2016 Competitive Team Handbook

Transcription

1 2016 Competitive Team Handbook Table of Contents MISSION STATEMENT... 2 GIRLS COMPETITIVE PROGRAM... 2 Compulsory Program:... 2 Optional Program:... 2 Xcel Program:... 2 TIME COMMITMENT... 2 ATTENDANCE POLICY... 2 WORKOUT SCHEDULE... 2 PRIVATE LESSONS... 2 SAFETY... 2 INJURY POLICY... 3 ADVANCEMENT... 3 LOCKERS... 3 COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION PROGRAM (CPP)... 3 CAMP... 4 COMPETITIONS... 4 HOME MEET AND HOME INVITATIONALS... 4 REQUIREMENTS FOR COMPETITIONS... 4 TWISTERS TEAM FEE STRUCTURE: Season... 4 SEASON TUITION RATES... 5 FEES AND DUE DATE... 5 TEAM UNIFORMS... 5 COSTS:... 5 TEAM BAGS... 5 COMPETITIVE MEET FEES... 5 TEAM PRACTICE RULES... 6 GYMNASTS... 6 PARENTS... 6

2 DISCIPLINE POLICY... 7 Athlete/Coach/Parent Triad... 7 Being a Winning Parent... 8 VALLEY TWISTER GYMNASTICS TEAM COMMITMENT FORM USA Gymnastics State Meet... 9 Welcome to the Valley Twisters Gymnastics Team! Welcome and congratulations on joining the Valley Twisters Gymnastics Team! Valley Twisters Gymnastics is a Not for Profit community supported program. The adventure you and your child are about to embark on will be a very special one. (Yes, it will be your adventure too!) Over the years, Valley Twisters has had the pleasure of watching many children learn, grow, and mature into confident young adults who are ready to face the world. We look forward to the unique opportunities that working with your child will present. This opportunity will give your child a stage on which to develop her confidence, poise, individuality, mental and physical discipline, determination, appreciation for dedicated effort, and self-respect. Your child will mature among individuals and in circumstances that will demand her finest efforts and judgments. She will develop close relationships with other young athletes who demand the best of themselves and expect the best in others. She will also have a lot of fun along the way! MISSION STATEMENT TO ENCOURAGE AND TEACH CHILDREN TO BELIEVE IN THEMSELVES THROUGH QUALITY GYMNASTICS INSTRUCTION

3 GIRLS COMPETITIVE PROGRAM Valley Twisters follows the USA Gymnastics Junior Olympic competitive program. This national program is the same program that our Olympic athletes go through. Levels 2-5 are compulsory, level 6-Elite are optional levels, and the Xcel program is a competitive alternative to the traditional Junior Olympic program. Compulsory Program: Compulsory gymnasts at any given level all perform the same routines. There are four compulsory levels of gymnastics: Levels 2, 3, 4 and 5. At these competitions the gymnasts will perform the same routines on all four Olympic events: vault, bars, beam and floor. Levels 2 and 3 receive awards by score achievement versus gymnast ranking. All levels will have a state competition and gymnasts must qualify by score. This score is set annually by the State Competition Committee. The official compulsory season is November through March. Optional Program: The optional program consists of levels 6-Elite. This program differs from compulsory gymnastics because each gymnast in the competition performs her own unique routine on all four Olympic events. Each level has required elements that must be included in each routine. The difficulty of the elements performed by each gymnast determines the level at which she is able to compete. Optional gymnast will compete in local meets as well as regional and national meets. The official optional season is November through May. Xcel Program: The Xcel Program consists of Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum and Diamond levels. Like the optional program, each gymnast in the competition performs her own unique routine on all four Olympic events. Each level has required elements that must be included in each routine. The difficulty of the elements performed by each gymnast determines the level at which she is able to compete. Xcel gymnast will compete in local meets as well as regional meets. The official xcel season is November through March. TIME COMMITMENT Competitive gymnastics is a year round commitment. Because of this, occasional small personal sacrifices will sometimes have to be made. This is not to say that gymnastics must consume your lifestyle or that family vacations are not allowed. Actually, they are encouraged. Our coaching staff realizes that family and academics must be priorities. Ultimately, we hope that our athletes learn to manage their time when other activities arise. We feel that the efficient use of a 2-4 hour workout is sufficient for any one day. ATTENDANCE POLICY Twister s gymnasts are expected to attend all scheduled practices. However, the coaching staff understands there will be occasional conflicts with practice times (school events, schoolwork, conferences, special events, family events, family vacations and illness). We simply request advanced notice when a gymnast will be late or absent from practice. WORKOUT SCHEDULE Workouts include flexibility, strength, and individual event rotations ranging in length from thirty minutes to one hour. Please see that your daughter arrives on time. If you find it necessary to pick your daughter up early, please notify a member of the coaching staff prior to the start of practice so appropriate workout alterations may be made if necessary. Under no circumstances is a gymnast to leave practice early without informing one of her coaches. PRIVATE LESSONS Valley Twisters does offer private lessons. For team students, these should be in addition to, not in place of, team practices. Private lessons can be made by arrangement with the coach. SAFETY Valley Twisters believes in safety first and makes it a priority to teach each gymnast proper movement and placement of mats. Safety falls, trampoline safety and general gym safety are taught and practiced on a regular 2

