Question about athletics (gymnastics)

[Heavenly]

My daughter (will turn 7 in November) has taken gymnastics for 3 years and is heading into her 4th year of training. The city we live in has two gymnastics clubs. I am starting to wonder if the one we are at is not as good. I watched the end of year "competition" (if you could even call it that) and even the kids at level 3 (it starts at level 8 and works up to level 1) were really not that good at all. My daughter is naturally athletic (she also does ballet) and she wants to be doing more. She wants to be working towards flips, not still trying to master a back walkover at age 10 like most of the girls there seem to be doing. From what I can tell none of the students at the club have made it very very high at the competition level. The other gymnastics club on the other hand had two girls on Team Ontario for the Canadian National Championships this year. They have had other successes at all. The caliber of teaching seems to be higher there. They are also way more expensive - right now I pay $300/yr for her gymnastics (30 weeks of training) and the other place is $700/yr (38 weeks of training). That means our gym is $10/wk and the other is $18/wk which is a big difference. I guess what I'm asking is - what would you do? I know a lot of people here are against competitive sports for kids but i my daughter shows a natural talent in gymnastics and dance and I don't want to limit her chances. Opinions would be appreciated!

[Storm Bride]

I'm not into seriously competitive athletics. However, if your dd wants to pursue this at a more serious level, and if you can afford it, I'd go ahead and pay the extra $400/year. If she does find that she doesn't like it, or they put on too much pressure, or anything like that, she can always switch back to the other club.

[rebyell]

Both of them sound like very affordable options. If she would be happier etc at the other one, 400 sounds like a small price to pay. The private gymnatics clubs around us are insanly priced. I think a toddler class is about $15/hr.

[SunshineJ]

Pushing your child into a competitive sport = bad, but allowing your child to be in a competitive sport by their choice is something different altogether. It sounds like she would have more opportunity to do the types of activities she wants at the other place. However I would speak with them first and ask questions. How many classes and hours of practice do they require or expect as the children get older, how intense are they, etc. I really hate to say it, but it sounds like a case of you get what you pay for. On average, gym classes here cost $90 - $100 a month, depending on the age of the student, so either option sounds reasonable to me.

[momtokea]

I would call the other gymnastics club and talk to them about it. I would consider switching for a season to see what it's like at the other club. It woundn't hurt to try it out. If it works out, great. If not she can always just go back to the other club.

If your daughter has a talent for it and really wants to do it, I say go for it!

[VisionaryMom]

I also think both sound like reasonably-priced options. If your daughter wants to try a more competitive club, I think that's perfectly fine. I would discuss with her the additional expectations re: practice times and commitment. I don't think competitive activities are bad. I wasn't a sports kid, but I was involved in musical competitions from a pretty young age. I loved it, and I think it added a great dimension to my childhood. I did know kids who really hated my teacher, though, because she was pretty demanding. I think it's all about what your daughter wants to put into/get out of it.

[lilyka]

from a strictly consumer view point - you get what you pay for. on the other hand compared to what people pay here (around $100 a month for any sport) you are getting a deal at either school. but with the better results usually comes more pushing and seriousness. something to keep in mind, but if she is looking for that kind of training and discipline then ok. there is no point paying for a place where she is bored and not learning. whats the point of that? that would make the second one a better value at any cost. I would visit the other gym and tell them what you are thinking and what your needs are. I am sure they would be more than happy to work to get your business. watch some classes of kids at your dd level. see how you feel about the coaches. the equipment. the length of classes etc.

[Alyantavid]

Originally Posted by Storm Bride

However, if your dd wants to pursue this at a more serious level, and if you can afford it, I'd go ahead and pay the extra $400/year. If she does find that she doesn't like it, or they put on too much pressure, or anything like that, she can always switch back to the other club.

That. If this is something she really enjoys, let her do it.

[KristyDi]

I would go check out the other gym. See if you can observe some training sessions. Talk to the parents from that gym. Watch how the coaches interact with the kids. Talk to parents who have switched gyms (either from you current gym to the other one or the other way around) about their experiences.

I coach club volleyball for girls and different clubs (or gyms in this case) can have really different feels and attitudes. More expensive does not always mean better coaching, but it can. If the other gym has had more success there's a good probability that they're more serious about it. Make sure that it's a level of seriousness you and your dd are comfortable with.

slightly OT, but if it's something a kid enjoys, I think competitive sports can be a wonderful thing. Being an athlete in high school helped give me both an identity and a group of friends. It also payed for a good portion of my college education.

[Evan&Anna's_Mom]

Wow -- I am so envious of the rates for either option. I pay $120 per MONTH for my daughter to do gymnastics.

Assuming that this is something that she genuinely wants to do, I would certainly consider switching. However, I would ask about number of hours and expectations before doing so. Sometimes better training also includes a much bigger commitment in terms of time in the gym, time in competitions, and time in strength and conditioning outside of class. You'll have to figure out if that works for your family.

[lilyka]

Also don't forget (and you probably iknow this already) to ask about the other costs. especially time commitment on your part, fund raising obligations. my friend moved her kids up to the much better swim team and not only was the cost double, the training concumed more time (natrually - its hard to have a much better team without more training) but they were also expected to do serious fundraising (something like $8000 per kid) plus parents have to volunteer at every meet. for the whole meet. not just be there but be working in some capacity. which could be an issue if a parent is single, working and/or has other children. and of course pay all you meet fees, travel cost, food etc at the meet and uniforms (practice and competition). The monthly fee ($120 per kid) is just the pool/lesson fee. So consider all the costs. and find out how much they compete, how far away they travel etc. another thing to check in is what priority do they make school and school functions. I was shocked to hear that one of the hockey teams here - a club team but still - cut a kid because he missed one half of one practice to attend a school function. he was a 4th grader!

[lindberg99]

What level is your daughter at? If you want to keep her at the lower price gym, is it an option to skip her ahead a few levels? Then switch her to the other gym when she gets beyond the highest level there. That could save you some $$$.

[Eman'smom]

I agree you get what you pay for. I'd check out the other place (can you try a free class or week?).


DD is in gymnastics and I agree with the others both places sound like a bargain, but if she (and you) aren't happy that doesn't really matter.