The Evolution of the OGC Men`s Gymnastics Program

Transcription

WINTER 2014
In This Issue:
Message from the COO: 2
Meet WAG Coaches:
Brandon Jary: 10
Mircea Gorgos: 12
Meet Rec Program
Supervisor Stephanie
Schmidt: 14
Program Updates
16
18
20
22
34
Women’s Artistic
Men’s Artistic
Rec Program
Power Tumbling
Acro Program
Meet the Gymnasts!
35
37
39
41
44
Lauren Feaver, WAG
Jayson Rampersad, MAG
Andrew Kay, MAG
Tumbler: Maxx Brunetta
Acro Trio:
Tessa Chiricosta,
Alex D’Souza &
Sophie Lake
Health and Nutrition
Clinic Corner:
Taping vs. Bracing 46
The Flu: How To
Protect Yourself 47
T
The Evolution of the OGC
Men’s Gymnastics Program
he Oakville Gymnastics Club (formally known as “Antoinettes”) was
established in 1974, but it was not until 1996 that the club created an
advanced recreational group for boys. With the arrival of Director and Head
Coach Greg Jackson in 2001, the first Provincial level boys started training.
There were just enough boys
for two coaches. Many of us
know National Team member Cory Paterson as he just
left OGC to pursue an NCCP
scholarship in Iowa; it was
around this time that he started
training with Greg. In fact,
many of Greg’s past athletes
have produced Provincial,
Eastern and National titles, obtained NCCP scholarships, and
have very successful careers
today. By means of social
Oakville Boys at First Cup
media, these athletes are able
to keep in touch, and occasionally come back to the gym to visit what was once
a second home for
them.
Transition to new
location in 2005
allowed for
an ideal training
environment
Greg Jackson had
an active role in
designing the layout of the gym
OGC Christmas Banquet 2003
that we see todayspecifically the Men’s area. By no means was it an individual task; Greg spoke
with many other coaches, and other clubs to see what worked well for them,
(Continued on page 4)
FAST TRACK WINTER 2014
PAGE 1
“Under the Big Top” at OGC
A
Wayne Hussey,
Chief Operating Officer
Oakville Gymnastics Club
s I reflect on writing this article, the first thought that comes to me is
“Under the Big Top.” The feel is that of a three ring circus, but ours is
more like a seven ring circus. We have just started our ninth season in this
amazing dedicated gymnastics facility. We have an excellent relationship with
the Town and the staff at the Glen Abbey Recreation Centre. We are so
fortunate that this will be our home for the next 32 years. We have maxed
out all of our programs in prime time; therefore, growth will occur during the
daytime or with the securing of a second facility. We have been working with
the Town on another facility to accommodate growth and address waiting lists
in many of our programs. The discussions have intensified with the Town,
who have contracted consultants to provide a feasibility study early in 2014.
The key to all we do starts with our long serving administrator Agnes Jankura. Many clubs are forced to have
coaches handle most of the administration which takes away from some of their potential coaching duties.
Agnes juggles all the programs registrations, meets, accreditation, and an endless list of tasks. She works with
our suppliers, the Town, the Rec Centre, and the bank to manage our finances and records every transaction
before it hits the bank or our bookkeeper. Agnes Jankura is definitely the heart of this club.
If Agnes is the heart, then the soul is our recreational program. Lauren Cohen has accepted the role of interim
Director while Karinda Isaacs is on maternity leave. The recreational program is one of the largest in North
America and the revenue generated allows us to operate this facility. We are proud to offer so many different
courses at various times, seven days a week. We started offering summer evening programs about five years
ago with growing success. The recreational program is also responsible for most of the athletes that are in the
competitive programs, as that is where they started at some point in their career. With such a vibrant program,
we have progressed from one recreational director to a program manager and a newly hired program supervisor,
Stephanie Schmidt. The recreational program offers a level of challenge for pretty much everyone.
As well as the seasonal recreational programs, we also offer March break and summer camps that are available
half day and full day. Other classes include school groups, Montessori schools, special needs groups, and other
sport groups. Private lessons are also available for gymnasts, dancers and cheerleaders that allow athletes to
improve one on one or work on skills required for their performances. As you can see “Under the Big Top” it
is busy - but there is more!
