CANAL FULTON GYMNASTICS TEAM HANDBOOK

CONGRATULATIONS ON BECOMING A MEMBER OF THE CANAL FULTON GYMNASTICS TEAM. IT IS BOTH AN HONOR AND A TRIBUTE TO YOUR FINE TALENTS. YOUR HARD WORK AND DEDICATION HAVE EARNED YOU THIS PRIVILEGE. WE HOPE YOUR PAST EFFORTS WILL CONTINUE AND BE EXPANDED AS THE YEAR PROGRESSES. PLEASE REMEMBER THAT COMMUNICATION IS A KEY FACTOR IN ANY SUCCESSFUL RELATIONSHIP. THIS TEAM HANDBOOK, ALONG WITH YOUR WILLINGNESS TO COME DIRECTLY TO US, SHOULD A PROBLEM ARISE, WILL HELP US REALIZE YOUR GOALS! READ THIS HANDBOOK CAREFULLY. BOTH PARENTS AND GYMNAST SHOULD READ THIS. IT CONTAINS IMPORTANT INFORMATION YOU WILL NEED TO KNOW REGARDING YOUR TEAM MEMBERSHIP.

CANAL FULTON GYMNASTICS

The adventure you and your child are about to embark on will be a very special one. (Yes, it will be your adventure too). Over the years we have had the pleasure of watching hundreds of children learn, grow, develop and mature into confident young adults who are ready to face the world. We look forward to the unique opportunities which working with your child will present.

The undertaking will give your child a stage on which to develop her confidence, poise, individuality, mental and physical discipline, determination, appreciation for dedicated effort and self-respect. Your child will mature among individuals and circumstances that will demand her finest efforts and judgments. They will develop close relationships with other young athletes who demand the best of themselves and expect the best in others. Educational opportunities will be made available which will compliment and enhance the experiences they will have in the gym. They will also have a lot of fun.

Welcome to TEAM CANAL FULTON!

The Coaching staff would like to personally congratulate each and every one of you for choosing gymnastics for your child. Gymnastics is the greatest overall body conditioning activity in which you could have your child involved. A study was done testing the components of physical fitness (strength, flexibility, coordination, etc.) of a number of college athletes involved in various sports. When the totals were added up, gymnasts proved to be the most physically fit. Some of the physical attributes that you will find developing in your young gymnast will be: strength, flexibility, kinesthetic awareness, muscular control, muscular endurance, coordination, timing, explosive power, agility, running speed, balance, and grace. Some of the mental attributes that we hope to develop are positive self-image, self-motivation, tenacity, patience, and willingness to sacrifice for personal development, goal setting, courage, and enjoyment. It is rewarding and fun to work hard, improve your skills, and achieve your goals.

Gymnastics, when taught properly, can be the vehicle with which to deliver life-long knowledge of physical fitness. Jumping, running, rolling, strength and flexibility are the basic aspects of many sports. No better foundation can be laid than one built on the basic attributes of gymnastics. Although the public schools in this country have regressed in this area of thought, many of the world’s most advanced nations still use gymnastics as the core of their physical fitness programs.

Physical skill development is certainly a by product of a good gymnastics program. Gymnastics as a sport, however, is an age-limited experience. You do not see too many over 30’s flipping and swinging away their afternoons. With this in mind Canal Fulton Gymnastics has made it a primary goal to insure that our program delivers more than just physical development. Properly taught, gymnastics teaches self-esteem, self-motivation, self-discipline, determination, work ethic, time management, teamwork, team spirit, leadership, sportsmanship, respect for danger, respect for others, poise and grace. When our students are done turning cartwheels they will have established a base of life skills that will undoubtedly assist them through all of their non-flipping years. We measure success not by the number of trophies on the wall, but rather on what each child can take with them once they leave the sport of gymnastics.


GYMNASTICS PROGRAM

The basic philosophy of the Canal Fulton Gymnastics program is that of establishing a TOTAL program which includes:

A program that allows for and facilitates the realization of any student’s interests and goals.

To provide a safe and nurturing environment that helps build each student’s confidence and self esteem.

To provide a competent and stable staff that stays current with the latest technical and educational methods.

To be receptive to each student’s wishes while being organized in a manner that keeps interests from conflicting.

Most importantly, to always work on the lines of communication between all facets of our program.

