Wildcard Gymnastics Team News

Sorry for the multiple posts this week, but there is a lot going on.

Holiday Party — Our team holiday party is scheduled for Monday, Dec. 22 from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at the gym. All boys, Xcel, Gold Bugs II, Fast Track and Girls’ Levels 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8 gymnasts are invited. The Level 8 girls will be in charge of the entertainment for the party.

Gymnasts are to bring a gift valued at $20 or less to trade in a secret santa gift exchange. Gymnasts in all levels except Gold Bugs II, Fast Track & Level 2 will exchange names. Gold Bugs II, Fast Track & Level 2 should bring a gift to exchange amongst the group.

If your gymnast is unable to attend the party please drop off your gift for your gymnast at the gym prior to the party.  Dress in fun holiday attire.

Pizza and drinks will be provided. All other gymnasts should bring some sort of snack or dessert to share.

There will be no practice following the party.

Off-Season Girls’ Compulsory Meets — In the off-season, girls’ team members in Levels 2-4 are given the opportunity to compete in meets to continue the competitive experience. Most gymnasts will be given the opportunity to compete at the next level, if they feel ready and have the majority of the skills. (There will be some gymnasts who may want to compete their current level during the off-season as they train the next level too). The following is the off-season meet schedule, meet fee and due dates:

Feb. 7-8 — Wildcard Cruise Classic (AAU, Mequon) — $55 — due Jan. 5
Feb. 21-22 — Hang 10.0 Inv. (USAG, Kenosha) — $80 — due Dec. 19
Mar. 21-22 — Gymtastics Inv. (AAU, Watertown) — $50 — due Feb. 1 *
Apr. 11 — Carousel Inv. (AAU, Plover) — $50 — due Feb. 1
June 10-14 — AAU Nationals (AAU, Las Vegas) — $90 — due Apr. 20 *
Aug. 5-7 — AAU Junior Olympics (AAU, Virginia Beach) — $90 — due June 15 *
* subject to an earlier deadline once we get meet invitation

Any current Level 2 gymnasts doing the Hang 10.0 meet in Kenosha will also have to pay an additional $35 for a USAG membership for Level 3.

Gymnasts will still need to try out in the summer to compete the next level in the 2015 USAG season next fall.

Next Set of Meet Fees — Gold Bugs II and Fast Track will have their second installment of three of meet fees will be due December 15 (with the final installment due January 15). That amount is $65.

Also, all boys and Level 6 & 8 girls have their final set of meet fees due on Dec. 15. The last installment for Girls Levels 6-8 is $190 and for boys is $160 for Level 4 and $200 for Level 8.

Level 3-5 State Championships — Congratulations to all of our competitors and qualifiers for the 2014 Wisconsin Levels 3-5 State Gymnastics Championships. It was a great meet and as expected, Wildcard gymnasts did very well. We won more individual medals (53) and had more all-around medalists (10) than we have ever had in Level 3 and 4. All the hard work has definitely paid off.

We usually finish the weekly blog post with our success wall additions, but since it was state, we will start with them. To qualify for the success wall at state, a gymnast must medal on an event (or get a 9.0 or 9.5 on Level 3 vault). First we’d like to congratulate Aniyah B. as the Level 3 state vault champion and Aaliyah K. as the Level 4 state uneven bars champion. Every Level 4 gymnast earned a medal on at least one of the events. The following are additions to the success wall:

Level 3
Aniyah B. — 1st vault, 4th bars, 4th beam, 4th floor, 4th all-around
Essence B. — 5th bars, 5th floor, 5th all-around
Angela B. — 7th bars, 8th beam, 8th all-around
Vanesa K. — 8th vault
Ayanna L. — 7th vault, 7th beam
Nora L. — 5th vault, 4th beam
Mariyah L. — 5th vault, 6th bars, 6th beam, 6th all-around
Emma L. — 5th bars, 4th beam, 5th floor, 4th all-around
Sarah S. — 2nd vault, 7th bars, 7th floor
Taylor T. — 4th vault, 2nd beam, 4th floor, 4th all-around

