OGC Judges: We have 8!!!

Sitting Front (l-r) Suren Torosyants, Sarah Thomas, Valere Binet, Don Holmes

Standing (l-r): Nancy Carss, Debbie D’Sousza, Amanda George, Suzie Owen, Jane Kirwan, Marissa Balogh, Jackie Wald, Anastasiya Torosyants, Tony Baker, Jackie Patrick, Joe Pacheco, Sandra Baker

On October 29^th and 30^th Gymnastics Ontario hosted the first ever Acrobatic Gymnastics Judging course in Canada.   With 14 participants completing the course we now have a great base of judges to put to the test during this year’s Acro competitions.  With two qualifiers and a Provincial Championships our new judges will have ample opportunity to perfect their eye for detail and delivery of scores.

Sarah Thomas and Valere Binet from USA Gymnastics Federation flew in from Annapolis, Maryland to instruct our group of enthusiastic new judges on the ins and outs of judging acrobatics.  Sarah is also a coach at 1^st Class Gymnastics Club where she heads a program of 50 acrobatic gymnasts and Valere is a USAG Judge for Acrobatic Gymnastics formerly from Belgium.  Thank you to this dynamic duo for educating our group on how to be top judges.  

Thank you to Sarah and Valere as well as the USA Gymnastics Federation for the help and support we have received for this course and over the past several years as we have been developing Acrobatic Gymnastics in our Province. 

Good luck to all of our new judges and we look forward to smooth adjudication throughout the 2011/2012 Acrobatic Gymnastic season. 

Sunday October 30th Schedule CHANGE

Hi Everyone,

This Sunday Gymnastics Ontario is hosting a Judging Course for Acrobatic Gymnastics.  Don, Amanda, Jane and Dana will be participating in this course so there are some changes to this Sunday's schedule so that we can get back from the course to coach.

Developmental 3 Tumbling moved to 4:30 to 6:30pm with Amanda

Provincial DC Tumbling moved to 6:30 to 8:30pm with Amanda and Dana

Developmental 2 Tumbling moved to 6:30 to 8:30pm with Amanda and Dana

Interclub Acro Group 1 moved to 4:30 to 6:30pm with Jane and Dana

Interclub Acro Group 2 moved to 4:30 to 6:30pm with Jane and Dana

Also the Provincial Acro group and the Elite Acro group WILL have class on Sunday night.  I sent an email to let you know this but am posting it here as well.  On the October schedule it was originally cancelled when we thought the judging course would run longer.

Our apologies for the late notice on this change.  Most of you have already sent me a message back to inform me that you received this message.  Thanks.  For those of you who have not gotten back to Don please do so, so that we know you will not be coming to gym at the regular time.  

Please Note:  THE VIEWING AREA WILL BE CLOSED AFTER 7:00PM.  You can collect your child from the sliding glass doors at the front of the gym at 8:30pm.

Thanks for your understanding,

Tumbling and Acro Program

OGC Apparel! More pics.

Here are some better pictures of the apparel we have for sale.

OGC Apparel!!!

Here it is, THE OGC APPAREL LINE FOR 2011/2012!

Twist Activewear will be sizing athletes for these clothing items on 

Sunday, October 23rd between 12:00 and 4:00pm

Monday, October 24th between 4:00 and 7:00pm

Tuesday, October 25th between 4:00 and 7:00pm

All items are optional.  

Great Christmas presents!

You are not required by the tumbling program to get an OGC tracksuit this year but you are still welcome to.  Orders for the traditional tracksuit will be done through the office at a later date.  You could opt for the slimmer fitted tracksuit for the girls offered through Twist Activewear.

These items are on sale now.  

You can see the samples when you are fitted.  

These items are available to the athletes in the Tumbling and Acrobatic Gymnastics Program.  Interclub, Provincial and National athletes are invited to purchase some great OGC items to wear to training, competitions, at the mall, wherever you want.  

The sweat pants will look great with your Ugs, ladies!

Bring a Friend Family Fun Night

If anyone is interested we are hosting a fundraiser for the tumbling program on Saturday, October 22nd from 5:00 to 7:30pm.