Canal Fulton Gymnastics

The philosophy of Canal Fulton Gymnastics is a simple one. We strive to ensure that each and every child in our program is made to feel special. We offer growth in areas as strength, flexibility, peer interaction, development of self-confidence and overall well being in conjunction with gymnastics skill acquisition. It is our belief that an emphasis on correct form, proper technique, and precise execution will result in not only higher scores (every child’s goal) but also a higher level of gymnastics. Our goals are to offer every child the best professional instruction, with safe equipment, and a fun-filled and controlled learning environment. Canal Fulton Gymnastics views gymnastics as a sport of opportunity… an opportunity for young people to grow with dedication and determination, an opportunity to achieve dreams, and an opportunity to grow to healthy and honorable adulthood. This is no easy task. Both individual and family dedication and sacrifice will be required and will demand additional effort. We stand ready to contribute our energy, our knowledge and experience, and our love and support to your efforts. We welcome you to our program and we look forward to helping you and your child achieve your dreams.

We believe that gymnastics is a tool to help kids grow into happy, healthy, and responsible adults. Through gymnastics training the children learn more than just cartwheels and somersaults. We agree with psychologists who say that the basic attitude common to happy, healthy, responsible adults is a "true love of learning." We know that the best way to foster a love of learning is to help our athletes associate learning and challenge with purpose and fun. The athletes come to the gym excited to learn and to meet new challenges. They come to share a big part of their life, talk about their dreams, and train to master the skills that will take them where dreams come true.

Competition is the American way. It is part of our daily lives. We strive to be the best we can be in athletics, business, scholastics, government, and as parents and educators. This competitive spirit, however, must be learned and developed. This is best started during the early character-shaping years. The spirit of competition lies within the human psyche, waiting to be nurtured and developed for real world application throughout our lives. We at Canal Fulton Gymnastics are committed to fostering the spirit of competition among our young athletes.

The philosophy of Canal Fulton Gymnastics closely mirrors the above statement. The program was founded on the belief that there can be a place for everyone on the competitive gymnastics field; and the reality that a rare few will ever make it to the top. It must therefore be the process, and not the outcome, that is emphasized. Character, indeed life, is truly shaped by the day to day toil and struggle that is the measure of the human soul. Accomplishment and success come to fruition only after a sometimes long and arduous process. Our challenge then is to nurture the student-athlete in a healthy, wholesome, enjoyable environment, stressing sound progressive fundamentals, so as to become a model for others to live by. Success, in its own disguise, for each of us will follow.

The coaches at Canal Fulton Gymnastics believe that it is important for every gymnast to get as much out of this sport as they possibly can, while at the same time having an incredibly positive experience. The approach that we take with our teams is similar to the approach taken by many successful people in their adult lives. Through gymnastics our athletes discover the link between desire, dedication, and direction and the achievement of their dreams. At Canal Fulton Gymnastics we define success as: "To be the best that you are capable of becoming".

Canal Fulton Gymnastics athletes learn many valuable qualities inherently from the sport of gymnastics. Qualities such as self discipline (knowing what work is to be done in order to achieve a goal), self motivation (working hard because they want to), respect (for the sport of gymnastics, teammates and coaches) and sportsmanship (playing by the rules, learning how to deal with failure, and winning graciously). Still more qualities are: dedication, leadership, concentration, time management, team work, friendship, gracefulness, nutritional awareness, and physical fitness. Gymnastics excellence means becoming the best you can be individually. To achieve this excellence takes setting goals (long and short range), and an incredible amount of effort to achieve those expectations. At Canal Fulton Gymnastics each gymnast can expect a rigorous, regimented program. We will strive to be the best, recognizing the fact that...

If it’s worth doing at all - It’s worth doing right!

COMPETITIVE STRUCTURE

All members of the Canal Fulton Gymnastics program will be participating and competing in the USA GYMNASTICS program. Its main office is located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and is responsible for the administration of all Women’s, Men’s and Rhythmic Gymnastics as well as Trampoline and Tumbling in this country. It is their responsibility to produce the competitive structure, along with its rules, regulations, and the athletes that represent our country in international competitions. Included in this responsibility is the developmental and age group programs that direct our gymnasts from the beginning stages.

There are 11 levels to the USA GYMNASTICS Women’s Program. Levels 1-3 are non-competitive levels that center around teaching the basic core skills for each of the 4 Olympic events. They consist of doing individual skills and small routines while showing proficiency on 4 main points of each skill. When the gymnast successfully completes each skill and routine required on an event they may move on to the next level.


COMPULSORY OR OPTIONAL EXERCISES

The athletes compete either compulsory or optional exercises or both. Compulsory exercises (also called "routines"), are developed for each nation by the national governing body (USA Gymnastics in the United States). The compulsory routines are developed with varying levels of difficulty so the athletes use the compulsories to develop their skills progressively. Optional routines are choreographed (i.e. put together) by the gymnast and the coach. Optional routines are usually unique to each particular gymnast while compulsories are performed by all gymnasts in much the same manner. Scoring for compulsories and Optionals is similar except that the gymnast must follow a prescribed sequence of skills in compulsories.