Level 4
Madeline C. — 7th bars, 4th beam, 5th all-around
Emily G. — 7th beam, 7th floor
Nadia J. — 3rd vault, 6th floor, 6th all-around
Ella J. — 4th vault, 5th bars, 7th all-around
Aaliyah — 1st bars, 6th beam, 7th floor, 3rd all-around
Ryann W. — 5th bars
Kerigan S. — 7th vault, 7th floor
Norah T. — 5th vault
Maeggan X. — 7th beam
Kamryn W. — 5th vault

Level 2 State Week Information — Not much will change for the Level 2s this week during their state meet. Practice on Tuesday and Thursday will remain the same. Thursday at 6:30 p.m. will be the team dinner at the gym with pick-up by 7:15 p.m. If you haven’t paid your $10 for the team dinner, please do so soon.  (Please note: Level 3/2s will practice with the Level 2s on Tuesday and Thursday. Those in 3/2 will move in with the Level 3 group on Tuesday after the Level 2 practice. )

Also, Level 2s, if you haven’t done your blog homework, please do that prior to Thursday. The Level 2s will practice on Saturday as usual. There will be no Level 3 practice on Saturday so we may focus on the Level 2s.  Also, please no Fast Track gymnasts on Saturday so we may focus on the competing Level 2s. There will be TOPs and Optional Purple this Saturday.

There will be no mini-TOPs this week as we focus on the state meet on Sunday. All gymnasts competing Level 2 will train with the Level 2s, including the Level 3/2s.

Optional Purple/Silver Groups for the Next Two Weeks — Optionals, we are not changing the groups through the Christmas break. What we are offering is for all Level 6-8 gymnasts to come 4:30-8:30 on regular practice days through the Hawaiian Pineapple meet in two weeks to get extra work. We will assign groups at practice. For practice on Saturday, Dec. 13, the current optional purple group may attend. For practice on Saturday, Dec. 20, all optional gymnasts may attend in advance of the meet on Dec. 21.

Good Luck to the Boys’ Team — The Wildcard Level 4 boys have their first meet this Saturday, Dec. 13 in Racine. If you see Charlie, Jack, Dylan, Max or West in the gym this week, wish them good luck prior to their first meet.

Team Tumbling & Trampoline — We are going to offer, staring next session, a Tumbling and Trampoline class for the team gymnasts. (All Levels are welcome!) There are three opportunities to compete locally (Scamps meet in late February, State meet in April and Regionals in May). There might be an opportunity to compete twice nationally (once at USAG nationals and once at AAU Junior Olympics).

T&T competitions usually cost $50 for the first event and $10 for each of the remaining two events. A tumbling competition consists of two tumbling passes on a rod floor. A trampoline competition consists of a 10-skill routine on trampoline. A double mini competition consists of a two skills on an inclined trampoline. Gymnasts do not have to compete to be in the class. The cost of the class for team members for the eight-week session will be $75.

Competitions come in compulsory levels through Level 7 and begin very simplistically, so anyone can be a part of this team. There is also no age requirement to compete unlike in gymnastics.  This is open to boys and girls!  This will give the gymnasts a chance to learn some more tumbling.

Fund-raising Items — Cookies will be in Tuesday night and available on Wednesday for pick up. We still haven’t heard when fudge will be delivered. Missing pasta and coffee should be in early this week.

Holiday Sale — In the pro-shop, there are new bling logo t-shirts in purple and black in both long and short sleeve in S, M, L, XL and XXL. The short sleeves are $20 and the long sleeve shirts are $25.

Also, we are discounting the remaining stock of Sylvia P leotards that we had for last year’s state meets. Those are now roughly 20 percent off (rounded to the nearest dollar). Get those in time for Christmas. We hope to restock the Sylvia P shelves after Christmas with their “summer” line, which should go on discount after Christmas.

