Wildcard Gymnastics Team News

For the next couple weeks, we will be working on mental imagery and rehearsal for peak performance.  This means developing cue words to help gymnasts “replay” their best performances, routines, or skills.  It means practicing routines in their heads on a daily basis and feeling, seeing, hearing, and even smelling exactly how it should be in a competition.  You can even have your gymnast create a recording/video/script that details the entire meet (each routine) and help guide mental imagery practice.

Please encourage your gymnast to work on these mental rehearsal skills on a daily basis.  Picture what each skill in the routine should look like and feel like.  Explain how the perfect routine feels, etc. Additionally, click here for a great article from Canada’s ski program that you can definitely adapt to gymnastics: Mental Training for Entry Level Children-2 .  Please have your gymnast try some of these awesome activities.

Monday Practice — We will have team practice as scheduled on Monday and Tuesday night, despite our usual policy of closing when Milwaukee Public Schools or Wauwatosa Public Schools are closed. It might be a little cold in the gym, so gymnasts can wear leggings/pants and long sleeved shirts as necessary.

Shawn Johnson on Thursday — We received an increase on our allotment of tickets for Shawn Johnson on Thursday at Marquette and now we feel that we can accommodate everyone. For those of you who have already requested tickets, we can handle all of your needs. For the rest of you, we will now distribute tickets on a first-come, first-served basis.  Please pick up tickets at the gym prior to Thursday. We encourage everyone to come for this rare chance to see and possibly meet an Olympic champion gymnast. A reminder, that there will be no team practice for any boys’ or girls’ Levels, including fast track, so that gymnasts may attend this one-of-a-kind, free event. Gymnasts, please wear Wildcard attire at the event as this is a team event. Recreation classes will be held.

Other Practice Changes for the Week — This is also a reminder that Saturdays’ practice will be a little different than normal. Girls’ Level 3/4 and 4 will practice on Saturday from 9 a.m.-noon to make up for the Jan. 15 practice that was cancelled due to a lack of team coaches. Girls Level 2 and Girls’ Level 3 will have their practice moved to 12:45-approximately 3 p.m. as their practice will be the mock meet. Gymnasts in Level 3/4 should plan for a quick lunch between practice and the mock meet. If a gymnast needs to leave a bit early from practice to get lunch, that is understandable.

Girls’ Xcel Silver will have their practice extended until 3 p.m. to take part in the mock meet. Please bring a snack for the middle of this time frame.

Optional gymnasts, we will need volunteers to judge the meet and write ribbons (and might need at least one more to help coach a group).

Meet Additions — We are offering the Level 8 and 9 gymnasts one more opportunity to compete at Gymsport in Weston on Sunday, Feb. 23 at no additional cost (in exchange for the cost of the Cancun meet which was included in meet fees, for those who competed in Cancun, consider this a thank-you gift). This is an AAU meet. Please let us know your interest. We would like to take the whole team.  This is intended to build confidence and give gymnasts an opportunity to sharpen up routines before the State meet.

We will also open this up to any Level 6 and any Xcel Platinum or Xcel Diamond gymnasts who wish to compete at this meet as well for $50. Meet fees are due by Thursday as the entry deadline is Friday.

Also any Xcel Silver gymnasts can add a meet at Gymtastics in Watertown on March 15 or 16 for $50.  Any Xcel gymnast (silver, platinum or diamond) can add Carousel in Plover on April 5 for $50. Compulsory gymnasts are competing at each of these meets. The deadline is Saturday to  let us know interest and to pay for these meets.

Additionally, the first off-season meet fees are due on Feb. 1 for any compulsory level gymnast wishing to compete at these meets (note the winter Level 2s are registered for these meets). We have only received a few entries for these meets, but we know there is plenty of interest. (Please note the earlier entry deadline for the April 5 meet due to an earlier entry deadline from the host gym). The schedule is:

March 2 — Wildcard Cruise Classic (Brookfield)
March 15-16 — St. Patricks’ Day Invitational (Watertown)
April 5 — Splish Splash Invitational (Plover)

The cost for each meet is: $34 for Level 3, $37 for Level 4 and 5.

