Team Photo and Pre-Season Meet — Team, please remember that the all-team photo and pre-season meet will take place on Friday, Sept. 5. The photo will be at 4:30 p.m., so please be prompt. We hope to start warm ups for the pre-season meet at 5:30 p.m. and be done by 8:30 p.m. The team photo is for all levels including Gold Bugs II (those competing in February), Fast Track (those competing in February), Girls’ Level 2, Girls’ Level 3/2, Girls’ Level 3, Girls’ Level 3/4, Girls Level 4, Girls’ Optionals, Girls’ Xcel Silver, Girls’ Xcel Gold and all Boys’ Levels 4, 5 and 8. If you don’t know if your child is competing in February and she is in Gold Bugs II or Fast Track, assume they are and be part of the team photo.
Girls should be wearing the long-sleeve leotard (assuming it comes by Friday… more on that) or the exhibition leotard we currently have (assuming our replacements haven’t come). If the long-sleeve leotard hasn’t arrived, then everyone will wear the exhibition leotard. Boys should wear a black Wildcard gymnastics t-shirt and black shorts. We will have extra black t-shirts to borrow if need be. Coaches, we will try to provide you a t-shirt. You should wear black or khaki shorts, leggings or pants.
The pre-season meet is for any Level 2 that is competing in the fall season (Emily C., Neave, Olivia, Caelyr, Kendra, Jennifer, Lilly Jo., Claire, Emma M., Korynne, Maggie, Ruth, Sadie, Brooklyn), Level 3 (Aniyah, Angela, Essence, Vanesa, Ayanna, Emma L., Nora L., Mariyah, Kaylie, Rhianna, Jordan S., Sarah, Taylor), Level 4 (Madeline, Chasity, BeckyDee, Emily G., Nadia, Ella, Aliyah, Kerigan, Norah T., Ryann, Kamryn, Maeggan) and Level 5 (Ava C.). We hope to have awards started by 8 p.m. and the meet concluded by 8:30 p.m. We will have a brief Q&A for any of the Level 2 parents after the meet. We will have a parent meeting for all Gold Bugs II, Fast Track and Level 2 later in September.
Competition & Exhibition Leotards — The competition leotards have shipped from Australia, however they just shipped last week. We were told there was a near two-week delay in production due to equipment malfunctions after we were already told they shipped. As a result, we are expecting the leotards this week, assuming they clear customs in a timely fashion. If they don’t, we will wear the current exhibition leotards for the team photo and practice meet. If for some reason they don’t arrive in time for the first meet, we will wear the replacement exhibition leotards. They should have plenty of time to clear customs for the first meet, however.
The replacement exhibition leotards are in production and are scheduled to be shipped in about 10 days. We will need to collect all the exhibition leotards at that point.
Boys’ singlets are also in production and are scheduled to ship the first of October. Those should have been here by now, but we changed the order due to the low manufacturing quality. Also, boys, we will be sizing you for shorts and pants and warm-up jackets in the coming days once those arrive.
Please do not wear these leotards to regular practice. The only exception is the exhibition leotards on the Friday of a meet weekend.
Tosa Fest on Sept. 6, No Team Practice That Day Level 2-3 Girls — Remember, Tosa Fest is on Sept. 6 in the Tosa Villiage. The blog has information on that. As a result of that and the pre-season meet the prior night, we will not have team practice on Sept. 6. We expect everyone at Tosa Fest.
Xcel practice will be 9-11 a.m. to accommodate Tosa Fest.
Acro Class and Non-Competitive Tops — We are offering a new class, Acro Gymnastics for just $25 for the first session. This is a good mix of acrobatic and gymnastics skills and is a lot of fun. The class is Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m. All the girls tried a little Acro this week, so they can tell you a bit about it. There are some competitive options, which we might explore later in the year. It’s great for those in non-competitive TOPs, which runs 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Non-competitive TOPs is $20 per month and is for any gymnast who isn’t ready for competitive TOPs or isn’t age appropriate. It’s good for strength, shaping and flexibility for gymnastics purposes.
September Meet Fees — This is a reminder that for compulsory gymnasts, the final meet fees are due Sept. 15. For Xcel, Girls’ Level 6-9 and boys, the first installment of meet fees are due that date as well.
Those fees are:
Girls’ Level 2: $65
Girls’ Level 3: $145
Girls’ Level 4: $150
Girls’ Level 6: $195
Girls’ Level 8/9: $200
Boys’ Level 4: $160
Boys’ Level 5: $200
Boys’ Level 8: $200
Girls’ Xcel Silver: $140
Girls’ Xcel Gold: $140
More Aloha Gymfest Information — For those who are coming to Hawaii, the meet fee of $100 is due Sept. 15. At this point, we have two families committed and need three more. We have had lots of families indicate they are wishing to go, but we need the five to commit. If you aren’t ready to make the commitment, go ahead and pay the meet fee. Those are fully refundable up through December. Also, please remember it is probably going to be brutally cold here in Wisconsin in January so you are going to really REGRET not signing up for the meet! And we probably won’t be traveling in the 2015-16 season.
It’s a great USAG-sanctioned meet with teams from Japan, Australia and Canada.
We have a bit more information on the trip as well. The host hotel is the Ohana Waikiki West in Honolulu. The rate for that is $119/night plus taxes for two; $199 for 4. (The rate looks to be $139 on Expedia for the same dates). The hotel is two blocks from Waikiki beach.
That rate includes:
-Wireless Internet
-In-room safe
-In room coffee and tea
-Daily newspapers at the reception desk
-OHANA nylon drawstring bag with Hotel logo – 1 free per room -Passes for the Waikiki Trolley Pink Line to Ala Moana Shopping Center
OHANA WAIKIKI WEST RESERVATION PROCEDURE
Book your reservation for 2 or more nights no later than:
Monday, December 11, 2014 Phone: 1-800-325-7171
To get the above rate, please mention:
2015 GYMFEST (PG) – Group ID # DGFEST15
We have also priced group travel information. The price for group travel is $719 per person (taxes included) from Chicago to Honolulu on American Airlines, with a departure of Thursday, Jan. 15 (6:30 a.m.) and a return of Wednesday, Jan. 21. If we have enough willing to do this group travel, we can also arrange for a bus too and from Chicago O’Hare. If people are interested in this rate, we might be able to get it on different dates as well
The competition is Jan. 16-18 with a beach party on Jan. 19. This will make a fantastic Christmas gift for your gymnast (and your family)! Come on, you know you want to go, so just do it!
Wildcard Gymnastics Team News 