Wildcard Gymnastics Team News

Photos proofs are available for all gymnasts except those in Gold Bugs and girls’ Level 8. Several of those groups still need to have their photos taken (those will be posted when the level is finished). The photos are organized alphabetically by last name. If your child’s photos are missing, please let us know and we can re-upload the proof version. The watermarked proofs are available for viewing here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/129576374@N04/sets/72157649405999515/

If you would like the non-watermarked versions of the photos, you will receive all of your gymnasts photos, including the all team and their respective level photo for $15. You will also receive a copyright release so you may do with these photos how you choose. You will be sent 4×6 photos in print quality. If you need a larger file, we can try accommodate, but the 4×6 should be good enough to increase to an 8×11 without any significant loss in quality.

To order, please send an e-mail with the e-mail address you want the photos sent to and either pay in person or have us bill it to your card on file.

A big thank you goes to the Boys’ Level 4, Girls’ Fast Track, Girls’ Xcel and Girls’ Level 8 for all being present and ready the first time photos were taken.

The following gymnasts still need to have photos taken and should do so on Monday at 4:30 p.m.:

Gold Bugs II Team Photo (all competing Gold Bugs II gymnasts)
Kassidy D.
Grace D.
Alana L.
Keagan R.
Mahogany S.

Girls’ Level 3
Vanesa K.

Girls’ Level 6
Sofia B.

Girls’ Level 8 (problem with the camera and we need to re-take)
Rose D.
Bella G.
Ava G.
Glenna P.
Anastasia R.
Crystal S.
(for Level 8, Ashley W. and the team photos worked)

Boys’ Level 8
Reed B.

Please wear your competition leotard/singlet.

This weekend is the last competition before State for the Girls’ compulsories. We are using this weekend’s meet as a practice for State, so we are preparing mentally and physically to be in peak condition. By using this as a “practice” State meet, we can smooth out the rough edges and feel really prepared for the actual State Championships.

We want the gymnasts to design their own Championship game plan in order to help them prepare for the State meet.  We will be passing out State Goal sheets next week, as well as have another homework assignment and Spirit Days before the State Championships.  However, if your gymnast is already working on what is needed to be ready for State, that’s going to build confidence, mental strength, and feelings of being prepared!

Click here for the Championship Game Plan!  Let’s get ready!

Fundraisers Due — Team, the fundraisers were due on Saturday. If you haven’t had the opportunity to turn yours in, PLEASE do so today (Nov. 17). It is imperative that we get those in hand so we can place the order to have in prior to Thanksgiving.

Don’t Forget About the Drop & Shop Overnight Next Week — The Thanksgiving night Drop & Shop overnight is Thursday, Nov. 27, starting at 8 p.m. with pickup at 10 a.m. The pre-registration cost for team kids is $35. Friends and family members are welcome! Click here for more details.

Also, remember about the New Year’s Eve Overnight. It is $40 for pre-registered team kids. Drop off is 7 p.m. on Dec. 31 with pick-up at 7 a.m. Jan. 1, 2015, to be precise. Click here for more information on this sleepover.

This Week’s Schedule — With the girls’ competition taking place over three days this weekend and with levels being split across days, we’re adjusting the practice schedule for those competing gymnasts slightly. The following are changes to the practice schedule:

Thursday — The Level 4s that compete on Friday (Madeline, Kerigan, Ella, Maeggan) should come on Thursday, 4:30-7:30 p.m.

Friday — The remaining Level 4s should come to practice on Friday, 4:30-7:30 p.m. All Level 3/4s (Mariyah, Aniyah, Nora, Angela, Ayanna, Taylor) should come to this practice as well, regardless if the gymnast competes on Saturday or Sunday. The remaining Level 3s who compete on Saturday (Emma L., Jordan S.) should come on Friday. The Level 6s and 8s will practice as normal on Friday.

