February Schedule

Here is the February Acrobatic Gymnastics training schedule for Oakville Gymnastics Club.

Please note that we have our 1st Ontario Cup in Ottawa on February 18th and 19th of the Family Day weekend.

Monday, February 20th is Family Day so there will be no training for most groups.  Scott and Greg's AG and Jr/Sr group will train on the Monday of the Family Day weekend.  Please check with Scott about this.

Good Luck to everyone competing at the 1st Ontario Cup.

 Another post with the competition schedule is coming soon.

Click on image to see in larger format.

Sunday Viewing Area Closing earlier

Please note that the viewing area at Oakville Gymnastics Club will now be closing at 6:45pm on Sunday evenings. All parents, family and friends will need to leave the lobby area at 6:45pm and wait outside the sliding glass doors at the front of the club until the coaches bring the athletes out.

Thanks for your cooperation and understanding.

Parent Meeting Notes from September

Just realized that the notes from the September Parent Meeting had not been posted.  Here they are.  Give this information a read.  Feel free to contact your coach if you have any questions.  Our apologies for the late posting of this information.  Thank you to all who attended the meeting.

Communication from the September 2016 Acrobatic Gymnastics Program Parent Meeting at the Oakville Gymnastics Club

Congratulations to all the Acrobatic Gymnasts who were offered spots in the Oakville Gymnastics Club Acrobatic Gymnastics Program for the 2016/2017 season. We do appreciate your dedication, commitment and loyalty towards the OGC acro program.

Biographies:
Don Holmes – Director of the Acrobatic Gymnastics Program – Coach Boys Acro group
Scott Middleton – Coach of Jr/Sr Group, Age Group Group and Provincial 1
Greg Boosey – Coach of Jr/Sr Group, Age Group Group and Provincial 1
Kelsey Horn – Coach of the Provincial 4 Group
Marat Khakimov – Coach of the Provincial 3 Group – assisting with the Provincial 4 Group
Ben Senior – Assistant Coach of the Boys Acro Group
Alyssa Belford – Coach of the Provincial 2 Acro Group
Staff Biographies to be posted on the OGC website.

The One Year Contract Policy:  As you know the Acrobatic Gymnastics program offers your child a space in the program for one year and at the end of each season we do ask all of our athletes to “ReTryout”.  By implementing the ‘Re-Tryout’ and ‘Tryout’ protocols we are not trying to be cruel or unsupportive of those athletes that we have been working with and developing over the previous year (or years). Our program is a competitive program with a limited number of spaces. We are simply trying to ensure that those athletes who are the most deserving of a spot on the team are receiving those spots. If at some point we do ask your child to leave the program this may be thought of as a good thing allowing the athlete the opportunity to explore other sports where he/she may be more suited physically, mentally or socially. Also at that time we may invite them to try an alternative gymnastics discipline or program in the gym as we do believe that GYMNASTICS IS FOR ALL and we wish to keep everyone in the gym in some capacity.  Remember that Competitive Programs at the OGC are a privilege and an opportunity, not a right.  

We offer a spot not a partnership:  The OGC Acro staff will do their best to provide your child with a partnership or group (meaning a Women’s Pair, Men’s Pair, Mixed Pair, Women’s Trio or Men’s Four).  Acrobatic Gymnastics partnerships are put together and taken apart quite regularly.  We do try to keep them together for as long as is possible but there are so many factors that are in play when creating partnerships or groups.  The club offers a spot in the program to train, gain new skills and the possibility of competing.  WE CANNOT GUARANTEE a partnership all the time.  Your athlete may be without a partner for an extended period of time if a suitable partner is not available.  As well the level of partnerships available will depend on the other athletes available.  An athlete may compete Level 6 one year and go back to Level 5 the next year if a suitable partner of a higher level cannot be found.  The partnerships created are up to the coaches NOT the athletes or their parents.  Please understand that this is a part of acrobatic gymnastics that is common and may affect your child in any particular season or part of a season.

Summer Attendance: During the summer session we allow 50% attendance as a minimum. We would prefer that your child attends 100% of their scheduled classes but we understand summer schedules are far more diverse and we would hope that kids take the time to enjoy summer camps, weeks at the cottage and time with family. Please send an e-mail to your athlete’s coach with the dates that your child will not be at gymnastics. Low attendance in some groups on specific weeks may allow us to accommodate other athletes who have summer training conflicts and permit them to make the minimum number of training hours.  If your child will be away for the entire summer you may not be given a spot on the team.

Fall/Winter/Spring Attendance: During the school year we expect 90% attendance as a minimum. Obviously the less your athlete trains the less they, as well as their partnership/group, will progress and the less they will be prepared for competition. Your child’s absence affects the other athletes.  It is in your best interest to have your athlete at the gym as much as possible.

