PURPOSE
To educate girls and young women in the proper, safe and fun aspects of the sport of gymnastics and it's use in a competitive format.
COMPETITIVE LEVELS
We compete in the junior olympic women's program which is a part of the national organization which also happens to be named "USA Gymnastics". Below is an explanation of the competitive levels. When a gymnasts achieves the required score then she may progress to the next level.
| Level 5 | 4 events of compulsory skills |
| Level 6 | 4 events of beginning difficulty |
| Level 7 | Modified optional routines with required skills |
| Level 8, 9 & 10 | Optional routines |
UNIFORMS
The girls uniform consists of a leotard (about $40). And a warm up outfit. The zippered crinkle nylon jacket and pants cost about $100. These are only to be worn at competition and exhibitions. Hair must be in a bun with the velvet schrunchie wrapped around twice!! No exceptions!!! Attire at practice should consist of a leotard. Shorts & t-shirt are forbidden. Gymnastic slippers or bare feet are appropriate for practices and meets. Watches, rings or necklaces should not be worn at any time while doing gymnastics.
GRIPS
There is no requirement for grips by our team or any organization. Basic palmguards ($8-10) may help some beginning level gymnasts. Level 7-10 gymnasts will sooner or later want grips. They cost about $35 and can be purchased either through us or on your own by mail order.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
All vital information will be posted on the team bulletin board near the locker rooms. Please check it every time that you come into the gym. We will try to develop a sense of responsibility in the gymnasts but it couldn't hurt if you check also as a backup.
HOLIDAYS
The team does not follow regular school schedules. If you are not sure if we are having practice because of vacations or weather then you should call the gym at 860-945-6970 or Chris at home 203-723-2305.
PRACTICE
"Practice makes perfect" isn't totally correct. "Perfect practice makes perfect" is more correct. So that this may be accomplished, please have the gymnasts arrive about 5 minutes early so that they may put their things away before we begin. At certain times of the year other family commitments or homework may cause conflicts with practices. We tell the gymnasts that school and family come first. If you need to arrive late or leave early, this is understandable. Carpooling may help to remedy some of the conflicts. Consult your team roster for possibilities.
PARENTS
The involvement in the team is a family commitment. In most cases, parents supply the rides and the payments yet we still may ask for your help in some areas like home meets or newspaper publicity.
MEETS
The competitive season for levels 5 and up start in the fall and run until june. There is a separate fall and spring season. Meets are usually on a saturday or sunday and within a 1 hour driving time each way. The warm up takes about 1 1/2 hours. The meet should last about 2 1/2 hours and the awards should be a mere 30 minutes. If you put this all together, you can plan on spending 6 or 7 hours for a meet. The entry fee can range from $20 to $45 depending in the level.
AWARDS
Ribbons and trophies are great. The gymnasts want them. The parents are overjoyed when they get them and sometimes disappointed when they don't. The most important thing is "Did I do my best?". Please remember this when admiring your child's accomplishments. A girl who shows a great improvement but does not place should receive more praise than a gymnasts who places with a less than average performance. Scores can not be compared from one event to another or from one day to the next.
COACHING
It is difficult for a parent to successfully coach their child. Don't try. Everyone would like their child to be the best but sometimes we try too hard because we want it more than the gymnast does. Gymnastics is an individual sport. The gymnast has to want to get better and think for herself. The best thing that parents can do is to show a supportive interest. At the end of practice, see if your daughter wants to show you a new trick that she has been learning. Trying to critique, analyze or correct a skill should not be attempted. If you ever have questions or concerns, feel free to talk to the coaches about them.