Saturday — All the Level 2s and Level 3s that compete on Sunday and didn’t practice on Friday (Essence, Sarah, Rhianna, Kaylie, Vanesa) will practice 9 a.m.-11 a.m. on Saturday. Xcel will practice as normal 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

No TOPs on Saturday. Optional Purple will practice.

We know this is a bit confusing, so if you have questions, let us know.

Thanksgiving Week Schedule — The following are the changes to the Thanksgiving Week 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 (note the abbreviated practice time). Xcel Silver will practice 5-7 p.m. and Xcel Gold will practice 4:30-7 p.m. (please note the changed practice times for Xcel). We are trying to be done early on Wednesday. Boys practices, TBD.

Thursday, Nov. 27: No practice. Please come to the Thanksgiving overnight.

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. Boys TBD, Xcel TBD.

Christmas/New Year’s Schedule — The following are the changes to the schedule during the Christmas and New Year’s weeks for Girls’ Levels 2-8 only (Boys and Xcel practices TBD):

Monday, Dec. 22: No changes, practice as usual.

Tuesday, Dec. 23: No changes, practice as usual.

Wednesday, Dec. 24: Levels 6-8, noon-3 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 25: No practice. Merry Christmas!

Friday, Dec. 26: No practice.

Saturday, Dec. 27: Levels 6-8, 1-3 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 28: No practice.

Monday, Dec. 29: No practice.

Tuesday, Dec. 30: Levels 6-8, 1-3 p.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 31: No practice. Please come to the New Year’s Overnight.

Thursday, Jan. 1: No practice. Happy New Year!

Friday, Jan. 2: Levels 6-8, 1-3 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 3: No practice.

Sunday, Jan. 4: No practice. Boys’ meet at Altius.

At this point, we don’t have a compulsory workout scheduled. We might add one or two in so they don’t go the whole time without working out, but given that it is just after the conclusion of their season and we’ll just be transitioning to the introduction of the new levels, they should be fine. Those gymnasts who pass out of Level 5 into Level 6 can come to the Level 6-8 practices.

Boys’ will have practice times during this schedule to prepare for their meet on Jan. 4. Those times will come later.

Xcel will have practices scheduled during this time as well. Those will be announced later.

The practice on Dec. 24 for Levels 6-8 is being held to keep the group from having more than two consecutive days off during the holiday break. We will understand if your gymnast will not be able to attend this workout, but for gymnasts that miss practice regularly, this is a great opportunity to get the work in.

Please watch the blog for a holiday workout to be done at home on the off days. Please encourage your gymnast to do the workouts so their bodies will be in peak physical condition.  (Feel free to do it with them after eating all the turkey/holiday goodies.)

Make Up Pictures — Make-ups for photos will be done on Monday, Nov. 24 beginning at 4:30 p.m. All Gold Bugs II who are competing should show up with their competition leotard for an all-team photo even if they have had their individual photos taken. And as a reminder, Gold Bugs are on the recreation schedule, not the team schedule, so they will not have practice on Monday or Wednesday of Thanksgiving week.

Any other boys’ or girls’ team members who have not had their photos taken should come at this time.

Photos for those who have had theirs taken should be available for viewing and purchase by the end of the week.

State Meet Information — At this time, we still do not have a schedule for either the Level 3, 4, 5 state meet or the Level 2 state meet. As with every other meet, once we get the information from the meet organizers, we will send it out to the parents through the blog immediately. We do not sit on any information regarding meets. We anticipate the Level 3, 4, 5 state meet information coming next week sometime once the last meet of the qualifying season has finished.

Upcoming 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). Those meet fees will be paid in three installments of $65 each. All Fast Track gymnasts are expected to compete in the winter meets.

As of now, the following Gold Bugs II parents have paid their meet fees and will be signed up for meets: Jillian C., Grace D., Lily D., Serenity J., Alanna L. and Mahogany S. For those not listed, please pay the meet fee promptly if you are planning on having your child compete. We can not enter your child in any competitions, if these fees aren’t paid ahead of time.  Please let us know if your Gold Bug II gymnast is going to be competing.

