5 minute read
Focus! Focus! Focus
Twisters Northcote (above) and Ross Gage (below).
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Focus! Focus! Focus! was the cry coming from a strong section of the ‘gymnastics’ provider community in Australia, that led to the establishment of Gymnastics Clubs Australia Limited (GCA) with a common sentiment being “we want help with our business, management and related operational needs.”
While understanding that Gymnastics Australia and the state associations are the rightful custodians of the sport of gymnastics - driving activities such as accreditation of officials, championships and liaison with the likes federal and state sporting departments and the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG), the Australian Olympic Committee and the Australian Commonwealth Games Association - what GCA sought to deliver was a peak industry body to focus needs around workforce development, customer experience and business compliance.
For over 10 years, a core group of club owners and managers operated the Gymnastics Professionals of Australia (GPA), which, as resources permitted, provided forums, seminars, networking functions and webinars. It was the vital webinars while the pandemic was at its most devasting during 2020 that fully brought home the critical need for a fully functioning industry body, as nobody knew the business of the providers, like the providers themselves.
A taskforce from the GPA engaged my business - RG Social Enterprises Club - to aid in conceptualising and establishing what was to become GCA, based on my experience in conceptualising, establishing, developing and driving similar industry bodies including Swim Australia, in 1998, and the Australian Swim Schools Association in 2016.
The taskforce put in place the inaugural Board of Directors, lead by Chair, Sarah Reid of Twisters; and with James Devlin, Jets; Vicki Flamsteed, Allstar; John Mitchell, Delta; and Natalie Rutsche, Balance Brisbane. As the formation process unfolded, the Board offered me the position of Chief Executive.
I didn’t hesitate in accepting as it suited my skill-set perfectly and the prospect of helping make a significant difference for the providers and consequently gymnastics and associated activities, was enormous.
Importantly, the Board were successful, expert, experienced, passionate ‘true believers’ … and had already brought on strong supporters.
One of the Board’s first actions was formulating its purpose and associated reasons for being.
The starter was provided by Mitchell, who explained “GCA’s focus is on helping clubs be the best version they want to be of themselves.
“Helping the Members - the Clubs - with their various needs is what GCA is about. Great, sustainable, enduring Clubs is the goal.”
In communicating the target membership, quotations marks (‘ ’), particularly with ‘gymnastics’ and ‘clubs’ is regularly used. This is to bring attention to GCA’s commitment to help its members in all their operations (such as, those who also teach the likes of cheer, dance and ninja, also belong); and whether they operate under a traditional ‘club’ structure or not.
To be clear, GCA is not focused so much on helping the providers’ staff be better teachers/coaches of skills to their students/athletes.
The initial success of the association was ensured with a much better than anticipated take-up of the Foundation Membership opportunity. Clubs, small and large, single and multi-site, regional and metro, and for and non-profit, took up this option - resulting in an even sounder financial foundation.
While enjoying the exclusive benefits
Balance Brisbane.
that come with Foundation Membership, the overwhelming sentiment was that they felt like they were helping make a significant difference in the positive reshaping of Australia’s Gymnastics Clubs landscape by getting in on the ground floor with this innovative Association, as it raises the bar.
In welcoming the Foundation Members and other Club Members into the Association, GCA Chair, Sarah Reid stated that “clubs are to be commended for such dedication to enhancing the experience of its people - staff and customers alike.
“As movement is the essence of life and that gymnastics should form the foundation of all children’s development, it is reassuring to know that Clubs are more devoted than ever to provide this essential service at such a high level.”
This investment of time and funds by Clubs will primarily take the form of participating in a range of high-quality educational events, accessing specialist curated information and engaging with a first-class network of industry and sport professionals. Current projects include: 1.Pulling together the next stage of the webinar program, with monthly
‘masterclasses’, various series on focused topics and facilitated user groups on the likes of iClassPro and Live Meet. 2.Convening the National Congress, with Darwin the venue favourite. 3.Filling the Members section of the website with curated resources, including the recordings of the webinars. 4.Tuning the Officer and Committee requirements to best fit the needs of the
Clubs in their Industry setting. 5.Developing data analysis protocols to bring valuable insights in workforce participation and customer retention. 6.Bringing together a range of Partners to provide Members with access to special services and products. 7.And on the particularly innovative front, development of a highly focused professional and business development program - with inbuilt networking - ‘GCA
On Rounds’.
Partners, at time of publication, include My Gym Is Online, Employsure, SportzSort Solutions, True Blue Migration, NovoActive, NovoFit, iClassPro and the International Association of Child Development Programs.
As for the future of GCA, its success will mirror how well the core values are followed. These being: We Believe We believe that movement is the essence of life and that gymnastics should form the foundation of all children’s development. We Embrace We embrace that our industry is stronger when the entire pathway and sport is aligned; by collaborating with all stakeholders, gymnastics can be a preeminent activity and sport in Australia. We Understand We understand that Clubs, as the frontline operators, are the fundamental building blocks on which Gymnastics can thrive. We Recognise We recognise that the fastest and foremost path to a better, bigger, brighter gymnastics industry is for the frontline operators - the Clubs - to help each other be the best version of themselves that they can. Ross Gage is Principal of RG Social Enterprises Club and Chief Executive of GCA. For more information go to www.gymnasticsclubsaustralia.org.au
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