Note:  Attendance in Acrobatic Gymnastics is very important.  When one of a pair or group is not at the gym the entire group cannot work on the specific skills that make acro what it is.  Please make sure that your athlete and family are accountable to the other group members.  Share phone numbers and emails so that you can communicate before a practice whether or not you are sick or going to be absent for some reason.  Also look to plan family vacations at the same time or after major competitions so that time is not lost prior to a competition or training camp.  Note: if your partner will not be attending class it is important that you still attend as there is lots for you to do.

Pair / Group Parent Meetings: In the summer, fall and winter we plan to have Parent Meetings for the pairs/groups so that the families can meet, share contact information and give the coaches an opportunity to discuss the long term plan for the pair group.  Notice of these meetings will be sent to you via email.

Violation of Attendance Minimums and Removal from the Program: We cannot hold spots for athletes who do not attend the program. If you have schedule conflicts that will prevent your athlete from reaching the minimum attendance requirement but wish to remain as part of the acrobatic gymnastics program please e-mail the Acrobatic Gymnastics Program Director outlining your situation.

OGC Code of Conduct:  We have created a specific code of conduct for our athletes while part of the team, mostly for traveling with us while not with a parent.  As we travel to competitions you will see this document and if you have any concerns with it at that time we can address them then.

Schedules: Summer Schedules and Fall/Winter/Spring schedules have been distributed. We understand the logistical difficulties that families encounter by receiving these schedules as late as you do.  We do realize that you need to book summer camps and vacations several months in advance. Please note that we create our schedule with careful consideration. We realize that there will be conflicts and we have outlined how we are attempting to provide concessions for these conflicts.  Also note that due to the ever evolving space usage of the gym we may find it necessary to change a scheduled class temporarily or permanently depending on the situation.  We cannot foresee these situations but we will try to provide you with as much notice as possible prior to changes.

Additional Space for Acrobatic Gymnastics:  In the spring of 2016 we started to look at acquiring a new satellite facility specifically for the Acrobatic Gymnastics program.  Unfortunately due to red tape the process has been stalled.  We hope to still acquire an additional space in 2017. The schedule for 2016/2017 and increased groups were created based on the plan to have additional space.  This has created some extra full groups and crowded training spaces.  We apologize for this and are doing what we can to make it work.

Increased Hours and Extra Training:  This year we have increased the number of Acro Groups and increased the number of training hours for most groups.  As the level of skill and competition progress the program will continue to increase the number of hours trained over the course of a week.  Day time training is now part of the Jr/Sr and Age Group groups fall schedule.  There will also be a morning training.  It is necessary for us to train at these peripheral times so that we can get floor time for routine work and belt work. Space is at a premium in our gym so this is a must for our highest level athletes.  We put the day time training on Wednesday afternoons so that athletes can receive homework for the day before they leave and catch up early in the week so they do not fall behind in their studies..

Choreography and Routine Creation:  See the Athlete Package Insert.

Acrobatic Gymnastics Program Weeks Off during the Summer: Note that these change each year as we need to address the competition schedule that is also ever changing.  We will try to let you know well in advance so that you can plan vacations/camps/etc.  We will post which weeks those are in April or May 2017.

Active Rest: During the rest periods we expect athletes to remain active. We give the acrobatic gymnasts a checklist of activities to do during their off time in order to keep them fit.  Tops must absolutely keep training on their pegs.

Nutrition: We will post some nutrition information on the blog at some point to assist you with meal planning for effective trainings and competitions so keep you eye on the blog.

Viewing Area Closure: During the summer months and on some holidays the viewing area may be closed in the evening.  On these days there will be no parent viewing. Your child will be let in at the sliding glass doors at the front of the club and be ushered out at the end of their session. When the viewing area is closed no one is permitted in the gym lobby for safety and liability reasons. Our apologies for the inconvenience that this might cause.  If there is an emergency and you need to contact us inside the gym we ask that you bang on the back door of the gym to try and get our attention.  In the case of inclement weather a post will be shared on the blog by 12:00noon.  If the poor weather begins while athletes are at the gym you will be sent an email asking that you come pick up your athlete at an earlier time.

Individual Parent Meetings: We offer individual parent meetings as we or you feel they are necessary. If you have individual questions that pertain to your specific situation we ask that you not address these in a public forum but leave it to an e-mail or individual meeting.

Chain of Command:  Speak to your child’s coach(es) directly for anything you may have questions about.  Then you may speak to Don.  If he is not able to help you then you can speak to Wayne Hussey the COO.  If you have a question about an event/competition DO NOT contact Gymnastics Ontario directly.  DO NOT contact the host club of an event directly.  If you have a question address it through the coach(es) and we will ask GO or the event host for you as your question is likely one that other’s have.

Sponsorship: Athletes are able to search for sponsors to offset the costs of training and competitions. The OGC has created a sponsorship package for all competitive athletes. Please enquire if you are interested in sponsorship.

Fundraisers: Currently the Acro Program is planning to run a Family Fun Night fundraiser.  The date is to be determined.   We may run another fundraiser at some point during the season. 

