Entries Tagged 'club governance' ↓

It may be that the media panic about this terrible infection has peaked.

Several USA Gymnastics disciplines are hosting regional and national events during the next few weeks, and questions have been raised regarding the staging those events. USA Gymnastics is monitoring the current state of the swine flu pandemic along with the rest of the country. At this time, we are not recommending the cancellation of any events. The decision to cancel or reschedule an event should be in accordance with directives issued by the appropriate government agencies.

We ask that everyone make prudent decisions regarding their participation in events. .Our athletes, coaches, event organizers and officials have been working hard to achieve excellence in our sport and participate in the season’s culminating events. If you are experiencing flu like symptoms, please consult your physician and refrain from attending an event. …

USAG

I’ve not heard of any clubs closing or gymnastics events cancelled.

SuperKevin added another option in a comment on our original best flooring for gymnastics gyms post.

source

Looks good. More information on the Wonder Mat website.

Are they durable enough?

Michele Soucy asks us what’s the best material to cover concrete between gymnastics apparatus in our gyms.

Good question.

I’m not sure.

In my gym we have red and gold tiles on the floor of our public common area. They are easy to clean and sanitize.

larger version

In the gym, most of the concrete is covered with carpet tiles.

Carpet is difficult to keep clean. I really don’t like carpet. The only advantage is that a stained carpet tile can easily be swapped out with a new one. Here’s the glue and trowel we use to affix new tiles.

larger version

Better is one section of the gym where instead of carpet we are using an old wrestling mat as a base for other mats.

larger version

Do you have a recommendation for what to use to cover concrete floors?

Leave a comment.

Blogger Anne Phillips was one of those who made a special trip to the Texas State Capital to fight for a modified Bill that would exempt gymnastics and other skill-based programs (such as marital arts, soccer, etc.) from being classified as “Daycare Centers”.

THANKS Anne. And thanks to all those fighting for this cause.

From her report:

… about 50 members of the Texas gymnastics community showed up at the Capitol today in support of the cause. … When they FINALLY got to our bill, the Head Representative asked for everyone present regarding that bill to raise their hands, and all 50 of our hands shot up. Everyone else in the room, including the State Representatives, was astounded by the amount of people there in support of this bill. That was a proud moment for Texas Gymnastics.

Of those 50, we had almost 20 individuals who got up to testify and explain why it is important to support the Committee Substitute version of House Bill 1393. I was truly impressed with what everyone had to say. It was evident that everyone spoke from the heart and I believe they got through to the Representatives.?

The variety of speakers included 2004 and 2008 Olympic Head Coach Kevin Mazeika, Texas State Chairman Dianne Callison, GAT Educational Director Cheryl Jarrett and ITP Director Beth Gardner to name a few. …

Gymnastike – We are NOT a Daycare Center. We are a Training Facility.

A call to arms from the Gymnastics Association of Texas:

Gymnastics Association of Texas and Texas USAG support the COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE version of House Bill 1393, authored Representative Leibowitz. Further, we call on Senator Nelson to change Senate Bill 68 by adopting the language of the Committee Substitute version of House Bill 1393.

…

We call all GAT members, parents, and gymnastics enthusiasts to join us in Austin at the Capitol Rotunda at 11:30 AM, THIS Thursday, April 2, 2009to make history! THIS IS OUR CHANCE to RAISE OUR VOICES and BE HEARD to SAVE OUR SPORT!

We need phone calls – emails – letters to your STATE representatives. Time is short ask all your team parents and coaches, everyone we MUST unite!

Gymnastics Association of Texas

I’m hopeful the amendment they support will be accepted.

The best article I’ve seen yet on a misguided new set of regulations that could force gym owners to move to another State.

Legislation Could be a Blow to Gymnastics, Martial Arts

Some argue the bill protects kids, others believe it’s all about money

One great quote from the article:

… Texas currently produces more Olympic athletes than any other state in the union, and children often spend 30 to 40 hours a week training, even home schooling to have enough time. Injuries occur, but are par for the course of such intense training.

“In the Senate hearing last Tuesday, it was testified that 35 children have died in the state of Texas in licensed childcare facilities,” Dudley said. “But in gymnastics, we didn’t lose a single one.” …

NBC

Have you been following the lunacy of the Texas Senate Bill 68 story?

The Texas State government is trying to forcing sport clubs — martial arts studios and gymnastics clubs, for example — to meet the same strict standards as required by day care centers.

I assume it’s a tax cash grab.

GymNiceTic linked to the one interview I wanted to see – WOGA’s Yevgeny Marchenko.

To see the excellent TXCN video news report click through: Bill would force gyms to become daycares

This is nothing like a day care, at all.

Ivana Hong

Politicians in Texas are already backpedaling.

A Facebook page was set up by Adam Benas to help mobilize people against Texas Legislature Online Bill: SB 68.

Overzealous politicians are trying to “improve” gymnastics clubs by putting them under the same minimum standards required by day-care centers.

Stupid.

Senate Bill 68 overview:

If you have children who train 10 hours or more a week in your facility – you will be required to be child care licensed by the state of Texas. This licensing will require your facility to meet all the minimum standards set by child care licensing (most gyms will not be able to meet these requirements which will include bathroom sink/toilet ratios in compliance with child care standards, out door playground, Child Care certification of workers and director, sprinkler systems that not only meet building code but also meet child care standards and climbing structures with safety fall zones). Uneven bars would be considered a climbing structure and would not pass child care regulations. This bill passed the Senate Sub Committee unanimously yesterday. …

Facebook – Save Texas Gymnastics!