Levels of Competition

Level 4 to Level 10 and Elite

The girls start with competing Level 4 and go up to Level 10. Levels 4, 5, and 6 are compulsory levels. Levels 8, 9, and 10 are optional levels. Level 7 is an optional level with certain compulsory skills required on each event. The Elite Level is too complicated and confusing to go into in this space.

The first competitive level is Level 4. It consists entirely of compulsory routines. Compulsory routines are a pre-choreographed series of skills that each competitor must perform. Once again they are made up of core skills needed for each event, built on the skills from a previous level. The philosophy of these routines is for the athletes to practice toward perfection of these basics. The minimum age for this level is 5 and there is no maximum age. The athletes are arranged in age groups at competitions.

Level 5 and Level 6 are also a compulsory only level of competition. Each level builds on the skills of the previous level and likewise is judged with higher expectations. The USA GYMNASTICS structure is based on a progressive "step by step" building of physical, emotional, and psychological skills. Proficiency of all aspects of the gymnast at each level is expected and required to ensure a safe, smooth movement through the levels. The minimum age for this level of competition is 7.

Level 7 is an in between step. It bridges the gap between the all-compulsory levels of 5 and 6 and the all optional level of 8. The gymnasts have required skills that can be put together in an optional routine.

The first level of all optional competition begins with Level 8. Optional competition consists of each gymnast performing her own routines for each event. The Federation of International Gymnastics (FIG) produces the optional rules every 4 years in conjunction with the Olympics. This book dictates what each routine needs to contain, (composition), the value of what is done, (difficulty), and how to evaluate how well it is done, (execution). There are three optional only levels:8,9,10. The minimum age for Level 8 is 8 , while for Levels 9 and 10 it is 9. As with the compulsory levels, the requirements and expectations from one level to the next increases.

Level 9 difficulty requirements and expectations are harder than at level 8. Level 10 is considered a Pre-Elite Level and for the truly dedicated and motivated gymnast.


WHAT TO EXPECT AT A COMPETITION?

Competition is the ultimate goal of this program and many of the life skills that we are attempting to teach are learned or honed through competing. However, competition should never be undertaken in this sport for the mere sake of competition. The Russians, Romanians, Chinese, and others do not compete their athletes until they are 10 years old or older.

This is not to say that there will be no competition. There WILL be competition. We realize that many of our gymnasts (and their parents!) seek competition and like getting awards. They are valued and important. We agree. We will offer numerous opportunities to compete and win awards. It is just that we will not do so within the confines of the traditional gymnastics setting.

Traditional Gymnastics Competition: This is what you have seen on TV. The gymnasts are evaluated on vault, bars, beam, and floor by ladies in ugly blue uniforms. The reality is actually much worse than you see on television. At the beginning levels the gyms are crammed with kids, the competition seems to last forever, and only the lucky few (at big meets it may be 8 out of 40) get meaningful rewards.

Our gymnasts will begin competition within the traditional setting after 2 - 4 years in the Developmental Program. These competitions will be local, small, and low key. The judges try to be warm and cheerful. The coaches will be the dour folks in sloppy warm-up suits. The competitions will serve a developmental purpose as they will begin to teach the athletes about competition and the connection between what they do in the gym and what is expected in a competition. It is our hope and expectation that our athletes will be over-prepared for these competitions and that they will have a great deal of success when they are performing before the judges for the first time.

WARM UP

The competition will begin with a "warm up." Although it is called a "warm up" these periods closely resemble a workout. During the warm up the gymnasts will begin stretching and other activities and then move to the apparatus for pre-competition skill and routine rehearsal. The gymnasts will usually rotate from event to event during the warm up with strictly applied time limits for each athlete or team so that everyone gets the same amount of time to practice.

VAULTING

Vaulting consists of a run of about 70’ - 80’ followed by a jump to a small wooden and springing device called a "spring board" (what else?), and a diving flight to an apparatus which looks like a "Twinkie" (horse) or a "Tongue" (table) held up on metal posts (called a "horse"). The gymnast lands on his or her hands on the horse, usually somewhere around a handstand, and push off, performs some movement, and then lands on his/her feet. Vaulting requires extreme quickness, a fast run, a hard push from the horse, some cool flips and stuff in the air, and a landing that is "stuck".

UNEVEN BARS

The uneven parallel bars ("bars") consist of two wood-coated, fiberglass rails held up by steel posts at different heights. Routines consist of 10 - 14 skills performed in a series. The gymnasts should show large swing skills, lots of handstands, a release and re-catch of the bars, some sort of somersaulting or twisting skill, and a dismount to the floor. The winner is the one who performs the most difficult routine with the fewest errors.

