Technique - June 2011 - Vol. 31, #6

2011 USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame Inductees _____________ More tips from club owners on how they moved their business forward

_____________ Learn how to start a Gymnastics for All program in your gym

JUNE 2011 – VOL. 31 – #6

EVENTS 2011 JUNE 2–5 5 8–12 11–12 11–12 17–26 23 24–26 30–July 1

USA Gymnastics Open Championships (W/R) National Elite Qualifier (W) JO National Championships (R) US Rhythmic Classic (R) Region 3 Congress Olympic Gymnastics Week Olympic Day Region 7 Congress American Classic (W)

Orlando, FL Orlando, FL Orlando, FL Orlando, FL Vail, CO various locations various locations Baltimore, MD Houston, TX

JULY 2–3 9 8–10 10–15 10–16 15–17 22–24 22–27 28–31

National Elite Qualifier (W) National Qualifier (M) Trampoline & Tumbling U.S. Champs.

JO Championships (TT) World Gymnaestrada (GG) Region 8 Congress Covergirl Classic/Challenge (W) Acrobactic National Championships TOPs Invitational Training Camp (W)

Houston,TX Colorado Springs, CO San Antonio, TX San Antonio, TX Lausanne, SUI New Orleans, LA Chicago, IL San Jose, CA Houston, TX

AUGUST

22–25

JO National Team Training Camp (W)

27–30

Level 9/10 Training Camp (W)

14–30

Pan American Games (M/W/R/TR)

Houston, TX Houston, TX Guadalajara, MX

NOVEMBER 10–13

Fut. Stars Champs./Coaches Wrkshp.(M)

16–19

T & T World Championships

Colorado Springs, CO Birmingham, ENG

20–26

World Age Group Championships (TT)

Birmingham, ENG

30–Dec. 4 National TOP Team Training Camp (W)

DECEMBER 4–8

TOP B Training Camp (W)

10–18

Olympic Test Event (M/W/R/T)

2–4

Winter Cup Challenge (M)

2

Nastia Liukin Supergirl Cup (W)

TBD

3

AT&T American Cup (M/W)

TBD

16–18

Pacific Rim Championships (M/W/R/T)

TBD

USA Gymnastics Collegiate Champs. (M)

TBD

23–24

5–8

JO Begin. Optional Open Training Camp (W)

Houston, TX

9–11

JO Inter./Adv. Optional Open Training Camp (W)

Houston, TX

MAY

17–20

Visa Championships (M/W/R)

Saint Paul, MN

7

USA Gymnastics Special Olympics Championships (M/W/R/GG)

18–20

National Congress and Trade Show

Saint Paul, MN

7–13

JO National Championships (M)

25–28

ODP Selection Camp (TT)

26–28

Region 1 Congress

Rhythmic World Championships National Gymnastics Day

23–25

Region 5 Congress

30–Oct. 2

National TOP Testing (W)

Marietta, GA

Cincinnati, OH

Houston, TX Santa Clara, CA

JUNE 7–10

Visa Championships

St. Louis, MO

TBD Everett, WA

28–July1

USA Gymn. Nat. Congress and Trade Show

San Jose, CA

28–July1

U.S. Olympic Team Trials–Gymn. (M/W)

San Jose, CA

SEPTEMBER 17

Las Vegas, NV

MARCH

Boston, MA

13–26

London, ENG

FEBRUARY

Region 6 Congress

State and Regional Chairman’s Workshop (M) Region 2 Congress

Houston, TX

2012 JANUARY

5–7

8–11 9–11

Houston, TX

Montpellier, France various locations Indianapolis,IN Houston, TX

OCTOBER 1–3

National TOP Testing (W)

7–16

World Artistic Championships (M/W)

Houston, TX Tokyo, Japan

W = Women, R = Rhythmic, TR = Trampoline, M = Men, GG = Group Gymnastics, TU = Tumbling, AG = Acrobatic Gymnastics, B = Business, TT = Trampoline/Tumbling NOTE: Dates and events subject to change or cancellation.

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TECHNIQUE • JUNE 2011

TECHNIQUE



an official publication of USA Gymnastics University

JUNE

PUBLISHER

Steve Penny EDITOR

Luan Peszek GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Chair: Peter Vidmar Vice-Chair: Paul Parilla Secretary: Gary Anderson Treasurer: Morris Jim National Membership – Women: Tom Koll National Membership – Women: Steve Rybacki National Membership – Men: Yoichi Tomita National Membership – Men: Russ Fystrom National Membership – Rhythmic: Brooke Bushnell-Toohey National Membership – Trampoline & Tumbling: George Drew National Membership – Acrobatic Gymnastics: Dr. Jay Binder Advisory Council: Mike Burns Advisory Council: Ron Ferris Advisory Council: Carole Ide Athlete Director – Women: Terin Humphrey Athlete Director – Men: John Roethlisberger Athlete Director – Rhythmic: Jessica Howard Athlete Director – Trampoline & Tumbling: Karl Heger Athlete Director – Acrobatic Gymanstics: Michael Rodrigues Public Sector: Frank Marshall Public Sector: Bitsy Kelley Public Sector: Jim Morris Public Sector: Mary Lou Retton

CHANGE OF ADDRESS AND SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES: In order to ensure uninterrupted delivery of TECHNIQUE magazine, notice of change of address should be made eight weeks in advance. For fastest service, please enclose your present mailing label. Direct all subscription mail to TECHNIQUE Subscriptions, USA Gymnastics, 132 E. Washington St., Suite 700, Indianapolis, IN 46204 .

•VOLUME 31 • #6

F E AT U R E S 6

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Gymnastics for All

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St. Vincent Sports Performance – Intense Practice Requires Proper Sleep, Nutrition, and Relaxation

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What Top Gyms Did to Move Their Businesses Forward – Part 2

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2011 USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame Inductees

Jeannie Shaw

USA GYMNASTICS BOARD OF DIRECTORS

2011

D E PA R T M E N T S 2

Event Schedule

4

USA Gymnastics Message

28

Congress Information

37

Congress/Visa Championships 2011Schedule

40

International Elite Committee Minutes

46

Classified Ads

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TECHNIQUE is published monthly except bimonthly in Sept/ Oct and Nov/Dec by USA Gymnastics, 132 E. Washington St., Suite 700, Indianapolis, IN 46204 (phone: 317-2375050) or visit online @ www.usagym.org Subscription prices: U.S.–$25 per year; Canada/Mexico–$48 per year; all other foreign countries–$60 per year. If available, back issue single copies $4 plus postage/handling. All reasonable care will be taken, but no responsibility can be assumed for unsolicited material; enclose return postage.

Copyright 2011 by USA Gymnastics and TECHNIQUE. All rights reserved. Printed by Sport Graphics, Indianapolis, IN. Member Services 1-800-345-4719 Unless expressly identified to the contrary, all articles, statements and views printed herein are attributed solely to the author and USA Gymnastics expresses no opinion and assumes no responsibility thereof.

Cover: original photos by ron Wyatt and diane bidermann

www.usagym.org MARCH 2011 • TECHNIQUE

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Get Ready for Saint Paul!

Just two months from now, we will reconvene in the Twin Cities for the Visa Championships and USA Gymnastics National Congress and Trade Show, Aug. 17 – 20. Saint Paul will be “USA Gymnastics Central” for that week, with activities ranging from The Taste of the Visa Championships to Visa Fan Fest celebrations that enhance everyone’s experience.

