Woodward or IGC?

[Geoffrey Taucer]

So for the past six or seven years, a crew (of varying sizes) from our gym has made the trek up to Woodward for the week each summer.

I'm considering taking the team to IGC this summer for a change of pace, but I've never been there. If anybody here has been to both IGC and woodward, how do the two compare?

 

[vagymmomma]

My DD has gone to a week at both IGC and Woodward for the last two years (we just got back from her week at Woodward yesterday). From DD's perspective there's no competition on the camps -- it's Woodward all the way. She likes IGC, but loves Woodward (btw she's 10 yrs old).

I think from a parent's perspective you have to decide why you're sending your daughter to camp. Is it just to enhance her gymnastics skills or to have a good all around camp experience? IGC's day is rigidly scheduled around gymnastics with about 6 regularly scheduled hours in the gym. At Woodward it's 2.5 - 3 hrs of gymnastics in the morning and the rest of the day the kids pick what they want to do. They have open gym as an option, but they can do other many things as well (horseback riding, art, pool, go karts, riding bull, et al). If your daughter isn't interested, she doesn't have to go to the gym other than the morning. My daughter is good about going to the gym.

I felt like she learned more at Woodward because at open gym she had time to work on exactly what she needed. This year she overcame her fears of the backwalkover on the high beam. The coaches were great with the encouragement and spotting till she was comfortable. Camps are not cheap, but slaying fears is priceless.

The gym facilities are really good at both. Food is supposed to be better at IGC. Olympians/guests are a little more prestigious at IGC (my daughter loved meeting Nastia this year). Our head coach prefers Woodward as well. She says based on her experience there has been less injuries there. Only issue my DD has at WW are the boys at the skate board camp. She's young and they make her a little uncomfortable.

My DS (not a gymnast) had a great experiences at the sister camp for IGC -- ISTC (International Sports Camp). I would highly recommend ISTC for non-gymnasts.

 

[MaryA]

I can only speak for Woodward. My daughter went there for the first time this year. It's only about 45 minutes from our house so the choice was a no-brainer. She LOVED it and wants to go back next year, but I wouldn't say she came back a markedly better gymnast or anything. I think the "open gym" times were a bit difficult for her. She is a new level 5 and I think it's hard to stand in line at the bars, have the girl in front of you do something incredibly complicated and impressive, and then say to the coach (who you don't know very well) "I need to work on my kip." I'm hoping that, if she does go back next year, she will have more confidence since she won't be "new" anymore. My other daughter went to dance camp where she had 6 hours of classes every day, and Kathy said she wished that Woodward had been more like that, so maybe she would have preferred IGC, at least from a gymnastics point-of-view.

 

[Optionals United]

vagymmom. did you go to the woodward in pa?? Because the one in california has a mornis season from 9:15- 12:15 and then a night season from like 6:30-7:15. they have open gyms from 3-5 and then for 45 minutes after night season. so you can go a total of around 6 1/2 hours a day.

 

[vagymmomma]

vagymmom. did you go to the woodward in pa?? Because the one in california has a mornis season from 9:15- 12:15 and then a night season from like 6:30-7:15. they have open gyms from 3-5 and then for 45 minutes after night season. so you can go a total of around 6 1/2 hours a day.

DD went to PA. The times are a little different, but it's the same general option with an afternoon and evening open gym session. There's plenty of time in the gym, but the gymmie has to be disciplined enough to go the gym on their own at WW.

One other thing on the younger athletes -- I really liked the cabin moms at WW for the 7 - 9 year olds. The one DD had last year was really good about getting all the girls in the cabin to do things together. The counselor for the older girls just let them do their own thing (my daughter was the youngest in her cabin this year so a bit of an adjustment for her at first).

 

[mayestra12]

Thanks for this post. I am in PA and my dd has seen ads for both camps and REALLY wants to go next year.

 

[Tumblequeensmom]

Not to throw a wrench in the pot here, but I had always heard that Woodward had more injuries at their camps than IGC. We've had several of our coaches coach at Woodward over the last few years, and I think maybe because they are much less strict on the gym time and open gyms, that maybe that's where the injuries can occur?? I know, I know... gymnasts are prone to injuries no matter where they go.

