It’s A Whole New World: Welcome to Gymnastics

Gymnastics is a great sport for youngsters and it is one of the few sports children can start either as soon as they can walk or at 18 months old depending on the local clubs. There are some things to consider when looking for the right club for your child as well as yourself. It is especially important to consider all aspects of the various gyms if your child is a little older and holds hopes of competing because at this point gymnastics often becomes a family affair especially as the child learns.

What Is An Age Appropriate Program?

Age appropriate programs vary from club to club and in many cases it really depends on the maturity and ability levels of your child. In general children usually start gymnastics at the age of 18 months in a Mom’s, Pop’s and Tot’s class. In these programs one parent is on the floor with the child at all times.

From there children progress into various levels dependant on their age and ability level. This usually begins around age four or five. And from there children who show an aptitude and ability for the sport can progress into various competitive streams.

It is important to consider what it is you want your child to get out of gymnastics classes. The sport is wonderful for developing balance, agility, flexibility as well as skills such as time management and qualities like good sportsmanship.


Choosing a Gym In Your Community

There are some key considerations when choosing a gymnastics club in your community. Making sure your gym is insured by the governing body in your province or state will help to ensure quality programming and top safety considerations and they will be upheld by that bodies Code of Ethics.
 
It maybe beneficial to visit a few clubs in your area many of them will offer trial classes. You will want to look at their equipment, safety features, coach training, whether they have a visitor’s viewing area, whether their facilities are clean, an office manager to help with administrative issues and answer questions, a good coach to student ratio and children who look happy, healthy and attentive.

The Beginning

     The first time my daugter stepped onto a spring floor wearing a pretty new bodysuit covered in pastel butterflies her eyes lit up and her smile spread from cheek to cheek.  It was like someone switched on a lightbulb and she knew what she wanted to do.  Mommy on the other hand was not too sure she wanted her baby girl flipping over vaults, balancing on a piece of wood only a few inches wide and hanging from bars with only a few mats below her but, she wanted it and I felt I had to accept it. Afterall it was only an hour a week.
     Looking back that first practice seemed oh so long ago even though it has only been about 3 years.  Jesslynn, my daughter, is now ten-years-old and she is still at the same gym.  Granted the coach has changed a few times and we've gone from one hour a week to 15 hours a week but, her love of women's artistic gymnastics and tumbling has not faltered in fact I think it has grown!  There seems to be nothing she loves more and she has her goal set on provicial and perhaps national compition.  (What will I do!)
      It didn't take me long to figure out I was along for the ride in the whole gymnastics dream she seemed to have.  I never counted on being a gymnastics mother but the choice was never mine.  She had a natural drive in her to be at the gym many days a week and while it was my cheque book that paid for it all I could not have asked for a better journey to tag along on.
     In three years Jesslynn has progressed through the programs moving from a recreational athlete to a pre-competitive athlete and now a level three athlete.  Is she ready for the Olympics?  Of course not but she is working hard, learning great values and work ethic, and I couldn't be happier with her choice and I fully support whatever dream she has.  Now that said, I am not always ontop of things and I do not always understand the ins and outs of the sport of women's gymnastics and that is the goal of this blog, to provide information and help to parents trying to navigate the world of competitive gymnastics.
      I hope you will find some useful information within these posts and I hope you will add your own thoughts and comments as well.  I will provide links to information on competitve gymnastics and news from the sport and I will also provide articles for parents and young athletes.

I hope you will enjoy this blog and find it useful!