Join this group to show your support against the proposed new Texas legislation.

From Linsul on Chalk Bucket:

This was sent out by Diane Callison of Texas USA Gymnastics. This only affects our state, please read it as it has potential to HUGELY impact our sport of choice. Cliffnotes: a senator is getting a bill voted on soon that would require facilities where kids train more than 10 hours a week to be child care licensed. All the ways that would impact gyms, coaches, athletes, and parents are listed below …

Texas Senate and House Bills that will affect the Sport Of Gymnastics

Some of you are aware that we have proposed bills in the Texas Senate and House of Representatives that will affect our future in the sport of gymnastics.

All of these bills are posted on txusag.com and on the Texas legislative websites.

Senate Bill 68 overview: If you have children who train 10 hours or more a week in your facility – you will be required to be child care licensed by the state of Texas. This licensing will require your facility to meet all the minimum standards set by child care licensing (most gyms will not be able to meet these requirements which will include bathroom sink/toilet ratios in compliance with child care standards, out door playground, Child Care certification of workers and director, sprinkler systems that not only meet building code but also meet child care standards and climbing structures with safety fall zones). Uneven bars would be considered a climbing structure and would not pass child care regulations. This bill passed the Senate Sub Committee unanimously yesterday. …

Obviously this legislation is idiotic.

It reminds me of the time the Fire Inspector told us to put a fence around the foam pit so kids would not “fall in”.

If you are from Texas, click through to see what you can do to protest this insanity:

Chalk Bucket – TEXAS Parents and Gymnasts PLEASE READ. Time to rabble so grab your pitchfork

Here’s a good news story. A gymnastics entrepreneur.

MIDWEST TRAINING and ICE CENTER

We are the Indiana’s Premier and Largest State-Of-The-Art Professional Gymnastics, Fitness and Ice Center

… For years it sat dark and empty, the proverbial white elephant in the middle of a community that grew and flourished around it.

But with great vision and an abundance of grit and determination, local resident Eileen Butcher took a giant leap of faith and bought the old St. John Ice Arena. Two years later, the lights are on at the now-renamed Midwest Training and Ice Center, and business is booming.

From 5 a.m., when the health club opens, until often past midnight, the center is filled with tots, teens and adults enjoying a myriad of activities, seven days a week.

According to Butcher, the owner and manager, the 77,000-square-foot facility offers gymnastics, cheerleading, trampoline, tumbling, hockey and figure skating for all ages with lessons, leagues, teams, camps and parties. …

Seventeen local schools train their gymnastic and trampoline teams at the gym, and Butcher says the Midwest coaches are second to none.

“People obviously come for the safe environment, but they’re also here for the quality of coaching. We have seven full-time coaches and 11 part-time,” Butcher said.

Midwest teams compete regionally, statewide, nationally and internationally. One of their young women has achieved Olympic-level skills on the trampoline.

“Our Midwest Xplosion senior cheerleading team just came home from a recent competition as national champions,” Butcher bragged.

The road to apparent success hasn’t been easy, Butcher admitted …

Looking to the future, Butcher hopes to open a second ice rink where the gym is currently located and build a new facility, dedicated to gymnastics, on the property.

Center bustles with skating and gymnastics activity

UPDATE:

From Coach Dave Harris …

… taken from Planning Facilites for Athletics Physical Education and Recreation-
Richard B Flynn, Editor and Contributing Author for AAHPERD

… the lighting requirements/ recommendations were “courtesy of Illuminating Engineering Society of North America”. In a “general” exercise and recreation area they suggest 35 footcandles … but in a gymnastics facility they suggest that be 50 footcandles-

So, your gymnastics gym should be 50 footcandles. No darker than 35 footcandles.

Next step … I’m going to have someone measure our facility.

=== original post:

At my club we are looking for information on how much light we should have at night in the gym.

OK, actually, we are looking for the minimum amount of light recommended for a safe gym. (Utilities are expensive!)

Like most warehouse gyms, ours is very dimly lit. (Photographers hate it.)

One textbook recommends 20 footcandles in the outfield of a softball baseball stadium to a high of 100 footcandles or more in the infield.

Basketball 60-100 footcandles.

Swimming 50-100 footcandles.

Leave a comment if you have any knowledge about adequate lighting level.

Doug Davis & Diana Hughes of my favourite equipment company Tumbl Trak are touring clubs in Australia. Doug mentioned he was impressed with the Northern Beaches club, Sydney. So I looked it up on the WWW.

Well named, the club is 5min from a surf beach.

In April 2007 the club moved into a terrific facility in Pittwater Sports Centre.

Northern Beaches Gymnastics was established in 1990 by husband and wife team, Mark and Gai Forrest.

Since its initial concept, the club has blossomed into one of Australia’s premier sporting facilities, attracting over 1500 members. …

official website

Lu Ming and Xiao Qing Li are two of the coaches there.

Like most gymnastics clubs, we do not have enough storage space for our equipment when not used. It needs to be safely put away, of course, with all the kids we have coming and going throughout the week.

We are looking at this BIG storage rack ($353)

H”: 96 W”: 120 D”: 42 – capacity 4300lbs

Shelving Direct – Pallet Rack

Do you have any advice?

If so, leave a comment.