With just one year to go to the London Olympic Games, the competition at this year’s Visa Championships will be top-notch I am sure. So much is riding on every event between now and next August. Given that the size of the men’s and women’s Olympic Team has been reduced from six to five, making the U.S. Olympic Team will be harder than ever. The athletes and coaches have done a fantastic job of maintaining a high standard of excellence during the past 10 years and are deserving of our very best support.

In the next few months athletes in all of our disciplines will be competing for national titles – trampoline and tumbling in San Antonio, acrobatics in San Jose, and men, women and rhythmic in Saint Paul. Throughout the coming year, everyone will be busy competing in World Championship events, the Pan American Games, the Pacific Rim Gymnastics Championships, and preparing for the Olympics. It is truly a busy and exciting time for USA Gymnastics.

During Congress, USA Gymnastics University is offering certifications as a part of your registration, which saves you and your staff both time and money! All certifications are scheduled during the morning tracks, leaving your afternoons open for other sessions. The certifications offered are the Level 2 and 3 Business Foundation Courses, and the Level 2 course (Levels 1– 4) now called Women’s Coaching Development Course: HandsOn-Training. Certifications will also be offered in trampoline and tumbling, Special Olympics, and rhythmic gymnastics.

Congress’ three days of education have topics in all six disciples, along with judging, business, preschool, school-age recreational, safety and risk management, sports science, fitness, and cheerleading. The preliminary schedule and registration information is online for your convenience at www.usagymnasticsnationalcongress.org.

The Business Conference will feature Jay Ebben, associate professor at the Schulze School of Entrepreneurship, who will discuss what successful businesses have in common and give specific takeaways for conference attendees. Olympic gold-medalists Shannon Miller and Peter Vidmar, two of our most respected and well-known champions in the sport, will talk about preparing for the Olympic year. The day-long event will also feature panel discussions and question and answer sessions with the industry’s top business leaders. The Business Conference is scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 17, from 8 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. at Saint Paul RiverCentre.

Special congratulations to the Hall of Fame Class of 2011, which includes: Jim Culhane, men’s gymnastics; Kristen Maloney, women’s gymnastics; Elise Ray, women’s gymnastics; Chelle Stack, women’s gymnastics; Jill Hollembeak, trampoline; Tamara Levinson, rhythmic gymnastics; and, Stacy Maloney, coach. The Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Luncheon is scheduled for Friday, Aug. 19, from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Crowne Plaza and is always a wonderful event. Please order your tickets – information is available in this issue.

Congress is becoming one-stop shopping for gymnastics’ professionals. With so much being offered every hour, we encourage you to bring your entire staff. As in the past, Congress attendees may purchase discounted tickets for the Visa Championships and will be provided hospitality at designated times throughout the weekend. Check the event schedule in this issue of Technique for specific information.

The summer concludes with National Gymnastics Day on Sept. 17 and the Year of the Handstand world record attempt, scheduled for Sept. 17 at 1 p.m. ET. Register on the USA Gymnastics Fitness page to take part in the world record attempt. For more details, go to www.usagym.org/fitness.

See you in the gym,

Steve Penny President and CEO

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WHAT IS GYMNASTICS FOR ALL? Gymnastics for All, abbreviated GFA, has also been known as Group Gymnastics and General Gymnastics.

GFA is a discipline of USA Gymnastics that allows all gymnasts of various levels and abilities to perform, compete and reach their fullest potential as a gymnast all while performing together as a team. Think of GFA as a big gymnastics show. Athletes perform together in a group utilizing various gymnastics apparatus and equipment, such as floor exercise, mini-trampolines, spring boards, balance beams and more. Athletes also perform partner moves such as lifts, holds and tosses similar to elements you might see in acrobatic gymnastics and cheerleading.

Along with synchronized choreography, exciting costumes and music, these elements come together to tell a story and create a powerful performance.

Gymnastics for All provides a unique opportunity for EVERYONE to participate in the sport of gymnastics. It is inclusive of various ages (youth, teens and adults), ability levels (recreational students and competitive athletes), and competitive aspirations (providing various avenues for competition and performance).

Gymnastics for All incorporates two components: GymFest, which is purely performance-based, and TeamGym, which is the competitive aspect. In each aspect, teammates work together showcasing their gymnastics skills and abilities, stunts, and dance and synchronization. GymFest allows props and costumes for a unique and exciting performance for the audience.

TeamGym provides greater structure and rules for a competitive experience. A team consists of 6-16 gymnasts.

They compete on 2 events (Group Floor and Jump). Floor is a group floor routine that needs to fulfill certain required elements. The Group Jump event consists of tumbling passes, vault and mini-trampoline. There are Levels 1-7.

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WHO CAN PARTICIPATE IN GYMNASTICS FOR ALL? Because the scope of Gymnastics for All is so broad, there are many answers to this question. Here are a few for you to consider.

Young gymnasts and those at the recreational level find GFA exciting because it provides a great opportunity for them to be part of a team, learn gymnastics skills, and have fun with the performances. It is recommended that children be at least 5 years old to participate in Gymnastics for All. Gymnasts currently participating at the competitive levels in other gymnastics disciplines enjoy GFA because it provides a competitive outlet with less

time commitment, more creativity, and still is challenging for these athletes. It is a wonderful outlet for athletes who want to stay involved with the sport of gymnastics.

GFA may be the ultimate “family-friendly” activity! Since there are no limitations on age, children and adults can participate in GFA together. Families can practice, perform, and travel together – now get out there and MOVE! Athletes with disabilities and special needs can easily participate in a Gymnastics for All program. The program is adaptable to the abilities of the participants and can provide a safe environment for them to move and work on physical development all while being part of a team, a “community”, and getting to perform.

WHY PARTICIPATE IN GFA? Here are some of the wonderful benefits that can be derived from a Gymnastics for All program at your club: Quick and inexpensive to add an additional program to your gym Offers competitive and performance choices for athletes and parents Allows more children to participate at lower levels Creates new excitement among parents, athletes and staff Attracts new athletes Retains current athletes Captures additional revenue Provides fun activities for recreational programs Offers more opportunity for coaches who may want to coach at a competitive level but cannot dedicate the time needed for other teams Meets are easy to host and fun to watch Various opportunities and benefits are available to athletes through participation in Gymnastics for All, such as the following: Physical fitness – especially in the areas of strength, flexibility, agility, and balance Life skills – particularly teamwork, communication and trust among partners, responsibility, and friendship Self-esteem development – being a part of a team, performing in front of people and experiencing a sense of accomplishment can aid in this regard Variety – gymnasts can do GFA in addition to current discipline or other activities/sports JUNE 2011 • TECHNIQUE

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Safety – generally, high-level and complex skills are not being performed in GFA. Also, lower training demands reduce wear and tear on the body.

Outlet for Artistic Expression – by combining the love of gymnastics with the love of performance Continued Participation in Gymnastics – GFA is perfect for gymnasts who enjoy tumbling and floor exercise, but may not prefer other apparatus such as beam or bars or are not able to commit to the higher training demands

HOW DO I START A PROGRAM? EQUIPMENT: Minimal equipment is needed for a GFA program and much of it can already be found in an existing gymnastics facility. Panel mats or carpet bonded foam are acceptable Continued on pg. 10...

Rejuvenate your recreational gym by adding this dynamic discipline of USA Gymnastics. Not all children are cut out to be artistic gymnasts, but all children can join a TeamGym team. TRICKS Folsom has been doing TeamGym for four years and it is grown to four teams— eight teams if you count TRICKS’ other two locations!