BALANCE BEAM

The balance beam ("beam") is an apparatus made of steel and padding that is 16 feet long, 4 inches wide, and approximately 4 feet high. The gymnast will show a variety of skills from dance and tumbling and combine them into a routine which lasts from 70 - 90 seconds. Doing all that stuff on a surface 4 inches wide is difficult. The winner is the one who performs the most difficult routine with the fewest errors. Staying on the beam is important.

FLOOR EXERCISE

Floor exercise ("floor") is performed on an area approx. 40’ X 40’. There is a platform under the pad and carpet called a spring floor. The spring floor can be comprised of either springs or foam blocks. There are approx. 1,600 blocks or springs under the floor. The girls perform to music. The routine should cover most of the area of the carpet, must include tumbling, and include many dance elements.


MOBILITY

Mobility is the movement of the gymnasts from one level to the next. USA and AAU GYMNASTICS and the Canal Fulton Gymnastics program both have established rules of mobility. Each gymnast will be placed relative to their fulfillment of the criteria that USA GYMNASTICS and Canal Fulton Gymnastics have established. USA GYMNASTICS mobility is based solely on scores achieved in USA GYMNASTICS sanctioned competitions.

The specific mission of Canal Fulton Gymnastics is to develop happy, healthy, and confident children. One way in which we can help meet this demanding goal is to place gymnasts at the level where they can be happy, safe, and confident. What this means is that every gymnast must be able to perform the skills and routines required at a given level comfortably. The skills should not be at the edge of or beyond her ability level. We can never ask or expect our athletes to perform skills or routines in a competition which they cannot perform consistently in practice. Therefore, we plan to compete our gymnasts at about 75-80% of their current skill level. We will, however, work out at 100% of their ability.

It is becoming increasingly obvious that gymnastics is very a technical, perfection-oriented sport. Advancement in the sport depends solely on how well the basics are mastered. Similar to a pyramid, the larger a base of support (basics), the higher the pyramid will stand (ultimate goal level). With this in mind, it seems rather ridiculous to assume that gymnasts should merely achieve their mobility score and move to the next level. Programs which do that set up the athletes to eventually "hit the wall", that is they stop learning because of missing mastery of the basic compulsory elements. The scores established by USA GYMNASTICS create a VERY BASIC proficiency level to attain before moving. IN NO WAY DOES IT AUTOMATICALLY MOVE THE GYMNAST TO THE NEXT LEVEL. We feel that it is very important for a child to feel successful at gymnastics. One way we accomplish this is by having the gymnasts compete at a level that they are comfortable at and can achieve success in a meet situation. This allows them to perfect the necessary basic elements that will help them in the future.

REMEMBER: Being at a higher level does not make you a better gymnast....executing skills more precisely makes you a better gymnast.

The following criterion helps us decide the placement of each gymnast:

Physical Preparedness: an assessment is made of strength, flexibility, endurance, agility, quickness and suppleness.

Emotional, Psychological Readiness: these attributes are observable in a subjective way, as opposed to an objective manner. They readily indicate the child’s ability to overcome reasonable fears, to make quick yet sound judgments, and their self-motivation and dedication to achieving their goals.

Present Skill Level: by asking them to have acquired the skills needed in the next level routines before being considered to move up. By looking at this, we can project your skill and routine readiness for the coming competitive season.

Attendance and commitment to the CANAL FULTON GYMNASTICS TEAM program

A positive attitude towards competition and the work ethic to give 100% effort even in times of frustration.

By combining all the above factors plus our day to day experiences with that child, we can pretty well determine at what level they will be the most successful. We have always believed that to be successful at competitions one must train at 100% and be able to compete at 80%. It is important to remember that we must train at the level we want to be, not necessarily the level we are at.

CANAL FULTON GYMNASTICS TEAM CONDITIONING PROGRAM

There is no longer any excuse for an intensive gymnastics program without conditioning. Conditioning is essential for safe and effective gymnastics. However, conditioning for gymnastics is a complicated and serious issue. Conditioning programs must include adequate flexibility to be implemented in a variety of gymnastics settings.

Training Content

In order to understand and appreciate what goes into the development of a competitive gymnast, one must understand exactly what it is that we are trying to achieve during training. There are four fundamental areas of development which need to be addressed during the training: 1) strength, 2) flexibility, 3) skills, 4) mental aspects.

Strength development - As with all sports one object to the training is to make the difficult look easy. This is much easier to accomplish if the athlete has the strength required to master the skills. In most cases the stronger the better. This is certainly true of gymnastics. It is also true that strength training can also play a role in the reduction of injuries.