Also, all boys and Level 6 & 8 girls have their final set of meet fees due on Dec. 15.

Any competing gymnast not paid for meet fees by the due date will have the charge automatically billed to the credit card on file.

Success Wall Additions — Once again, we had a very successful meet with several additions to the success wall. Those with photos going up from the Camouflage Classic are:

Level 3:
Aniyah B. — 9.525 on vault, 9.100 on beam
Essence B. — 9.000 on beam
Angela B. — 9.000 on beam
Vanesa K. — 9.500 on vault
Mariyah L. — 9.075 on beam
Sarah S. — 9.225 on bars
Taylor T. — 9.300 on beam

Level 4
Madeline C. — 9.050 on beam
Aaliyah K. — 9.050 on vault
Ryann W. — 9.000 on beam

We also have one correction from the M&M Meet’s success wall additions. Emily C. was inadvertently left off for Level 2. She scored a 9.200 on bars and 9.250 on floor.

Sunday Updated Times — LaFleur’s has revised its meet schedule for this weekend based on the addition of several Level 3s. The new rotation times are as follows:

SUNDAY, NOV. 16

GIRLS’ LEVEL 3 – Angela, Kaylie, Vanesa, Ayanna, Rhianna, Taylor
Arrive – 12:15 p.m.
Stretch – 12:30 p.m.
Meet Begins — 1:40 p.m.
Awards — 3:30 p.m.

GIRLS’ LEVEL 3 – Essence, Mariyah, Emma L., Jordan S., Sarah, Nora L., Aniyah
Arrive – 3:45 p.m.
Stretch – 4 p.m.
Meet Begins — 5:10 p.m.
Awards — 6:45 p.m.

Please note the slightly later start times. A complete and updated meet schedule is available here.

Hawaiian Pineapple Meet Times — Actual times for the Hawaiian Pineapple meet on Dec. 20-21 will be available on Dec. 1 according to meet organizers, but we have general times. The Level 6 girls will be Sunday, Dec. 21 in the early morning. Level 8 girls will be Sunday, Dec. 21 in the early evening.

Aloha Gymfest Meet Days — Actual times for the Aloha Gymfest on Jan. 16-18 will be available in mid December, but we have been given tentative dates for competition. The compulsory level girls (Levels 3, 4, 5) will be Friday, Jan. 16 with competition likely no earlier than 2:30 p.m. The Level 6s will be Sunday, Jan. 18 (no time noted). Use these as guidelines when planning excursions during your time on Oahu.

Pre-Practice Times — While most gymnasts have been good about staying off equipment prior to practice, it is now of even more importance that we have the gymnasts out of the way. The Brookfield High School team practices at the gym from 3:30-5:30 p.m. most days. So it is imperative that we stay out of their way during their time prior to practice starting.

Success Wall Additions — Since we haven’t had an informational blog post in the last few days, we haven’t had a chance to note our success wall additions from the M&M meet.  The photos are already up on the wall. Those gymnasts added to the success wall are:

Level 2
Caelyr G. — 9.000 on floor
Claire M. — 9.000 on bars, 9.000 on beam
Emma M. — 9.500  on bars, 9.200 on floor
Maggie M. — 9.000 on beam, 9.300 on floor
Sadie P. — 9.000 on bars
Brooklyn S. — 9.350 on beam

Level 3
Aniyah B. — 9.075 on floor
Sarah S. — 9.500 on vault
Taylor T. — 9.200 on beam

Level 4
Aaliyah K. — 9.175 on floor

Level 6
Delaney H. — 9.050 on beam, 1st on floor, 1st all-around
Lilly J. — 1st on bars
Izzie L. — 1st on beam
Miley L. — 9.000 on vault

