Should We Switch Gyms? 8 Ways of Knowing When That it"s Time to Move on
It seems to be one of the most frequently asked questions on gymnastics chat boards as parents struggle with the question of whether or not it is time to move on.
Here’s the thing: Marriages break up. Siblings stop speaking. Life long friendships end. So we should hardly be surprised that family-gym relationships go south.
And while I do think that chronic gym hopping is a bad thing for an athlete’s development (and probably indicates something going on within the family), there are times when a family needs to think seriously about moving to a new club.
While sometimes the decision is an easy one, just as often it’s one that involves much angst and mixed emotions.
First, it is a decision that is further complicated by the vast array of stakeholders: your athlete, the coaches, the club owner/staff and all of your and your child’s friends. Next, gym clubs can become a central part of our community, a second home. So, even when we know it’s better to move on, we can struggle because we don’t want to hurt people who have cared about and for our children. We have connections and even if we are able to maintain friendships we will miss the routine interaction and shared experiences. Then, there is the fear of the unknown. Finally, the decision can be complicated by non-gym family and friends who struggle to understand what a big deal this can be.
As a club owner, I’ve watched families come into my program from other clubs and watched families leave my club for others. It’s seldom easy or unsentimental. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t sting to watch a child leave who I have watched grow and thrive in our program, especially when I believed that the athlete would continue to grow and thrive if she stayed.
But I’d also be lying if I didn’t admit that sometimes it made better sense for a family to move on. (And, on a handful of occasions, there might have even been a sigh of relief followed by a celebratory cocktail upon their departure…).
So, how do you know if it’s time to move on? Here are eight things to consider:
Here’s the thing: Marriages break up. Siblings stop speaking. Life long friendships end. So we should hardly be surprised that family-gym relationships go south.
And while I do think that chronic gym hopping is a bad thing for an athlete’s development (and probably indicates something going on within the family), there are times when a family needs to think seriously about moving to a new club.
While sometimes the decision is an easy one, just as often it’s one that involves much angst and mixed emotions.
First, it is a decision that is further complicated by the vast array of stakeholders: your athlete, the coaches, the club owner/staff and all of your and your child’s friends. Next, gym clubs can become a central part of our community, a second home. So, even when we know it’s better to move on, we can struggle because we don’t want to hurt people who have cared about and for our children. We have connections and even if we are able to maintain friendships we will miss the routine interaction and shared experiences. Then, there is the fear of the unknown. Finally, the decision can be complicated by non-gym family and friends who struggle to understand what a big deal this can be.
As a club owner, I’ve watched families come into my program from other clubs and watched families leave my club for others. It’s seldom easy or unsentimental. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t sting to watch a child leave who I have watched grow and thrive in our program, especially when I believed that the athlete would continue to grow and thrive if she stayed.
But I’d also be lying if I didn’t admit that sometimes it made better sense for a family to move on. (And, on a handful of occasions, there might have even been a sigh of relief followed by a celebratory cocktail upon their departure…).
So, how do you know if it’s time to move on? Here are eight things to consider:
