Entries Tagged 'Coach Education' ↓

Finally. A Gymnastics Congress in my own backyard, Calgary, Canada.

Christophe Lambert, Alixa Sutton, Tony Retrosi, Beth Gardner, Frank Sahlein, Steve Greeley and Dave Ross.

Put the dates on your calendar, Oct. 11-14, 2012. I guarantee this will be an excellent event. Details.

Thanks Brett.

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I’ve slowly been posting ideas shared by Al Fong and the GAGE staff at their recent clinic. But some of the most important are already online …

Sara Gill on GymDynasty:

… The three days I was there I never saw a child cry one tear. In fact not one child was “yelled at”, or “criticized”, or “belittled” in front of their peers. Instead calm voices explained the correction of a skill or if a change in behavior was needed it was done quietly and to the point. …

… Numbers, numbers, numbers! It is not a secret to be successful in gymnastics one must do a routine over and over to make it his or her best. What is lacking from gyms however, is efficiency. Use every bar, every beam, any floor station you can think of to maximize your time on each event. Instead of having a group of gymnasts in line doing one routine at a time …

What Al Fong Helped me Remember…

Exactly right.

Al Fong has been called the toughest coach in America. He called himself “… the poster boy for everything gone wrong in gymnastics.”

But that’s not the Al Fong we saw at GAGE.

I was very impressed with what we saw at GAGE. Those gymnasts have a fantastic program.

By the way, Sara Gill is a consultant for girls aspiring to Collegiate Gymnastics. Check out recent posts promoting two of her clients:

• Natalie Gervais Stays on Top!

• Sydney McEachern takes 1st place at Manitoba Championships

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I visited the Great American Gymnastics Express in Missouri, on behalf of TumblTrak. It’s one of the elite gyms of the world, home to USA National Team members Sarah Finnegan, Brenna Dowell and Maddie Desch.

Al Fong offered a one day clinic (PDF) for coaches and gymnasts — at no cost. A wonderful opportunity that we enjoyed greatly.

Al’s hoping to do something similar twice a year: Thanksgiving and Easter. He wants to share what he’s learned. The unique GAGE system.

Al’s 24,000sq ft facility and training system was familiar to me from his blog — Ask Al Fong. (Highly recommended.)

Thanks sincerely to the GAGE coaching staff & gymnasts, generous to welcome us into their home.

On the day following the clinic we were invited to observe normal Team training. It was impressive.

I’ll link to notes, photos and videos from the GAGE clinic, once they are posted online.

related – Gymnastike – Sarah Finnegan: The Dark Horse for the 2012 USA Olympic Team?

Brenna Dowell impressed in training, too. She’s powerful and consistent, critical for the current FIG Code. Al told that Brenna’s far exceeded his original expectations.

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by site editor Rick McCharles

Easter road trip to 3 of the top elite gyms in the world as an Ambassador for Tumbl Trak.

First up – Al Fong‘s April 6th and 7th FREE coaching clinic (FULL) at GAGE.

April 9th I’ll stop by to visit Chow at Chow’s to interview him about his famously positive coaching style. Does he ever stop smiling?

Chow loves Tumbl Trak equipment and is keen to test some prototype equipment.

Finally, April 10-11, I’ll be visiting my friends at Oakville in Toronto. Interviews and more equipment testing.

I’ll link to those photos, videos and notes once they are posted online.

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For Canucks qualifying via the National Coaching Certification Program.

All offered simultaneously:

• Level 2 MAG / WAG Technical
• Level 3 MAG / WAG Technical

• Level 1 Tramp (add-on)
• Level 2 Tramp
• Level 3 Tramp

L3 Tramp is rarely offered. Get it here, if you can.

Aug 25-31, 2012
Canadian Adventure Camp, Ontario

details (PDF)

Canadian Adventure Camp – Coaching Courses

_____

I’ve never been to CAC myself, but have always heard good things.

Check it out by watching the official video.

canadianadventurecamp.com

via Heather Ross McManus on Facebook

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related

June 22-28th, 2012
NCCP Level 3 Artistic Course – MAG & WAG
Red Deer, Alberta

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Myself and longtime friend Jeff Pauliuk (BC) will be leading a course this summer. A good chance to plan a trip out to Vancouver, it’s possible to get both MAG and WAG at the same course.

August 10-12 & 17-19, 2012
NCCP Level 3 Artistic Course – Mens and Womens (Zone 3)
18 spaces are still available

Hosted by Twisters Gymnastics.

details

related – L3 Technical Red Deer, Alberta. June 22-28th, 2012. Also MAG and WAG.

