Wildcard Gymnastics Team News

Gymnasts Prior to Practice — We are having a change in our policy regarding both team and recreation gymnasts prior to practice. Traditionally, we have allowed our gymnasts to use the equipment in a safe manner prior to practice if they were working on skills, but this situation just isn’t working out, especially with our large number of recreation gymnasts taking advantage of this policy.  It has just become to chaotic before practice to police everyone on equipment and be certain that they are working on something safely and correctly.

As of now, gymnasts are only allowed to stretch on the floor prior to practice. We had previously disallowed the tumble track and jumping to the high bar. As of now, all equipment is off limits. The only thing gymnasts are allowed to do is stretch or condition.  (This includes split stretches, press handstand work on the floor, v-ups, crunchies, planks, pushups, super mans, regular stretching, and handstand holds but all of these are to be done in a controlled manner on the floor.)

The reason behind this policy change is two-fold. Gymnasts safety is at the utmost concern. There are too many gymnasts to manage in a free-for-all type setting, especially on Mondays and Wednesdays when we have other classes going prior to practice. Secondarily, we have also noticed an increase of gymnasts working with bad form prior to practice when coaches aren’t directly available. Please stress to your child the importance of following this new policy.

AAU Nationals — For gymnasts wishing to participate in AAU Nationals at Disney Resort, Fla., June 12-15, the registration deadline is Monday, May 5. Please let us know by Saturday, May 3, if you plan on attending this meet. AAU Nationals is available for all boys and girls levels. The registration deadline for AAU Junior Olympics (July 30-Aug. 1) in Des Moines, Iowa, is June 1.

Team Banquet — Once again we are planning on holding our team awards banquet in June at the Country Springs Hotel in Waukesha. We have two dates in which we can choose from, June 8 or June 28. Please click the link below to answer this short survey to help us determine the best date. Answer by May 5 please.

Team Banquet Date Survey

Monday Practice — This is a reminder that practice on the first Monday of every month is from 4:30-7:30 p.m. for all levels so we may have a staff meeting from 7:30-8:30 p.m. This Monday, May 5, will be the next practice change.

Xcel State Meet — The state meet for Xcel gymnasts is this Saturday and Sunday in Kenosha. We wish the best of luck to our Xcel teams! If anyone is interested in coming to cheer them on or wants a better idea of what our Xcel program is, click here for the State Meet Info.

Thursday Boys Practice — As a reminder, there is no boys’ practice for this Thursday or next Thursday, May 8.

There is a boys team meeting required for all boys and their parents currently registered for levels 3-8 on Monday, May 5th at 5pm. It will last 30-45 min. and will cover all of the information for the summer practice schedule, costs associated with the upcoming year, what level your child will be moving to/staying in, and other important information.

Boys currently in level 3 will be moving to level beginning May 1st. This means they will add additional practices on Mondays 5-7pm beginning May 5th after the meeting. The cost for level 4 is $140/month. This is an additional $20/month for twice as much practice time. 

I will be sending in the registration for the Sheboygan meet on May 17th this week Monday. Please let me know by Monday if you are available to participate. This is recommended for all boys moving to level 4. 

Also, if your level 3/4 child will be missing Saturday practices due to vacations or other sports, talk to Candace about making up the time on a Wednesday evening with the upper level boys team. Please contact Candace with any questions. 

There are some additional private lesson opportunities for this week and Monday, April 21st.  Please see the wall by the front desk.  Cost is $30/hour or $20 per half hour. 

Butter Braids — Butter Braids will be here today, Monday, April 14. They will be ready for distribution around 5 p.m. Please pick up your orders today as we will have very limited space to store them in our freezers.

Easter Schedule — We have sent out the Easter/Spring Break schedule previously, but are putting this in again so you have it for easy reference:

Monday, April 14-Wednesday, April 16 — Rec; girls’ and boys’ team practices as scheduled
Thursday, April 17-Tuesday, April 22 — No rec; no girls’ or boys’ team practices
Wednesday, April 23 — No rec practice, but girls’ team practice as normal
Thursday, April 24 — Rec and girls’ team practices as scheduled; No boys’ team practice
Friday, April 25 — Rec and girls’ team practices as scheduled
Saturday, April 26 — Rec and girls’ and boys’ team practices as scheduled
Monday, April 28 — All schedules resume as normal

Level 8 and up girls should come to practice on Monday, April 14, and Tuesday, April 15, beginning at 4:30 p.m.