 

[ProudMomofGymnast]

My DD has not been to Woodward, but has been to IGC for a Thanksgiving Clinic and has gone for a week the past 2 summers. MY DD LOVES IGC! I think one of the reasons is that she is there for the gymnastics and loves the structure. She has had great experiences every time she has attended. A friend of the family's son worked at Woodward last summer and he enjoyed the experience! I think if you are looking more for gymnastics than alternative activities IGC is your place. Woodward offers more of an actual summer camp experience!

 

[gym law mom]

My gymmie has gone to Lake Owen(owned by Woodward) for several years and they have scheduled practice in the morning and evening. The afternoon is the open gym/clinic with coaches if you want to attend.

 

[cher062]

My DD (and son) has always gone to USGTC at Mt. Holyoke College and Have LOVED IT every year they have gone. the schedule goes something like this

They check in with an evaluation paper filled out by their gym coach with the skills they can do. Anyone without the paper is tested then the kids are divided up into ability groups.

they have breakfast have some type of planned workout in the am go to lunch and then have planned workout time and some free time then dinner. After dinner its free time or planned fun activities like color wars.
She has always come back from camp with something improved or new learned and has always wanted to go back for more. The only injuries I've ever heard of are the standard from working out. No hospitals etc.

 

[gymnast695]

I've been to both IGC and Woodward PA. Overall I liked IGC better, it was better and more structured gymnastics, more recreation and games, and better for they younger gymnast. Woodward had less structured gymnastics and less time in the gym, although open gym was an option. I also felt it lacked recreation and by the mid week I'd done everything they offered. If you were a younger gymnast who wants to do gymnastics, I'd say go to IGC. It's more structured not just in the gym but you go to meals as a cabin and eat, where at Woodward you could skip meals and just go when you pleased. But if you're an older kid who wants to hang out and have fun away from home but still do gymnastics, Woodward is definitely better. Plus Woodward has many sports on the camp, where IGC is just gymnastics. I remember at Woodward walking out of my cabin one morning and a bunch of skate boarding boys were on our porch! Which is great for some girls, but I just wanted to do gymnastics there! I personally like IGC better, but others say Woodward was better!

 

[bananaflips]

me personaly i like IGC better

 

[bookworm]

We have been to both and my daughter has always preferred Woodward...I would say that Woodward's facilities are more "rustic" compared to IGC.

 

[gymgymgymnast08]

I went to IGC when I was a 10 year old level 5. I had a great time but I did not get much gymnastics skills learned, but that could be that I was only a level 5.
I've been going to woodward for 3 years now and this year as a 16 year old level 9 I got a lot done. I'd say woodward is better for gymnastics but igc is better for fun.

 

[flipper's fan]

My DD is a Woodward gal. We have been to both as visitors or competing or attending clinics. My good friend has worked at Woodward. Several college coaches and competitors we know work at Woodward.

They are two very different places. IGC is small cabins, nestled in the woods, in the mountains. It is very structured and quite rigid. If you did not get in the cabin with the people you requested, too bad. There is no extra time in the gyms- even coaches are restricted to ten minutes before the scheduled practice. Woodward is open- in the cornfields, the gyms are open barns. The girls have more choices about practice, their coaches can come up and work with them anytime in the gyms. If you don't like your cabin go to housing and get reassigned. there is an incentive to going to all the optional practice- you could get tapped to come back for half price.

At Woodward, DD got to request lots of extra work on specificc skills from specific coaches.
As to injuries, never heard of any serious gymnastics problem. My friend who was a driver there only took 2 skateboarders to the hospital.

No real problem with IGC-DD is just very independant and did not care for all the restriction.-

 

[superflipgirl]

I haven't been to woodward, but from what I hear, IGC is way better. The facilities seem better, and more structured workouts, and you learn more skills. There is a lot of gymnastics every day, but it's so worth it when you're done. And you are closer to the counselors at igc too. It's not a tiny camp, but small enough that you can find your counselor if you need them, or the counselors can find kids. At woodward it seems like the counselors never see the kids except when in cabins, and the schedule just isn't structured, like you can skip meals and whatever. Others might disagree, but I think you should try igc