BTYC GYMNASTICS 2018 Squad Athlete Handbook - Men's Artistic Gymnastics (MAG) Women's Artistic Gymnastics (WAG)
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BTYC GYMNASTICS 2018 Squad Athlete Handbook Men’s Artistic Gymnastics (MAG) Women’s Artistic Gymnastics (WAG) Trampoline & Tumbling Gymstar 360 Springvale Road, Donvale Ph: (03) 9841 4773 Fax: (03) 9841 4733 www.btyc.gymnastics.org.au
CONTENTS Category Detail Page No. GENERAL 3 Committee / Staff 3 Policies & Procedures 4 Communication 4 Discipline 4 Medical Conditions 4 Squad duty requirements 5 Gymnast Code of Conduct 6 Parent Code of Conduct 7 MEN’S ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS (MAG) 8 Common Questions & Answers 8 Training 8 Competitions 10 WOMEN’S ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS (WAG) 13 Common Questions & Answers 13 Training 13 Competitions 15 TRAMPOLINE & TUMBLING 18 Common Questions & Answers 18 Training 18 Competitions 19 GYMSTAR 20 Common Questions & Answers 20 Training 20 Competitions 21 2
GENERAL INFORMATION The information in this Handbook has been provided to advise BTYC squad athletes and their families of essential information which relates to squad athletes. The Handbook contains both general information and information specific to each squad program (Men’s Artistic Gymnastics, Women’s Artistic Gymnastics, Trampoline & Tumbling and Gymstar) in the form of a ‘Common Questions & Answers’ section. If you have any questions or require any further information about the club or program, please refer to your programs Program Manager. Additional information can be requested on your child’s performance from the Coach or about the facility through the General Manager (contact details below). COMMITTEE / STAFF BTYC Gymnastics is a ‘committee-run organisation’. The BTYC Committee of Management meets once per month to look at the strategic and budgeting aspects of the Club. It is vital to maintain a strong Committee to ensure the successful running of our Club. The Committee aims to have at least one parent representative from each Program on the Committee at all times. If you are interested in joining the committee, please speak with either the General Manager or Club President. BTYC Gymnastics is a ‘Not for Profit’ sporting Club, and as such, relies heavily on parent involvement and help in a variety of different areas throughout the year. You will receive regular e-mails and notices advising of any assistance sought with competitions, Club activities etc. The following staff are responsible for day-to-day operations at BTYC Gymnastics: Program Role Name E-Mail Office General Manager David Hunsdale david@btycgymnastics.org.au Office Manager Susie Guttmann susie@btycgymnastics.org.au Accounts Debra Tomsett accounts@btycgymnastics.org.au Customer Service representative Thomas Kirishian admin@btycgymnastics.org.au Customer Service representative Adele Wilkie office@btycgymnastics.org.au Member Protection Information Officer David Hunsdale david@btycgymnastics.org.au MAG MAG Program Manager Chris Downie chris@btycgymnastics.org.au WAG WAG Program Manager Alysha Browne alysha@btycgymnastics.org.au Trampoline Trampoline & Tumbling Program Manager Karen Daniel karen@btycgymnastics.org.au Gymstar Gymstar Program Manager Jess Cornelissen jess@btycgymnastics.org.au The primary contact point for all squad queries is the Program Manager for each program. 3
POLICIES & PROCEDURES BTYC Gymnastics has a number of Club Rules, Policies and Procedures that relate to squads and general operations. This information, along with other valuable information, can be viewed at the BTYC website – www.btyc.gymnastics.org.au. COMMUNICATION A vital key to the success of any program at our Club is ‘parents’. From the commencement of the term, we endeavour to establish effective methods of communication between the Club, Coaches and parents. This helps to ensure a clear understanding of Club program expectations, protocols and policies. To achieve this, we hold meetings each year with squads and their Coach to ensure that families are well informed and able to be part of each athlete’s learning experience at BTYC. Should you need to meet with your Coach, please arrange a time either before or after a training session. Under no circumstances should the Coach be approached during a training session. BTYC has a policy to deal with the handling of complaints. In the event that you wish to make a complaint, please speak with your child’s Coach in the first instance. If the matter is unable to be resolved, or it’s not appropriate to speak with the Coach, the matter should be raised with the relevant Program Manager. Options for further escalation can be outlined at this point, if needed to the General Manager. If the matter relates to Child Protection, the appropriate contact is our Member Protection Information Officer (MPIO), David Hunsdale, who can be contacted at david@btycgymnastics.org.au DISCIPLINE BTYC Gymnastics has a specific policy which outlines the process in the event that an athlete breaches the Gymnast Code of Conduct. Consequences depend on the severity of the breach and will include, but are not limited to, the following: • issuing a warning, requiring verbal or written apology; • a letter of reprimand from BTYC Gymnastics Club Inc.; • counseling from the Program Manager or General Manager; and / or • removal / suspension from the Club. MEDICAL CONDITIONS BTYC Gymnastics is an inclusive Club and will invite athletes with special needs into squads if they have the necessary skills to partake at that level. We also have a comprehensive asthma policy and anaphylaxis policy to ensure that all participants are catered for. It is essential that families advise the Club of any medical conditions prior to commencing training. Any athlete who requires medical attention for an injury obtained within or outside of the Club, is required to supply a medical certificate and documentation from their medical practitioner regarding activities that can and cannot be completed by the athlete. BTYC are accommodating of athletes who are carrying injuries, and are happy to modify programs within guidelines by a medical practitioner. 4