Summer Meet Registration Reminders — We have a few competitive opportunities with registration deadlines coming up. Those events are:

• Snowflake Invitational in Sheboygan (Boys) — $20, due Wed., April 16
• AAU Nationals in Disney Resort, Fla. (Boys/Girls) — $85, due Thu., May 1
• AAU Junior Olympics in Des Moines, Iowa (Girls) — $85, due Wed., June 25

Success Wall Additions — The success wall updates will be actual this week. Photos are ready and will be displayed soon. We have several additions to the wall this week:

• Kathryn R. — Xcel Silver — 9.4 on vault, 9.0 bars, 9.2 on beam, 9.2 on floor
• Heidi K. — Level 8 — First Place Floor (9.15), First Place All-Around
• Bella G. — Level 8 — First Place Beam, 9.075 on Floor
• Crystal S. — Level 8 — First Place on Vault
• Level 8 Team — First Place All-Around
• Hallie F. — Level 9 — First Place All-Around

And if we didn’t mention it previously, Reed B. in Boys’ Level 7 placed second on floor and vault, 3rd on horizontal bar and 4th in the all-around at Regionals two weekends ago.

Xcel State Championships
May 3-4, 2014
Scamps Gymnastics
5711 77th St., Kenosha | MAP | 46.0 mi., 51 min.

SATURDAY, MAY 3

GIRLS’ XCEL SILVER – McKayla, Katherine
Arrive – 2:45 p.m.
Stretch – 3 p.m.
Meet Begins — 3:20 p.m.
Awards — 5:25 p.m.

GIRLS’ XCEL SILVER – Amari, Anna, Marcella
Arrive – 5:30 p.m.
Stretch – 5:45 p.m.
Meet Begins — 6:05 p.m.
Awards — 8:15 p.m.

SUNDAY, MAY 4

GIRLS’ XCEL DIAMOND – Ashley
Arrive – 1:20 p.m.
Stretch – 1:40 p.m.
Meet Begins — 2 p.m.
Awards — 4 p.m.

Anyone wanting private lessons, Amy (and Julia possibly), will be available on Saturday, 4/12 through Thursday, 4/12.  Please see the wall  in the office to sign up.  Please make sure you confirm with Amy or you will be charged if you miss your appointment.  Cost is $30 an hour; $20 for a half-hour.  

April/May Schedule Changes:

Tue. April 1 — Butter Braid orders due!

Sat. April 5 — Level 3s will come as normal; Levels 4-up will not have practice due to Regionals (Good luck to Ian and Reed at Regionals in Iowa City)

Mon. April 7 — practice is 4:30-7:30 p.m. on the first Monday of every month to allow for a staff meeting at 7:30 p.m.

Sat. April 12 — BOYS TEAM MEETING: All parents of boys level 3-8 are requested to attend a parent meeting 10:30-11. The meeting will outline next steps for the spring and summer now that our current season is finished. It will address some of the successes and struggles we had this year, and how we are planning to continue our theme of success. Summer practice schedule will be handed out, and an additional level 3 practice will be discussed as these boys transition to Level 4. We will also discuss how next year’s levels are determined.

Practice for the Level 3 boys will end at 10:30. Level 5+ practice will start at 11. All boys are asked to listen during the meeting with their parents.

Thu. April 17 — NO PRACTICE (gym is closed for the Easter Weekend)

Sat. April 19 — NO PRACTICE (gym is closed for the Easter Weekend)

Mon. April 21 — NO PRACTICE (gym is closed for the Easter Weekend)

Thu. April 24 — NO PRACTICE (Blain will be out of town that day)

Beginning May 1 — Additional Practices will be offered for Level 3s as they transition to Level 4

Mon. May 5 — practice is 4:30-7:30 p.m. (1st Mon. of the month staff meeting)

Sat., May 17 — Sunshine meet in Sheboygan. NO PRACTICE ALL LEVELS. This competition is recommended for all boys level 3-7. Deadline for registration is April 12th. Let me know at the parent meeting or before that if you CANNOT attend. Cost for the meet will be $20.

Region 4 Men’s Championships
April 4-6, 2014
University of Iowa Field House
225 S. Grand Ave., Iowa City, Iowa | MAP | 260.8 mi., 4 hours, 10 min.

FRIDAY, APRIL 4

BOYS’ LEVEL 7 – Reed
Arrive – 11:45 a.m.
Stretch – noon
Meet Begins — 12:20 p.m.
Awards — 4:15 p.m.

SUNDAY, APRIL 6

BOYS’ LEVEL 5 – Ian
Arrive – noon
Stretch – 12:15 p.m.
Meet Begins — 12:35 p.m.
Awards — 3:30 p.m.

COMPETING TEAMS – Air Force, Altius, CRAG, Cahoys, Cedar Valley, Chows, Classic, Elite, Eyas, GMG, Gleasons, Great Northern, GymSport, Hawkeye, Infinite, Iowa Gym Nest, JETS, Jam Hops, KAATS, LaFleurs, Legacy, M&M, MHG, Minnesota Valley, Madtown Twisters, Metro, Midwest, Midwest Twisters, Nebraska, North Shore (Minn.), Omega, Oshkosh, Pioneer, Racine, Rapid City, Red River Valley, Salto, Saphire, Scamps, Starz, Swiss Turners, Synergy, TAGS, TCT, TNT, Triad.