4 basis. Gymnasts are never to be on the equipment unsupervised. Basic gymnastics skills and good measure of strength and flexibility must be mastered before higher level gymnastics skills are introduced. Mastery is considered to be a 9.0 on every event. INJURY POLICY Unfortunately, injuries are a part of any competitive sport. Everyone on our team staff maintains current Safety Certifications thru USAG. Our number one goal is to teach good gymnastics in the safest environment possible. However, injuries will happen anytime a person involves motion, speed, height, and body parts. If your gymnast becomes injured, an accident/injury report will be completed by the supervising coach. The coaching staff needs to be kept informed on the rehabilitation process. It may be necessary that the coaching staff speak with the physician and/or physical therapist regarding the injury to help ensure a quick recovery. Injured gymnasts are required to continue attending all scheduled practices. It is necessary for competitive athletes to continue their strength, flexibility, and visualization training. This allows them to return to event training immediately after the injury is healed thus minimizing the training recovery period. There are exceptions to this policy; depending on the severity of the injury. The coaching staff will determine these exceptions after consulting with the gymnast s physician. If your gymnast is injured during a meet, the parent may be called to the event by the coach. ADVANCEMENT Advancement to the next level is solely determined by the coaching staff using the following criteria: Attendance Skill level Mental attitude Success at gymnast's current level Possible success at the next level Gymnast's desire Gymnast's work ethic In general, it is unrealistic to expect success at a higher level if mastery at the previous level is not obtained.ie. 9.0 / event, AA. Skill selection, training techniques, competitive level, music selection, choreography and all these similar matters are the responsibility of the coach. LOCKERS Gymnasts will be assigned a locker to share with one or two other team gymnasts. Padlocks are not allowed on lockers so please do not leave valuables in them. All lockers and the general locker area must be kept clean by the gymnasts who use them. Use of the lockers is a privilege -- please don t abuse it! One gymnast / week will be assigned to clean the locker room. COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION PROGRAM (CPP) Twisters is a not for profit organization. As such, parental participation is required to make our program successful. There will be two mandatory Annual Team parent meetings one in April and one in August. Parents will also be required to participate in ALL fundraisers and will be assigned to work events by the Events Committee. Each family will also be required to put forth a minimum of 15 hours of volunteer time but additional hours of volunteer time are appreciated and needed to keep our volunteer, non-profit Club operational. These hours could consist of meet set up or tear down, spring and fall cleaning, weekly cleaning during Twisters YSC cleaning time, concessions, ticket taking etc. CPP hours start April 1 and must be completed by March 1 the following year (if not completed students will not be able to participate at State). Families with more than one child in the Twister program need to complete the higher CPP hour requirement (Recreation versus Team CPP). Parents should record their hours worked on the clipboard inside the gym door on the North wall. **Any year that Valley Twisters Gymnastics host the North Dakota USA Gymnastics State meet every family will be required to put in an additional 12 hours of CCP during the state meet weekend. 3