SQUAD DUTY REQUIREMENTS BTYC Gymnastics requires the involvement of all squad families to ensure that the club is able to host competitions at BTYC. As part of that process, BTYC levy a nominal amount to all squad members to assist with the cost of hosting and staffing competitions. This levy applies to all squad members from all disciplines –Men’s Artistic Gymnastics (MAG), Women’s Artistic Gymnastics (WAG) and Gymstar. The Squad Levy will be invoiced in January 2018 at $50 per required shift and will only be refundable at the end of the year if all shifts are completed. Program Duty Commitment Total Levy Men’ Gymnastics (MAG) 4 shifts per squad athlete $200 Women’s Gymnastics (WAG) 4 shifts per squad athlete $200 Gymstar 2 shifts per squad athlete $100 MAG pre-squad 1 shifts per squad athlete $50 WAG foundation 1 1 shifts per squad athlete $50 Families will be able to log on to a web-based program called SignUp Genius and select their squad duty shifts, for competitions hosted at BTYC. Invitations to sign ups will be sent to the main account email (the same email your account is sent to) for each roster. All family members 18 and over, must have a working with children check and carry the card with them when assisting at competitions. There are a variety of duties required at the competitions including: • Set up • Door Attendant • Canteen assistant • BBQ assistant • Athlete helper • Judges hospitality • Scorer • Pack up If you are unable to complete your shifts please contact BTYC on 9841 4773 to discuss further. 5
GYMNAST CODE OF CONDUCT ALL gymnasts training at BTYC Gymnastics are required to abide by the following Code of Conduct: • Come to training appropriately attired, i.e. leotard, t-shirt, shorts. NO jeans, dresses or shoes. Bare feet required for gym and socks or tramp shoes for trampoline. Long hair must be tied back. No hair pins or clips. No jewellery or items in pockets • Bring your own drink bottle. Do not consume drinks other than water on the floor area • Listen and fulfill your Coach’s instructions to the best of your ability • Do not argue with an Official or Coach. If you need clarification, approach your Coach or have your parent approach the Official / Coach after the competition / training session and ask for clarification • Be a good sport - applaud all good performances from every athlete • Participate for your own enjoyment and do your best, not just to please others • Respect the rights, dignity and worth of all participants regardless of their gender, ability, cultural background or religion • Do not use bad language (swearing) under any circumstances • Stay with your Coach and squad at all times and seek permission from your Coach to leave the group, e.g. to go to the toilet • Be safety conscious and look where you are going. No running. Look before walking in front of other equipment, e.g. vault • Disclose any specific medical conditions you may have using the child’s medical section in the parent portal and if it is a new injury, discussing with the coach before the start of a training session • Report any injuries or illnesses to your Coach • Do not enter the gym area or go on equipment under any circumstances unless supervised by your Coach in a class • When competing for the Club or participating in Displays, wear the Club leotard and tracksuit • Show respect to, and acknowledge opponents and Officials, e.g. shake hands, wish other athletes good luck and thank the Judges / Officials / Coaches • Cooperate with your Coach, team and opponents - without them, there would be no competition • Support your team mates and the athletes from other Clubs • Enjoy your training! 6
PARENT CODE OF CONDUCT ALL parents who have gymnasts training at BTYC Gymnastics are required to abide by the following Code of Conduct: • Remember that children participate in gymnastics for their enjoyment, not yours • Encourage children to participate, do not force them • Focus on the child’s efforts and performance, rather than medals and scores • Encourage children to always play according to the rules • Never ridicule or yell at a child for making a mistake or not completing a skill • Remember that children learn best by example - appreciate good performances of other athletes • Respect Officials’ decision and teach children to do likewise • Show appreciation for Coaches, Judges and Officials • Respect the rights, dignity and worth of every young person regardless of their gender, ability, cultural background or religion • Do not make comments about, or verbally abuse other children. It is the sole responsibility of the Coach to direct children during training, with the exception of Kindergym 2 and 3 classes where parents assist with their child • Ensure as a parent / guardian you make your child aware of the Gymnast Code of Conduct and abide by this Code • Athletes and parents / carers must wait upstairs before and after classes. No child is to wait for parents in foyer or outside the gym • Ensure you keep non-participating children quiet and respect the classes in progress and the other parents viewing • Ensure you walk up and down the stairs • Ensure that siblings of participating members (especially during Kindergym classes) do not play in the gym area even if they are supervised by an adult. They are not covered by insurance if they are not registered members being supervised by a Coach • Abide by the Gym Rules (as displayed) at all times • Do not take food or drink (other than water) into the Gymnastics arena • Abide by the Manningham DISC rules and regulations, including appropriate use of the car park (i.e. no double parking near entrance, no parking in turning circle) 7
MEN’S ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS (MAG) PROGRAM COMMON QUESTIONS & ANSWERS – MAG PROGRAM TRAINING HOW ARE TRAINING SESSIONS STRUCTURED? Each squad warms up to increase their heart rate and they stretch to improve flexibility. This is followed by pre-strengthening activities for body tension, either by themselves or combined with apparatus work. Training then commences on apparatus as per the gymnasium training timetable. Throughout each session, strength training is completed to increase the athletes overall power and muscle endurance. Most squads train on 3 - 4 apparatus each night. Apparatus work varies depending on the time of year (i.e. competition seasons). HOW ARE SQUADS STRUCTURED? Each squad is comprised of up to 10 athletes. This number may change depending on the level and coaching structure in place for that particular group. For example, some squads may have up to 16 gymnasts with two Coaches. Athletes are normally of a similar age, level and training commitment. Higher level athletes train more hours each week. The minimum training hours expectation for each group is specific to what BTYC coaching staff deem to be the best structure for safe and competent skill display at competition for that specific