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Gymnastics Canada now accepting applications for Men’s and Women’s artistic, rhythmic & trampoline coaches for the 2012-2013 Level 4 cycle. That’s a 2yr program eligible only to coaches fully certified L3.

L4 Information Package (PDF)

via email from Denise Gauthier

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I’m just about to pull the trigger for myself. Early Bird Registration offers a discount until February 18th for members.

Congress is hosted with Olympic Trials this year, not VISA Championships. The American teams will be named then and there — adding excitement for attendees.

48th ANNUAL
USA GYMNASTICS NATIONAL CONGRESS and TRADE SHOW
Held in conjunction with 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials-Gymnastics
June 29-July 1, 2012
San Jose Convention Center-San Jose, California

Three days of education with over 150 sessions. Something for everyone — 15 full tracks of education from all 6 disciplines.

Here’s the list of Topics and Presenters, so far. (PDF)

The Friday prior to Congress is normally the independent National Business Conference. But this year it’s been renamed The Business Forum (PDF), an add-on to Congress. Highly recommended!

Check the Registration page for costs and options.

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My courses upcoming for Artistic NCCP Canada:

• L3 Practical – SUN, May 27th, Regina (after Nationals)
• L3 Practical – FRI, June 22nd, Red Deer, AB
• L3 Technical – June 22-28th, Red Deer, AB

All 3 are MAG and WAG. Ken Soehn will be expert guest coach at L3 Tech Red Deer presenting Trampoline for Gymnasts.

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Tom Forster and Neil Resnick are expanding their popular Bars training camp.

Camp 1- Central
May 18-20
Colorado Springs, CO

Camp 2- West
June 8-10
Long Beach, CA

Camp 3- East
June 15-17
Hamilton, NJ

Call 719-322-7826 or email tom@iclasspro.com today for more information or to register!

I heard great things about the one held June 17-19th, 2011 at Aerials Gymnastics in Colorado Springs.

Chelsea Averna – Jaeger

via the Tumbl Trak Jan 2012 email newsletter

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FIG:

The FIG Academies, a worldwide education programme for coaches in the federation’s six competitive disciplines that was launched in 2002, celebrated the 10th year of its existence in 2011. …

• 118 Academies overall
• in October, overall participation reached 3,000 coaches
• three levels of coach education (for now)

• FIG Technical Committee must have L3 by 2012

• L3 candidates who meet special pre-requisites and achieve exceptional examination results will be awarded with an FIG Coaches’ Brevet.

A total of twenty-five Academies are planned in 2012 …

details

It was Bruno Grandi who hand picked former MTC Chair Hardy Fink for the job of FIG Director of Education and Academy Programmes. Obviously a good choice.

Right now at an Artistic Academy in Tokyo coaches are being “coached” by Fink, Keith Russell and Valeri Liukin. I think they might learn something.

… The Academy Programme for Men’s and Women’s Artistic Gymnastics has been supplemented this year with a comprehensive Age Group Development, Competition and Testing Programme that was introduced to 17 countries in 2011 to which will be added as many as 25 more during 2012. …

Philippines MAG adopted the new Age Group rules this season reporting good feedback from coaches.

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One of the great gurus of gymnastics in the USA is leading a 1-day clinic.

January 8, 2012
Gymfinity Children’s Activity Center, Jay Orkowski

Fitchburg WI
P# 608-848-FLIP
gymoffice {a} gymfinity.com

I saw this on the Tumbl Trak email newsletter.

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by site editor Rick McCharles

Nov. 30th – Dec. 6th

Shout out for the 30+ coaches who attended our Olympic Solidarity Women’s Artistic Gymnastics coaching course held in Manila last week.

Organized by FIG, funding was provided by IOC and host GAP – Gymnastics Association of the Philippines.

I was very happy with how the coaches handled the long days and lengthy curriculum.

As in most nations — I’m looking at you Romania — Bars is highest priority.

At the clinic we constructed our own ‘trench pit’ on the low bar, setting up a ‘tower of power’ on the high bar.

I also recommended they embrace “Bar Straps” training, not yet popular nation wide.

Filipino girls have great genetic potential for Artistic and Acrobatic sports. The kids are very flexible.

The immediate goal is SEA, the Southeast Asian Games, held every two years. Vietnam dominated that competition this year, their girls benefiting from training in China.

A special thanks to National Coach Janna Eftimiu who led the Beam section.

See more photos from the course.

If you have any questions regarding WAG Philippines, or any of their other fast growing FIG disciplines, contact me or their National Office.

PhilippineGymnastics [a] gmail.com

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