At Evolution, we faced a complete lack of respect for clients and an inability to recognize the individuality of children. Today, it happened to our 5-year-old son -- tomorrow it could happen to any other child. We have also reported this to the Ministry of Sport and submitted all our video recordings from each of his training sessions, clearly showing our son's normal behavior. So -- film your kids more often and as much as possible! Our son had just turned 5 when he joined Evolution. He doesn't speak English yet, but he already encountered biased treatment -- simply because of his natural energy, which is deeply tied to his roots and identity. That's why his father's homeland has produced some of the world's greatest freestyle wrestling champions. This kind of character is ideal for active sports. That's why he had been doing gymnastics and soccer since the age of 4. When he turned 5, he chose to focus solely on gymnastics -- and we chose Evolution. But at Evolution, active children are excluded from the club -- even at the age of 5 -- and seen as a "big challenge" for young coaches. Since when did healthy childhood energy become a problem in sports? Seriously?! A child weighing 16 kg and 110 cm tall is "dangerous"?! "DANGEROUS TO COACHES AND OTHER ATHLETES" -- that's the explanation we received from the club's management after 2.5 months of training. In their letter, they stated that their top concern is staff safety. So coach safety is more important than the safety and development of young children? That raises many, many questions. Our son was placed in a group for ages 4-6, but the training was clearly designed for four-year-old beginners and did not take into account boys' energy levels or the temperament differences between boys and girls. He began to feel bored in these sessions. He tried to challenge himself by working on the rings, but some coaches ignored his drive for more advanced exercises. We have video footage of one coach speaking to him in a clearly disrespectful tone and then simply walking away, leaving the child alone -- just because he wanted more challenging tasks! Kids like that immediately become "too difficult" for Evolution and get removed suddenly -- without explanation and with a serious risk of psychological harm. They send a letter filled with made-up, baseless accusations, even though cameras are installed throughout the gym and record every movement. But they provide no evidence. This kind of behavior just covers up their lack of professionalism and their inability to work with different kinds of children. Our son's case made that crystal clear. At this age, child energy is an essential part of healthy development. That's exactly why we take our kids to sports! But Evolution seems to operate by very different "standards." Here is an excerpt from the letter we received from the club's management. This is how they speak about small children. One phrase was especially shocking:"dangerous / violent / abusive behaviour" "Children are not robots however there is a definite line between rambunctious behaviour and dangerous / violent / abusive behaviour. The safety of our staff and our athletes is our primary focus and is the motivation behind every decision we make."   Evolution attributed behavior to a five-year-old that is simply not developmentally possible. No 5-year-old child is capable of what they accused him of. They wrote this in a letter -- but didn't dare say it to us directly. Not even during in-person meetings. For a child who had always seen adults as supportive and kind, this was his first experience of open injustice. They also accused him of "throwing dangerous OBJECTS." But what exactly was the "DANGEROUS OBJECT"? A light foam cube that all the kids play with ? Or a heavy gym apparatus that even an adult could barely lift -- let alone a 5-year-old? So who is responsible for safety during training sessions? The club provided no answer. It's easier to blame a child and exclude him than to admit their own mistakes. After leaving Evolution, we joined another club -- and the difference is striking. There is a separate group for boys aged 5-9, where coaches value boys' active energy and guide it into proper development. Choose clubs that respect your child's individuality and know how to professionally nurture their potential. --- read more