5 CAMP We discourage any gymnastics camp in which the gymnast would go without her team / coach. We may have a team camp during the summer. We plan for our optional athletes to attend the regional training camp which is generally offered in October. The coaches will form a budget for each travel camp or coach and athlete only meet, and collect the approximate funds required from each family to cover all travel costs and meals, prior to the meet. A final camp assessment will be done after the camp and added to your team bill for the following month. COMPETITIONS Gymnastics meets are typically held at gymnastics centers and public facilities as well as here at the Youth Sports Complex. Meets are usually held on Saturdays and Sundays with an occasional meet on Friday afternoons. There will be 6-10 competitions each year. Most meets are offered to the entire team. In some cases, the coaching staff will make meet selections and decide which gymnasts will be invited to each competition. Team members will fill out a competitive meet entry form at the beginning of the competitive season. Your gymnast will be entered into all meets that you circle yes on the competitive meet entry form and you will be responsible for those meet fees regardless of attendance. For most competitions, the parents must travel with the gymnast, and handle all travel arrangements including transportation, meals and hotel. The coaches will provide information regarding meet location, days and times of competition, and hotels in the area. We are not informed of the exact day and time for each meet until one week prior to the competition. It is then the parent s responsibility to ensure that the gymnast arrives to the meet on time and is prepared. Please remember that the meet time- table actually begins the night before with a healthy meal and a good night s sleep. HOME MEET AND HOME INVITATIONALS Valley Twisters Gymnastics will host 2 Twister meets and 3-4 Hi- Liner home meets per year. We are planning to have one Twister meet in November and one in February. Home meets are only possible with a coordinated effort between the gym and the parents. Without this combined effort, home meets will not be possible. Home meets help keep our team costs down, are fun for your gymnasts and provide an opportunity to raise money for the Twisters program. Parents are expected to volunteer to help in some way at each home meet. REQUIREMENTS FOR COMPETITIONS Gymnasts must be prepared. See Gym Bags. Gymnasts are to remain with the team at ALL times. Parents are not allowed to contact the gymnast once she has entered the competition area. You may talk to your child after the completion of the awards ceremony. Gymnasts expressing negative behavior before or during the competition may be removed from the meet. This includes crying for any reason other than injury. Gymnasts are required to remain in full uniform for the awards ceremony. Hair must be arranged away from the face and not interfere with movement or skills. Team hair scrounge MUST be used. All other hair accessories must be blue or silver. Only one small stud earring / ear is allowed. No other piercings can have rings in them. Gymnast must arrive at the competition site 15 minutes PRIOR to general stretch time. Gymnasts should bring water and a small HEALTHY snack. (Fruits and vegetables are preferred.) TWISTERS TEAM FEE STRUCTURE: Season Each athlete involved in Valley Twisters Competitive Team or on the Team Track will pay a monthly gymnastics tuition. There will be a family discount of 20% taken off the lesser tuition. Tuition and meet fees must paid up to the current date before the gymnasts can be entered into a meet or participate in practice. All payments will be applied to the oldest portion of the bill. There will be a $25.00 fee for returned checks. Valley Twisters works in cooperation with VCHS. High school gymnasts who do not compete with the Twisters Team may not practice for their state meet until the summer session begins. 4

6 SEASON TUITION RATES Level 3 $198 Levels 4-5 $228 Levels 6-10 $272 Xcel $168 FEES AND DUE DATE All fees will be billed on the 25 th of the Month and will be due the 5 th of the following month. Statements will be mailed or sent via . June July August $57 USA Gymnastics Competition Fee $25 North Dakota Competition Fee, Uniform and Fee $35 Annual Valley Twisters Membership Fee TEAM UNIFORMS Team leotards and warm ups are to be worn only to meets. Jackets can be worn on meet week Friday s or in support of the Hi-Liners. The compulsory leotards will be new for 2016 season and will be used for 4 years. The optional leotards were new in 2015 season and will be used for 2 years. The xcel leotards will be new for 2016 season and will be used for 2 years. COSTS: These are estimates Bag: Approximately $50.00 Level 2: Compulsory Leotard only $65.00 Level 3-5: Compulsory Leotard, Warm Up Pants and Jacket $ Level 6-10: Optional leotard, Warm Up Pants and Jacket $275 TEAM BAGS Team members must maintain their own "gym bag" which should include: grips, wrist bands, wrist guards, water bottle, emery board or callus shaver, extra hair ties, etc. Optional gymnasts must have two pairs of grips a regular pair and spare pair that are already broken-in, and an extra copy of their floor music. COMPETITIVE MEET FEES These fees are an estimate based on the previous year s competitive cost. You will be billed based on what meets you signed up for on the meet entry form. The actual cost of each competition plus a coaching assessment of $25.00 will be billed for each meet. These will be billed out 2 months in advance of the meet. Fees must be current before you can be entered into a competition. Entries are generally mailed 2 months before the competition. Meet fees are non-refundable, so the gymnast must be willing to compete or forfeit the fee. Competitions, especially at the higher levels, are sometimes held outside the state, parents are responsible for any costs associated with this travel. There may also be fundraising opportunities you may choose to participate in throughout the year to help offset these costs. These are estimates for 2016 based on the 2014 fees: Level 2 $250 Levels 3-5 $540 Levels 6-7 $630 Levels 8 $700 Levels 9 $550 5