All are welcome.


See the poster below.  Click on it to see it in a larger format.

Handstand Photo Contest Winners!

In 1st place with a total of 20 points (3 points for a 1st place vote, 2 points for a 2nd place vote and 1 point for a 3rd place vote) is Erin Oswald and her flexible handstand photo.

2nd place was Ally Maurice's handstand photo from a beach in Alaska.  Ally had a total of 16 points.

 3rd place was Kelsey Horn's handstand against the rock.  Kelsey had a total of 14 points.

Honorable mention, me.  I tied with Kelsey for 3rd but I am not really in the contest.  

Congratulations to all the those who stood on their hands.  Thanks for all the great photos.

Happy Thanksgiving

Please note that there will be NO TRAINING for the Acrobatic Gymnastics program on Sunday, October 9th or Monday, October 10th.


Interclub Group 1 will have a Make Up Class on Wednesday, October 12th from 6:30 to 8:30pm to replace the Sunday class.


Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Handstand Photo Contest Prizes

Hey Everyone,


I am asking for votes on this summer's best handstand photos.  So scroll down and give all the handstand photos a a second look.  Choose your top three in order and send me your 1st, 2nd and 3rd place handstand photos.   


Please email me, Don, either at this blog address:  
dholmes.acro@gmail.com 
or 
dholmes_tumbling@hotmail.com 
to submit your vote.


I will be bringing in a photo contest sheet to class for everyone to vote on as well.


Here are the great prizes you might win!
1st Place, a t-shirt, a program from Cirque du Soleil's Varekai, and 26 mini-chocolate bars

 2nd place, a bag of Smarties because you were so smart with your photo

3rd Place, a frog or a cow that love handstand as much as you do 

(Note:  There are two of everything because I have a Flip Photo contest in the Tumbling Program and a Handstand Photo contest in the Acrobatic Gymnastics Program.  Winners don't get double the prizes.  Sorry.)

October Acrobatic Gymnastics Schedule 2011

Here is the October Acrobatic Gymnastics program schedule.  My apologies for not having it posted before October started. 


Please note that there are a few changes to the schedule.


As mentioned at the Parent Meeting the Provincial Group schedule would be changing.  For this month the Sunday and Tuesday times will remain the same.  Sunday will be coached by Dana.  Tuesday will be coached by Dana with Don assisting.  The Thursday night training time will be moving back to 7:00 to 9:00pm so that the athletes will have more floor time to work routines as we will be starting choreography in the next couple weeks.
Once our new coach arrives the Tuesday Provincial class will also move back to the later time slot.  Sorry for the changes but we have to work around the heavy gym loading on those two days.  By switching to the later time the Acro program will be better served.


We are still caught up in paper work for Jane but we will have her here sooner than later.  Fingers crossed. 


All other groups will run normally for October with noted exceptions being Thanksgiving and Halloween.  We will email you with Make Up Class times.


The weekend of October 29th and 30th there will be a training camp for the Provincial and Elite Group as well as a Judge's Course for all of those who are interested.  More details to come on those two events.  Interclub Acrobats will have a training camp in January.

Competition Training Suits

Just letting everyone know that we will be having Saucy's World (a local gym suit manufacturer) come into the gym on Sunday, October 2nd to measure athletes for the royal blue and black leotards.


Athletes are expected to have this short sleeve leotard for Training Camps, Competitions and demonstrations.  We will be using this suit during the warm up and training sessions at competition so all Provincial and Elite group acrobats need to have it.  The cost is minimal.  (For competitions the athletes will get other suits that are suited to the routines we will be building).


Measuring will take place between 5:30 and 6:30pm.  I think all boys have the black singlet and black shorts but if there are any others they are welcome to purchase them as well.


I have sent an email to everyone who I think needs the suit.


If you are in either of the Interclub groups you are welcome to purchase the suit but you are not obligated to.  If you would like a suit you should come to the measuring session on Sunday, October 2nd at the gym.


The suit looks like the one Alexandra (the base) is wearing in this picture.