Strength development at the beginning or compulsory levels centers on building a base on which to build as the gymnast advances. General callisthenic exercises achieve this goal very well. Sit-ups, push-ups, pull-ups, running, and so on are used to achieve this goal. While it may appear that the gymnasts simply repeat these basic exercises over and over again through the course of the year, in fact there are subtle and at times not so subtle variations in the performance of these exercises. Technique may be changed or improved, the number or repetitions change, resistance is altered, the range of motion is increased, and the athlete is continually challenged to complete her assignment.

Strength development at the more advanced or optional levels is more complex and specialized. We utilize a five phase conditioning system which was researched and developed by Dr. Larry Nassar, The USA Gymnastics team doctor for the 1996 Olympic Games. Those five phases are as follows:

Build up - General conditioning (similar to that described above) which prepares the body for maximum strength development later in the cycle.

Max strength - Intense conditioning designed to increase the strength and power of the athlete.

Rest and adaptation - A rest period to give the muscles time to rebuild and rest.

Conversion - Conditioning specific to the sport of gymnastics and at times specific to individual gymnasts.

Maintenance - Competition season when the performance is the priority and conditioning is minimized.

Flexibility development is also critical to the long term success of the gymnast. Superior flexibility adds to the aesthetic appeal of the performance, allows the athlete to master skills more easily, and plays a role in reducing the frequency and seriousness of injuries.

Every training session at Canal Fulton Gymnastics will begin with a warm-up. This warm- up serves to raise the core body temperature so that the body is ready for action (hence the name "warm-up"), and the warm-up contains some light stretching drills to reduce the likelihood of injury. The warm-up is not intended to be a time to improve flexibility. Once the muscles are warm and tired then they can be stretched and flexibility can be improved. This generally occurs at the end of practice.

3) Skill development - Skill development falls into two distinct but related categories: basics and new skills. Basics or core skills are like the ABC’s of gymnastics. The gymnast uses these ABC’s to compose their gymnastics sequences and routines. If any of these basic building blocks are missing or defective the entire performance is weakened. These core skills, the building blocks of the sport, must be continually refined in order to permit the gymnast and her coaches to continually improve their performances. The better the core skills the better the performance. That is why we continually review and drill the basics.

We insist that conditioning be done correctly with good form. Attention needs to be given to technique and execution. If I catch a gymnast cheating or not trying as hard as needed I ask them to repeat the entire set. If I catch them again they may be asked to repeat all the exercises and/or go home.

If an athlete is injured and is restricted on their involvement in gymnastics (sprained ankle, etc) They should still come in to workout. There are many things we can do which speeds their recovery as well as things to work their weak spots. WE WOULD NEVER ASK THEM TO DO ANYTHING WHICH COULD FURTHER THEIR INJURY.

STRUCTURE OF CANAL FULTON GYMNASTICS TEAM COMPETITIVE PROGRAM

The Competitive program is broadly grouped into 4 main working groups. Pre-Team/Mighty Munchkins, Level 4/5, Level 6/7 and Optional Team.

PRE-TEAM (Level 3)

This is the first step in the series. It is generally for 6-8 year old gymnasts. The gymnasts will be working on the core skills that lay the base for gymnastics.

Mighty-Munchkins

This is a specialized class for 3-6 year old gymnasts. This class is for advanced preschoolers who see competitive gymnastics in their future. This class is an invitation only class.

Level 4

As gymnasts progress and reach Levels 3 & 4 they need a little more time in the gym. This group is designed for children who see competitive gymnastics in their future. If they are ready they will enter some competitions.

Level 5

The placement of a gymnast on to Level 5 is with the consideration that the gymnast WILL compete as a Level 5 in the next season that occurs. Both these groups are training to compete or are competing at Level 5. These Levels are to orient and educate the beginning competitors in the USA GYMNASTICS system of competition. At these levels, the gymnast is exposed to competitive gymnastics in a manner that should allow them to make decisions concerning their future participation and to what extent they will participate. Gymnasts at this level can expect at least, 7 home meets and 2 meets within driving distance.



Level 6 & 7

The expectations and skill level of these athletes are now on a higher level. They are more experienced and should be willing to make a higher level of commitment than Level 5. The skills are the main core elements that will determine their level of success throughout the rest of their competitive career. They will be trained to start focusing their energies along the lines of a disciplined athlete. Gymnasts at these levels can expect at least, 5 home meets and 2 meets within driving distance.