7 TEAM PRACTICE RULES GYMNASTS Arrive on time and ready to practice. No use of cell phones/ electronics during practice. Gymnasts must inform coach if they intend to leave early and again, when they actually do leave. Gymnasts must have hair pulled back and no jewelry. Practice attire is a leotard and gym shorts. Once you have left the locker room, you may not go back in. Use of a locker is a privilege. Do not leave food in your locker. Each gymnast is responsible to clean the locker room when assigned. Poor clean up = an additional week so you can be sure you have enough practice cleaning. Gymnasts are to be respectful of each other s space and belongings. Gymnasts are to show respect to coaches and all Twisters staff. Each gymnast is responsible to check their mail daily. Each gymnast is responsible to pick up after her snack. (Once a warning, twice, two weeks of cleaning the locker room). All gymnasts are expected to maintain the best physical condition possible. All injuries, no matter how small, must be promptly reported to the coach. Injured athletes are required to attend practice. Listen carefully to your coach, and ask questions if you don t understand. Put 100% effort into everything you do. Be polite to other athletes and coaches. Display good sportsmanship at all times. Dream high, anything is possible. Smile and have fun, a positive attitude is a must. ***Twisters gymnasts may not tweet, text or negative comments about the team, other athletes or coaches. This applies to all forms of social media: Facebook, etc. PARENTS Please drop off and pick up your child in a timely fashion. Check often as that is our primary mode of communication. Be sure to provide a HEALTHY snack for your gymnast. Parents may view practice from the parent deck. Please refrain from expressing negativity towards the gym, its Coaches and/or its facilities. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCE is a parent to communicate, visually or verbally, from the balcony to a gymnast or coach unless the coach requests such communication. Anyone doing so will be asked to come back when practice is over. STAFF: This rule will be rigidly enforced. The safety of our gymnasts is at stake. Things not to say to your gymnast: You beat Susie, all right! Did you do your If you win (or stick), I ll give you... (skill) today? That judge never liked you. Point your toes, be tight, or stick your routines! Things to say to your gymnast: You beat your highest score! 6

8 How was practice? Do your best! You ll do better next time. Have fun! You can do it! Parents need to become the essential link in the Training Triangle of Coach/Gymnast/Parent, your trust / respect in the coaching staff is paramount. Gymnasts need encouragement from their parents; they get enough constructive criticism from their coaches. When it seems that progress is not being made, a supportive hug after practice is the best thing a parent can do. Encouragement is great; however, please refrain from pressuring your child. A parent s number one job is to be their athlete s biggest fan! DISCIPLINE POLICY Valley Twisters is fortunate to work with dedicated, well behaved athletes. In the rare instance that discipline is needed, the following actions will be taken: Misconduct: 1 st : The gymnast will be given a time out. 2 nd : The parent will be contacted and the gymnast will lose the right to participate in practice for a day / week. 3 rd : The gymnast will be removed from the team. Threatening to harm others, fist fighting or intentionally hurting others are examples of conduct that would fit in this category. Showing disrespect to coaches, gymnast or staff Swearing or inappropriate language Use of alcohol, tobacco or drugs Other behavior deemed inappropriate by the coach. Athlete/Coach/Parent Triad (USA Gymnastics) Below is an overview of the Athlete/Coach/Parent Triad. This relationship is an exercise in compromise, communication and discipline. The athlete must always remain at the top of the pyramid, the purpose and motivation for the existence and necessity of the coach and parent. We wish you the best of luck in your role in this noble endeavor. The Athlete First and foremost, the athlete is essential or we would not exist. The athlete must have the desire to train the sport, the dedication to face and overcome obstacles and the perseverance to push on when the going gets tough. The athlete is on the team to learn from their coaches, from their teammate and from themselves. The athletes must make mistakes, make corrections and drive themselves to transcend beyond their perceived limitations. In our sport, athletes compete individually, against themselves. However, they are not alone...their coaches, their teammates and their parents are by their side lending support and cheering them on. In the end, the athlete will learn and remember the sum total of the entire experience in the sport. The Coach The coach is a mentor and a guide. The coach plans the training and competitive cycle for every athlete on the team. The coach leads by example and the team follows in their footsteps. The coach is not always right and sometimes makes mistakes. The coach is constantly learning and striving to find new ways to teach, motivate, 7