Our youngest team member is 5 and the oldest will be turning 18 soon. One of our coaches had “retired” to start a family and was thrilled to come back for just one day a week of coaching and 5-7 competitions in the season. The Friday evening downtime became prime time for our team practices.

Just one hour a week together is all the practice most teams need in addition to their weekly skills class.

Seeing the higher level “big kids” in the gym is a real inspiration to the younger gymnasts. Six years ago we had zero gymnasts in a competitive artistic program, and no place to go for our older gymnasts. In fact, I saw gymnasts move to other gyms as they graduated out of the school-age programs. TeamGym has changed all that. There are now TeamGym athletes who have moved into the artistic programs and some that do both Artistic and TeamGym; there is a flourishing artistic program offering competition in Levels 4-6, and there is a booming tumbling program filled with prospective TeamGym members. At least 50 athletes who would probably have departed the sport or gone to other gyms have been retained – and their siblings, friends and neighbors too.

– Tracy Nordheim, TeamGym Judge and TeamGym parent, Folsom, CA

Retention – GFA helps with retaining your program students who might get frustrated because they either don’t have the time or skills for the “team” program. It also allows your high school students that would quit an artistic program because they can’t handle the time commitment required to compete for the club and high school artistic programs. It builds the concept of team work in a much different way than artistic because they are all in this together.

– Kristi Gorney, La Jolla YMCA Gymnastics, La Jolla, CA

Gymnastics for All has given my athletes a place to belong.

Many of our gymnasts have disabilities and could not compete in other USA Gymnastics events. Many others are parents who have renewed their interest in physical fitness because GFA gives them the opportunity to participate in gymnastics events at home and abroad. Our gym is a happier place because of GFA! – Cindy Bickman, Chattooga Gymnastics, Chattooga, GA

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performance surfaces, as is a spring floor. Other helpful equipment includes mini-trampolines, spring boards, vaulting apparatus, balance beams, and a selection of mats. A CD player, stop watch, and selection of music will also be needed.

Presentations and demonstrations on GFA are often conducted as part of USA Gymnastics Regional and National Congresses.

These educational events are also a great place to network and learn from other coaches and clubs.

CLASS STRUCTURE: For TeamGym, it often works best to have athletes participate in two classes per week. One focuses on gymnastics skill development and the second focuses on the TeamGym performance. It is helpful to ask athletes and parents to make a commitment to the team for the season or year. The group performance depends on the commitment of all of the athletes.

RULES: Rules for the TeamGym program and competitions can be accessed for free from the Group section of the USA Gymnastics website (usagym.org/group).

LEARNING THE SKILLS/COACHING: Because the gymnastics skills performed in Gymnastics for All are the same basic skills learned in the other gymnastics disciplines (women’s and men’s artistic, acrobatic gymnastics, trampoline and tumbling, and rhythmic), the introductory materials and skill development programs from those disciplines will be helpful and should also be incorporated for GFA.

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REFERENCE MATERIALS How to Start a General Gymnastics Program - This book is geared to the gym club owner and is filled with information specific to starting a Gymnastics for All program.

JUNE 2011 •TECHNIQUE

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Intense Practice Requires Proper Sleep, Nutrition and Relaxation

T

here are many variables that determine if a gymnast is ready to perform at a highlevel. Gymnasts dedicate hours of practice to perfecting certain skills and movements to put themselves in the best position to succeed in competition. However, an often overlooked principle in preparing to succeed is sound nutrition principles that allow a gymnast to have the fuel to perform.

By Lindsay G. Langford MS, RD

Most gymnasts require between 1,600-2,200 calories to support their demanding schedule. According to the Food Pyramid, an athlete who consumes 1800 calories per day should have 1.5 cups of fruit, 2.5 cups of vegetables, 6 ounces of grains, 3 cups of dairy and 5 ounces of lean meat. Not only is it important to consume a variety of nutrient-dense foods in the five food groups, but a gymnast needs to know how to strategically fuel their body to perform for both practice and competition.

First of all, a gymnast must consume breakfast. During the night, you can deplete your glycogen or “fuel” stores; the source of carbohydrate that maintains normal blood sugar levels. With low blood sugar levels you can decrease your full potential at school and gymnastics.

Subsequently, your body performs better throughout the day when you make it a priority to give it fuel in the morning. Not only is your body getting the nutrients it needs to perform at both school and gymnastics, but research also shows that those who skip breakfast tend to actually consume more calories through the day than those who eat breakfast (Neumark-Sztainer et. al 2006).

For example, eating whole grain cereal with low-fat milk and fruit allows you to get nutrients from three separate food groups. Choose cereals that are rich in fiber (3+grams) and protein (5+grams) to provide you the most bang for your buck.

It is also important to fuel your body before workouts.

Snacks pre-practice or pre-competition should be consumed 30-60 minutes prior to activity. This will not be enough time to digest a full meal, but should allow adequate time for a snack to keep you from feeling hungry and aid in maintaining blood sugar levels.

This snack should be continued...

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Intense Practice Requires Proper Sleep, Nutrition and Relaxation low in overall fat, low to moderate in protein, but high in carbohydrate for quick instant energy. Carbohydrates are also the primary fuel source for our brain, which will provide peak mental focus. A few examples could be: whole grain granola bar and string cheese, natural peanut butter and graham crackers, or yogurt with dried cereal (remember above guidelines for quality cereal) topped with berries.

After a practice or competition, take advantage of the 30 minute “recovery window” to optimally nourish, repair and build lean muscle. Carbohydrates stimulate the release of insulin, a hormone that transports carbohydrates into the muscle to restore muscle glycogen levels; in addition,

...continued

insulin also promotes muscle growth. Combine your carbohydrates with a little protein to fully take advantage of muscle repair and rebuild.

Gymnasts with the best nutrition habits are more likely to perform at a high level compared to their counterparts who don’t take advantage of this important variable for success! ….EAT WELL, FEEL WELL!

St. Vincent Hospital and St. Vincent Sports Performance in Indianapolis, Ind., are official service providers to USA Gymnastics.

Call 317-415-5747 or visit sportsperformance.stvincent.org

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By Patti Komara

I think the best way to learn and improve upon anything is to look at those who are already succeeding at what you’re doing. I’ve put together what some of the top gyms in America did last year to help all of us be better in 2011 and beyond. The first part of this article ran in May Technique, and the final part is included below.

ANNE JOSEPHSON/JAG-JOSEPHSON R ACADEMY OF GYMNASTICS R 1. Monthly tuition for all programs.

We were on a 12-week “session” schedule. We switched to monthly tuition in September 2009. This is the greatest business decision of my life.

Families love the flexibility, and reduced sticker shock.

Yes, some families do drop before the three months that they otherwise would have been committed to; however, many, many more only take a month or two off when there is a second sport conflict. In fact, our overall “drop rate” was slashed by more than 100%. It also reduced our administrative costs significantly.

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2. Better use of technology. We revamped our website, started a blog (www.jaggym.wordpress.com), established a Facebook page (www.facebook.com/jaggym) and a Twitter account.

We are consistently using email and email marketing programs (i.e. Constant Contact) to communicate with our clients. This has allowed us to consistently communicate with our community minus the cost of printing materials and postage. In turn, the ability to communicate has allowed us to capitalize on holding “last minute” events when there are holes in our schedule, to share happy news with our families, and to further develop the sense of a “JAG community.”