level of gymnastics. The guide we follow is below: Level Training Hours Level 2 6 hours training per week Level 3&4 7-9 hours training per week Level 5&6 10-12 hours training per week Level 7 & above 12+ hours training per week WHAT IS THE CORRECT TRAINING UNIFORM? • Level 2-4 athletes wear a red training leotard with grey longs and shorts (longs can be worn the whole time when it is cold and shorts can be worn when it is hot, but pommels need longs for effective training). • Level 5-6 athletes wear a blue training leotard with the same grey longs and shorts. • Level 7-10 athletes wear training longs and shorts, with a BTYC Senior Squad Singlet. It is essential that athletes train in the correct uniform to enable the Coach to see body shape and for safety reasons. T- shirts are not suitable. Non-gymnastic shorts, like board shorts, restrict movement and catch on hands if they have pockets. Gymnasts who do not respect and follow the uniform policy, are in breach of the club rules and may be subject to the clubs disciplinary process. WHAT TYPE OF SNACK SHOULD I GIVE MY SON FOR TRAINING? Squads that train for longer than 2 hours have a short 3 - 5 minute snack break after their second apparatus. The snack should be a high G.I. food like fruit (small apple or a banana) or a hand full of dried biscuits / rice crackers, or a muesli bar. Athletes are not permitted to share food with other athletes. 8
SQUAD TRAINING VIEWING POLICY BTYC Gymnastics allows parents to view squad training sessions. This may be reviewed should we encounter any of the following: • athletes being distracted by parents (coaching from the sidelines or over-monitoring behavior) • lack of athlete concentration that can lead to athletes endangering themselves whilst doing skills • athletes who feel the need to ‘perform’ for their parents. Please remember that you may not always see an improvement in your child if you are watching the whole time. HOW / WHEN DO ATHLETES MOVE UP TO THE NEXT LEVEL / SQUAD? New athletes are assessed and placed on trial in the squad that the Program Manager (through consultation with Coaching staff) feel they are best suited to. Existing athletes are evaluated during Term 3 & 4, after reviewing their competition results and training advancement, to place them in new or existing squads for Term 1 in preparation for the competition season in the next year. Athletes who train more than 3 sessions per week will benefit more from strength, flexibility and skill development. Athletes training less than this tend not to see similar improvements / advancement. MAG LEVELS SYSTEM The process by which MAG athletes proceed through the levels is detailed below. Please note there may be further changes to this system for 2018: National Levels International System System Level 9 Open Level 10 Snr Int. Level 10 U/18 Level 8 Open Level 9 U/17 + U/15 For State Level Level 7 Open Manual see GV Level 8 U/14 Web Site. Level 6 Open Level 7 U/12 Level 5 U/10 Level 5 Open Recreation Level 4 U/9 System Level 4 Open Level 3 U/8 Senior Team Freestyle Level 3 Open Level 2 U/7 Junior Team Freestyle Level 2 Open Where boys are placed in squads for competitive gymnastics These squads are recreational and Training uniform competitive – they Boys Recreational Classes Bronze, Silver, Gold (Level 1) and competition can train in activity uniform for all gear and compete in (1-2 hours/week) squads. training uniform. Kinder Gym For the extra Activities Automatically progress into boys additional to the level 0 Wear activity gear, bare recreational class when they start & 1 NPM Routines see feet – Club t-shirt for Club school. GV Web Site. Recreational competition. 9
COMPETITIONS It is expected that all MAG squad athletes enter competitions. The type of competition and the level at which the athlete competes is determined by the Coach, in conjunction with the MAG Program Administration. WHICH APPARATUS DO THEY COMPETE ON IN COMPETITIONS? Olympic order for Men’s gymnastics is: Floor Pommels Rings Vault Parallel Bars High Bar In a competition, athletes compete on all six apparatus in order, starting at the one shown on the Rotation Schedule, which is published 1 – 2 weeks before an event and given out to show start times etc. WHAT ARE THE EXPECTATIONS FOR HOME & AWAY COMPETITIONS? Home competitions are ones that our Club hosts. For these competitions, we need our parents to help with the smooth running of the event. This is when we are on show to the gymnastics community, and it is important for our competition to be of the best standard possible. Away competitions are run by other Clubs or by Gymnastics Victoria or Gymnastics Australia. At these events, parents are supportive spectators. At all competitions, it is expected that parents are supportive of all athletes in the event. During the competition, parents are not to have any social contact with their child. Athletes are under the supervision of the Coach for all requirements until after the awards are presented. Any parent contact, or early departure from the floor, can lead to disqualification of the athlete and / or the team. WHAT DO ATHLETES WEAR ON EACH APPARATUS? For Floor and Vault, athletes wear shorts over their competition leotard. For the other four apparatus (High bar, Parallel bars, Rings and Pommel horse), athletes wear longs over their leotard and plain white socks. For marching into the arena and for the Awards ceremony, athletes wear the BTYC Club tracksuit. WHO COACHES ATHLETES AT A COMPETITION? In most cases, the team with the most athletes from the same squad will have that squad’s main Coach go around with them at a competition. This may change if the Coach is required to Judge at the event, as many of BTYC’s MAG Coaches are also some of Victoria’s Judges. All attempts are made to give the athletes a Coach that knows them and their requirements. Before competitions, class Coaches are often swapped to give the athletes in the class a new set of eyes, usually by a Coach who is also a Judge. This is done to maximise their competition potential, or to get them used to the Coach that will be taking them around at the competition. 10