9 inspire and propel their athletes to the next level of performance. The coach is a communicator and mediator interrelated to the athlete, the team, the parent, the coaching staff and rival teams. The Parent The parent supports the athlete, the coach and the team. The parent is a spectator, allowing the athlete and the coach to perform their roles. The parent is a role model for the athlete, demonstrating disciplined behavior, showing respect and performing their duties to the highest level. The parent is strong enough to watch their athlete fail and tender enough to give a hug when they need one. The parent will occasionally cross the line with the athlete or coach and be humble enough to apologize and return to their territory. The parent is an advocate for their athlete, but does so in an appropriate manner. The parent provides balance, encouragement, and love. Being a Winning Parent Understanding the Mission and Philosophy of Our Team (By Randy Sikora, Gym Owner and Team Parent) A key component to your child s success is you. USA Gymnastics coined the term Athlete Triad ; Athlete, Parent & Coach working together to achieve the best possible experiences and outcomes. First, last and always is the Athlete, the center of our attention and focus. Often this reality is lost (or misplaced) due to negative outside factors such as ego (of the coach or parent), an unhealthy emphasis on winning, too much focus on the outcome rather than the entire process and/or a parent living vicariously through their child. Coaches and Parents have choices to make for their athlete/child. When making a decision we must ask; What overall, long-term benefits will the athlete receive? Will the process be both fun and rewarding? What are the possible dangers or harmful side effects of this decision? Are the goals set too high, too low, too fast, too demanding, or for a benefit of someone other than the athlete? Coaches perform a delicate balancing act every day. Our ability to walk this fine line comes from years of experience, education, planning, successes and learning from our mistakes. Some days, an emphasis will be placed on technical corrections whiles others will be focused on strength and speed, form and execution taking a lesser role. Overall, the training plan will be a complete picture. However, taken as a snapshot it will be incomplete and out of contest of our grand plan. Parents play a vital role as the supporter, both of the athlete and the coach. When your child needs a little encouragement, it is your job to give them a hug, tell them how wonderful they are and send them to train with a renewed confidence. It is your responsibility as a parent to know your child s goals, dreams, challenges, limitations and achievements. After all, you are in the child s corner for life. It is your challenge to effectively communicate to the coach and listen, seek to understand, and do what is best for your child. We are a sum of all of our experiences. Our mission is to provide a fun, safe, nurturing, challenging and rewarding environment for athletes to have a healthy experience both overcoming challenges and learning from failure. Just because you can-doesn t always mean you should? Parents are driven to do what they perceive as the best thing for their child. This may not be realistic, healthy or focused on the long-term best interest of their child/athlete. In the end, the parent has the choice whether or not to support the coach s decision, compromise with the coach or find another coach with a more congruent philosophy. 8

10 VALLEY TWISTER GYMNASTICS TEAM COMMITMENT FORM (To be returned to the office before the Fall schedule begins.) I have read, understand and agree to abide by the Team Rules and Responsibilities as outlined in the Valley Twisters Competitive Team Handbook. I make a commitment to fulfill my roles to the best of my ability and to support this program with my words, actions and deeds. I agree to take disagreements and problems to the Director as a first attempt to resolve issues. I agree to notify the Director in person if my child decides to end her training at Valley Twisters. I agree to be responsible for the financial commitments involved in gymnastics at Valley Twisters. I understand that I am responsible for any additional financial charges incurred by Valley Twisters if legal actions must be pursued to obtain my payments. Parent Signature Date I have read the Valley Twisters Team Handbook as it pertains to the gymnast and agree to be responsible to the best of my abilities to uphold the rule and policies. I also agree to make a commitment to represent Valley Twisters as a competitive gymnast. Gymnasts Signature Date 2017 USA Gymnastics State Meet I have been informed that Valley Twisters Gymnastics is hosting the North Dakota USA Gymnastics State Meet March 17-19, I understand that our family will be required to put in an additional 12 CCP hours during the weekend of the state meet. Parent Signature Date 9