3. Growth of staff. Our top management team instituted a book-of-the-month. We read books in business management, decision making, psychology and personal development. We then discuss them as a team and make specific action plans for our business to move forward based on what we learned. We also created a

5. With the improvements and use of our website and iClassPro, life beccame easier, more customerfriendly, efficient, and profitable.

6. We continue to do an annual review of expenses in all areas, and in the process found several areas that were easy to reduce or even eliminate.

new layer of assistant department leaders to help grow our staff and give talented younger people a career path.

JIM AND JASON JARRETT R CAPITAL GYMNASTICS R 1. My son Jason (far left) and his wife took a more active roll in the day-to-day operations of the company, which has allowed me more freedom to think out of the box. They hired new staff to add to the business. His interviewing skills and her planning skills are outstanding and both their leadership skills are amazing.

2. We built and opened a new gym in 2009 that they run. This has allowed us to take our original location on IH 35 and rightsize (downsize) from 20,000 to 10,000 square feet, which ended up saving us more than $80,000 a year in overhead while maintaining its gross income level.

3. By rightsizing, we were able to convince the SBA and our bank to loan us the funds to build another new 12,000 square-foot building on a three-acre lot directly across from an elementary school to replace our oldest and original location. We broke ground in January 2011, and our goal for opening is mid to late summer.

4. We took our customer communications to a new level by tapping into several social media outlets, like Facebook, and utilizing a new and improved feature that iClassPro provided us.

7. I highly encourage everyone to constantly stay on top of reviewing expenses. A simple $100 per month reduction in supply purchases or non-producing advertising would result in an annual $1,200 increase in profit. Adding one new customer to a class can yield more than $800 a year in profit. Wow! What a great business to be in and a business that can have such a profound positive effect on the well-being of children. We are proud to be a gymnastics business.

JEFF LULLA

RFUN & FIT GYMNASTICS CENTER R 2010 was a year of growth for Fun & Fit Gymnastics Centers as our enrollment began picking up following the economic challenges of the recession. We moved forward on several fronts including the following.

1. Transitioning to a new online software program. Five managers and I spent three days in Las Vegas at a software users workshop prior to making the transition and it was very helpful. We launched a new website that integrates Google Calendar along with blogs of new events automatically forwarded to our Facebook and Twitter pages. Photos and video clips are also a big part of our website as we attempt to give those visiting a feel of what our business is all about.

2. Investment in instructor training took the form of flying a friend and guest presenter, Steve Greeley, to attend our All Staff Workshop – a once-a-year event where the staff from all three facilities enjoyed a full day of learning, eating and playing together.

3. We have always charged about 20% more than our competitors, but a unique situation for one location

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found us losing clients to a new gym in town just as the recession hit. After a year of hearing from clients that they would prefer our gym but how tight money was, we experimented with a ‘Going Green’ plan that gave parents the option of lower prices in exchange for an autopay agreement and no billing. It was a hit, enrollment grew, and we have since raised our rates successfully.

4. We cut our advertising budget, eliminating all yellowpage advertising and remaining only in a couple of successful local magazines that continue to work for us. Instead we give largely to charities and organizations, donating free birthday parties and one-month scholarships to bring kids into our doors to experience our services. While we have always given when asked, we gave more in 2010 than in the past, and we felt more appreciated than ever as schools have suffered recent budget cuts. In short, I’d rather give away free services than advertising dollars. And it has been working to build enrollment.

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We utilize Houghton-Mifflin curriculum for early language development, math, and science components. We also created our own curriculum for violin, Spanish and art.

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The Academic Preschool curriculum incorporates gymnastics, dance, and musical theater (some of our staple offerings at Cal Elite). Swimming is the only add-on. Everything else is included in their regular tuition. This distinguished us from all other preschool programs. It was easy to set our program apart from the typical daycare types of programs.

2. When it comes to other structured, licensed school programs, we are distinguished in the variety of specialty classes we include (in which we truly are specialized) and the fact that these specialized classes did not come with $200 of extra tuition.

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We’ve dedicated our downstairs dance studio to the Academic Preschool Program from 7:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. We are also utilizing some areas in the big gym and have recently purchased permanent room dividers to facilitate this space usage.

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A few financial details -- the insurance is relatively low on this program, compared to what we pay for our athletic programs. Make sure you do not insure them as gymnasts. The ‘equipment’ costs are comparable to gymnastics. Although you are not purchasing athletic equipment, you still need to provide tables, chairs, library shelves, toy bins, dry erase boards, etc.

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We charge a $40 annual learning fee to cover the costs of paper, crayons, paints, and other learning supplies. We purchased the violins for about $90 and rent them to the families at $15 a month. This more than pays for the cost of the violin teacher and the music program. We have this program on a monthly billing system. We are really enjoying this program!

LYNN LEDFORD

R CALIFORNIA ELITE SPORTS CENTER R One of the best things we did in 2010 was to get our newly licensed academic preschool off the ground.

1. We had planned on implementing this program for several years and finally got it underway in late 2009. We now have more than 70 students enrolled, each paying between $264 and $750+ per month.

Ninety percent of the students’ attendance takes place between 8:45 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., before our afternoon rush.

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We now have five academic preschool teachers – all with four-year teaching or early childhood education degrees.

TECHNIQUE • JUNE 2011

BRIAN FOSTER BUSINESS MANAGER

on competitive cheer teams for a total of 128 students walking through our doors on Sundays. In addition to the students who are billed monthly tuition, our office also rang up $27,380 in additional sales and registrations on Sundays in 2010.

R STARS & STRIPES KIDS ACTIVITY CENTER R Consumers have moved toward a need for immediate gratification and this is evident by the number of stores that now stay open 24/7. The impulse purchase offerings at supermarket check-out counters have also grown exponentially in recent years. Our society has been programmed to expect immediate gratification and if your company doesn’t provide it, you can be sure your potential clients will find someone who does. We have a live person answering the phone for as many hours a day as possible, and new to the line-up is Sundays from 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (10 months a year). We realized that prospective customer may not leave a message.

Even if you’re lucky enough to get a second chance, you’ve already lost valuable time; and if you think about it, selling time is really what your business is all about. If one prospective customer waits a week to enroll because nobody was there to answer the phone, you’ve lost a week of potential revenue. You’re also left wondering how many others there were that never even called back.

So, how much more money do you think your business would bring in, just by having a live person answering the phones? Well we ended the wondering in 2010 and added classes and office hours on Sundays. The results are impressive and reinforce the theory of “immediate gratification.” We have 65 recreational class students who participate in classes on Sundays and 63 kids

JULIA THOMPSON R TAGS R TAGS numbers have been great; more than 3,200 students and 90 employees between two locations.

1. Take Care of Staff TAGS Gymnastics continues to include all key staff in the dayto-day planning to accomplish our goals. The full-time staff and coordinators really enjoy driving the changes for all programs after they have had an opportunity to review ideas from all staff.

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We have always given a “Holiday Bonus” in November to employees who have gone “above and beyond” throughout the year. Now we issue a “Spring Bonus” in May in addition to the holiday bonus. This change has been well-received by all the employees.

·

The annual employee service awards continue to be a great way to recognize staff for their years of service. We hold a short presentation at the annual holiday party to sing their praises and present a framed certificate and gift.

2. Clinics TAGS has added value to the class program customers by offering free skill clinics for different levels. For example, we will offer a cartwheel clinic for the beginners for 45 minutes on a Saturday after classes.

We set up 20 or more stations to teach cartwheel progression drills and we staff it well. It has been a popular addition to the program and helps with student retention.