WHAT DO ATHLETES TAKE TO COMPETITIONS? MAG competition uniforms are available to be purchased from the BTYC office in Donvale. Both new and second-hand uniforms are available (depending on size availability). MAG athletes are required to have the following items when they compete: • Competition leotard, white longs and white shorts (NOT training uniform) • Apparatus aides – grips etc • Club Tracksuit • 2 pairs of plain white cotton socks (no color bands, logos or colored heel / toe parts) • Club bag for holding drink bottle of water, small snack which is not messy (minimize lollies) and their uniform items they are not wearing. Athletes should leave shoes with parents before going on to the floor to join the Coach before the competition. Parents should label all items as they are easily mixed up with other athletes. Grips and other gymnastic equipment should be placed in the competition bag. Long hair should be kept neatly off the face with gel, or tied back with a hair band or head band. Athletes should check which apparatus they are starting on in competitions and wear the appropriate longs / shorts to the competition. HOW DOES JUDGING WORK? Depending on the competition, there will be 1–3 Judges at each apparatus. The Head Judge is always the highest level judge on that apparatus. The Judges award the Start score or what mark the routine will be judged out of (Difficulty Score), and then they average their deductions (Execution Score). The Execution score is deducted from the Start score to give the final score. Technical errors (for things like swearing or wearing incorrect competition apparel) are then taken from this score by the Head Judge to give the Final Flashed score. HOW DOES THE CANADIAN COMPETITION FORMAT WORK? At most competitions, and some State events for levels 2 - 4, the Canadian competition format is used. This competition format saves time during rotations by having an athlete warming up on an apparatus whilst the Judges are calculating the score for the previous routine. HOW ARE AWARDS DECIDED AND AWARDED? Scores are entered and tallied on a scoring program that takes the scores that the different Judges award and calculates a final score that must coincide with the final flashed score on the Judges score sheet. Any discrepancies are taken back to the Head Judge to sign off on or to change. Some events have special rules for how awards are given out – these are published to the Coaches in the event promotional material. It is up to the Coaches to explain / publish any different rules to the norm to parents before they consent to attending the event. Team combinations are published before events, e.g. 5 with 3 to count means that a team can have 5 athletes in it and the top 3 scores on each apparatus count toward that team’s score. The team size and counting number can vary from event to event. Individual awards are given for each apparatus and for the All Around (AA) scores – usually from 1st to 3rd. For some events, tie breaks are decided by All Around score, the higher AA score wins over the lower on that apparatus. 11
Each competition has its own awards system based on the number of competitors in each age division at each level at the event. Large events separate ‘Under’ and ‘Open’ age divisions for awards, whilst small events often combine these divisions. Under and Open age divisions are decided by the age the athlete is at 1 st January in the year they are competing: Age Division Age to compete 2 Under 6 years old Under 7 at 1st Jan 3 Under 7 years old Under 8 at 1st Jan 4 Under 8 years old Under 9 at 1 Jan 5 Under 9 years old Under 10 at 1 Jan 6 Open 10 years old and above n/a 7 Under 10 & 11 years old Under 12 at 1 Jan 8 Under 12 & 13 years old Under 14 at 1 Jan 9 Under 14 & 15 years old Under 16 at 1 Jan State stream and Recreational competitions have their own unique awards system that puts more of an emphasis on participation than winning. MAG SELECTION POLICY (TEAMS) During the competition season, teams are selected at random by BTYC, within each eligible level. However, for the Victorian Championships, National Clubs Carnival or any specific ‘team based’ competitions, gymnasts are split into ranked teams. ‘A’ team athletes will be chosen on ability, based on past competition experience from that year, using All Around scores. Additionally, the MAG Program Manager and Coaches may use performance at training and internal testing to support team selection. The strongest athletes will be placed together in the ‘A’ team, and the remaining athletes will be placed in the ‘B’ team and so on. This is not a decision that is taken lightly, and the BTYC Coaching staff will only pick the team they feel offers the strongest competitive advantage in this scenario. All attempts are made to have the teams compete together in the same group, but on occasion, this cannot be done, as levels groupings are often decided by the host Club. When this occurs, athletes will be arranged into teams before presentations. For National and State events, Level 2 - 5 teams are made up of 6 athletes with the top 4 scores on each apparatus to count toward the team score. For some Invitationals, teams are comprised of 5 athletes with the top 3 scores to count. Similarly, for National and State events, Level 6 - 10 teams are made up of 5 athletes with the top 3 scores on each apparatus to count towards the team score. Where there are enough athletes to make a level specific ‘open’ or ‘under’ team, BTYC MAG coaches will always prioritize this option first. If there are enough athletes for two teams, then two teams will be entered e.g. competitions where teams are 5 with 3 to count – and 8 BTYC athletes are entered, BTYC will enter a team of 5 and a second team of 3. At all competitions, BTYC athletes will be put in teams rather than be entered as individuals, unless there are not enough athletes to make up a team. For some State and National events, Open age and Under age teams are separate. This does not change the selection of athletes. However, Under age athletes can be put into an Open age team, but it does not go the other way for Under age teams. BTYC Gymnastics expect that all competitive MAG athletes attend scheduled Invitationals each year, as well as Trials for the Victorian Championships. 12
