http://www.chalkbucket.com/forums/ en Tue, 21 May 2013 04:57:27 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.chalkbucket.com/forums/images/misc/rss.png http://www.chalkbucket.com/forums/ http://www.chalkbucket.com/forums/womens-artistic-gymnastics-wag/41024-gymnastics-passion.html Mon, 20 May 2013 19:54:20 GMT Today I realized something. I realized that gymnastics is the only thing in my life that has always stayed and made me smile. I'm 20 years old and I started gym as a 6 year old. I did rec gymnastics for many many years because there wasn't a competitive program in my area. My mother was one of the coaches. She did gym as a child and started coaching very young.

Even as a young child I noticed I was different to others in my gym group. We all liked gymnastics but I loved it. When the others were happy with one hour weekly class I did gymnastics at home and at kindergarten. I still remember when I "coached" 3 and 4 year old kids at kindergarten and spotted their handstands.... As a six year old! I was never very good at gymnastics but I think that that was the reason that kept me in it. I was so good at school it never gave me any challenges. Gym did. A lot.

When I became a little older they started a competitive group in my club. I joined, of course. Me and dozen of other girls pretty much my age became a family. We didn't have much practices, not good equipment and the coaches were volunteering mums mostly, but we went to competitions and had so good time. We didn't win the girls from other fine clubs but we didn't care. I'm still very good friend with all of these girls.

I always wanted to become a coach. I coached other kids of the neighborhood. I always made everyone play gym with me. At 11 years old I started to assistant my mother when she coached beginners. I loved it! I loved helping kids and making them enjoy gymnastics. At 14 I got my own group. I spent hours planning practices, searching information and reading books about coaching and gymnastics.

Last year I moved from my home town to a bigger city to study in university. I immediately started coaching here and I'm like in heaven now. I coach 6 different groups, rec, preteam and team for 17 hours a week. I love being in gym more than anything!! I have found so many good coach friends here and I adore my girls so much I could ever imagine I'd quit. The only problem is that now I have put coaching firsts, studying second.

Now I watch one of my girls at gym. She's 15 years old and so much like me when I was at her age. I see myself in her. She never misses practices. She's shy and quiet like I was as a child. But she gives everything to this sport. I think it may be because she stared so late. She has to work twice as hard as her peers. She's also extremely good at school and I think gymnastics gives her those challenges it gave to me also. She got a summer job as a assistant coach and she'll be coaching preschoolers with me and few other older coaches. I can see her being involved in this sport for many many years more. And the most fun and amazing thing is that we will share the journey. I hope I'll see her and her teammates grow up and become young adults.

I'm happy if someone read my post. I just had to come and tell someone how grateful I am I found this sport. I'm so HAPPY now when I can do this all the time and I'm even paid for it. I spend my evenings reading chalk bucket and watching gymnastics videos. If I have two days off gym I become crazy and feel unhealthy. I need gym. It's my thing. I can't breath for long without it.

I would love to hear your stories. How did gymnastics became your passion and your almost whole life? ]]> gymisforeveryone http://www.chalkbucket.com/forums/womens-artistic-gymnastics-wag/41024-gymnastics-passion.html http://www.chalkbucket.com/forums/womens-artistic-gymnastics-wag/41020-tsuk-progression.html Mon, 20 May 2013 17:46:26 GMT So DD has recently begun flipping her tsuks into the pit off of what I call a mouse door mat and is so eager to move to the table. My question is to prepare my poor weak heart for what comes next. How will her coaches progress her from the mouse door mat to the table? As the mother of this... So DD has recently begun flipping her tsuks into the pit off of what I call a mouse door mat and is so eager to move to the table. My question is to prepare my poor weak heart for what comes next.

How will her coaches progress her from the mouse door mat to the table? As the mother of this child, it is terrifying to think about. In the past, the coaches make what seem like baby steps and before I knew it, she was doing whatever skill. I love how safe they make it and how my heart has always been out of "failure" danger. :D

However, I'll be honest....I can't see a baby step between mouse door and table that doesn't involve fractures and braces. So walk me through what the next few steps might be. ]]> cbifoja http://www.chalkbucket.com/forums/womens-artistic-gymnastics-wag/41020-tsuk-progression.html http://www.chalkbucket.com/forums/womens-artistic-gymnastics-wag/41018-handling-sunday-meets.html Mon, 20 May 2013 17:03:26 GMT Ok, now that DD has been invited to move from pre-team to team I feel like need to start the learning process all over again :). Up until now all of DD's meets have been fun "in house" meets on Saturday's. After poking around out here on CB I see that the meets are no longer limited to Saturday's. My concern is that our family is very involved with our church on Sunday mornings. So missing church every other Sunday during meet season is simply not an option. Can anyone give me some insight into how the whole meet thing works? Are meets every weekend? Are the majority of them on Sundays or is that only occasionally? For those of you that have other non-negotiable activities that conflict with your child's meets how do you handle it? Thanks for your input!!! ]]> billise http://www.chalkbucket.com/forums/womens-artistic-gymnastics-wag/41018-handling-sunday-meets.html http://www.chalkbucket.com/forums/womens-artistic-gymnastics-wag/41017-wiltshire-open.html Mon, 20 May 2013 16:07:03 GMT Any Brits going to the Wiltshire Open this weekend ? Sent from my CnM Touchpad 9.7 using ChalkBucket mobile app Any Brits going to the Wiltshire Open this weekend ?