Level 8, 9 & 10

By this level, the gymnast has made a full commitment to the sport. With the difficulty of the FIG Code and the stepping up of expectations, this will be a necessity. These levels will be for the gymnast who is motivated to move up the ladder as far as her talent and hard work will get her. Their yardstick for competition is based on a national outlook. These teams will be developed to compete regionally and nationally in competitions that will facilitate gaining the high goals which they have set for themselves. Gymnasts at these levels can expect at least:

Level 8, 9, 10, 3 home meets, 2 invitational within driving distance, 2 sectional meets, & 1 State meet.

Showing Respect to the Sport of Gymnastics

The way you act in the gym is a private reflection of your respect to yourself, to your teammates, and to Canal Fulton Gymnastics. The way you act at competitions, while at team functions, and while traveling to and from the competitions and functions is a public statement about how you feel about yourself, Canal Fulton Gymnastics, and to the sport of gymnastics itself. Only the highest standard of behavior will be acceptable. The following actions show respect and are expected of a member of the Canal Fulton Gymnastics Team.

Participate in all scheduled competitions. We are a competitive gymnastics team. We measure our work and progress by going out on the competition floor to do our best in front of our families, our coaches, our friends, and our teammates. While winning is not so important, trying to win represents everything we strive for. Trying to win means that you come to practice every day, you work hard every day, you overcome fear, and that you get up every time you fall down. We do not try to win in the abstract. We try to win in the real world where rules apply, comparisons are made, judgment calls are the norm, grace under pressure is expected, and where falling and failing are part of every day life. (Sounds a lot like real life, doesn’t it?)

Attend every practice leading up to important competitions. Every competition is important in some way, but some competitions are more important than others. Prior to these important competitions we expect our athletes to attend every practice. It shows your respect for your hard work over the prior year, respect for your coaches, and respect for your team to give your very best efforts before these important competitions. Gymnasts who miss more than one practice in the ten days prior to these important competitions risk losing our respect for them and their dreams. In general, we only compete gymnasts who we respect.

Demonstrate the highest regard for our sport and your hard work by arriving to all competitions on time, by conducting your self with grace and courage during the competition, by accepting all scores in a positive manner since we know that we learn as much from our mistakes as we do from our best efforts, and by thanking your coaches, parents, and the organizers of the meet for spending their time on your behalf.

During the competition gymnasts are to wear their competition leotard and their team warm-ups. All gymnasts must be in warm-ups for awards. All gymnasts are expected to remain for awards.


Other Policies and Procedures of Canal Fulton Gymnastics

Workout attire: Gymnasts are required to train dressed in a manner which reflects positively on our program.

Leotards shall be worn.
Sports bras are required as needed.
No two-piece workout attire is permitted.
No jewelry is permitted because it causes safety problems for both the gymnast and her coach.
Hair should be pulled up and away from the gymnast’s face. Barrettes made of hard or sharp material may pose a safety hazard and are not permitted.
Body art has no place in competition or in training. If you want to wear it where it cannot be seen, then do so.

Attendance: There are always athletes who want to be on team than we have room for. Therefore, if you do not come to practice you are taking the place of someone else who would like to be a part of our team. For this reason Canal Fulton Gymnastics expects every gymnast to try to come to every practice. This is particularly true at the higher levels. (Level 4 and up.)

In order to help control blood-sugar levels, the types of food that should be consumed prior to practice and competition time include fruit, nonfat crackers, juice, pretzels, and other nutritious and low-fat snacks. Never bring candy, soda, or other sugared foods. They will not supply an instant source of energy. What they will do is cause the athlete to crash once the body metabolizes the sugar. Each gymnast should bring a water bottle of non-breakable plastic to practice and keep it with them every day. The water bottle is for water. No juice or sports drinks are to be consumed.

General Rules of Behavior

RESPECT to all coaches, judges, teammates and opponents AT ALL TIMES! As a member of the Canal Fulton Gymnastics Team, whether you like it or not, you are an example and role model to all other gymnasts and their families in all the other programs. We are very proud of our facility we would like each person to treat the facility with the same respect as you treat the coach.

AT NO TIME should the gymnast have anything on in the practice or competitive floor that they do not need for the activity.

WATER IS ONLY ALLOWED IF IN A SEALABLE CONTAINER.

DO NOT BRING OR LEAVE LYING AROUND ANYTHING OF VALUE. Respect each person’s property and do not touch anything that is not yours. The gym is not responsible for your clothing or valuables.

AT ALL TIMES THE COACH NEEDS TO KNOW WHERE AND WHAT YOU ARE DOING.

We are responsible for your whereabouts and safety while you are in this gym. You never leave the group without going to the coach you are working with and talking to them.