WOMEN’S ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS (WAG) PROGRAM COMMON QUESTIONS & ANSWERS – WAG PROGRAM TRAINING WHAT DOES THE WAG PROGRAM ENTAIL? Athletes train on all four of the WAG apparatus, Vault, Bars, Beam and Floor, as well as strength and conditioning training, flexibility, trampoline and ballet. BTYC offers a specifically designed artistic preparation program to assist with posture, leaps, jumps, turns and general presentation. This program is taught by accredited artistic preparation teachers with gymnastics experience. HOW ARE TRAINING SESSIONS STRUCTURED? Each session includes a number of different apparatus and conditioning aspects to prepare the athletes for competitions. Sessions will also include a general warm up which sees athletes increase their heart rates to allow better stretching and improve flexibility. Athletes then also work on strengthening activities, as well as some other focus areas such as injury prevention and artistic preparation. Most squads train on all apparatus each night of the week, but some see just 2 or 3 each week, and then the remaining apparatus in their next session. HOW ARE SQUADS STRUCTURED? Squads are comprised of up to 10 athletes with one Coach, or up to 18 athletes with multiple Coaches who ‘team Coach’. This number may change depending on the level and coaching structure in place for that particular group. Athletes are normally of a similar age, level and training commitment. Higher level athletes train more hours each week. The minimum training hours expectation for each group is specific to what BTYC coaching staff deem to be the best structure for safe and competent skill display at competition for that specific level of gymnastics, based on advice from the Women’s Gymnastics Technical Committee. HOW MANY HOURS DO ATHLETES TRAIN? Program Number of Program Number of Hours Hours Foundation Level 1 2 hours ALP 2 5 hours ALP 3 9-12 hours ALP 4/5 15 hours ALP 4-5 Limited Hours 10 hours ALP 6 15 hours ALP 6 Limited Hours 10 hours ALP 7-8 Limited Hours 12 hours ALP 9-10 Limited Hours 12 hours 13
WHAT ARE THE ATTENDANCE EXPECTATIONS FOR CLASSES? It is imperative that athletes attempt to attend as many classes as possible, as even two weeks out of the gym can lead to significant de-conditioning. Extended time away from the gym may also result in large growth spurts, rather than a graduated rate of growth. Both of these can lead to periods of un-coordination due to de-conditioning or changes in body mechanics due to growth. It is also important that athletes arrive at training on time, as the warm-up segment of training is a crucial part of injury prevention. Athletes who have not had adequate warm-up are more likely to injure themselves. This section of the class is also important for the focus of the athlete as it sets the tone for the entire training session. A disciplined team approach to warm-up will help generate a disciplined team approach to apparatus training. AM I EXPECTED TO TRAIN ON PUBLIC HOLIDAYS? BTYC Gymnastics do not run squad training sessions on public holidays. Classes that fall on a public holiday are not charged in the term fees. AM I EXPECTED TO ATTEND TRAINING DURING THE HOLIDAYS? Training during the school holidays is highly encouraged as it ensures that deconditioning over the holiday period is kept to a minimum. We also understand that it is important to have family time and participate in other activities as well and we will attempt to take this into account when scheduling training. Costs for training sessions scheduled during the holidays are included in fees, regardless of whether the athlete attends the training sessions. Dates for training sessions during the holidays are provided to athletes at the beginning of the year. Program Managers have taken into consideration that families may like to enjoy some time away from training during the year and as such have scheduled holiday training for each squad to have 1 week of during school holidays separate to their competition season. WHAT IS THE CORRECT TRAINING UNIFORM? Athletes are encouraged to wear leotards for all training sessions. Crop tops are NOT to be worn in the gym however full-length singlets are permitted. All uniform items need to hug the athlete’s body to allow Coaches to see the shapes the athletes are making during training. There is a competition uniform for all competitive athletes, the girls are asked not to wear this to training to ensure it stays in good condition for competitions. This uniform is available to be purchased from the BTYC office in Donvale. WHY DO WE DO BALLET/ARTISTIC PREPARATION? Some BTYC WAG squad athletes are scheduled to take a session of ballet each week with an Accredited Ballet or dance teacher. The program taught is ‘WAG influenced’ Ballet, incorporating ballet techniques which are relevant to gymnastics to improve skills such as leaps, turns and leg strength. The program provides knowledge surrounding posture and the finer points of body alignment and control. We focus on developing musicality and confidence into movements to assist with creating well-presented artistic floor routines. WHAT TYPE OF SNACK SHOULD I GIVE MY DAUGHTER FOR TRAINING? Squads that train for longer than 2 hours have a short 3 - 5 minute snack break half way through training. The snack should be a high G.I. food like fruit (small apple or a banana) or a hand full of dried biscuits / rice crackers, or a muesli bar. Athletes are not permitted to share food with other athletes. 14
SQUAD TRAINING VIEWING POLICY BTYC Gymnastics allows parents to view squad training sessions. This may be reviewed should we encounter any of the following: • athletes being distracted by parents (coaching from the sidelines or over-monitoring behavior) • lack of athlete concentration that can lead to athletes endangering themselves whilst doing skills • athletes who feel the need to ‘perform’ for their parents. Please remember that you may not always see an improvement in your child if you are watching the whole time. COMPETITIONS HOW DO COMPETITIONS WORK? In 2015 the new Australian Levels Program (ALP) for WAG was introduced across Australia. This new program was developed by a number of influential members of the extended gymnastics community and aims to have a more holistic approach to gymnastics, offering higher retention rates in the sport as well as providing more opportunities for success at competitions with greater division of athletes across specific levels. There will be two divisions of the ALP athletes: • ALP and • ALP Limited Hours (LH) – not across all levels. ALP athletes are permitted to train an uncapped amount of hours, however the ALP LH athletes are only permitted to train up to a specific amount of hours for that level. Foundation Level 1: Under this new program, BTYC athletes will not compete until ALP 2. Foundation 1 is designed to prepare the athletes for their future years of training. Although some invitationals and State events offer competitions at level 1, the focus of BTYC's program is designed to work on skills and strengths of the athlete, rather than adding the pressure of competing and remembering routines. During training sessions, athletes will focus predominantly on