Success Wall Additions — This weekend was a very busy weekend for Wildcard with three different teams competing at two meets: Boys’, Girls’ Optional and Girls’ Xcel. It was the first ever meet for three of our Xcel Silver level girls — Amari D., Marcella R., and McKayla M. — so that is success in itself for them. While they were close to qualifying for the success wall, we did have two of the Xcel Silver girls qualify for the wall in addition to a handful of boys. The following are the success wall additions:

Boys’ Level 5:Max Br.: 9.900 on floor, 9.500 on horizontal bar
Diego G: 9.500 on floor
Ian Y.: 10.300 on floor, 9.800 on rings, 9.600 on horizontal bar

Boys’ Level 6
Bryce W: 9.500 on floor

Girls Level 9
Hallie F: First place on beam

Girls’ Xcel Silver
Anna P. — 9.150 on vault, 9.200 on bars
Katherine R. — 9.200 on vault

Girls; Xcel Platinum
India D. — 1st on vault, 1st on bars, 9.200 on floor (1st)

Girls’ Xcel Diamond
Ashley W. — 1st on vault, 9.700 on floor (1st)

Let’s keep working so we can get more pictures on the Success Wall for the upcoming meets!

For all of Wildcard Gymnastics team information, sign up for e-mail reports at Wildcard’s team blog, wildcard-team.com. For more information, including team information, like Wildcard Gymnastics on Facebook or follow Wildcard Gymnastics on Twitter @wildcardnews. For all the meet results, including previous meet results, season highs, awards, 9.0s and all meet statistics, go to the Wildcard Gymnastics web site, wildcard-gymnastics.com, and click on the team tab.

Snowflake Invitational
January 31, 2014
Sheboygan County YMCA
812 Broughton Dr,, Sheboygan | MAP | 62.3 mi., 1 hour, 16 min.

FRIDAY, JAN. 31

BOYS’ LEVEL 3 – Max Bo., Charles, Jack G., Gavin, Jack S., Konrad
BOYS’ LEVEL 4 – West, Eli, Andy
Arrive — 4:45 p.m.
Stretch — 5 p.m.
Meet Begins — 5:30 p.m.
Awards — 8:30 p.m.

COMPETING TEAMS – Kettle Moraine YMCA, Racine, Sheboygan YMCA.

For all of Wildcard Gymnastics team information, sign up for e-mail reports at Wildcard’s team blog, wildcard-team.com. For more information, including team information, like Wildcard Gymnastics on Facebook or follow Wildcard Gymnastics on Twitter @wildcardnews. For all the meet results, including previous meet results, season highs, awards, 9.0s and all meet statistics, go to the Wildcard Gymnastics web site, wildcard-gymnastics.com, and click on the team tab.

Level 2/3/Xcel Mock Meet — With the Level 2s competing for the first time, we are going to hold a mock meet for them on Saturday, Feb. 1, starting at 12:45 p.m. They will not practice on that Saturday morning like they normally would. Their practice will be the mock meet. Additionally, Level 3 will not practice on that Saturday morning, but are invited to participate in the Mock Meet with the new Level 3 routines to replace that practice. Xcel Silver will extend their practice to be part of the mock meet that day, even though they have already competed at their first meet. This will give us four rotations and will give the Level 2s an idea of what competition will be like.

Since this is like a competition, gymnasts should arrive with their competition leotard on and hair pulled back neatly. Gymnasts will receive event ribbons and all-around medals just like a regular meet. Coaches will be available for questions after the meet from the Level 2 and Xcel parents. The competition information is below:

GIRLS’ LEVEL 2 – Emily C. Olivia, Caelyr, Lili Jahr, Lilly J.-F., Claire, Ruth, Sadie, Hanah
GIRLS’ LEVEL 3 – Essence, Angela, Chasity, Asia, Morgan, Ayanna, Mariyah, Alivia, Siena, Vanesa, Emma L., Emma M., Anya, Kaylie, Korynne, Maggie, Rhianna, Brooklyn, Jordan S., Annika, Jenna, Camille B.
GIRLS’ LEVEL Xcel Silver – Amari, McKayla, Anna, Marcella, Katherine
Arrive — 12:45 p.m.
Stretch — 1 p.m.
Meet Begins — 1:40 p.m.
Awards — 3 p.m.

