Alliston Gymnastics Club - Alliston, Ontario

Karlie Boyd

I had really high hopes for my daughter and starting to take gymnastics as she is very high energy and on the spectrum. After our very first class, 20 mins in, she was removed for “not listening”. I know my daughter can be a handful as she gets very overstimulated, but she was hardly given a chance. She was not being violent, she just simply was not following the instructions of the teens they have teaching these classes. While I also understand they don’t just throw out refunds, they also said we would need to change classes to a different evening and time so that I could accompany her into the gym. I explained the other times and days of the week didn’t work for me, but no one seemed to care. So, I’ve now paid full price for sessions we can’t attend. I get the policy if we tried the class and decided we didn’t like it and wanted to drop out, but that’s not the case. I chose a day and time that worked for us, and my special needs child was kicked out after the first 20 mins because she was not compliant. I am so happy she is too young to understand this situation and that it will not impact her own self esteem, but my heart was broken for her as a mother who has watched her overcome so much in her life. I can’t imagine a place advertised for children being so non inclusive. As a teacher myself, I also can’t imagine treating children this way. A little understanding goes a long way, and this place just is not it.

Emilee Robertson

The coach my daughter had for her 18M-2.5yr class was incredibly abrasive and direct. That style may be good for older kids in a competitive nature, but it made my daughter really scared of her. My daughter refused to join the class when the coach was around. A calmer, fun and more loving nature is needed for the toddler age group.

Leanne Robbins

I saw they started a "tumble tots" class that began at 18 months old. My daughter was 19 months when I enrolled as she's always been quite active (walking early, climbing everything at home etc) so figured this would be great for her! Well, the class goes from 18 months to 3 years old. Sorry but, a 3 year old is at a way different level physically (and mentally) than an 18th month old. I obviously didn't know this until we attended the first class. The teacher don't acknowledge that the kids clearly are at different stages. Maybe it's because they are so young and don't understand anything about infants and toddlers. They make everyone do the same thing, regardless if your kid is 18 months or 3 years lol. Then get upset when your toddler doesn't listen and "follow the rules". Uhhhh my kid is 19 months old!!! You think you can reason with a 19 month old?! Lol! No she doesnt understand "red light green light" and good luck explaing that game!!! Ridiculous. We got a report card at the end of the 12 weeks which states how my duaghter did and it was for kids aged 2-3 years. My daughter isn't even 2 yet and they told us how she needs to "repeat the class". Uhhhhh ya think?! This is not suitable for an 18 month old and shame to this club for advertising this. You're better off going to safari kids and just letting your toddler run around. Plus, they have all these other classes going on around you so you barely have any room!!!! So you end up chasing your kid around a bunch of teenagers trying to practice! Such a money grab. What a waste of time and money. So poorly done. Learn about toddlers before offering classes.

Mario Villano

The poor review is related to the bad smell in that place, it's actually awful. Can you please check the ventilation system? Is even unhealthy for people to be there for an hour breathing that horrible smell.

Jaime Du Plessis

I felt it was teaching my own kid. The instructors were young and didn’t pay any attention to my daughter. They say around talking the whole class. I also felt that they ignored my daughter. She is deaf and wears cochlear implants. She was definitely not included in the group and that’s not ok. Will not be going back.

Rani Hans

Experienced RACISM!!

I sent both of my daughters to this club last year and pulled them out early, because I noticed while watching my eldest on the mat, doing a cartwheel, her teacher (who looked like a kid herself) was not acknowledging, nor assisting my child, when clearly she needed assistance, but helped every other kid. My child was the only coloured child and as soon as it was my daughters turn, she would turn her back or walk away.
My daughter didn't know why she was being treated differently, but I was fuming and had to take my girls out before I went in to confront her, as I waited for the class to be over, the instructor cowardly left.

Never went back, and never will, especially since they hired a racist employee.

Jane Doe

We have had a terrible experience here. Do NOT bring your kids here.

My son used to attend weekly until one of the instructors decided to lie about him and say that he was swearing at her during class. I'm not someone who believes their child is perfect, but I know for absolute sure that he did not do this. The instructor was 14 and when the story was described to me from both sides, it was clear that there was a power struggle in an argument that occurred between she and my son. The lady who called me to pick my son up critiqued my parenting, saying my son is "clearly going through something" and that he must not feel confident telling me about it. This woman has no idea about our personal lives and what is going on behind the scenes, and regardless of whether my son is going through something in his personal life, it shouldn't prevent him from joining in on extra curricular activities. My child has not verbally nor physically harmed anybody in there and he did not deserve to walk out of there in tears, torn, begging me to never take him back because they made him feel extremely uncomfortable in how they were speaking to him/treating him. If this is how they treat the kids and the parents, I do NOT recommend attending this gym at all to anyone. I reached out to the president of the company (Kathy Bierylo) and she has been ignoring my email. If any of the team cares to respond to me, I'd like a refund. This is terrible service provided to children, highly inappropriate, and absolutely no one is going to tell my child and myself that there's something wrong with us just because he wanted to show his instructor a skill he was confident in on the bar and she, as a child, felt that she needed to assert her power by lying about him.

Rachael Samms

Great gymnastics club with some wonderful coaches. My daughter felt welcome from the moment she walked in the door.