Capital Gymnastics National Training Center — Local services in Burke

There are big problems here. Nobody answers emails, or voicemails. Everything from registration to payment is incredibly antiquated (nothing can be done online, they don't even have in-office credit card payments), which wouldn't be so bad if it weren't also disorganized and massively time consuming. They keep expanding their business - a testament to the quality of instruction - but they have invested ZERO in their administration of accounts, schedules, registration process, customer service - you get the idea.

Please don't misunderstand, I love the people at Capital Gymnastics. I love the coaches, and the office staff try their very best. And the quality of the classes is excellent. But after 5 years of dealing with their frustrating and extraordinarily time-consuming administrative snafus, I will sadly be looking for other recreational classes for my kids.

If you are going to bring your kids here, I give it 5 stars for the classes. Really first-rate. But be warned: you will be spending hours, and I do mean HOURS, wading through the registration process, waiting for email responses that do not come, waiting for offices hours (only late afternoons, and there WILL be a line of parents ahead of you), on hold or redialing their number trying to reach a human - well, you get the idea. The owners really, really need to deal with this issue. But if the last 5 years are any indication, they just don't care.

EDITED TO ADD/CORRECT/SUGGEST: I should have been more accurate about who DOES answer voicemails: the coaches do, in fact, respond to voicemails. Also: I realize that my most recent email was sent during Easter break, and that probably, nobody was reading them. But why, a week later, have I still not heard back from anyone? And if nobody reads them during breaks, why not set up a simple, automated vacation response letting people KNOW that nobody is reading them?

For that matter, why have email at all if nobody responds, automatically or otherwise? And if you're only going to accept checks, and the building is locked up during the day and on holidays and breaks, why not have a secure drop box outside the building so you can make a payment when people aren't in the actual office? These are some simply things that could improve customer service a little bit, without overhauling the entire...

So this is something I don't ordinarily do. However, I wanted to be sure that others were fully aware of things that they may encounter should they choose to go to Capitol Gymnastics .

We sign my daughter up with private lessons with instructor BR. He was very responsive to our needs and got us in rather the quickly.

I informed him that my daughter (6)had a little bit of experience already with acro movements and I wanted to bring she and have her sister also come as a trial her sister is only for 4.

He told me that they were a different level so he would have my oldest daughter take her lesson first and then the little daughter will come immediately after her each one hour so his message was two hours for $90 .

He concluded the lesson at a hour and a half later. I wasn't sure why he took both of them at the same time when he clearly said he have to do one for one hour and then the other and hour later.

When I ask him about it he totally lost it and became very offensive. I explained to him that I was not trying to be difficult referred back to the email message that he sent to me and told him what he had communicated to me was miscommunicated instead of owning up to it he said that I misunderstood . There goes the customers right.... When I clearly had black-and-white what he type to me in the email.

This instructor was great with my daughter he had her doing things within an hours time that were absolutely wonderful and I think she felt very comfortable with him.

Instead of just saying ma'am I made a mistake I really meant to say...but he decided that he would tell me that I misunderstood. If he had only simply just done that and apologize I've been happy to continue working relationship there . Instead he dismissed himself and said that I should get another instructor.

Tell him it was too bad. It was cool that he dismisses himself. I'm not willing to pay for anything myself and not get what I was promised.

Good luck if you get instructor BR he will never...

ALTHOUGH I MAKE SOME VERY NEGATIVE COMMENTS BELOW, DO NOT IGNORE THE POSITIVES I SAY FIRST THAT MAKE IT A GREAT GYM. My daughter is 6 in level 1-2. It seems at this level the kids have fun and get to try all the different stuff out but there doesn't seem t be much discipline which I thought was a huge part of gymnastics. I could be wrong...I'm new to the sport. All instructors I see for lower levels seem great and make sure kids learn and have fun.I guess the "toughness" is saved for the much more advanced students. I do not see them and their coaches as much (my daughter has class at an odd day and time so maybe that's why) even though I'm sure they're there most days.From what I hear its a very successful gym -nationals, Olympics, etc. The problem I have with them, AND THIS IS A BIG PROBLM, is the office team. I don't know if the various people that work in the office are also owners (that's makes a difference) or not. There are 2 main women I see most of the time. One just wants to get out of there. The other women is extremely, lets use the word "grouchy". Luckily I only have to see here once every 8 weeks to drop off my check. The thing that bothers me most about her is that on top of being grouchy, she talks to other people like they're idiots. Especially people that don't know a lot about gymnastics and how their gym is run. When she answered my questions (trust me you have a lot when you're new) she mumbled very quickly while doing other things - never once looking at me.I've talked to mothers that have taken their kids to Cardinal Gymnastics simply because of lack of someone to talk to during the day, and the poor phone...