Anonymous wrote:

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Let me start this topic off by saying that this is just a topic of some interest, not to knock any gym, nor any athletes or staff. So, with that being said... here go's.

My children have been doing all star cheer in California for years now. It just dawned on me that SO many gyms have closed their doors, merged with another gyms since our family started cheer.
We all see big powerhouse gyms like California All Stars, Power Cheer, Cheergyms.com, Cheerforce, OC All Stars, West Coast Mavericks, Magic All Stars, So. Cal Elite (formerly known as Champion Cheer), Pace All Stars, (just to name a few) that are getting bigger and better every year. What do you think it is that keeps these gyms so successful, and afloat every year? Obviously, the routines and choreography sell themselves. Are these Gym owners marketing, advertising, sending out mailers, etc.?
Then I realized that the gyms that used to be strong, and had some great talent as well, slowly started getting smaller and smaller to the point that sadly, they were forced to close their doors. Gyms that had been around for years, and were doing well. For example, there was Quakes/Blaze, RC Club Cheer, Club Cheer Twisters, VCSC (rumor patrol? are they sill around?), California Cheer Gyms (CCG), Gators All Stars, Total Velocity Shock (TVS)

What do you think that those gym owners could have done to keep their gyms afloat? What are some of your tips to keep our gyms up and running, successful, and going strong? The Do's & Don'ts?
Then of course there are many other gyms still going strong, and while they may not be the biggest, or have World's contenders every year, they are still competitive in their own right, as well as successful.
We have Titan Elite, California Flyers, California Surf, Fierce, West Coast All Stars, Pacific Coast Cheer, Spirit Athletics (HDC), Cheer Odyssey, Cheer Explosion, DVAS, Platinum All Stars, CV Vipers, Nor Cal, SCV Club Cheer, South Bay All Stars, Supreme Cheer, Victory Cheer, Fusion, West Coast Rush, Toxic, etc. Most of these gyms have been around for quite a few years, and have their names out there in the cheer world, and are well respected gyms as our Powerhouse gyms.

What do you think they're doing that has kept them around for so long? Do you think its loyal parents and kids, or do you think that its the staff? Some of the families are happy where they are. A non-dominating season won't send them running somewhere else, just for the mere fact that every gym or team is going to have a bad year... its a part of life. It teaches children that they have to work harder if they want something so bad, as well as having that commitment too.

I look at every year as a new year, new kids come in, new talent comes in, and as far as im concerned every team is "new" every year. So, where team "A" was having a bad year last season, may have a great season the next.
What have you seen as far as advertising your gyms to get more kids in your gym?

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There are so many dynamics that come into play with being seen as a successful gym and being able to keep the doors open. Sometimes sadly the two are not connceted to each other.

Sometimes family illness and tragedy are the reasons gyms close down. Even in happy occasions such as marriage and childbirth, I have heard of owners who have sold their businesses or merged with someone else and reduced themselves to coach status just so they could spend time building healthy new relationships with their spouse or children.

The cost of everything keeps going up and up with parents wanting to pay less and less. They compare prices program to program so you can not make any money there as an owner. Monthly tuition has to be divided in so many areas -insurance, lights, equipment, salaries, overhead, etc that many owners do not make as much money here as some folks would like to think. Comp fees? Nope they are on that too some even calling the comp companies to make sure what they are being charged is the actual entry fee. Travel planning fees nope....book your own travel and you can be sure that is not going to the owner. Uniforms...not likely because to get a good looking uniform it will cost...not too many All Stars wearing the $29.00 specials they run in the cheer magazines. Private lessons usually go to coaches directly in most gyms so there is not money an owner makes there.

The only "free" money as it is that comes through the door for an owner are the yearly registration fees and tryout assessments. Even then part of the tryout fees goes to pay coaches to be there, t-shirts, marketing, etc. Staff must be paid which means a lot of what comes in the doors goes to them. From the financial side you may say they can deal with having less paid instructors and more volunteer coaches/parents but on the personal side you want the best coach available teaching your child at all times. As I have said before as a whole salaries for coaches have not gone up in this field for as long as I have been coaching. What I was making as a first year coach after four years of volunteer work is right in the dollar amount neighborhood where many coaches are being paid today. Not even adjusting for inflation. Unless they do choreography, music, stay booked every week with privates(which has some other dangers attached to it as well) or something else in the industry, they can not make it on those salaries which then leads to staff turnover.