Level 3/4 & Level 4 to Practice on Saturday, Feb. 1 —The Level 3/4s and Level 4s will practice on Saturday, Feb. 1 from 9 a.m.-noon to replace their practice that was cancelled on January 15. Level 3/4 will participate in the mock meet following practice. Plan on getting them something to eat in between practice and the mock meet.

No Parents Allowed on the Floor — This is a reminder that no parents are allowed on the floor or on the equipment with their child. This is a regulation from our insurance company. When your child’s practice is over, please do not go on to the floor and definitely do not instruct your child on an apparatus. Be mindful that at the end of practice for the most of you, we have other teams continuing to practice and other classes going on. We are doing our best to make it a safe environment for everyone. This is also in effect prior to practice. Please do not go out on to the gym floor at any time unless it is to speak with an instructor (and those times would be best before or after practice). This also sets the precedent for the recreational parents who we can’t allow on the floor (unless in a Parent-Child class).

Shawn Johnson is Coming to Marquette — 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist Shawn Johnson is speaking at Marquette University at the Varsity Theater on Thursday, Jan. 30 at 7 p.m. She will be speaking on over-coming adversity in gymnastics as well as how she made the Olympic Team. As this is not a meet weekend, we will not have team practice that day (boys’, girls’ and fast track included).  This special presentation fits great with Wildcard’s ongoing theme of success, so don’t miss it!

The event is free (however, you will likely have to pay to park at Marquette). We have requested 80 tickets, but we don’t know exactly how many they will be able to accommodate, so please RSVP to gymnastics@wildcard-gymnastics.com with how many tickets you will need. With the limited number of seating, we request that parents understand that we may not be able to accommodate all family members. We may have to limit it to gymnasts only in a drop-off and pick-up like situation. If we have enough spots available, we will accommodate the rest of your family after all gymnasts have been taken care of.  Be sure to watch some of Shawn Johnson’s routines on youtube or google her bio. so that your gymnast is familiar with her success!

Cancun Trip & Success Wall Additions — On behalf of the families that went to Cancun for the 2014 Cancun Classic, we missed all of you in the warm sun. We had a great time and came back with a very successful meet.

We had two additions to the success wall in Mariyah L. and Ayanna L. each winning first-place in the all-around in their age divisions in Level 3. They did fantastic after just a couple of weeks of learning routines.

The other gymnasts did very well as well. Bradyn F. competed in Level 6 for the first time after just a couple of weeks removed from Level 4 and she earned a medal on floor and qualified for state. All of the Level 8s and 9s (Ava G., Bella G., Dosia M., Glenna P., Hallie F.) saw vast improvement in scores and as a result, all of our optional-level gymnasts who have competed have qualified for state. Now there are just a handful of Level 6s, who have yet to compete, to earn state-qualification scores.

The trip itself was a grand success. Everyone came back tanned and had a great time. At this point, we are tentatively looking at Hawaii in 2016, but we might accelerate that timetable with a warm-weather traveling meet next year, given the fact that we have two seniors, this will be their last time to travel and we won’t have seniors for at least 3 more years after that. If you have any ideas of where you’d like to see a meet, let us know. We will do our best to find a meet that is not during school or is part of a school break. And, as always, we will do our best to keep the cost down.  We definitely would love to have more gymnasts go on the traveling trips.  It was a great team bonding experience and everyone made memories that will last a lifetime!

Swiss Cup
January 24-26, 2014
Swiss Turners
2214 S. 116th St., West Allis | MAP | 7.7 mi., 12 min.

FRIDAY, JAN. 24

BOYS’ LEVEL 6 – Myles, Bryce
Arrive — 4:45 p.m.
Stretch — 5 p.m.
Meet Begins — 5:30 p.m.
Awards — 9 p.m.

