Golden Gymnastics

Girl's Team Information and Policies

 

 

Team Philosophy

Every child has the right to excel in his given talents. Our job is to assist our athletes in achieving their dreams realistically and to guide them to a better understanding of themselves and gymnastics. We believe that the better you train, the better you will compete. The more consistent you are in the gym, the more consistent your competitions will be. We also believe that competition (gymnastics meets) is a means of outside measurement and not the determination of failure or success. We do expect our athletes to strive for excellence in all facets of their lives, and we hope that gymnastics will continue to be a positive aspect. We believe if you have fun and work hard, you will continue to be successful throughout your life.

Coaches

Coaches will make all decisions on workouts and competitions. The coaches are most aware of an athlete's preparedness and will make all decisions as to when the athlete is ready to compete. Competition readiness is generally determined by work out success and routine experience.

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Parents

• Insurance coverage must be provided by the gymnast's parents.
• Feel free to watch any and all practices, unless otherwise stated by the Head Coach.
• Feel free to discuss your child with coaches, before or after practice, if time permits. Contact the coach (at the gym) if further discussion is needed.
• Please inform the coaches of any illness or psychological stress the athlete may be experiencing. (for example: A death in the family, flu or any other illness or injuries)
• Please refrain from coaching your children in the gym or at home. Allow the coaches to do their job unhindered.

“A positive parent athlete relationship is one in which the parent is a supportive observer, allowing their child to grow unhindered. Comfort and support by parents at opportune times can help carry an athlete through hard times and ultimately help re-focus them."

• Parents need to be aware that their athletes are getting the proper nutrition. An athlete’s fuel source can determine attention span as well as energy reserve. Please give your children only correct choices when it comes to nutrition. If you need information in this area, please ask. Our coaching staff will try and help or direct you to the proper resource.
• School work is important and we appreciate its importance. Workouts can be adapted if your child has extra homework or a big assignment. Please help your child plan so these adaptations are the exception and not the rule.
• Coaches' decisions are exactly that. Please allow coaches to make decisions and limit discussion of those decisions amongst yourselves. Often miscommunication will occur and problems arise where they need not exist. Coaches will always be willing to discuss decision, workout methodology or any other items concerning your child. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.

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Gymnast Responsibilities

• Always come to practice ready and willing to work hard, participate and give 100% effort.
• Arrive on time. (There are always exceptions, just don't create any bad habits)
• Always check personnel equipment, grips, theraband, tape, music, etc.... These items are your responsibility not the coaches or your parents.
• Always listen to your coaches and respond in a respectful manner.
• Stay on task; keep your mind on what you are doing. Don't let socializing interfere with your progress.
• Do your conditioning to the best of your ability. Being thorough in this area is often the difference in healing quicker from an injury, success with skills and progressing to a higher level.
• Pay close attention when walking in the gym, so as not to interfere with another athlete or recreational classes.
• Do not attempt new skills without a coach's consent and presence.
• Eat properly! Make sure you are eating the correct foods. Poor nutrition may interfere with progress, injury prevention and recovery.
• NO gum chewing OR eating while working out.
• Communicate with your coaches. They are not mind readers. If there is an injury or there is a possible problem, resolve things before they become bigger problems.
• Insurance coverage must be provided by the gymnast's parents.

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Golden Gymnastics Girl's Booster Club

All team members are automatically considered members of the Golden Gymnastics Girl's Booster Club, and are responsible for obligations with that organization. All new members will be contacted by a booster club member.

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The Levels

Level 10
Level 10 is the highest level of competition for the USA Junior Olympic program. There are no difficulty restrictions, and competition is optional only. There will be local, regional and national competitions at this level for those who qualify.

Level 9
Level 9 is an optional level also; there are no difficulty restrictions at this level. There will be local, state, regional and national competitions at this level for those who qualify.

Level 8
Level 8 is an optional competition level. This level is where our athletes begin to build the framework that will hopefully lift them to a higher optional level. There will be local, state and regional competitions at this level for those who qualify.

Level 7
Level 7 is also a modified optional competition level. This level is where we start to develop the building blocks for future optional development for the gymnast. There will be local and state competitions for those who qualify.

*There may be some Out of State Meets for All Optional Gymnasts*

Level 6
This level is a compulsory competition level only. At these levels the basics of gymnastics will be reinforced, until they are second nature to our athletes. The understanding of these basics, will allow our athlete to continue with a greater understanding of our sort; continuing to help them throughout their gymnastics careers. There will be local and state competitions at this level for those who qualify.