building their strength, shaping and conditioning and working on the basics that will prepare the athletes for competitions in following years. ALP Level 2-6 athletes will compete the compulsory routines as per the current ALP. The compulsory ALP routines are designed to encourage gymnasts to participate whilst advancing current skills and learning new skills through each level. Floor routines and music will be set for all athletes, thus no extra charges will be incurred by families at these levels. Competitions will be team based only for level 2-4 and then team and individual based for level 5 & 6. Teams must be made up of athletes from the same age divisions within the same level. Level 7- 10: Both the ALP and ALP LH athletes will compete a mix of compulsory and optional elements on each apparatus. Athletes in Level 7 and above will have set requirements with optional skills to be included. Each Level 7 and above athlete will have individual floor routines with optional music. For level 7 and above the team element for competitions is slightly different and conducted at a separate event including both limited and unlimited athletes. 15
WHICH APPARATUS DO I USE? Olympic order for Women’s gymnastics is Vault, Bars, Beam, Floor. In a competition, they will compete on all apparatus in order, starting at the one shown on the Rotation Schedule. This is published 1 - 2 weeks before an event and will be emailed out to families prior to the event. COMPETITION EXPECTATIONS Athletes are provided with a full list of expected competitions for their level prior to the commencement of the competition season. Information is also provided before each competition on things such as arrival time, clothing, attendance etc. All WAG athletes are required to attend competitions in full club uniform, including a level appropriate leotard, club tracksuit, white socks, a BTYC bag (of any variety) and hair in a neat eye level bun with a blue competition scrunchie. COMPETITION CHECK LIST Athletes should use the following checklist to pack their bag / prepare for competitions: • Competition leotard • Warm-up leotard (ALP Level 7 and above) • Club T-shirt to wear whilst doing apparatus warm up • Club Tracksuit • 2 pairs of plain white cotton socks no colour bands, logos or coloured heel / toe parts. • Apparatus aides – grips, loops etc. • Drink bottle of water • Small snack – rice crackers, dried fruit etc. (minimize lollies) • Club bag for holding drink bottle, snack, spare socks, uniform and apparatus aides • Leave shoes with parents before going onto floor to join Coach before competition • Label all items as they are easily mixed up with other athletes • No nail polish or jewellery permitted INVITATIONALS Athletes will be placed in teams that comprise of athletes within their level (can be from across multiple squads) or teams that are evenly divided across more than one age group at the same level. Where there is only one group per level, then all athletes will be in evenly divided teams. STATE QUALIFYING & STATE EVENTS Level 3 - BTYC Gymnastics will place the top six (6) athletes into one team (the ‘A’ team) for State level events. This decision will be made by the Coach, in consultation with the relevant Program Manager. Selection will be made based on the performance of the athletes in class, at in-house competitions and at Club Invites. Typically, at the lower levels only one team will be entered per level, unless exceptional competition results have been seen throughout the competitive season for that year. The ‘A team’ for finals events will consist of the top six all round athletes, or up to two apparatus specialists may be selected to boost the team on certain apparatus. Throughout the invitational competition season coaches and Managers will create different combinations of teams within the specific levels attempting to give all members of the squad the opportunity to appear on a podium at the end of an event, however there is no guarantee that this is achievable based on the nature of competing and the performances on the day of competition. 16
At finals events teams will be in the following formats (please note this is where all athletes are attending the event); • 3 athletes – all athletes are selected (this is the minimum requirement to make up a team) • 4 athletes – all athletes are selected • 5 athletes – all athletes are selected • 6 athletes - all athletes are selected • 7 athletes – top 6 athletes are selected and one athlete would not compete • 8 athletes – top 6 athletes are selected and two athletes would not compete • 9 athletes – top 6 athletes are selected for A team and next 3 athletes would make up a B team • 10 athletes – top 6 athletes are selected for A team and next 4 athletes would make up a B team • 11 athletes – top 6 athletes are selected for A team and next 5 athletes would make up a B team • 12 athletes – top 6 athletes are selected for A team and next 6 athletes would make up a B team For levels that allow for an individual component as well as a team component of competition, the additional athletes would be entered in the competition as individuals. BTYC SELECTION POLICY Entry into BTYC competitive squads is by invitation only. Athletes can progress to the next level by: a. Qualification to the State Pennant finals – this automatically upgrades the girls a level as they will not be allowed to repeat the same level the following year b. At the higher levels – achievement of a certain individual all round score at a Championship results in automatic upgrade of a level c. Level Achievement Test (LAT) – from Level 4 onwards, the girls can enter select Invitationals that have been granted LAT status and will receive their level provided they score over the minimum individual All Around score. d. Internal assessment by the Coaches - skill testing, strength testing and control tests to ascertain if the athlete is capable of being successful in their LAT. 17