With all these ideas, it’s time for action. Take some of these ideas from the leaders of this industry and make changes now!

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TECHNIQUE • JUNE 2011

F

ive athletes and one coach comprise the 2011 class of inductees for the USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame: 1972 Olympian Jim Culhane of Tomball, Texas (men’s gymnastics); six-time world tumbling champion Jill Hollembeak of Chicago; 1992 Olympian Tamara Levinson of Los Angeles (rhythmic gymnastics); 2000 Olympic team bronzemedalists Kristen Maloney of Dover, N.H., and Elise Ray of Reisterstown, Md., and 1988 Olympian Chelle Stack of Clermont, Fla. (women’s gymnastics); and coach Stacy Maloney of New Berlin, Wis., who coached 2004 Olympic all-around champion Paul Hamm and his twin brother Morgan, both of whom competed in the 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games.

The 2011 USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame luncheon and induction ceremony is scheduled for Friday, Aug. 19, as part of the USA Gymnastics National Congress and Trade Show in Saint Paul, Minn., which is held in conjunction with the 2011 Visa Championships. Ticket and other information on the luncheon and induction ceremony are available at usagym.org/hof or on page 27.

James “Jim” Culhane, men’s gymnastics

Jill Hollembeak, tumbling

Culhane, who competed for 19 years (1957-76), was a member of the 1972 U.S. Olympic Team and the 1971 Pan American Games Team.

His international experience also included competing in dual meets against the Soviet Union, Hungary, China, Romania and Germany. He finished seventh at the 1968 Olym-

Hollembeak, who trained at the Gymnastics Academy of Rockford (Ill.), had a successful national and international tumbling career. In power tumbling, she was a three-time World champion (1982, 1984 and 1986); three-time member of a U.S. Team that won the World team title (1982, 1984 and 1986); and five-time national champion (1982-86). In platform tumbling, Hollembeak was a five-time World medalist (1983-87) and U.S. champion (1983-87). She earned a gymnastics scholarship to Illinois State University and was Athlete of the Year for the 1990-91 school year. She also received the Laurie Mabry Award in 1991. Hollembeak coached for five years at ISU. She currently works as an assistant director of athletics academic advising at DePaul University and is pursuing a doctorate in education. She has been inducted into the World Acrobatics Society Gallery of Legends.

pic Trials. He competed in the AAU and U.S. Gymnastics Federation national championships from 1965-75 and was a member of the U.S. National Team for 11 years. Culhane competed in collegiate gymnastics for Pennsylvania State University from 1962-65, winning the team championship in 1965. He went on to graduate school at Southern Connecticut State College. He served as an assistant coach at both Southern Connecticut and the U.S. Military Academy, as well as the head women’s coach at East Stroudsburg State College and California State University at Northridge. He is a retired teacher and currently teaches boys gymnastics at Texas Star Gymnastics. He most recently helped set a world record for the largest formation of Skydivers over Sixty.

“Congratulations to the 2011 inductees, who are being recognized for their accomplishments and contributions to gymnastics,” said Steve Penny, president of USA Gymnastics.

“Their contributions over the years have helped weave the rich tapestry of USA Gymnastics.”

Tamara Levinson, rhythmic gymnastics A native of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Levinson is one of the highest ranked rhythmic gymnasts in U.S. history. To assist in her training, Levinson’s parents opened Rhythmflex in Rockville, Md.

Levinson made her mark in the senior division when she earned one of the USA’s two spots to compete in the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain, where she made her international debut at just 16 years of age.

She went on to finish 19th at the 1992 World Rhythmic Championships. Levinson was the 1993-94 U.S. champion and competed in the 1993 World Championships. Following a brief break, Levinson helped the USA win the team gold medal at the 1995 Pan American Games, where she also won the gold medal for ribbon, the all-around silver medal and bronze medals for rope, ball and clubs. She was coached by Catherine Yakimovich. Levinson retired from competition in 1995 and went on to perform in many different shows in New York, including three Madonna world tours and two off-Broadway hits. She was part of the creative process and danced in Twyla Tharp’s “The Times, They Are A-Changin’.” Levinson currently is choreographing for major artists and making films with her partner Daniel Cloud Campos.

Kristen Maloney, women’s gymnastics Maloney was a member of the U.S. Olympic Women’s Team that won the team bronze medal at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. Her successful elite career included: 1998-99 U.S. all-around champion; team and all-around titles at the 1998 Pacific Alliance Championships; vault gold and all-around silver medals at the 1999 International Team Championships; and a balance beam gold medal at the 1998 Goodwill Games. Her gym club was Parkettes and she was coached by Bill and Donna Strauss. Maloney was a member of the U.S. Team for the 1997 and 1999 World Championships and advanced to the event finals in the all-around (13th) and balance beam (seventh). Maloney competed for UCLA from 2001-05, helping the Bruins win the NCAA team title in 2001 and 2003-04. She won the NCAA’s 2005 vault and balance beam gold medals and received the 2005 Honda Award for top female gymnast. Maloney was a 1999 Sullivan Award nominee and was the 1998 USA Gymnastics Sportswoman of the Year. She recently became an assistant coach for the women’s gymnastics team at the University of New Hampshire.

Stacy Maloney, coach Maloney is best known for coaching Paul and Morgan Hamm. He started coaching the twins when they were 7 years old and continued for 13 years.

The Hamms were both members of the 2000 and 2004 Olympic Teams, helping the USA to claim the team silver medal in 2004. Paul Hamm became the first U.S. man to win both the World and Olympic all-around gold medals in 2003 and 2004, respectively. Paul Hamm also won the 2003 World floor exercise title. Maloney was an assistant coach for the 2003 U.S. Men’s World Championships Team, which earned the team silver medal, and the head coach for the 2003 Senior Pacific Alliance Championships, where the USA won the team gold. He was voted the 1999 and 2004 U.S. Men’s Coach of the Year and the U.S. Olympic Committee’s Gymnastics Coach of the Year for 2000. Maloney has served as a member of the USA Gymnastics Board of Directors and the Board of Directors for the U.S. Elite Men’s Coaching Association. He also was a member of the Junior National Age Group Competition Committee; the junior national coaching staff; the Men’s Program Committee; the Junior Olympic Program Committee; and the men’s 2007 World Championships and 2008 Olympic Selection Committees. He was a two-time U.S. Senior National Team Member and a top NCAA gymnast while competing for Iowa State University, where he earned a BA in marketing. He coached and trained at the University of Illinois from 1982-85, where he earned his MBA in finance and helped coach 1988 Olympian and national all-around champion Charlie Lakes.

Elise Ray, women’s gymnastics Ray was the captain of the U.S. Olympic Women’s Team that won the team bronze medal at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. She trained with Kelli Hill at Hill’s Gymnastics and was a member of the national team from 1996-2001.

In 2000, Ray won the all-around at the Pacific Alliance Championships, U.S. Olympic Trials and U.S. Championships. She also won the all-around at the 1999 World Team Trials. Ray, who has three skills for the uneven bars named after her, was a member of the 1999 World Championships Team and helped the U.S. Team win the team titles at the 1997 International Team Championships and 1998 and

2000 Pacific Alliance Championships, where she also won individual medals. She competed for the University of Michigan, graduating in 2005. Ray won NCAA titles in all-around in 2001, the balance beam in 2002 and the uneven bars in 2004. She made the All-Big 10 Team Honors in 2001-02 and 2004-05 and was a 14-time All-American. She was Michigan’s Female Athlete of the Year in 2004. Ray performed in “O” and “LOVE” for Cirque du Soleil and currently is coaching, working at camps, and commentating for the Big 10 Network and CBS Sports (2011 NCAA Championships).