Level 5
This is our entry competition level. This level is also a compulsory only level. Gymnasts are not allowed to compete at this level or any other level until a modicum of success can be attained. There will be local and state competitions at this level for those who qualify.

Pre-Team/Level 4
Pre-Team is a level that is provided for athletes that aspire to team level gymnastics. These athletes generally have surpassed the age requirements for competition but still show an aptitude for better gymnastics. The approach is basically the same and we hope that the result is the same. When the necessary skills have been attained the athlete will be invited to the Level 4 competition team. Once accepted on Pre-Team, your child is considered to be a Golden Gymnastics Team Athlete.

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Competition Requirements

·  Current member with U.S.A. Gymnastics.

·  Purchase of Team Uniform and Warm-Up.

·  Current member of Golden Gymnasticsh Booster Club.

·  Complete yearly application form and registration fee.

·  Payment of yearly team fees.

·  Maintain current standing of monthly tuition fees.

·  Meet fees and travel expenses are the responsibility of the parent(s), check with the Golden Gymnastics Girl's Booster club to determine what is not covered by the club.

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Team Tuition & Registration Fees

 

·  Registration: All team members must register annually with Golden Gymnastics by August 1st of every year. You must also complete an annual registration form. This fee is necessary to maintain your standing as a member of Golden Gymnastics.

·  Team Fees: The team fees will vary from year to year, based on the team size, budget, and number of meets the team will travel to throughout the season. These fees help to cover miscellaneous team expenses such as: Coach's fees, hotel, per diem, etc. Fees are normally due in two installments payable in August and September of each year. Please see a Girl's Booster Club Officer for more information on yearly team fees.

·  Team Tuition: Tuition is considered to be an annual fee divided into 12 equal payments and is based on a 48 week year. This allows for vacation time missed by the athlete, vacation time for the coaches and down time for the gym. Monthly tuition payments ALWAYS remain the same. There is no pro-ration of monthly tuition. Tuition fees are due on or before the 1st of the month. There will be a $10.00 late charges assessed for payments received after the 10th of the month. Team tuition and work-out schedules will change based on competition and off seasons. Team schedules and fees will be given on separate handouts each season.

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Injuries

No matter how much time is spent on safety and injury prevention, injuries in the sport of gymnastics will occur. Injuries in gymnastics range from minor to catastrophic.

Unfortunately, injuries are often part of a gymnast's life. No matter how prepared or skilled an athlete is or how many mats are used athlete sometimes make mistakes and an injury may result.

We spend a great deal of time on conditioning, power and flexibility for this very reason - Injury prevention. We hope that all of our athletes and parents will fully understand its importance.

Cooperation and communication among parents, gymnasts and coaches is essential in dealing with all injuries.

·  If injured, inform the coaches immediately. The sooner we begin dealing with an injury, the sooner the athlete will resume normal practices.

·  If the athlete is injured, we still expect him to attend practices. There are many ways to adapt a workout to accommodate most injuries. This can often promote faster healing with therapeutic conditioning.

·  In caring for injuries, coaches will make suggestions; however, the final action taken is always that of the parent.

·  Every athlete is different, therefore, recovery time and therapeutic conditioning may vary.

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Home Conditioning and Practice

Many parents have inquired what their athlete can do at home to improve skill level. First of all, athletes should be cautioned about practicing gymnastics outside of the gym. Most gymnastics skills should only be practiced in a proper equipped facility on proper equipment with proper supervision.
Rolls, cartwheels and handstands are usually not a problem. Most grassy areas are uneven surfaces, which may result in injury. Flip flops and other "power" skills should never be practiced outside of the gym! The impact from practicing on hard surfaces can be very detrimental to the joints and bones of young athletes.

Strength and Flexibility are key factors required for improving and developing gymnastic skills. Both of these factors can be easily trained in the home environment. Gymnasts will be surprised to learn that a small amount of conditioning at home can go a long way in gymnastic skill development. Conditioning may not be fun or exciting, but it is the single most valuable activity that can be done at home.