TRAMPOLINING / TUMBLING PROGRAM COMMON QUESTIONS & ANSWERS – TRAMPOLINE PROGRAM TRAINING WHAT DOES THE PROGRAM ENTAIL? The athletes will train on their chosen apparatus, as well as flexibility, strength and conditioning training. The program offers all disciplines in the sport of trampolining - Trampoline, Double Mini Trampoline and Tumbling. Each athlete may choose to do one or all disciplines at competition. It should be noted that all of these disciplines are only offered on a recreational basis (no formal squad). All athletes that may wish to attend competitions can inform their coach or the Program Manager. Competition notices will be sent out a few weeks prior to competitions. COMPETITIONS WHAT IS THE BTYC TRP/ TUM SELECTION POLICY? For Invitationals - all athletes can compete in Invitationals provided they meet the level requirements. For State Qualifying and State Events - all athletes must be able to compete at the appropriate age level. To qualify for the State Team, athletes must meet Gymnastic Australia’s qualifying scores, and meet all requirements outlined in Gymnastic Australia’s Technical Regulations publication. HOW DO COMPETITIONS WORK? • Level 1-6- At Levels 1-6, athletes compete at their own level and medals are awarded based on scores. This is an individual competition. • Levels 4-10 (Normally compete National stream or International Stream) - Athletes competing in the National steam and International Stream are trying to attain scores to allow them to be eligible to make the Victorian Team and compete at Nationals. Some athletes may also be competing at sanctioned competitions to attain a score to make the Australian Team to compete at International events. Please note, to compete in these streams, athletes must be at a certain level at a certain age. All the information can be found in Gymnastic Australia’s Technical Regulations publication. WHAT DO I TAKE TO COMPETITIONS? • Competition leotard • Club T-shirt to wear whilst doing apparatus warm up • Club Tracksuit • 2 pairs of plain white cotton socks (no colour bands, logos or coloured heel/toe parts) • Club bag for holding drink bottle of water and small snack which is not messy (minimise lollies). Also carry a spare pair of socks. • Leave shoes with parents before going onto floor to join the Coach before the competition. • Label all items as they are easily mixed up with other athletes. • If you have Tramp or DMT shoes or other gymnastic equipment, have it in your competition bag. • Long hair should be kept neatly off face with gel or tied back with a hair band. 18
WHICH APPARATUS DO I COMPETE ON? In a competition, athletes will compete in the order shown on the competition schedule. This is published one or two weeks before an event and given out to show start times etc. HOW DOES SCORING / JUDGING WORK? Depending on the competition, there will be 4 – 9 Judges on each event. The Superior Judge is always the highest level judge on that apparatus. They supervise the performance and difficulty, as well as make the final call on technical errors and extra deductions required. They also hand over all scores to the scorers and sign off on final scores. The Performance Judges mark on the execution of each skill performed. They have a 0 - 0.5 range of deduction per skill. They add their deductions and deduct the total from 10 for their score. The Difficulty Judges calculate the difficulty of each skill and add them up where necessary to be given in to the Scorers. The Final Score is the middle 3 performance marks plus the difficulty. WHAT ARE THE COMPETITION EXPECTATIONS? All competition entries must be paid for prior to the closing date of that competition. Families will be provided with a full list of competitions in which athletes are expected to compete for their level prior to the commencement of the competition season. 19
GYMSTAR PROGRAM COMMON QUESTIONS & ANSWERS – GYMSTAR PROGRAM HOW ARE GYMSTAR CLASSES STRUCTURED? Each squad is comprised of up to 10 athletes. This number may change depending on the level and coaching structure in place for that particular group. For example, some squads may have up to 16 gymnasts with two Coaches. Athletes are normally of a similar age, level and training commitment. Higher level athletes train more hours each week. The minimum training hours expectation for each group is specific to what BTYC coaching staff deem to be the best structure for safe and competent skill display at competition for that specific level of gymnastics. WHAT ARE THE HOURS TRAINED PER LEVEL? Level Training Hours Level 2 2 hours training per week Level 3 3 hours training per week Level 4 Challenge 3 hours training per week Level 4 4 hours training per week Level 5 Challenge 4 hours training per week Level 5 5 hours training per week Level 6 Challenge 5 hours training per week Level 6,7 6 hours training per week Level 8,9,10 9 hours training per week WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WOMEN’S ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS (WAG) & GYMSTAR? WAG classes are directed by the Victorian and Australian governing bodies for Gymnastics. Athletes in WAG classes compete on four apparatus’ – Bars, Vault, Beam and Floor. Gymstar is a separate program with its own levels. A Gymstar class is more flexible than a WAG class and requires less hours of training. However, it is still a competitive program, with athletes expected to compete at a minimum number of competitions in the second half of the year. Athletes in the Gymstar program compete on six apparatus’ - Floor, Vault, Beam, Bars, Parallel bars and Rings. TRAINING WHAT DO I BRING TO TRAINING? • A small healthy snack if the training session goes for three hours or more • A water bottle containing water • Asthma puffer or epipen (if required) IS THERE A SPECIAL UNIFORM? There is no training uniform, but Gymstar athletes are required to wear appropriate gym gear. No low cut tops or crop tops. We recommend a leotard and shorts, or leggings / shorts and t-shirt. It is highly encouraged that Gymstar athletes wear their Gymstar t-shirt to training to foster a sense of team spirit. When competing, athletes are required to wear the Club leotard and Gymstar t-shirt (purchased from the BTYC office at Donvale). BTYC leotards are supplied by Gymwiz. Coaches will measure and organise leotards before competition seasons commence each year. 20