Chelle Stack, women’s gymnastics Stack was a member of the U.S. Olympic Team that placed fourth at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea. She won the U.S. title for the uneven bars in 1988-89. Her other top finishes at the nationals include second on floor in 1989, third on floor in 1988 and tied for third on the uneven bars in 1991. Stack was fifth in the all-around at the 1988 U.S. Olympic Trials and 1989 World Championships Team Trials. She represented the USA at the 1989 World Championships,

26

TECHNIQUE • JUNE 2011

where the team was fourth. At the 1991 Pan American Games, Stack helped the USA to the team title, as well as won the floor exercise and was second in the all-around. Her international success also included winning vault at the 1991 USA-Romania dual meet; fourth in the all-around at the 1989 French International Competition; and winning the floor title at the 1988 American Cup, where she also was third in the all-around, vault and balance beam.

She trained with Martha and Bela Karolyi, SCATS and Cypress Academy.

Stack attended the University of Oklahoma for two years and appeared in the Cirque du Soleil show at Walt Disney World. In addition to owning Chelle Stack’s Gymnastics in Winter Park, Fla., she has earned a brevet rating as a judge and works major USA Gymnastics competitions. Stack is engaged to be married to Robert Marcella in June.

2011 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Luncheon Friday, August 19, 2011, Crowne Plaza St. Paul, Minnesota – Riverfront Hotel 11:00 a.m. -1:00 p.m.

Hall of Fame Class of 2011:

Jim Culhane • Kristen Maloney • Elise Ray • Chelle Stack Jill Hollembeak • Tamara Levinson • Stacy Maloney Please print and submit email address. Confirmation will be sent via email.

Name Address City State Email Address (required for confirmation) Phone (daytime) Credit Card Type Number Name on card # of tickets @ $45 each or # of tables Donation to Hall of Fame Total Amount Due Table(s) reserved in name of

Zip

Exp. Signature @ $400 each (10 per table)

*All donations of $50 or more will be listed in the Hall of Fame program, Congress Information Guide, and Technique magazine. Must be received by July 1 in order to be in publications. Fax form with credit card information to 317-692-5212 or mail form and check (made out to USA Gymnastics) to: USA Gymnastics, Erica Koven Hall of Fame Ceremony 132 E. Washington St., Ste. 700 Indianapolis, IN 46204 Hall of Fame Sponsorships available: Gold: $ 5,000 Silver: $ 2,500 Bronze: $1,000 Contact Erica Koven at ekoven@usagym.org or call 317-829-5622

JUNE 2011 • TECHNIQUE

27

2011 NATIONAL CONGRESS & TRADE SHOW August 18 – 20, 2011 Saint Paul, MN

T

A New Educational Experience for 2011!!

The 2011 National Congress and Trade Show has something for everyone: new preschool instructors, office managers, beginner/ advanced coaches, and club owners, with education and experience vital to continued growth of your staff, programs and business.

Some of the educational opportunities include: • 15 total “Hands-on” Spotting Clinics (includes women, men, trampoline & tumbling, cheer, and acro** • Women’s Developmental Coaches’ Certification (Level 2)** • Business Certification Level (2 & 3)** • Trampoline & Tumbling Developmental Coaches’ Certification (Level 1)** • Special Olympics Course & Certification • USA Gymnastics Safety/Risk Management* • USA Gymnastics Preschool Fundamentals Handson Training (H.O.T.) * *available at additional fee ** All congress attendees are highly advised to complete the Fundamentals of Gymnastics Instruction Course prior to attending. For more information regarding the Fundamentals of Gymnastics Instruction please visit www.usagym.org/education

This year’s event will feature three days of education with more than 175 sessions. Sessions are provided on coaching, judging, business, preschool, school age, sports science, fitness, and

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TECHNIQUE • JUNE 2011

cheerleading. Learn from leading experts from all six disciplines, Women’s, Men’s, Rhythmic, Acrobatics, Trampoline & Tumbling, and Gymnastics for All. For registration details and more please visit www.usagymnasticsnationalcongress.org or refer to the individual registration form in this issue of Technique. Special Member Club tiered pricing is available! Member Clubs can save up to 40% off the regular pricing if registered by May 16th.

Hotel/Travel Reservations: National Travel Systems: 888-603-8747 Email: sportsinfo@nationaltravelsystems.com Website: www.ntssportstravel.com Visa Championships are Aug. 17–21. Men’s and Women’s Artistic events take place at the Xcel Energy Center and Rhythmic competition is at the Roy Wilkins Auditorium.

With all that the 2011 National Congress has to offer, this is the best educational investment you will make all year. Pre-registration is available until July 15.

Don’t Delay! Register Today!

JUNE 2011 •TECHNIQUE

31

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TECHNIQUE • JUNE 2011

Wednesday, August 17, 2011 • 8 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

The RiverCentre, Saint Paul, Minn.

To sign up for the Business Conference call (800) 345.4719 or visit www.usagym.org/nationalcongress Join USA Gymnastics and a panel of industry leaders and Olympians at the 2011 National Business Conference!

THIS YEAR’S TOPIC To help clubs prepare for the Olympic Year, the conference will deliver a comprehensive day of expert-led discussion and insight-driven roundtables, offering participants key information needed to effectively prepare for the journey to the 2012 Olympic Games. Whether its identifying and securing grant funding, starting or improving your club programming, or building the social network and media platform to strengthen your club brand, this year’s conference is designed to fully equip you and your staff with industry leading tools, techniques, and proven practices necessary to take your business to the next level.

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to learn from the best and prepare your business for an exciting year leading up to the Olympics. Register and reserve your seat today!

Key Note Speaker Jay Ebben will discuss 3 Things Successful Businesses Have in Common and will give specific takeaways.

JAY EBBEN, Associate Professor, Schulze School of Entrepreneurship, University of St. Thomas – Jay is a former small business owner who has worked with hundreds of entrepreneurs at various stages of business development, advising them on market assessment, business modeling, financing, and entry and growth strategies. He has been a professor of entrepreneurship at the University of St. Thomas for nine years and has taught courses on opportunity assessment, entrepreneurial finance, business development, and small business management. Jay won the inaugural Julie Hays Teaching Award in 2010 and received a Fulbright Scholarship to teach in Ljubljana, Slovenia in 2011.

SHANNON MILLER, Seven time Olympic Medalist and founder of Shannon Miller Foundation – As a spokesperson for women’s health issues and a new mother, Shannon’s goal is to empower women with the knowledge and education they need to make informed decisions on health and fitness.

Her website www.shannonmillerlifestyle.com provides professional and interactive user content. In 2011 she launched Shannon Miller’s Walk-Fit Program to help get the community fit. Through her weekly call in radio show, Shannon Miller Lifestyle, she focuses on creating dialogue with experts to inform and entertain.

PETER VIDMAR, Chairman, USA Gymnastics, Board of Directors – Peter Vidmar, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, was named chairman of USA Gymnastics Board of Directors in December 2008. Vidmar is a professional speaker who has given more than 1,000 presentations on risk-taking, innovation and quality to the USA’s top corporations and associations, as well as sales, marketing and management audiences. He has worked as a journalist at the Olympic Games and as a gymnastics television commentator. Vidmar has also published several books and articles.