Sent from my CnM Touchpad 9.7 using ChalkBucket mobile app ]]> Iwannabemargo http://www.chalkbucket.com/forums/womens-artistic-gymnastics-wag/41017-wiltshire-open.html http://www.chalkbucket.com/forums/womens-artistic-gymnastics-wag/41016-coaches-expenses-fees.html Mon, 20 May 2013 14:43:08 GMT When reimbursing coaches for their travel expenses and session fees, has anyone ever issued a 1099 for the session fees as non-employee compensation? We pay our coaches expenses from our Booster Club fundraising revenue. Any information and industry standards would be greatly appreciated. Thank you! When reimbursing coaches for their travel expenses and session fees, has anyone ever issued a 1099 for the session fees as non-employee compensation? We pay our coaches expenses from our Booster Club fundraising revenue. Any information and industry standards would be greatly appreciated. Thank you! ]]> Missbeingagymmom http://www.chalkbucket.com/forums/womens-artistic-gymnastics-wag/41016-coaches-expenses-fees.html http://www.chalkbucket.com/forums/womens-artistic-gymnastics-wag/41010-anyone-have-gymmie-ranch.html Mon, 20 May 2013 02:34:11 GMT Camps at the ranch right now...my DD got there this morning and said testing went great. They are only there until Wednesday and I miss her already! I just looked at the pics from the developmental camp that just ended and it was fun to see the pics. Hoping they post pics from my DDs camp, too. ... Camps at the ranch right now...my DD got there this morning and said testing went great. They are only there until Wednesday and I miss her already! I just looked at the pics from the developmental camp that just ended and it was fun to see the pics. Hoping they post pics from my DDs camp, too. Wishing all our CB gymmies that have training camps are having a blast! ]]> GymBeeMom http://www.chalkbucket.com/forums/womens-artistic-gymnastics-wag/41010-anyone-have-gymmie-ranch.html http://www.chalkbucket.com/forums/womens-artistic-gymnastics-wag/41009-canadian-nationals-live-streaming-week.html Sun, 19 May 2013 19:41:34 GMT http://www.gymnastics2013.ca/ Link for live streaming of Canadian nationals this week. http://www.gymnastics2013.ca/ Link for live streaming of Canadian nationals this week. ]]> bogwoppit http://www.chalkbucket.com/forums/womens-artistic-gymnastics-wag/41009-canadian-nationals-live-streaming-week.html http://www.chalkbucket.com/forums/womens-artistic-gymnastics-wag/41008-will-new-jo-program-effect-xcel.html Sun, 19 May 2013 18:21:59 GMT I'm just curious because I want to do xcel! ]]> Ari97 http://www.chalkbucket.com/forums/womens-artistic-gymnastics-wag/41008-will-new-jo-program-effect-xcel.html http://www.chalkbucket.com/forums/womens-artistic-gymnastics-wag/41007-new-hours.html Sun, 19 May 2013 16:32:00 GMT My kids gym is going to start new hours for the girls I think starting June 1. The level that Alex is in now will increase in hours. Currently she has been doing 12 hours and it will jump to 18! I am happy and worried at the same time.
Most of the kids in her level have also been in the "hot shots" program going an extra day and have been doing 15 hours so the jump won't be quite as big for them. Plus, Alex is 13 and is starting to realize that there is a world outside the gym. I have always told her that she doesn't have to give up her social life completely for gym. (that was easy when she was only going 12 hours!!)

Has anyone else had that big of a jump in hours and how did it work for your gymmie?

Honestly, I think she has progressed just as well as any of the girls at the gym even though she is there less. ]]> AlexsGymmyMom http://www.chalkbucket.com/forums/womens-artistic-gymnastics-wag/41007-new-hours.html http://www.chalkbucket.com/forums/womens-artistic-gymnastics-wag/41006-laundry-detergent.html Sun, 19 May 2013 15:56:27 GMT I just got my first leotards; they are used, but that doesn't mean I don't want to take care of them. One is a mystique adidas, and the other is a gk printed foil with velvet on top. Can I use tide laundry detergent to wash them. I would wash and dry them inside out. ]]> Justmehere http://www.chalkbucket.com/forums/womens-artistic-gymnastics-wag/41006-laundry-detergent.html http://www.chalkbucket.com/forums/womens-artistic-gymnastics-wag/41004-gymnastics-cheer.html Sun, 19 May 2013 14:48:40 GMT This may not be the right place to ask this, but I don't have access to other forums. DD just turned 6. Her gym had team tryouts for level 1 (new level 1), and she made the team. She is very excited and is having a lot of fun at the practices.