SATURDAY, JAN. 25

BOYS’ LEVEL 7 – Reed
Arrive — 12:45 p.m.
Stretch — 1 p.m.
Meet Begins — 1:30 p.m.
Awards — 4:10 p.m.

SUNDAY, JAN. 26

BOYS’ LEVEL 4 – Andy, Eli
Arrive — 7:45 a.m.
Stretch — 8 a.m.
Meet Begins — 8:30 a.m.
Awards — 11:15 a.m.

BOYS’ LEVEL 5 – Max Br., Diego, Ian
Arrive — 12:35 p.m.
Stretch — 12:50 p.m.
Meet Begins — 1:20 p.m.
Awards — 4:20 p.m.

COMPETING TEAMS – Air Force, CRAG (Iowa), Crystal Lake (Ill.), Elite (Minn.), Gymkhana (Ill.), Infinite, Kettle Moraine, LaFleur’s, Lakeshore (Ill.), M&M, Oshkosh, Salto, Scamps, Sheboygan, Swiss, Trinity (Ill.)

For all of Wildcard Gymnastics team information, sign up for e-mail reports at Wildcard’s team blog, wildcard-team.com. For more information, including team information, like Wildcard Gymnastics on Facebook or follow Wildcard Gymnastics on Twitter @wildcardnews. For all the meet results, including previous meet results, season highs, awards, 9.0s and all meet statistics, go to the Wildcard Gymnastics web site, wildcard-gymnastics.com, and click on the team tab.

WEDNESDAY PRACTICE — Level 3/4 and 4 Girls’ Team Practice on Wednesday, Jan. 15, is being cancelled due to the fact that we are significantly short of team coaches that night due to other conflicts. We will make this practice up, likely on a Saturday, when we have more staff available.

At this point, Saturday, Feb. 1, is the most likely the date for the makeup, but we will let you know closer to the time. They will likely come later, noon-3 p.m. or something similar to that time frame in order to accommodate all of our other teams. We apologize for any problems this may cause.

SUCCESS WALL ADDITIONS — The Level 8 and Level 9 girls’ and all the boys’ team competed at the M&M Challenge in West Allis over the weekend. It was a low scoring meet for all of the girls. We had a few get close to getting on the success wall, but we don’t have any girls’ additions. On the boys’ side, we have two additions (boys need a 9.5 or higher and Level 7 vault needs an 11.5) and a lot of near misses. Here are the success wall additions from the M&M Challenge:

Max Br.: Level 5 Floor, 10.500
Bryce W.: Level 6 Floor, 10.400

XCEL MEET FEES 2ND INSTALLMENT — The second installment for Xcel meet fees is due on Jan. 15. If those haven’t been paid on Jan. 15, they will be charged to your account and paid for by the card you have on file. The Xcel girls have their first meet on Saturday, Jan. 25, Wish them luck when you see them in the gym.

Xcel gymnasts competing at the Altius meet, you will get a leotard to compete in at that meet, so arrive a few minutes early in order to change. Plan on wearing your competition leotard to the meet and then change to the pink-ribbon leotard that is your meet gift.

CANCUN TRIP — Those gymnasts and families departing for Cancun on Wednesday, Jan. 15, will need to be at the gym by 4 a.m. The bus will depart for Chicago O’Hare no later than 4:15 a.m. Please have all your passports and any other documentation you may need on hand. We can not wait for you if you are late or are missing documentation.

If you plan on leaving a car, please leave it in the loading dock on the north side of the gym to conserve parking. We can park five cars there. Remember, there is one free checked bag for each passenger. Gymnasts should be wearing a Wildcard Gymnastics t-shirt or sweatshirt and their warm-ups on the plane to Cancun. Please put leotards and grips in your carry on bag.

Tuesdays’ practice is not an all-team 4:30-8:30 p.m. practice.

Tuesday’s practice is at the normal times, which range from 4:30-8:30 p.m.

Level 2 is from 4:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m.
Level 3 is from 4:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m.
Level 6 is from 5:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.
Level 8 is from 5:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. (but may come at 4:30 p.m.)
HOPES is from 4:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.