Panel Discussions from our industry leaders will share the top three things they have done to move their business forward this year: Patti Komara, Tom Forster, Julia Thompson, Jeff Metzger, Frank Sahelin, Sean Dever, Dave Peterson, Jeff LaFleuer, Elaine Jewert, Steve Greeley, and Jeff Lulla

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TECHNIQUE • JUNE 2011

JUNE 2011 • TECHNIQUE

35

MEMBER UPDATE MEMBER SERVICES MEMBER SERVICES SERVICES UPDATE UPDATE

2011-2012 ATHLETE REGISTRATION/ NEW ONLINE MEMBERSHIP SYSTEM Registration for the 2011-2012 competitive seasons will begin in June 2011.

All membership and sanction application forms will be available on the USA Gymnastics website www.usagym.org.

As a reminder, on March 15, 2011 USA Gymnastics implemented phase 1 of our new online membership system. These changes have enhanced the way our members, clubs, and meet directors interact and view membership information online.

If you are signing on for the first time since the new changes took effect, below are instructions on how to get started.

CREATING A USA GYMNASTICS ONLINE LOG IN Step 1: Go to www.usagym.org and click on the Login link located in the top right corner.

Step 2: Click on the Click here to Register Link Step 3: In the first section of the form will ask for a member number. You will want to enter your Individual member number (not club number).

Step 4: Proceed to enter the information requested.

Step 5: Once your user information has been created you will click on Member Services.

Step 6: On the left hand side you will notice white links.

• My Membership:

ü Will provide access to your personal membership information, renew your membership, print card, register for educational course, and criminal background check screening (Professional Members Only)

• *Club Administrator:

ü Will provide access to administrator to access and update the club information, review and renew clubs’ athletes, print/review athlete and professional member roster(s) and print membership cards.

*ADD OR REMOVE CLUB ADMINISTRATOR Step 1: A current club administrator will log into website Step 2: Click on Member Services at Club Administrator, then Club Information

• To Add – Click on Assign Club Admin and enter the individual member number or username.

• To Remove – Click on the trash can icon located next to the individual name.

For additional information regarding the new online membership system, please visit www.usagym.org/onlinemembership or contact Member Services at 800.345.4719 or membership@usagym.org

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TECHNIQUE • JUNE 2011

CONGRESS AND VISA CHAMPIONSHIPS

2011 SCHEDULE

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 17 RiverCentre

5:00 – 6:30 p.m.

Pre–Event Hospitality

317 at Rice Park

11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Opening Event/Gym Club Demos

Rice Park

6:30 p.m.

Sr. Men’s Competition – Day 2

Xcel Energy Ctr.

1:00 p.m.

Jr. Men’s Competition – Day 1

Xcel Energy Ctr.

9:30 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. Post-Event Hospitality

317 at Rice Park

1:30 – 6:30 p.m.

Safety/Risk Management Course

RiverCentre

10:00 p.m.

Rice Park

2:30 – 6:30 p.m.

Preschool Fundamental Hands On Training RiverCentre

5:00 – 7:00 p.m.

Trade Show Hall Opening

RiverCentre

6:30 p.m.

Sr. Men’s Competition – Day 1

Xcel Energy Ctr.

12:30 – 7:00 p.m.

National Congress Registration Hrs.

RiverCentre

8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

National Business Conference

Visa Fan Fest Post-Event Celebration (music, athlete interviews)

SATURDAY, AUGUST 20 6:30 – 7:30 a.m.

Morning Fitness

Rice Park

8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. National Congress Registration Hours

RiverCentre

8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Congress Sessions (15 concurrent tracks) RiverCentre

THURSDAY, AUGUST 18 6:30 – 7:30 a.m.

Morning Fitness

Rice Park

7:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

National Congress Registration Hrs.

RiverCentre

7:30 a.m. – 5:45 p.m.

Trade Show Hall Hours

RiverCentre

8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Congress Sessions (15 concurrent tracks)

RiverCentre

9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Trade Show Hall Hours

RiverCentre

9:00 a.m.

Rhythmic Jr. & Sr. All-Around Finals

Roy Wilkins

1:00 p.m.

Jr. Women’s Competition – Day 2

Xcel Energy Ctr.

3:30 – 6:30 p.m.

Visa Fan Fest (music, autographs, food) Rice Park

5:00 – 6:30 p.m.

Pre–Event Hospitality

317 at Rice Park

6:30 p.m.

Sr. Women’s Competition – Day 2

Xcel Energy Ctr.

11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Gymnastics Club Demonstrations

Rice Park

11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. National Congress Lunch Break & Raffle

RiverCentre

1:00 p.m.

Jr. Women’s Competition – Day 1

Xcel Energy Ctr.

4:30 – 5:45 p.m.

Trade Show Reception & Raffle Drawing

RiverCentre

5:00 – 6:30 p.m.

Pre-Event Hospitality

317 at Rice Park

6:30 p.m.

Sr. Women’s Competition – Day 1

Xcel Energy Ctr.

*All times and activities are subject to change.

9:00 – 11:30 p.m.

Post-Event Hospitality

317 at Rice Park

All times are Central. Doors open 60 minutes early for each session at Visa Championships.

6:30 – 7:30 am

Morning Fitness

Rice Park

8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

National Congress Registration Hrs.

RiverCentre

8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Congress Sessions (15 concurrent tracks)

RiverCentre

9:00 – 5:45 p.m.

Trade Show Hall Hours

RiverCentre

9:00 a.m.

Rhythmic Jr. & Sr. AA Prelim & Event Finals Roy Wilkins

9:30 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. Post-Event Hospitality

317 at Rice Park

10:00 p.m.

Rice Park

Visa Fan Fest Post-Event Celebration (music, athlete interviews)

FRIDAY, AUGUST 19

11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. National Congress Lunch Break & Raffle

RiverCentre

11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Hall of Fame Ceremony & Luncheon

Crowne Plaza

11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Gymnastics Club Demonstrations

Rice Park

1:00 p.m.

Jr. Men’s Competition – Day 2

Xcel Energy Ctr.

4:30 – 5:45 p.m.

Trade Show Reception & Raffle Drawing

RiverCentre

JUNE 2011 • TECHNIQUE

37

LIVE COURSE SCHEDULES Live course schedules are updated weekly on our website www.usagym.org/university Please see the website for the most current schedule.

Preschool Fundamentals Hands On Training (Part 2): Certification: Course Description: This is a live, hands-on training course designed for preschool instructors and teachers. Course topics include fundamental movement for children, class safety overview, games, activities to avoid, manipulatives, lesson planning, inclusion of music, thematic teaching, parent/child teaching, and the use of apparatus.

This is a great hands on follow-up to the theory course, with course instructors demonstrating practical examples of many of the concepts taught in Part 1. Completion of Part 1 is recommended, but not required, prior to registering for Part 2. The course is scheduled for four hours and will provide a great deal of hands-on instruction for participants. Participants will be challenged with activities during the course. The cost for the live course is $70 for professional, junior professional, instructor or athlete members; $120 for introductory coach, junior intro coach, and non-members.

SAFETY/RISK MANAGEMENT CERTIFICATION COURSE Safety/Risk Management Certification is required for all Professional, Junior Professional, Introductory Coach, and Junior Introductory Coach Members. *Course dates and times are subject to change and/or cancellation.

aValuable risk management information for everyone in the gym, from administrators to athletes, coaches to owners aCertification is valid for four years a2009 Handbook available through the online technical materials store Course Description: The primary goal of this course is to increase safety and risk management awareness. The course has been designed for a variety of audiences – gymnastics coaches, teachers, instructors, club owners, meet directors, judges, athletes and others. The course addresses the two basic areas of risk in gymnastics – risk of injury, which is the primary risk, and risk of a lawsuit. Education, preparation, and vigilance are the primary tools gymnastics professionals need to deal with risk and uncertainty in the sport of gymnastics.