NO PROFANE LANGUAGE OR ACTIONS - You are the example to many younger children & students in the gym. They look up to you.

COMMON COURTESY shall be extended to anyone involved in our sport. If you do not have something nice or positive to say to a team mate do not say anything at all.

Other Things We Do
Some Guidelines for Parents Feeling Stress

Danger signs - watch for these. If you recognize yourself in these descriptions you probably need to reevaluate your actions, your role, and your attitudes.
Observing every competition intently.
Praising or punishing your child for what you observe during these observations.
Finding your sense of worth and happiness dependent on the success of your gymnast.
Constantly comparing your child and her progress to others in her group, on her team, or in competition.
Verbally abusing the gym, the coaches, and the program while still placing your child under their control.
Video taping each competition and requiring your child to review it at home with you.



Inappropriate Comments …

Appropriate Comments…

You finally beat Sally!
How many (current difficult skill) did you make today?
I’ll give you $20 if you win today.
That judge always scores you low.
I cannot believe they moved Sally up and not you!
That was one of the best routines I have seen you do.
How was practice?
Do your best and have fun.
Work hard and you’ll do better next time.
As long as you are happy, safe, and still progressing, I’m happy.



Nutrition Education

Canal Fulton Gymnastics will continue the use of our nutrition guidelines. This packet of material is designed to help our athletes and their families make better decisions when choosing their meals. This has never been intended to be closely monitored. They are meant to be educational and nothing more. Athletes with high goals and aspirations will use this knowledge to their benefit. Team members who do not care to follow the guidelines are free to ignore them, but we do ask that when you are in the presence of your coaches and teammates that you "eat smart".


Sports Psychology

It has been said that gymnastics is 90% mental and only 10% physical. Those who work in the gym every day know this to be nonsense, but only because the ratios are off, not because mental and emotional readiness is not important. Indeed, the mental game of gymnastics often separates the good from the great.

Canal Fulton Gymnastics has used and will continue to use a sports psychology program to help our athletes develop the mental strategies that will help them achieve their goals. The areas of concentration are stress management, goal setting, relaxation techniques, visualization, and team building. In general, our sports-psych sessions will be held during or immediately before or after a regularly scheduled practice.




PARENT REQUIREMENTS & OBLIGATIONS

How Parents Show Respect for the Athlete, Canal Fulton Gymnastics, and Our Beautiful Sport

Parents play a huge role in the development of a successful gymnast. Your role is every bit as important as that of the gym or of the coaches. It is also every bit as difficult. We try to be very family friendly and oriented. We want your input concerning your child and your support because we want your child to succeed. Here is what you can do to help your daughter achieve her dreams.

On the physical side it is your job to insure that your young athlete gets enough sleep, gets enough of the proper kinds of food and drink, gets to and from the gym on time, has the proper clothing and equipment, and receives proper instruction from knowledgeable and caring coaches.

The emotional side is just as important. It is your role to provide unconditional love, encouragement, and support. Your love should not be based on whether they made her kip in practice; your support should not be dependent on her scoring a 36.00 in the all around; and your encouragement is not conditioned on her somehow making you look good by being the best in her group, on her team in her state, or in the country. Your support for your daughter should stem from the realization that they as an individual is trying her best to achieve her personal goals.

It is through performing these tasks that you show your respect for your gymnast and the effort he or they is putting into their sport. Any more or any less does a disservice to your child and will limit her opportunity for success.

Please come to any of your child’s coaches if you have a problem or concern. We are in business to serve you and your child. Your thoughts are important to us. If we cannot help you we will explain why and we will work to find another way to solve whatever is bothering you. Complaining to other parents cannot solve your problem, nor can we solve them if we do not know about them. If you respect us enough to allow us to play a large role in your child’s life, please respect us enough to know that we have your child’s best interest at heart. Also, keep in mind that we have dealt with thousands of children over the years.

Parents perform their role at home and outside the gym area. Within the gym the coaches and administrators of the gym play their roles. Please do not coach your child. Your comments detract from what the coach is doing, they give the gymnast another thing to think about, and it interferes with the development of the coach/athlete relationship which is critical for long term success.

Please stay in the waiting area and out of the gym. Parents who venture out on the floor create a danger to themselves and to the athletes. Parents are often unaware of traffic patterns and often get in the way of the gymnasts performing their skills. If you need to contact your child ask any coach, the owner, or even another gymnast to contact the coach who is working with your child’s group.

Please let a coach know before practice if you think your child might have a problem due to illness, medication, or injury.