Level 8
Ava G. — 1st on vault, 1st on bars, 1st on beam, 1st on floor, 1st all-around
Bella G. — 1st on floor
Glenna P. — 1st on vault
Anastasia R. — 1st on vault, 1st on beam, 1st on floor, 1st all-around
Crystal S. — 1st on bars

This week’s Toughness Training is dealing with resiliency in sports. Resilience is “the ability of a substance or object to spring back into shape; elasticity or the capacity to recover from difficulties; toughness.” We all deal with adversity, dissatisfaction, and disappointment at one time or another. Everyone needs to learn how to “bounce back” from it so they can experience success and find happiness in what they do.

Here’s a great article about resilience and much of our homework is based upon it. http://www.nbccamps.com/tips/basketball/seven-ways-to-deal-with-disappointment-in-sports

Parents, please help your child understand how to “bounce back” by being a role model in this manner for them. I love the story at the end of the above article about the butterfly.  Let’s be sure our gymnasts turn into amazing butterflies!

Click here for this week’s homework: Bouncing Back

There will be no boys practice on Wednesday, Nov. 12th and Wednesday, Nov. 19th due to Candace’s conferences schedule at school. We apologize for any inconvenience. Level 4’s can still fulfill the required amount of time by attending the Monday and Saturday practices.

Pick Up Grips and Tiger Paws — With no practice tonight (Oct. 31), some gymnasts may have forgotten their grips or tiger paws for the meet this weekend at M&M. The gym will be open on Saturday from 9 a.m.-noon for gymnasts to pick up their grips or tiger paws.

Saturday Practice — With the meet on Saturday, we are having to shorten the Level 2 practice by a few minutes this Saturday (Nov. 1). The practice will end at 11:20 a.m. instead of the usual noon.

Monday Practice — The Monday practice will be normal instead of shifted for a staff meeting. We will not have the staff meeting. Optional gymnasts will practice normal times (Purple 4:30-8:30, Silver 5:30-8:30, groups to be determined on Saturday).

Level 4s trying out on Wednesday for Level 5 can stay from 7:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. for additional instruction in an effort to better prepare for the tryout, which is scheduled on Wednesday from 7:30-8:30 p.m.

Winter Season Level 2s Meet Fees — Gold Bugs II and Fast Track, your first installment of three of meet fees will be due November 15 (with subsequent fees due December 15 and January 15). Those meet fees are $195 and will be paid in three installments of $65 each. All Fast Track gymnasts are expected to compete in the winter meets. Parents of Gold Bugs II gymnasts, please let us know of your child’s intent.

Those Gold Bugs who are competing will move to a team group in January following the fall/winter session (days and times are yet to be determined). Those not competing should continue to enroll in Gold Bugs II.

Also, all boys, Xcel and Level 6 & 8 girls have the third set of meet fees due on Nov. 15.

Any gymnast not paid for meet fees by the due date will have the charge automatically billed to the credit card on file.

Attending Proper Practice Times — We have had a rash of gymnasts attending practices in which they would not ordinarily attend. Please have your gymnast attend the proper practice time. If you have any questions on practice times, see one of the coaches.

Individual/Level Photos — We will be taking individual and level photos a bit early this year. Without a meet the weekend after the week of Nov. 3-7, we will be taking pictures of individuals and each team during practice time instead of our usual week of Thanksgiving. We will make these photos available for $15 and will include three posed photos, your child’s head shot, and your child’s level photo in a digital download. You can choose to do with those what you want. We will try to offer a place where you can see a proof of the photos.

