her friends at the program but she will/ can easily have new friends at the new program. I don't want her to get to the point where switching gyms ( if the decision is made by me and not her) is going to be devastating. I want her to be in a program that she can grow with to a level 5 should this be her thing. As much as I love our gym, coaches, and most parents Its never going to be a level 5 gym and the director has even said so. That is why most of her level 3 girls have moved onto larger programs. However, it costs a lot more at the larger gym and that is a lot of an investment to make if at 9 she decides she doesn't want to cheer anymore.

Thanks again for all your responses. Try outs aren't until May so I still have time to ponder.

Something else you need to look at is, does the bigger gym develop thier CPs into level 5 atheletes or do they tend to inherit them b/c other gyms can't keep enough lvl 5s around long enough to create a full team?

 

[crazeecheermom]

If your daughter is happy and gaining skills, safely and correctly, staying may be the option for you for right now. A larger gym is a commitment on so many more levels than financially. There maybe girls (and their parents) who are very intense.

 

[Mom2Cheergirls]

Thanks for all the responses. Still confused. Right now she is very personable and makes friends easily. She may miss her friends at the program but she will/ can easily have new friends at the new program. I don't want her to get to the point where switching gyms ( if the decision is made by me and not her) is going to be devastating. I want her to be in a program that she can grow with to a level 5 should this be her thing. As much as I love our gym, coaches, and most parents Its never going to be a level 5 gym and the director has even said so. That is why most of her level 3 girls have moved onto larger programs. However, it costs a lot more at the larger gym and that is a lot of an investment to make if at 9 she decides she doesn't want to cheer anymore.

Thanks again for all your responses. Try outs aren't until May so I still have time to ponder.

Bigger doesn't always mean better. I think you should figure out character wise what you want in those teaching your child, and what values beyond skills you want to be focused, also look at what team development and things they do between teams (like big/little cheer sisters/brothers).

Also cost wise... look at the new gym that is pricier and see if everyone is shelling out for extra tumbling and private lessons that you may feel you would then need to do to stay in sync. If she and you are happy where you are and her skill levels are being met and developing further I would save myself some money since she is so young still... at least for one more year... who knows you may even find another gym that fits your needs even better in the next year that is priced between the 2.

 

[jenjaime]

I agree with everyone...I have two teenagers and I think if your daughter is happy with your current program, she should stay there. If you feel that the fundamentals, basics are all good and coaches are consistant, you're in a good place. If you decide she needs 'more' later, you'll definitely know if/when it's time to transfer to a larger more established program. Good luck!

 

[JJ Mom]

You guys have given me a lot to think about and consider as I make this decision. To clarify, I do want my daughter to be challenged a bit more. Yes I love the coach and I love the price even more however, I think my daughter can do more. Now I may be being one of thoes parents who think that her child is more talented than she really is But I dont think if she stays in the program she will have the type of progress I think she can have but of course I am very biased. But I dont want to invest about $5K to find out I am wrong. Like I said I have a lot to think about and you guys have given me a lot of questions to ask and try and figure out about the program.

 

[5-6-7-8]

At your CPs age, I would definitely not worry too much yet about progression speed. I have been there done that and I have learned maybe the hard way that I would have much preferred perfection over progression.

If your current gym is teaching proper technique, I would stay.

 

[alexamarysouza]

Hello all,

As the season winds down and Try outs begin shortly I find myself trying to decide if I should switch gyms for my CP. My CP is 5 and this is our second year at her all star gym. It is a small but wonderful program. I love the coaches etc. And the price is unbelievable. With what I pay I dont even know how she is available to cover competition fees!!! And our teams have always done well at the comps. With this being said, it is a smaller gym and they only have a Mini level 1, youth level 1, and Junior level 2, last year they had a level 3 but they either went onto High school cheer or a larger program.

There is a great larger program close by, that is really good. But the difference in price is crazy. it is almost 3 times and they go to the same competitions!! Right now my daughter loves to cheer and she LOVES competitions!! However does it makes sense to switch and pay more money now just because it is a larger more recognized program or stay where we are and spend the extra money on extra tumbling classes, privates, cheer camp etc and wait until she is older and I am sure Cheering is what she really wants to do.

How have you handled switching programs for your CP if they are really young.

Thanks in advance

thats also one of the things my mom loves about our little gym, the great prices. It was crazy to her to see such a deline in price when we switched gyms.You gotta remember that most of the time it's because they have a higher calibur of coaching and a bigger gym, with more heat/air/electricity/water bills, so yeah, it's usually more expensive.
Since your CP is only 5, I would maybe stay there for a year or so just to get him/her into the sport. Maybe a little ahead in time switch gyms, when they've gone past the limits of the gym, but I think it'd be a little too early to switch.

 

[MyDaughterCheers]

Is it possible for her to take a tumbling class at the gym you are considering? That may give you a feel for what the gym is like and a chance to see if she even likes it there.