It is the philosophy of Canal Fulton Gymnastics that the coaches, the gym, the parents, and the gymnasts are all part of the team. We encourage all of our parents to attend every competition. Having a strong cheering section does wonders for team motivation and it is something we can be proud of. But, as parents you should be aware that as a member of the Canal Fulton Team, you too represent Canal Fulton Gymnastics. With that in mind a few guidelines for parents during competitions seems in order.

Cheer loud and often, but do so in a courteous manner. Obnoxious yelling is for the other teams, not for us.

Cheer for all the members of the Canal Fulton team and feel free to cheer for fine performances turned in by the gymnasts of other teams. In a very real way we are competing with them not against them. If you allow yourself, you will become friendly with the parents of the gymnasts of other teams you see several times each season over the next few years.

Promote Canal Fulton Gymnastics in every way you feel is appropriate: T-shirts, sweatshirts, banners, and cheers: but never ever speak in a negative way about another club, coach, gymnast, or judge in the process.

The only time a parent should approach the meet director or a parent from the club hosting the meet is to thank them for a job well done and for inviting us to their meet. If you have a complaint you need to bring it to the attention of your coach. If you cannot say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.

Under no circumstances is a parent or a gymnast ever to approach a judge or meet official before, during, or after competition to comment on, complain about, or even ask about a score.

Please do not contact or talk to your gymnast once they are on the competitive floor. We ask them to focus all their energy on the competition and we want as few distractions as possible. After the meet is over they will come to see you. This rule is clearly spelled out in USA Gymnastics Rules and Policies. Sometimes the gymnasts get excited and want to run up and tell you something. This is a deduction!

Gymnastics must come second to school. Although the vast majority of our gymnasts are very good students, there may be times when a pressing assignment or test might mean a shortened or missed practice. Just let us know. It will always be fine.

Gym Communications: Communicating effectively with everyone on our team is a challenge. We work very hard to get information to you in a timely way by putting handouts, and meet information in the girl’s mailbox or locker as soon as they are printed. We also post a copy of whatever we put in the mailbox or locker on the bulletin board by the drinking fountain. We also place any extra copies of the information in the office.

You can help us communicate more effectively by checking your child’s mailbox or locker on a regular basis. Gymnasts are no different than other children and they lose and forget the handouts they pick up. Just because you do not get a flyer does not mean that we did not put one in your child’s mailbox or locker. You should also check the bulletin board to review all the information that has gone out in recent weeks.


The Role of a Parent in the Canal Fulton Gymnastics Family

The parent of a gymnast on our team can have one of the most difficult of all jobs. While all members of our "family", which includes the gymnast, the coaches, and the parent, are all equally important, the parent has the smallest role in actually controlling the performance of the athlete. At the same time the parent may feel the greatest sense of emotional attachment to that performance. This combination of a high emotional stake in the performance with little or no direct control over the outcome can produce stress and can lead to some bizarre behavior. Parents have been known to lose sight of the important role that they have to play. They often step outside their sphere of influence and enter the domain of other members of the family. This often creates conflicts with the coaches.

The coaches do their job in the gym and on the competition floor. When a parent starts to coach their child they actually interfere with the very performance they are trying to improve. The gymnast can only concentrate on one part of their performance at a time. If a parent is telling the child to "keep their legs straight", or to "run faster", or to "smile", they are directing the child’s attention away from what their coach is telling them. The child cannot make two corrections at once so either they do both poorly, or they focus on one and not the other. No matter which choice they make, someone is going to be upset with them and they will not progress in the way that they should. Coaching your child puts them in a no-win situation. It’s unfair to them and to their coaches.

In addition, you are interfering with the development of the coach/athlete bond which is critical to any long term success in the sport. The gymnast must be able to trust her coach, rely on her coach to direct her training, and to receive important emotional support from their praise. You interfere with all of that when the child is confused as to which way to turn for direction or support.

Finally, do you really think that the coaches do not notice that her legs are bent?! Of course they notice! If they are not working to improve their appearance it is because they are working on something more important at this point in her training. Perfect execution often comes late in the mastery of key skills.

Great gymnastics is not the result of a million repetitions.

Great gymnastics is the result of a million Corrections.


NEW GRIP PREPERATION

ITEMS NEEDED: HOT WATER,NEW GRIPS,DRY TOWEL.

STEP ONE: Submerge new grips in hot water up to the wrist junction. Allow grip to become saturated. Use towel to dry off excess water.

STEP TWO: Fold the top of the grip around the dowel.

STEP THREE: Fold the dowel down of the base of the grip, folding the middle toward the wrist support.

STEP FOUR: Wrap Velcro support around the folded dowel, replace into package and allow to dry.


When you are ready for the new grips take them out and go to it. They will work like a broken in set immediately. By the way, now is a very good time to wash those smelly wrist bands!