2015 Aloha Gymfest
Jan 16-19, 2015
Charles B. Wang Gymnasium, LeJardin Academy
917 Kalanianaole Hwy., Kailua, Hawaii | MAP | 16.9 mi., 21 min. (from Honolulu International Airport)

FRIDAY, JAN. 16

GIRLS’ LEVEL 6-UP PRACTICES
Stretch – 11 a.m.
Practice Begins — 11:30 a.m.
Practice Ends — 1:30 p.m.

Please note, the coaches are scheduled to land at 11 a.m. and will be to the meet site around noon. We will text you when we are on our way. They have indicated they will let us have some extra time if we need it.

GIRLS’ LEVEL 3 – Aniyah, Rhianna, Essence
Arrive – 2:15 p.m.
Stretch – 2:30 p.m.
Meet Begins — 2:55 p.m.
Awards — 5 p.m.

SATURDAY, JAN. 17

GIRLS’ LEVEL 9-10 SESSION – Gymnasts from around the world
Arrive – 5:15 p.m.
Stretch – 5:30 p.m.
Meet Begins — 6 p.m.
Awards — 9 p.m.

SUNDAY, JAN. 18

GIRLS’ LEVEL 6 – Aaliyah, Bradyn, Elie
Arrive – 10:45 a.m.
Stretch – 11 a.m.
Meet Begins — 11:30 a.m.
Awards — 2 p.m.

MONDAY, JAN. 19

MEET PICNIC – All Wildcard Gymnasts
Arrive – 11 a.m.
Ends – 3 p.m.
Location – Kalama Beach Club, 280 N. Kalaheo Ave., Kailua (MAP), 19.7 mi., 25 min.
Details — Our complimentary beach picnic will be held at Kalama Beach Club on Monday, January 19, 2015. Make plans for you, your team and families to join us for food and fun. Come enjoy the ocean and make new friends with those gymnasts and families from other teams. We will provide lifeguards for your safety. The picnic will be from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. An annual picnic activity is our group picture with all our participating gymnasts and coaches. With the use of our Aloha Gymfest sign, many teams take their own pictures as well. Directions are attached.

Competing Teams – California Gymnastics Academy (California), Flicka, (Vancouver, Canada), Gymnastics Unlimited (Washington), Inland Empire (Idaho), Island Tumblers (Hawaii), Island Twisters (Hawaii), K-Bay (Hawaii), Kokokahi (Hawaii), Kona Aerials (Hawaii), Lone Mountain (Montana), Metro (Oregon), NASA (Washington), Pantheon (Hawaii), Peninsula (California), Rainbow (Washington), Redwood (Calif.), Tobiuo (Japan), Typhoon Twisters (Okinawa, Japan), Victory (Calif.), Yamanashi (Kofu, Japan), AcroBrats (Calif.), TRY (Kanagawa, Japan).

Private lessons are being offered to any gymnast (regardless of Level or gender) for $35 per hour. Private lessons are for one hour only, but may be split among two gymnasts. Please pay your instructor directly (with checks made out to the instructor or with cash). We will not put these on your account or take credit card for these lessons. They must be paid for prior to the lesson.

Private lessons are available from Alie, Amy, Blain, Julia or Christina (a former coach who is returning to coach for us as of this week). Christina only will take compulsory gymnasts on Friday morning only. Boys should only sign up with Blain. Hallie is also available on Saturday afternoon and she has a great grasp of the routines and is a great resource for the Level 2s.

Private lessons are available on Wednesday prior to practice, Friday before and after practice and Saturday after practice. Optionals, Boys and Xcel gymnasts are allowed to sign up.

Signups may be done via Sign-Up Genius at the following link:

www.SignUpGenius.com/go/20F0C4DAEA82AA7FE3-thanksgiving

Anyone who has already arranged a private lesson time is entered in the sign-up genius already.

