If you belong to a Town or School Cheer team that is constantly fighting the elements or your organization to have a safe place for your athletes to practice and at the same time provides you and your athletes a real idea of how your routine would look on an actual competition mat, then renting from an All Star Cheer facility may be a good solution.
While every gym is different in terms of the way that they approach this potentially valuable alternative for teams outside of their gym to practice at, we can provide a sense of how we approach these scenarios at Cheer UP Athletics.
This first step would be to reach out to the gym to check availability and confirm what their rental rules might be.
For Cheer UP, this is best done by texting the office at: 401-215-7022.
You would also want to confirm location (Cheer UP as an example is located at: 310 Bourne Avenue, Building 70, East Providence, RI 02916).
Next, it would be important to know the cost and payment rules.
At Cheer UP, our gym rental fee is $3 per athlete per hour. The fee must be paid 48 hours in advance of the rental. Be ready to communicate how many athletes will be attending the rental so the total amount owed can be calculated.
Does the facility you will be renting from have a required minimum number of athletes attending?
At Cheer UP, we require a minimum of 8 athletes (or what the cost of 8 athletes would be over the time period that the space is being rented for).
What paperwork is required?
At Cheer UP, every athlete and coach who will be at practice in the gym must have an active waiver on file in Cheer UP’s waiver platform.
In addition, each organization renting space must have a signed “Gym Rental Agreement” on file with the Cheer UP office.
These forms protect both the gym and your group and make expectations clear.
Be sure to plan for supervision and safety.
Most gyms expect a coach or responsible adult from your group to supervise practices and follow the gym’s safety rules at ALL times.
Bring any needed equipment, spotters, or coaches who understand the skills your athletes will practice.
Follow the gym’s footwear, jewelry, and food rules to keep the mat clean and athletes safe. The gym may require that you follow directions from their staff while on site.
Finally, confirm logistics before you arrive.
Ask what time you can enter, where to park, and where athletes should check in.
Confirm how many mats you will have and whether the gym provides extra items like a tumble track, rod floor, etc.
Also, ask about the cancellation policy.
Here’s a short sample checklist of what in general it is suggested you bring at the time of a Cheer UP gym rental:
- The rental confirmation (printed or digital)
- A roster of athletes & coaches
- Emergency contact information
- A receipt of payment
- Basic first-aid supplies, water, and any small equipment your group will use
Plan on arriving 10–15 minutes early to get situated and remind athletes of all applicable gym rules.
Don’t forget to ask about limits on spectators (at Cheer UP, only athletes & coaches are allowed in the gym environment itself), music access, and parking.
As equally important as anything else, be sure your organization is courteous to staff, any problems are reported immediately to your contact at the gym, the space is left clean, and any personal items are not left behind.
When renting a space, keep in mind that clear communication throughout the process keeps everyone safer and helps these types of bookings to run as smoothly as possible!