CONDITIONING SKILLS TO DO AT HOME

SKILLS	AMOUNT	DESCRIPTION
Push-Ups	2 sets of 30	Hands under shoulder, body straight and tight, head neutral. Go down until the chest is approximately 1" from the ground, then up until the arms are fully extended.
Plange Push-ups	2 sets of 15	Same as regular push-ups, but the hands are placed at the mid section with the shoulders forward.
Sit-ups	50	Hands on the stomach. Go up until the chest meets the legs. Feet should be held firmly (keeping the knees together).
Crunches	50	Feet off the ground in a tuck position, lower back stays in contact with the ground. Lift shoulders off the ground. Arms folded across the chest.
Hollow Rolls	10 each side	Head neutral, arms straight at ears. Legs straight approximately 3" off the ground with the shoulders 2" off the ground. Roll to one side and then back. Maintain tight and correct body position.
Hollow Rockers	10	Same body position as Hollow Rolls, then rock until shoulders contact the ground, rock forward till legs make contact, repeat until finished.
Toe Raises	30 each position. Toes inward, outward and straight forward	Balls of feet on a step, heels hanging over the step, raise up on toe until fully extended through the feet and ankles and then lower. Repeat until finished.
Handstand (stomach to the wall)	5 one minute each	Stomach tucked in, head down and the bottom squeezed tight. Arms must stay straight and hands directly under the shoulders. Use some type of padding on the floor.
Splits	5 minutes each (Right, Left & Straddle)	Legs straight, toes pointed. Proper body alignment of shoulders and hips. On Side splits back knee should be turned completely under. On Straddle splits both knees should point towards the ceiling.
Pancake	5 minutes	Legs straight, toes pointed and knees pointed toward the ceiling. Chest is flat to the ground and head is up.
Bridge	3 - 10 Seconds each	Shoulders over hands, arms straight, feet flat and legs are straight and squeezed together.

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The Ten Commandments
For Gymnastics Parents

1. Thou Shall Not impose your ambitions on thy child.

Remember that gymnastics is your child's activity and he will progress at his own speed. It can never be a positive thing when a parent is forcing a child to do a sport that he does not want to do. The best part about gymnastics is that it does not matter whether you finish first or last, rather the wonderful lessons each boy will learn as he strives to do his best.

2. Thou Shall Be supportive no matter what.

There is only one question to ask your child, "Did you have fun?" If meets and practice are not fun, your son should not be forced to participate.

3. Thou Shall Not coach your child.

You have taken you child to a professional coach, do not undermine that coach by trying to coach your child on the side. Your role is to support, love, and hug your son no matter what. The coach is responsible for the technical part of the job. You should not offer advice on technique or skill selection. That is not your area. This will only serve to confuse your child and prevent that gymnast/coach bond from forming.

4. Thou Shall only have positive things to say at competitions.

If you are going to attend a gymnastics meet you should cheer and applaud, but never criticize your son or his coaches.

5. Thou Shall acknowledge thy child's fears.

It is a normal human reaction for a child to be scared when attempting new skills or competing. Do not yell or belittle your son, just assure him that his coach would not have him attempt the skill or put him in the competition if he was not ready for it.

6. Thou Shall not criticize the judges.

There is much more to judging than you would think and each judge has had to test to do what he/she does. There are many routine requirements that the general spectator is completely unaware of that certainly have a factor on the final score. No one is perfect, but it is without question that they know more than you.

7. Honor thy child's coach.

The bond between coach and gymnast is a special one, and one that contributes to your child's success as well as enjoyment. Do not criticize his coach in his presence because it will only add to many distractions he must already deal with during his gymnastics training and performance.

8. Thou Shall Not jump from club to club.

The floor exercise carpet always seems bluer at another gym. Every team has it's own internal problems, even teams that build champions. Children who switch from gym to gym are often ostracized by teammates they leave behind. Often times, gymnasts who do switch teams never do any better than they did before they sought the "bluer carpet." However, one club will not please everyone and you need to find the club where you will fit the best.

9. Thou Shall have goals besides winning.

Encourage your son to do his best. Giving an honest effort no matter what the outcome is much more important than winning.

10. Thou Shall Not expect thy child to become an Olympian.

There are over 55,000 athletes participating in competitive gymnastics. There are only seven spots available for the Olympic team every four years. Your child's odds of becoming an Olympian are 1 in 114,350! You can understand how difficult it is to become an Olympian because the odds are you have never been one yourself even though you, as a child, probably wanted to be one. Gymnastics is much more than the Olympics! Chances are your sib's coach was not an Olympian, but still received enough out of gymnastics that they wanted to pass their love for the sport onto others. Gymnastics teaches so many virtues while building self-esteem, life long friendships and much more. Most Olympians will tell you that these intangibles far outweigh any medal they may have won. Gymnastics builds good people and you should be happy that your child wants to participate.

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***********$30 Registration Fee is Due Annually***********
To Register or schedule a Trial Class,
Please Call us at (303) 980-5842 for more information.