Parents of Floyd Travel Gymnastics Program Express Frustration

Parents of several members of the Rome-Floyd Team Gymnastic program expressed dismay at the prospect of the program being canceled during the Floyd County Commission’s Tuesday meeting.

“These girls train three to four days a week, year-round,” said Norman Barden, a parent of one of the participants. “They are the most dedicated little girls you can imagine.”

The program used to host several competitions each year, Barden said, which generated significant revenue for the tourism business in Rome.

“Our gymnasts used to be in a lot of regional and national competitions,” he said. “I know this community can save the program.”

According to Parks and Recreation Director Todd Wofford, dwindling participation in the team gymnastics program cost the county over $34,000 last year, and it doesn’t appear to be growing in popularity.

The problem is the travel program, which is separate from the larger recreational gymnastics program. It has only 39 participants and is no longer paying for itself.

The problem began with the recent departure of head gymnastics coach Chloe Hopkins, who took another gymnastics position after receiving her master’s degree.

For the program to reverse course, it would require hiring a top coach in the hopes they would attract more gymnasts committed to the sport.

“We did not know the program was in trouble,” said Rome Aerials Coach Missy George. “This is one of the only team sports for girls in Rome.”

Attracting the top talent that the travel gymnastics program needs would require a significant increase in the pay of the coaches, Wofford said. Top talent follows top coaches, he said, and the county is not in a position to pay them what they can make elsewhere.

Another issue is that parents pay a small amount compared to other programs in the region. Nearby Cartersville is the home of the Cartersville Twisters Gymnastic program, which is a private program that rents gymnastic space from the city and is fully staffed.

The Twisters have several sponsors who fund the program, and host several meets every year, which bring in additional revenue.

“The problem is that this is not a new program,” County Manager Jamie McCord said recently. “This program has been around almost 25 years and we’ve only got 39 gymnasts. If this was any other sport, we wouldn’t be discussing it.”

Parents are scheduled to speak with Wofford on Thursday afternoon to discuss the future of the program.