Picture this: It’s your first competition of the season, and there’s Suzy’s mom proudly sporting a shirt with your gym’s logo. The catch? It’s not from your proshop. She snagged your logo from the website, uploaded it to her Cricut, and heat-pressed it onto a T-shirt.
Your heart rate spikes, your face flushes, and maybe your eye even starts to twitch. For me, it’s like a slow simmer turning into a full boil. Then, the next day, with the moment behind me, I realize I may have overreacted.
But honestly, can you blame me?
Unfortunately, this scenario has played out for many gym owners, myself included. Even worse, Suzy’s mom didn’t stop at just one shirt. She made extras for her friends, and now your carefully protected logo is floating around in the wild.
How to Handle DIY Gym Apparel
So, how do you handle it? You have two options:
- Let the frustration boil over, and confront the parent about violating the rules in your handbook.
- Take a proactive approach, adjusting how you do business to minimize these issues from the start.
After years of trial and error, I’m here to tell you that the second option is not only better for your sanity, but also more effective in the long run.
Many years ago, I did exactly what most gym owners do. I put in my handbook that my logo is not for duplication for any reason by parents. They signed the contract for the season, and until I saw a shirt in the gym that I didn’t make, I never again said a word.
Offer merchandise at various price points.
Today, my approach is much different. I still have the clause in my parent handbook, but I don’t stop there: I make sure I offer plenty of merchandise at a variety of prices. Not everyone can afford a $50 sweatshirt, so I make sure I’ve also got $15 T-shirts. Though I’d love to sell them a new shirt every season, I understand that some people are looking for apparel they can buy once and wear to every single event—so I offer simple T-shirts with my logo in addition to season-specific and team-specific apparel. Most parents buy the latter, but some buy the former, and that’s OK too.
Clarify expectations every year.
I host a meeting each year in September where I present a slideshow and tell parents what they can expect for the season. This is also recorded and goes out to parents in an email. In the presentation, I talk about our logo and why it’s important they’re not replicating it:
- Our proshop is designed to be profitable. I am not shy about that. I don’t mandate that anything in my proshop must be purchased, so optional items do tend to have a bigger profit margin. This means that those who can purchase those items may do so, and those who don’t have the extra disposable income don’t have to. I’m clear with parents that a thriving proshop allows me to keep my tuition prices reasonable so more kids can cheer. I was nervous the first time I said this. Oddly, I had parents thank me for making that choice. I also had more parents than ever before supporting our proshop. A little transparency can go a long way.
- My logo represents my brand, and I’m always going to be protective of that. Parents want their children cheering somewhere that has a good reputation. I will always protect my brand to ensure we uphold that reputation. As a result, it’s important that we are cautious with the image we’re putting out there. Though I’m in the Bible Belt, parents do buy crop tops and sports bras at my gym. That said, I only put out apparel I’d be comfortable with my own kids wearing. When you let parents know it’s important you control your brand and explain why, they respect your decision far more.
Why Parents Create Their Own Apparel
When someone breaks the rule (because most seasons someone does), I approach it cautiously and try to have some empathy. Most moms create their own apparel for one of the following reasons:
They can’t afford the items you are selling.
This is why it’s so important to offer items at a variety of price points. I understand if you want to have a high-end brand, but if you want to protect that brand while keeping cheerleading affordable, you need to offer something at the “under $25” pricepoint.
They don’t like the items you’re offering.
Many years ago, I was in my twenties and didn’t think much of different styles of clothing. We offered fitted gym shirts that clung to the body. I loved them, but I had some coaches who didn’t. I once had a coach tell me she just wasn’t comfortable with the fit of the shirt. It was a thin material and as a busty female, she just wasn’t comfortable in the shirts.
On the other hand, I have parents who won’t touch certain brands of T-shirts because they’re boxy or scratchy. I myself am a T-shirt snob. If it’s not soft, it’s not for me, and I’m sure as heck not spending $30 on a boxy, scratchy piece of clothing. Ask around. Talk to parents and find out what they want. If you can’t offer a super soft T-shirt for a reasonable price, let them know and ask for feedback.
You’re not offering frequently enough or not advertising enough.
I’m not a fan of in-house proshop items sitting on shelves collecting dust, but I am all about offering pre-ordered items on a regular basis. Our team-specific apparel and end-of-season event apparel is always a huge hit!
Not only that, but sometimes we make super cute apparel for our coaches and the parents want in on it! Last week I wore a super soft buffalo plaid quarter zip with our logo embroidered on it. I had four parents ask if we were selling those now. Unfortunately I had bought one, gotten it embroidered, and then the store sold out before I could get more … but you understand the idea here!
Consider strategically planning out your proshop offerings for 2025. Obviously around spring break, parents will be more interested in T-shirts and tank tops than they will be in September. Plan ahead, and build your marketing plan for it as well.
They’re just rude and don’t care if you’re making money or not.
I’d say this applies to very few parents I’ve ever had in my gym. I mostly put it here because I know some of you were thinking this. If this is the case, it’s likely because they don’t have an entrepreneurial bone in their bodies. They might need you to teach them why it’s good when everyone thrives. They likely have preconceived notions about business owners and their own issues with money. In this case, you may or may not be able to get them on board.
Try kind transparency and see how it works first. Be patient. Not everyone has a business mindset. A mom who was once really upset with me about my policy later confessed that she would never consider opening a business. She doesn’t think from a business’s perspective, and it took her some time to understand why we might have a rule like this. A few weeks ago, she let me know she overheard parents talking about this very issue and that parents might value another gentle reminder.
Today, parents are vigilant and protective of my brand on my behalf. They know that if they request certain types of apparel, I’m listening carefully, and if I can make it work with my margins and their anticipated pricepoint, it’s usually in the queue. I also don’t expect them to read one thing one time in a parent packet and remember it forever. I can’t even remember what I had for lunch yesterday. I certainly wouldn’t remember a clause in a packet I read six months ago.
Building a thriving proshop and protecting your gym’s brand takes intentionality, communication, and empathy. Parents aren’t always trying to bypass your rules—they may simply not understand the impact their actions have on your business. By offering affordable options, educating parents, and consistently reinforcing your expectations, you can turn these challenges into opportunities to strengthen your community and your brand.
