Arlington proposing to close county gymnastics program

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The broader point, to me, is all of the specialized equipment is not necessary to offer a recreational gymnastics program. I see a role for the County in offering basic recreational gymnastics classes.

It is nice, however, the rec program finds a way to use most of the equipment.

By analogy, we can bulldoze long bridge and put in strip mall sized pools that can be used for learn to swim classes and aqua aerobics, just like goldfish swim. We don't need competition sized pools to teach kids to swim or for exercise. But you immediately see that argument as silly. Just like it would be silly to get rid of a quality gymnastics gym that is already built just because you don't appreciate what is required for a quality gymnastics program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I'm good with a rec gymnastics program and a rec swimming program. Also fine with those programs having competition teams if they can be done in a way that doesn't burden the county financially to support a small group of athletes. A competition swim team that just uses a pool that is also used for aquicize and water safety classes is fine with me. A bunch of permanent equipment that is ONLY used by the competition level gymnasts at Barcroft doesn't make sense to me. The rec classes and adult and gymnastics classes at Bancroft are not using all that equipment, simply because it would be too dangerous. If the competition team wants that equipment, they need to pay for it themselves, and pay to insure it. Same with the high dives.

When I worked at Barcroft, the pit was used for recreational classes every day. It was one of the three stations for all preschool classes. If there was a class scheduled during practice times, then the team stopped their use of the pit for those ten minutes so that the class could complete their rotation the same as other classes. This would never occur in any of the privately owned gyms I’ve worked for.

I can’t speak to exactly what is done nowadays. But it can be, and was, used by rec. When I worked for the county rec was always prioritized to an extent that is very unusual for gymnastics programs which also have a competitive team. At this time, the gymnastics program was exclusively run by gymnastics staff who had been involved with the program for many years.

Also this isn't even true. Rec classes use the competitive beams. They use the rings. They use the Pbars. They use the pommel horse. I can't recall if I have seen them use the uneven or high bar but I know they use the mini high bars (which the competitive boys also use). They use the vault sprint board and the trampoline!

There is a poster on here with a personal grudge or a bone to pick with gymnastics who is spreading misinformation about the facility and how it is used. I think numerous posters have explained how the equipment isn't "specialized" just for team.

[Anonymous]

I think there are a bunch of people on here saying they think a pool as a community asset is a different use case than a gymnastics gym. I think this and I’ve seen others posting they think this too who are not me.

I understand the rec program makes use of the higher end gymnastics equipment too. We all get it. My own kid took gymnastics classes at Dymanic for years and they don’t have that whole setup. I’ve been in both spaces.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The broader point, to me, is all of the specialized equipment is not necessary to offer a recreational gymnastics program. I see a role for the County in offering basic recreational gymnastics classes.

It is nice, however, the rec program finds a way to use most of the equipment.

By analogy, we can bulldoze long bridge and put in strip mall sized pools that can be used for learn to swim classes and aqua aerobics, just like goldfish swim. We don't need competition sized pools to teach kids to swim or for exercise. But you immediately see that argument as silly. Just like it would be silly to get rid of a quality gymnastics gym that is already built just because you don't appreciate what is required for a quality gymnastics program.

Many adults do lap swim. It is a common and popular form of adult exercise in this area. They are not doing it in a strip mall pool.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The broader point, to me, is all of the specialized equipment is not necessary to offer a recreational gymnastics program. I see a role for the County in offering basic recreational gymnastics classes.

It is nice, however, the rec program finds a way to use most of the equipment.

By analogy, we can bulldoze long bridge and put in strip mall sized pools that can be used for learn to swim classes and aqua aerobics, just like goldfish swim. We don't need competition sized pools to teach kids to swim or for exercise. But you immediately see that argument as silly. Just like it would be silly to get rid of a quality gymnastics gym that is already built just because you don't appreciate what is required for a quality gymnastics program.

Many adults do lap swim. It is a common and popular form of adult exercise in this area. They are not doing it in a strip mall pool.

There are also adults who take gymnastics classes, and there is a long waitlist for these classes ar Bancroft. The adults also cant use toddler equipment. They need full sized equipment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think there are a bunch of people on here saying they think a pool as a community asset is a different use case than a gymnastics gym. I think this and I’ve seen others posting they think this too who are not me.

I understand the rec program makes use of the higher end gymnastics equipment too. We all get it. My own kid took gymnastics classes at Dymanic for years and they don’t have that whole setup. I’ve been in both spaces.