Please have your child’s competition leotard (or singlet and black shorts for boys if the shorts and pants aren’t in by next week) with them on the day they are scheduled to be photographed. Hair and/or makeup should be done prior to the scheduled time. There will be no retakes and your child will not be in the level photograph if they are not here during their scheduled time. The schedule is as follows:

Monday, Nov. 3 — All Boys 5-6 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 4 — Girls’ Level 3, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 5 — Competing Gold Bugs II, 4:30-5:30 p.m.; Girls’ Level 4, 5:30-6:30 p.m.; Xcel, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Thursday, Nov. 6 — Girls’ Level 2, 4:30-5:30 p.m.; Fast Track, 5:30-6:30 p.m.; Girls’ Level 6, 6:30-7:30 p.m.; Girls’ Level 8, 7:30-8:30 p.m.

Level 5/6 Tryout — We will have a tryout for current Girls’ Level 4  gymnasts wishing to qualify out of Level 5 and move directly to Level 6 on Wednesday, Nov. 5 from 7:30-8:30 p.m. Any Level 4 gymnast who has qualified for state (which is also the move up score for the level) may take part in the tryout. If your child is wishing to tryout, please let us know as soon as possible so we may begin prepping them for the tryout. Skills on the tryout include: front tuck and roundoff back handspring/back tuck on floor; back walkover or back handspring on beam; a clear hip and a flyaway on bars. We will not be testing vault as it is the same vault for Levels 4, 5 and 6.  Gymnasts who are interested in this tryout can use “up training time” during the weekly practice to work on the Level 5 skills.  Many of these skills have already been introduced during their practices.

While we are giving everyone the opportunity to try out, it will be necessary that the gymnast demonstrates proficiency at Level 5 (and that she will be competent at Level 6).  It is totally okay to not be ready at this point.Many of these skills will be trained over the summer so that they will be proficient at Level 5 next season. Should gymnasts pass the tryout, we will try to enter them as Level 5s into the Buffalo Grove Hawaiian Pineapple Invitational in Schaumburg on Dec. 19-21. Should the gymnast achieve the necessary 31.000 qualification score at that meet, she will move to the Level 6 group and compete two meets and state (assuming the state-qualification score of 31.000 is met). The meets the gymnasts will compete as Level 6s are:

Wildcard Cruise Classic, Mequon, Wis., Feb. 7-8
Lucky Invitational, Waukegan, Ill., Mar. 14-15
State Championships, Franklin, Wis., Mar. 28-29

Please note, there are additional meet fees required should your gymnast move up.

Last season, all five Level 4s that did the Hawaiian Pineapple meet got their move up score and every Level 6 earned a state-qualification score in their first meet.

Those gymnasts who aren’t proficient in the majority of the skills at the tryout may still be invited to do Level 5 in the off-season AAU meets.

Holiday Sleepovers — We are having two Holiday sleepovers, one on Thanksgiving for all of those wishing to drop the kids and shop for a great deal, and another on New Year’s Eve.

The Thanksgiving night Drop & Shop overnight is Thursday, Nov. 27, starting at 8 p.m. with pickup at 10 a.m. The pre-registration cost for team kids is $35. Click here for more details.

The New Year’s Eve Overnight is $40 for pre-registered team kids. Drop off is 7 p.m. on Dec. 31 with pick-up at 7 a.m. the next year (well, Jan. 1, 2015, to be precise). Click here for more information on this sleepover.

Fund-raising — Pasta and coffee/fudge/cookies fund-raising is coming to a close. Please have all your fund-raising items turned in by Nov. 15 so we may have it all back in by Thanksgiving.

Monday Staff Meeting — There is a staff meeting on Monday, Nov. 3 beginning at 7:30 p.m. Practice will finish at 7:30 p.m. for all levels. All optional-level gymnasts should come at 4:30 p.m. to get the full practice.

The new Purple and Silver optional groups will start on Tuesday, Nov. 4. Those groups will be determined by all-around score at Saturday’s meet. The top 4 Level 8s will go to Purple with the lowest 3 going to Silver. The top 6 Level 6s will to go Purple with the 6 lower scoring Level 6s going to Silver. We will notify everyone by e-mail Saturday night after the meet. Those gymnasts not competing (Ava C., Olga) will be in Silver.