Event and Competition Schedule:  To be posted on the blog in the early fall.

Competitive Structure Provincial and National – See attachment, previous post

The Competitions – see attachment

Travel:  It is possible that we will travel outside of Ontario for competitions as acro is still growing and we may need to travel to find competitions to attend.  These events are not on our regular schedule of Gymnastics Ontario Qualification events so you will have to cover the cost for coaches to attend these events as well as pay for registrations.  Your registration fees for the GO qualification competitions are included in your OGC fees.  The cost for coach’s expenses will be divided up and shared across the athletes that attend.  Money from fundraisers may fully or partially offset the coach’s costs.

Training Wear:  For acro we prefer that athletes wear a leotard and shorts.  Athletes with long hair are expected to keep it in a high bun so that it is out of the way while performing skills.  Boys shorts should be above the knee as you may be doing elements where another athlete need to stand on your thighs.  Please do not wear long board shorts.  Gymnastics shoes are optional unless otherwise specified.

Competitive Wear:  We have a warm up leotard/shorts or singlet/shorts combo for the Provincial and Elite Group that they need to have when we go to competitions.  This Warm Up clothing is for the stretching and warming up portion of a competition.  Usually the suit you will wear for competition is more elaborate and we don’t want to cause damage to the competition suits by doing too much activity in them.  More information to be circulated in the fall.  You will receive information shortly about the warm up leos soon.  If you are in the Provincial groups you are expected to purchase the warm up leos as it may be your competition suit for the year depending on the pair or group you will be competing with.  An additional competition suit may be required.

Competition suits:  Each pair or group will have a matching leotard or singlet/shorts/pants for each competitive routine they perform.  We will generally keep the same suit for the season.  Athletes going to larger competitions or higher levels may have three competitive outfits.  Plan for this cost as competitive suits usually cost between $100 and $600 dollars per athletes.

Tracksuits and OGC apparel:  We have the royal OGC Acrobatic Gymnastics program t-shirt that is for sale on the rack across from the office.  There are OGC Tracksuits that will be ordered once per year in the fall.  Stay tuned for more information on these items.  What do you need? The t-shirt (parents and family members are welcome to buy the royal acro t-shirt as well).  If you are on the Elite or Provincial Team women should have either the general OGC tracksuit or the fitted tracksuit.  Boys we prefer that you have the general OGC tracksuit for competitions.  Showcase athletes (those who will not be 8 years of age by the end of December 2017) all tracksuit and OGC apparel is optional for you.  I suggest getting the royal blue t-shirt if you plan to attend a training camp or competition this year.

Other OGC Apparel:  Can be found on the rack in the upper lobby.

Therapy Clinic:  The Glen Abby Massage Therapy and Sports Injury Therapy Clinic located inside of the OGC is open to all.  It is not restricted to the athletes of the OGC.  All Oakville Community members are welcome to use the OGC clinic.  

Sport Psych:  We have a new therapist working in the clinic who deals with Sport Psychology.  Her name is Sarah Gallahger and was herself a power tumbler coached by Don and Niki.  She is available for one on one sessions.

Car Pooling:  If you are looking for Car Pooling options please create a simple classified advertisement and email it to Don.  Please include your Name, closest intersection or school for pick up location, your phone number or email address.  Don will then distribute this advertisement to the athletes in your child’s group or if you wish, to the greater competitive gymnastics community within the OGC.  

Any Financial questions please direct to Agnes Jankura in 
the main office.

Competition Registration Fees:  Each competition has a registration fee ranging from $55 to $100 dollars.  These fees are collected in advance for the qualifiers.  You will need to pay these fees prior to registering for competitions such as Ontario Championships, National Acro Cup or any competitions outside of Ontario.

Check your e-mails regularly for OGC info.

READ THE BLOG REGULARLY: It is VERY IMPORTANT that YOU keep up-to-date on the blog. It is the online bulletin board for our program. Everything is archived there so you can go back and pull any information that you might need. http://ogcacrobaticgymnastics.blogspot.com/


Questions?

Any questions can be directed to:
Don Holmes  d.holmes@oakvillgym.com
Scott Middleton s.middleton@oakvillegym.com
Greg Boosey g.boosey@oakvillegym.com
Kelsey Horn k.horn@oakvillegym.com
Marat Khakimov m.khakimov@oakvillegym.com

Alyssa Belford a.belford@oakvillegym.com

OGC at the GO Beginner Acro Training Camp

Here is a fun video from the November 

Beginner Acrobatic Gymnastics Training Camp 

hosted by Gymnastics Ontario.

Many of the OGC Acrobats took part in this training camp, learning new skills and meeting acrobats from other clubs.

Can you pick out the OGC Acrobats who attended the Beginner Training Camp?

Something to do after Acrobatics

Several of the Oakville Gymnastics Club's former Acrobats and Tumblers have gone on into programs at Ecole Nationale de Cirque.  

Maybe this is something for you!