What are you talking about? Dynamic has all the equipment for a competitive team, just like Barcroff. They do indeed have the whole set up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The article above would seem to support the idea the team has covered their operating costs in the past but have never covered the costs of operating the facility, which are significant.

“County staff told the Board that team fees aren’t sufficient to pay for county costs after all facility costs are factored in.”

This is all a larger issue and the Board should ask some committee to go off and study it and come back with recommendations and the committee should just be stacked with gymnastics and swim people.

Honest question does any community center programming cover the cost of the center? I would probably guess not. But interesting question.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The broader point, to me, is all of the specialized equipment is not necessary to offer a recreational gymnastics program. I see a role for the County in offering basic recreational gymnastics classes.

It is nice, however, the rec program finds a way to use most of the equipment.

I will disagree with them not using the equipment again, but generally rec gymnastics are created as feeders into competitive gymnastics (competitive programs recruit out of them). Yes many take the class for fun but you often cant het into competitive programs unless you have skills learned in rec.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The broader point, to me, is all of the specialized equipment is not necessary to offer a recreational gymnastics program. I see a role for the County in offering basic recreational gymnastics classes.

It is nice, however, the rec program finds a way to use most of the equipment.

I will disagree with them not using the equipment again, but generally rec gymnastics are created as feeders into competitive gymnastics (competitive programs recruit out of them). Yes many take the class for fun but you often cant het into competitive programs unless you have skills learned in rec.

The inverse is also true with the little kids In rec gymnastics looking up to the kids on team who have amazing skills. That brings kids into the program and inspires them to keep going. My kids were always super inspired seeing the older athletes in the gym with them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think there are a bunch of people on here saying they think a pool as a community asset is a different use case than a gymnastics gym. I think this and I’ve seen others posting they think this too who are not me.

I understand the rec program makes use of the higher end gymnastics equipment too. We all get it. My own kid took gymnastics classes at Dymanic for years and they don’t have that whole setup. I’ve been in both spaces.

What are you talking about? Dynamic has all the equipment for a competitive team, just like Barcroff. They do indeed have the whole set up.

I’m guessing they mean an in ground pit? I don’t believe Dynamic has one. I’m sure they’ve heavily explored the possibility but likely couldn’t break the concrete in their warehouse space to the depth required in the areas needed (or couldn’t without rerouting utilities or increasing structural supports in a way that wasn’t feasible). This is a common issue, most gyms with in ground pits are either purpose built or in much larger warehouse spaces further out that have more space to utilize overall.

[Anonymous]

I am done with this topic.

The community is filled with adult gymnasts and it makes perfect sense for any community to fund and build a high end gymnastics gym equipped for a competitive team because recreational gymnastics uses all the same equipment. The end.

[Anonymous]

Honest question does any community center programming cover the cost of the center? I would probably guess not. But interesting question.

Yes, this is a good question since the article was a little vague on whether that 600K number was for all of Barcroft or just the gymnastics space. I would think it’s all of Barcroft, not the mariginal cost of the gymnastics space. Also, the numbers given in that 2014 article only encompassed tram and not rec. So at one point gymnastics was at least eating into some of that operating cost. Probably the adult floor hockey thing too, at that time. So maybe with some changes it’s doable. I’m pro keeping gymnastics but have said people need to stay open minded to changes like potentially reducing the footprint of the program and how to do that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am done with this topic.

The community is filled with adult gymnasts and it makes perfect sense for any community to fund and build a high end gymnastics gym equipped for a competitive team because recreational gymnastics uses all the same equipment. The end.

No one is building anything. The gym is already there. The county proposal is for it to sit empty for at least a year, with no proposal for after that point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am done with this topic.

The community is filled with adult gymnasts and it makes perfect sense for any community to fund and build a high end gymnastics gym equipped for a competitive team because recreational gymnastics uses all the same equipment. The end.

No one is building anything. The gym is already there. The county proposal is for it to sit empty for at least a year, with no proposal for after that point.

Wow. Yes, we're following.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The article above would seem to support the idea the team has covered their operating costs in the past but have never covered the costs of operating the facility, which are significant.

“County staff told the Board that team fees aren’t sufficient to pay for county costs after all facility costs are factored in.”

This is all a larger issue and the Board should ask some committee to go off and study it and come back with recommendations and the committee should just be stacked with gymnastics and swim people.

Honest question does any community center programming cover the cost of the center? I would probably guess not. But interesting question.

No I don't think so and I don't think that's the model either. This is a unique situation though where one program has taken over the majority (but not all) of a large rec center.

Please do not mention the pools again. Swimming/water-based activities and gymnastics are not the same thing and it's weird how people keep trying to compare them.