UPCOMING LIVE COURSES

SAFETY CERTIFICATION • • • • • • • • • • •

June 10 June 10 June 11 June 24 June 26 July 14 August 4 August 17 August 25 September 8 September 22

(Indianapolis, IN) (Roswell, GA) (Stroudsburg, PA) (Baltimore, MD) (Huguenot, NY) (New Orleans, LA) (Boston, MA) (St. Paul, MN) (Santa Clara, CA) (Seattle, WA) (Indianapolis, IN)

PRESCHOOL FUNDAMENTALS • • • • • • • • •

Hands-on Training (Part 2) June 10 (Roswell, GA) June 10 (Kirkland, WA) June 27 (Baltimore, MD) July 17 (New Orleans, LA) August 17 (St. Paul, MN) August 4 (Boston, MA) August 28 (Santa Clara, CA) September 25 (Indianapolis, IN)

To register for a course, visit the USA Gymnastics website at www.usagym.org/university. | Register online or download the registration form. **Save $5 by registering online!**

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TECHNIQUE • JUNE 2011

M I N U T E S

INTERNATIONAL ELITE COMMITTEE April 20, 2011 Athletes qualifying from a national qualifier to the classics

Chairman.............................. Steve Rybacki Coach Representatives ............ Valeri Liukin

meets with a 2 or 3 event score MAY compete on all 4

............................................ Mihai Brestyan

events at a classic.

............................................ Mary Lee Tracy

Athletes qualifying to the 2011 Visa Championships with

Alternate: ..............................

a 2 or 3 event score MAY ONLY compete on the events in

National Team Coordinator ..... Martha Karolyi

which they qualified.

Athlete Representative............. Absent

If a vault score is used there is no longer the requirement

Vice President Program ........... Kathy Kelly

to perform 2 vaults.

II.

Meeting convened at 12:30 p.m.

I.

2012 Calendar A general discussion regarding the 2012 calendar

Qualification Scores to Classics/Championships

with a proposal for preparing the Olympic Team. The

The committee discussed the current qualification scores and made the following recommendation.

committee agreed with the proposal. Kathy will begin communication with the event staff and other countries.

III. National Qualifier The first date for the 2012 National Qualifiers will be

Recommendation that for the 2011 season the Senior scores are:

February 3-4 weekend. Those interested in hosting a Qualifier should submit a bid to Steve Rybacki by May 20, 2011.

SENIOR INTERNATIONAL

THREE EVENT SCORE

TWO EVENT SCORE

TO CLASSIC

40.50

27.50

The committee reviewed funding for the team members

TO CHAMPIONSHIPS

41.25

28.00

who were awarded funding by being named to the

Motion Second PASSED

Mihai Brestyan Mary Lee Tracy

CLARIFICATION These scores are retroactive for any 2011 competition which includes the two national qualifiers that have taken place in Feb. Athletes competing on all 4 events MAY qualify with a 2 or 3 event score.

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TECHNIQUE • JUNE 2011

IV. Funding

National Team in November. One athlete did not meet requirements but the following team members will continue to receive funding: Jordyn Wieber, Bridgette Caquatto and Shawn Johnson.

Committee members who had athletes considered for funding recused themselves from the discussion.

Meeting Adjourned at 1:45 p.m.

MARCH 2011 • TECHNIQUE

41

INTERNATIONAL ELITE COMMITTEE March 11, 2011 Chairman.................................................... Steve Rybacki Coach Representatives .................................. Valeri Liukin .................................................................. Mihai Brestyan .................................................................. Mary Lee Tracy Alternate: ....................................................

National Team Coordinator ........................... Martha Karolyi Athlete Representative................................... Nastia Liukin Vice President Program ................................. Kathy Kelly

I.

M I N U T E S

Meeting convened at 10:30 a.m.

Qualifying Scores Committee discussed circumstances that have occurred this year and made the following recommendations.

Recommendation that any athlete who achieved the Championships qualification score but did not compete at the 2010 Visa Championships, would be exempt from achieving the Compulsory Score again.

Motion Tracy Second Brestyan PASSED Recommendation that any non-national team member athlete who is INVITED to a SELECTION CAMP in hopes of being added to the team and compete internationally be allowed to use the camp verification scores to qualify to Visa Championships.

Motion Liukin Second Brestyan Recommendation that if an athlete attempting to qualify at the Junior International Level achieves the HOPES score, she is qualified to participate in the Challenge Meet.

Motion N. Liukin Second Tracy PASSED

II.

Athlete Funding Committee reviewed the progress of the athletes who were funded until April and made the following recommendation. Kathy will send a letter to those athletes who are borderline of meeting the requirements.

Committee discussed Athlete Funding for next year by offering substantial amounts to the top 3 ranked athletes based upon a system established by the World and Olympic results. The committee wishes to provide incentives for our best athletes.

The coach will also be entitled to additional funds based upon continued excellence.

The committee will work on a system of requirements for additional funding.

III.

QUALIFICATION The committee discussed allowing the athletes who participate in the Developmental Camps the opportunity to qualify to the 2011 American/U.S. Classic Meet.

Recommendation that only those athlete who participated at either the February or April Developmental Camp will be eligible to attempt to qualify to the 2011 Classics at the May Developmental Camp by performing full sets on competition surfaces.

Motion Nastia Liukin Second Valeri Liukin PASSED

IV.

Summit Meeting Committee reviewed the agenda for the Summit Meeting.

V.

The IEC discussed the current Video Panel and made the following recommendation.

Recommendation that the Video Panel for Classic Meets and Visa Championships be comprised of Muriel Grossfeld and at least one member of the Selection Committee.

This will allow Tatiana Perskaia to act as a judge on the competition floor.

Motion Valeri Liukin Second Mary Lee Tracy PASSED

Meeting Adjorned at 1:45 pm

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TECHNIQUE • JUNE 2011

GET INVOLVED! 2011 YEAR OF THE HANDSTAND WORLD-RECORD ATTEMPT Saturday, Sept. 17 at 1:00 p.m. EASTERN TIME

Be a part of it!

Celebrate National Gymnastics Day by doing a handstand and helping break a world record.

On National Gymnastics Day, Sept. 17, 2011, at 1 p.m. ET we need gymnasts across the country to kick up to a handstand and help USA Gymnastics break a world record for the number of handstands held at the same time.

It’s quick. It’s easy. We’ll give you more details later, but here’s a quick snapshot of what’s involved. Club owners or coaches, simply take a photo of your gymnasts doing simultaneous handstands and email it to USA Gymnastics at webmaster@usagym.org. We’ll also have you text us the number of gymnasts who participated in your gym so we can tally the total number and establish if we set a new world record.

To learn more, go to www.usagym.org/handstand.

Interested clubs can use the handstand event as the Children’s Miracle Network fundraising component.

Start planning now and help us set a new global mark!

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TECHNIQUE • JUNE 2011

CLASSIFIEDS

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TECHNIQUE • JUNE 2011

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FOR INFORMATION on how to publish a classified ad in Technique, go to http://www.usagym.org/publications Or call Luan Peszek at 317-829-5646.

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