Thanksgiving Workout — Here is a Thanksgiving workout to be done at home. If your gymnasts is going to be missing multiple practices, please encourage them to do the workout each day. Parents, please feel free to join your gymnast in this workout. Many of the items can be modified for your ability level. This workout includes flexibility and conditioning from our Flex/Event circuits that the team kids all do before practice so they should be familiar with all the exercises. Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Click here for the Thanksgiving holiday workout!

Thanksgiving Drop & Shop Cancelled — The Thanksgiving Drop & Shop has been cancelled due to a lack of signups. Only four individuals were pre-registered. Those three families that were registered, you have not been charged. We apologize for the inconvenience of the cancellation.

We typically have a good turnout for the New Year’s Eve Overnight. We will cancel that event if we don’t have at least 15 registered by Dec. 20. If your child is planning to attend, please have them signed up prior to the Dec. 20 date so we can ensure that it will run.

Thanksgiving Week Schedule — The is a reminder of this week’s practice schedule:

Monday, Nov. 24: No changes, practice as usual.

Tuesday, Nov. 25: No changes, practice as usual.

Wednesday, Nov. 26: Level 3/4 and Level 4 will practice 4:30-7 p.m.
Xcel Silver will practice 5-7 p.m. and Xcel Gold will practice 4:30-7 p.m.
No boys practice.

Thursday, Nov. 27: No practice. Happy Thanksgiving

Friday, Nov. 28: Levels 6 and 8, noon-3 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 29: Levels 2, 3, 3/4, 4, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
No boys practice.
No Xcel practice.

Photo Make-Ups — Please note that the picture makeups for gymnasts who didn’t have photos taken two weeks ago is today (Monday, Nov. 24) beginning at 4:30 p.m. All Level 8s (except Ashley) will need to have their photos retaken. Please have your competition leotards with you (and another leotard to practice in if you are also practicing tonight).

State Meet Information — We have been advised that the final schedule for Level 3-5 state will be out by Tuesday night. We will post that information as soon as we have it. There will be a Friday night session, but that will be for Level 5s, we’ve been told. There is a small chance of a Level 3 session on Friday night.

The coaches are staying at the Radisson Hotel & Conference Center Green Bay (near the airport, attached to Oneida Bingo Casino, about 4 mi. from the meet site). Double bed rooms are available at $85/night before taxes as of this post.

The Level 2 State meet will most likely be held only on Sunday, Dec. 14, according to meet orgainzers.

Success Wall Additions — In our final regular season meet for the compulsory season, the following gymnasts are being added to the success wall:

Level 2
Emily C. — 9.000 on bars
Olivia G. — 9.100 on bars
Emma M. — 9.550 on vault, 9.250 on bars, 9.000 on beam
Brooklyn S. — 9.350 on beam

Level 3
Essence B. — 9.000 on bars, 9.000 on beam
Angela B. — 9.150 on bars
Ayanna L. — 9.125 on bars
Sarah S. — 9.250 on bars

Level 4
Madeline C. — 9.100 on beam
Aaliyah K. — 9.325 on bars (1st place), 9.100 on beam
Norah T. — 9.000 on vault
Ryann W. — 9125 on bars
Maeggan X. — 9.150 on beam

And a huge congratulations to all of our compulsory-level gymnasts. For the first time in club history, we have had every healthy gymnast qualify for state from the compulsory levels. And, we did it with a couple of meets to spare! Way to go, team! Now to get ready to rack up the medals! Goal sheets will be given to the Level 3 and 4 gymnasts at Saturday’s practice.

Additionally, the bar judges (Olympian Chellsie Memmel included) shared with us that Ayanna’s Level 3 bar dismount was the best dismount they’d seen in competition, maybe even EVER! This is a huge compliment and we should use this as inspiration going into State.  Despite that sometimes the scoring is low or frustrating, our gymnasts’ hard work is paying off and the judges have noticed!  Let’s really put 110% in as we move towards State and make this the most fun and most successful meet of our season!

Boys will practice on Monday, Nov. 24th as normal.

There will be no practice Wednesday or Saturday due to Thanksgiving.

Have a great holiday!