To make a very long story short, I had been going back and forth about the gym she is at. It's a smaller gym, but their philosophy is to start a group of young girls (5-6 yr olds) on the team at one time at level 1 (used to be level 2), and they can work their way up from there. I had thought about switching gyms earlier this year because DD was really ready to get out of the preschool group and was doing some great tumbling. I decided to stay put because the other gym we looked at was super serious. We want her having fun and not burning out. The coaches at our gym are great with young kids and very nurturing.

Meanwhile, she has done some fun holiday camps with school friends at a competitive cheerleading gym this spring (I know the tumbling is different. Probably not great idea etc.). The cheer place is talking up having her participate on their minis team.

DD is dying to do both gymnastics team and cheerleading. I told her to choose which one she likes better and she says she is doing both. At 6, should I let her try both out? Level 1 gymnastics practices 6 hours a week (yikes!) and cheer is one hour during week and one hour on Sunday. As I am typing this, that seems really extreme. Of course gymnastics says she will "fall behind" if she takes off a year, and the cheer people say the same. It seems like just about every sport gets really intense at younger and younger ages! ]]> mouey77 http://www.chalkbucket.com/forums/womens-artistic-gymnastics-wag/41004-gymnastics-cheer.html http://www.chalkbucket.com/forums/womens-artistic-gymnastics-wag/41003-fundraising-ideas.html Sun, 19 May 2013 11:29:55 GMT I'm curious to know what, if any, types of fundraisers do team girls/gyms do throughout the year to raise funds for competition fees. We have done things like raffles, selling pastries, and working at local restraints busing tables for tips. I'm really looking for ideas for the girls which don't require selling a product, but more service related. Any ideas? What has been successful for your team/gym? ]]> dchawkfan http://www.chalkbucket.com/forums/womens-artistic-gymnastics-wag/41003-fundraising-ideas.html http://www.chalkbucket.com/forums/womens-artistic-gymnastics-wag/40995-need-help-drills-coaching-exam.html Sat, 18 May 2013 12:58:21 GMT So I've got my coaching exam coming up next week and I've got a basic idea of what I'm going to do, but I need a few more ideas for drills for some of the skills.

For 'arm pulling strength' all I have is 5X chin ups in overgrasp and 5X chin ups in undergrasp, but obviously that won't take up much time and I don't know what else to do. Also, some of children I'm coaching are pretty young and not that strong yet.

For 'handstand forward roll' I have: front support on floor and coach lifts feet to handstand (not sure if this one is all that beneficial), hands on floor and feet on block and lift one foot at a time up to handstand, supported handstand on floor and supported handstand forward roll. Obviously I need some more drills but I'm stuck as to what to use.

For vault the skill is 'run, hurdle, take off, land' so I was thinking of having a circuit of stations- a running station, hurdle station, jump and land station all for 1 minute each then switch. Then put the run and hurdle together, then move on to the whole skill. Is there anything else I could add.

Bars is the one I'm probably having the most difficulty with. The skills is 'back hip circle' and I only have: dish shape on floor, front support shape on floor/or on floor bar and then supported back hip circles.

Help!! ]]> iamagymbabe http://www.chalkbucket.com/forums/womens-artistic-gymnastics-wag/40995-need-help-drills-coaching-exam.html http://www.chalkbucket.com/forums/womens-artistic-gymnastics-wag/40991-moving-team.html Sat, 18 May 2013 00:38:45 GMT Yesterday I was informed by DD's pre-team coach that our Team Manager/Head Coach had casually observed DD during one of her practices and had requested an offical evaluation. So, after a surprise evaluation prior to the start of her regular practice I was informed that Manager/Head Coach wants DD to join level 4 team (will be level 3 when USAG changes go into effect)!!! This was very unexpected for me as move ups from pre-team to team usually take place in Jaunuary. Our expectations of DD's "gym career" are pretty low in that we just want her to learn to work hard and have fun at whatever she is doing, so at 6.5 years old (just finishing kindergarten) we expected her to be at level 3 for a while and were just fine with that. But several months ago DD made it clear in no uncertain terms that she WAS going to move from pre-team to team sooner rather than later! Needless to say, she is over the moon and I am soooo proud of her for setting a goal and accomplishing it! :) ]]> billise http://www.chalkbucket.com/forums/womens-artistic-gymnastics-wag/40991-moving-team.html http://www.chalkbucket.com/forums/womens-artistic-gymnastics-wag/40990-looking-meets-mt-ut.html Fri, 17 May 2013 19:23:31 GMT I know this is a bit early but I am looking for meets in UT or MT in December and February. Anyone have any suggestions? I know this is a bit early but I am looking for meets in UT or MT in December and February. Anyone have any suggestions? ]]> htimcj http://www.chalkbucket.com/forums/womens-artistic-gymnastics-wag/40990-looking-meets-mt-ut.html