ARE THERE TRAINING SESSIONS DURING SCHOOL HOLIDAYS? Training sessions are offered during the term 2 and term 3 school holidays, however they are not compulsory. These training sessions help to ensure that athletes do not lose too much strength or flexibility, and allow more practice time before and during the competition season. Training sessions during the holidays can be different to term training times, as we can utilise the gym during the day when there are less classes. Athletes need to book in for training sessions during the school holidays. There is a minimum number of 5 participants for training sessions to run in the holidays. The fees for holiday training are invoiced separately. ARE THERE OTHER EVENTS THAT ATHLETES HAVE TO PARTICIPATE IN? All social events are not compulsory but highly encouraged as they are great team bonding events. All are invoiced separately and you need to book in to participate. For Level 2 and 3 athletes, we offer a practice competition at the start of their competition season. This gives them a first experience of competitions in the comfort and relaxed environment of their own Club. There is lunch provided afterwards and the girls can have a free play and socialise. For Level 4 - 10 athletes we offer a pizza and play night. The girls will get to spend time in the gym socialising, playing on equipment and participating in structured games. They get to have pizza for dinner and have some fun before we get into the seriousness of competition season. COMPETITIONS COMPETITION DATES / COSTS Competitions start in Term 3, around July or August. They usually run through until early November. Athletes and families are informed about which competitions they will compete at but are required to do a minimum of 4 per year. There is also a late entry fee and withdrawal fee which is passed on to us by the external Gymstar Co-ordinator. These fees are passed on to families as relevant. WHAT DO I BRING TO COMPETITIONS? • A drink bottle containing water (no soft drink allowed on the floor) • Small snack (i.e. sandwich, fruit, or muesli bar – please limit lollies and chocolate) • Gymstar leotard appropriate to level and Gymstar t-shirt • Small bag to keep belongings in • Navy tracksuit pants or navy shorts • Hair brush and hair ties/clips • Please leave shoes with parents before the competition starts HOW DO THE ATHLETES GET SCORED / JUDGED AT COMPETITIONS? Level 2 and 3 All athletes start with a score of 15 to which deductions are applied. The minimum score is 10. When athletes are judged, they get points taken away for things such as bent legs, un-pointed toes, forgetting a skill, falling, bending arms, arching their back too much, not presenting to the Judge and many more little things that all impact on the score they receive for their routine. Each 'fault' can have a different value. For example, a fall off the beam is worth a full mark while a small separation in legs might be only worth 0.1 or 0.3 of a mark. Gymnastics is all about perfection, so you aim to have as little mistakes and faults as possible. Scores in the 13's and 14's are what we look for, and 12's are pretty good. When we get 11's and 10's, something has gone quite wrong in the routine and we will do our best to fix it for next time. The top 4 scores (out of 6 possible scores) get added together to make their overall score. This determines what colour medal the athlete will receive. We don't put emphasis on the colour of the medal, we think just getting out there and giving it a go is great. We just want them to have fun and do the best routine they can. 21
Level 4-8 At Level 4-8, the same basic scoring system applies, however the girls can have ‘bonus’ skills in their routines. Their routines therefore start from 14, and they can have two bonus skills to bring their score to a maximum of 15. A routine with only one bonus skill will have a starting score of 14.50. We try to ensure that the girls have at least one bonus skill in every routine. At this level, only the top 3 scores for each apparatus will receive a medal and the top 4-6 places on each apparatus will receive a ribbon. Level 9-10 At level 9 & 10, girls are still able to have bonus skills in their routine. The difference from the other levels is they are allowed more than two bonus skills to make up their routine start score. At level 9, you are allowed up to three bonus skills and at level 10, you are allowed up to four bonus skills which means your routine can start from 16. ARE THE ATHLETES EXPECTED TO ATTEND EVERY COMPETITION? We know that attending all competitions is often not possible due to family commitments and other activities. However, the more competitions they do, the more comfortable the athletes become which leads to a better performance. Every competition that they participate in will give them experience and confidence for the next competition. It is expected that athletes compete in a minimum of 4 competitions per year. Where there is a clash of commitments on a competition date, families are required to communicate this in advance. WHERE ARE COMPETITIONS HELD? Competitions are held in gymnastics Clubs around Melbourne. Some common venues for competitions are Eclipse Gymnastics, Eastern Gymnastics, Footscray City Gymnastics, Endeavour Hills YMCA and BTYC Gymnastics. They are always on a Sunday and run for approximately three hours. HOW DOES MY CHILD LEARN THE ROUTINES REQUIRED? It is up to the Coach to teach their class the routines required at each level. There will be some individual differences in routines, but essentially, they will be the same at each level. We will ensure that each class begins their routine training at the same time and will ensure that this is done early enough before competitions to allow the athletes to be adequately prepared. Once the athlete has learnt their six routines, they will compete these at every competition they attend. Floor routine teaching is the exception, as this begins at home for Level 4, 5, & 6. We will send you a link to a private YouTube page that has every routine available for your child’s level. They need to learn their favourite routine at home and then we will help them to refine it at training. Level 3 floor routines must also first be learnt at home, however they will have one set routine and not a choice. In level 7-10, athletes are asked to get a personalized choreographed routine that is made specifically for them. A personalized routine is around $75 and this includes 2x 30min privates to teach the routine to the athlete. They can choose their own music or it can be chosen for them. Coaches will give athletes a notice to book in a choreographer before their competition starts. OVERALL GYMSTAR COMMITMENT AND PARTICIAPTION Gymstar is a wonderful and challenging program that offers our athletes a chance to grow and develop their skills in a safe and supportive environment. This program allows extension of gymnastics skills while not being overly demanding, and allows participants to play to their strengths while working on their weaknesses. We look forward to working with your daughter in 2018, and helping them to be the best gymnast they can be. Thank you for your support and interest in the Gymstar Program and I wish everybody every success in 2018. 22
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