Most owners invest far more than they ever make in this sport and at some point it may simply become a losing proposition for them. (Happend to me in VA) Now add to that the dynamics of cross town rivals, the "grass is greener on the other side" mentality of some parents/coaches/athletes, recruiting issues-happens in every state, under the table deals between gyms that many parents are totally oblivious to, lack of effective marketing, not understanding your market, etc and I can see why many gyms close down.

What can they do?

1.) Stay true to your Vision. You do not have to really compete against anyone but yourself in this matter. If you compromise your vision you may have the appearance of success but be at war within because you know you gave up something that was a vital part of you. Only you know why you opened a gym and what your vision is. No matter what is happening around you, stay true to that vision. Make adjustments and alignments if necessary but do not abandon it.

2.) Know your market. What do the demographics of your area say? Every business owner must know this and keep current on it. Many times this will shift after a business has opened and in our insulated "cheer world" we really do not see it until it is too late.I can do things in NC that I could not do in VA and vice versa. Even within the same state the markets are different. If the market can- not support your vision you may need to change your market not your vision. You may have to relocate to another side of town or restructure your program to remain in your market without compromising your vision.

3.) Know your clientele. This does not only refer to understanding their ability to pay for the services you render, but know them. Where they work, where they live, how they live, what is going on in their lives. Sorry if this offends anybody but a parent is not just a checkbook, credit card or cash. If you have that attitude you will lose that family for sure. Talk with them not at them. As an owner you must make time for it. IMHO there should be no such thing as a coach can get in touch with a parent in the gym in two minutes six different ways and you as an owner have disconnected numbers in your files. Understand where they are coming from in life in general. If you take an interest in them, it will pay huge dividends for your program in the future.

4.) Build from the Inside Out-You must focus on what you have currently within your doors to remain open. You cannot pine away over the staff/parents/athletes that left nor be over anxious for the ones you hope that will come. That sends a message to those within your doors that they are not good enough to accomplish your vision. You must work with what you got. If you have a bunch of level 1's and no level 5's who cares what everyone is saying ?!?!?!! Build your Level 1's and make them feel just as important as level 5's want to feel. If you develop the ability to build athletes from within regardless of their "level", then even if they are recruited away by other gyms, move, become dissastisfied or whatever, you know you can build some more.

Even when it comes to staff, they can always be invested in some way to better your program. It may sound trite but how can you help them help you? Send them to training, conferences, something so they can help build your program. Have them come in early to study video, have skull sessions, anything to not only help them bond but help them build up from within.

5.) Communicate, Communicate, Communicate! Parent meetings, newsletters, e-mail, members only part of website (change access codes on a regular basis especially if you have lost kids to rival gyms) This includes keeping all parents abreast of your Vision and goals for the program as a whole and not just their child. Stop hiding in the office away from parents. Also do not ever underestimate the power of saying hello and knowing someone's name. One of our owners (who isn't a coach so he does not have to be on the floor every moment) makes it a point every day to greet every parent as soon as they walk in the door by name and with a handshake. I know every athlete in the gym's first and last name if they take any type of tumbling at all. I once heard that the sweetest sound on earth was the sound of one's own name being called to them.

6.) Compete Hard and Fair. Be the absolute best you can possibly be each time your teams take the mat. Work hard for it in practice. Believe in yourselves. Then go out there and perform and show everybody how hard you have worked. Win with humility and lose with grace. You will not win every competition so get over it. But you can strive forward continued progress every time out and that will build the reputation of your program in other's eyes.

If you feel you have been cheated (who hasn't from time to time?) take the low road if at all possible. Know your facts before you run your mouth because once you speak those words you can not take them back. You can apologize for it but it don't mean folks will forgive you or forget what you said/did. It can haunt you for years and affect your program's ability to bring in new members. (Never forget that rival gyms will use anything they can to say why people should not come to your gym so don't give them any uneccesary ammunition) I recognize that there are times you must defend yourself, and if you must do so in a dignified respectful manner. A measured rational response is much better than an irrational emotional tirade.

7.) We are One! Regardless of how you promote it, never let it be felt that any team in the gym has a higher preference than the other. You should be just as passionate for squad BHS at level 2 as you are for Squad standing tucks at level 4 or squad fulls or better at level 5. This goes from the owner down to every staff member.

If you do all of the above you will get the best type of advertisement possible...word of mouth from satisfied clients.

Sorry so long this morning....lol...but yall know me by now!

-- Edited by flipkidjudge at 07:12, 2008-07-30