For the first time in the history of the Oakville Gymnastics Club, the Men’s Program has the largest competitive
registration with 80 athletes. It wasn’t so long ago, 14 years to be exact, that I was approached by a coach to
start a small boys program with about 8 to 10 very young gymnasts. Congratulations to Greg, Dave, Jason and
Ricardo for their dedication to the program and providing opportunities for our young male gymnasts to
compete.
(Continued on next page)
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(Continued from previous page)
The Women’s Program has 78 participants. With the help of Alexa and Brandon, new coaches Damaris and Jen
along with returning coach Mitch have worked hard to revamp the program and place the athletes in groups
where they will improve their skills and performances. Now that the new program structure is in place, we will
see more girls move up into higher levels allowing the women’s program to increase their base numbers.
Our Tumbling Program continues to be one of the best and the largest in Ontario. We have maxed out at 65
tumblers with National, Provincial and developmental groups. Five tumblers have represented us at the world
championships. Don and Niki have been the brain trust for a long time with the program. They are joined by
Amanda back from maternity leave and Daniela. This program has grown to be one of the more popular at the
gym in a very short period of time. There have been a few athletes from this program join the well know Cirque
du Soleil. Great job!
Last but not least is our new Acro Program. Started a few years ago with a handful of athletes, it has grown to
a maximum of 35. Headed by Don Holmes we are fortunate to have three coaches from overseas that bring a
wealth of experience, Jane, Serge and David. We look forward to watching our athletes grow with this sport.
As I end this article once again I think Circus, juggling, kids and young adults enjoying themselves recreationally or challenging themselves competitively. Very invigorating “Under the Big Top” as I try to be the ringmaster
from afar and provide our talented staff with the resources they need to be successful. To all of our members,
thanks for your support and we do hope your children continue to enjoy their experience at the Oakville Gymnastics Club.
–Wayne Hussey
Chief Operating Officer,
Oakville Gymnastics Club
PAGE 3
( The Evolution of the OGC Men’s Gymnastics Program... Continued from Front Page)
and things that he should watch out for. The Men’s area was designed with safety in mind. All apparatus is in
one location, allowing for easy sight lines and coaching supervision. In the past, this had been a challenge as
some equipment was spread out. The old location had ceiling hung rings, so having real ring frames was a great
improvement – especially having one over a pit. Having the rings, high bar and p-bar near or over a pit, means
that athletes can train difficult skills and dismounts safely. Overall he feels that it is a pretty ideal environment
and it flows well.
Getting to know the MAG coaching staff
Today, with the help of coaches Dave Harris, Jason Haid, and Ricardo Smith, the Oakville MAG program has
grown to approximately 80 boys. The initial framework and structure that Greg laid out in earlier years has not
changed much, but the number of boys in the program has increased, and all training groups are currently at capacity.
Greg Jackson (Director and Head Coach)
Greg has been a NCCP coach since 1982 and currently holds his level 4 certification. He has been the Chairman of the Gymnastics Canada’s Men’s Program Assembly and a member of its Men’s Program Committee
since 2004. He is also the Chairman of Gymnastics Ontario Men’s Technical Committee and has been a
member since 2002. His credentials, certifications, experience and awards are extensive and posted on the OGC
website. (http://www.oakvillegym.com/competitive_program/coach.html)
As with most coaches, they coach because they enjoy the sport or they participated as a child. Greg was a
National Open gymnast in Ottawa. When I asked him why he coached gymnastics, it was a simple straight forward answer; “I like to see my athletes succeed in learning new skills”. I smiled because I know that he loves
what he does, and I know that he loves coming to his job every day. Sitting in an office in front of a computer
was not something he wanted to pursue. He is very active and enjoys running, hiking, and climbing. He makes
a point to run on trails at least three times a week. He likes to spend time with his family and they often hike
together. His wife is also a gymnastics coach at Futures Gymnastics Club, and he jokes that their marriage works
because they both understand the sacrifices and exactly what the job entails. His two daughters also participate
in gymnastics and dance.
MAG Coaches Greg Jackson, Ricardo Smith, Dave Harris and Jason Haid.
PAGE 4
Dave Harris (MAG Coach)
Dave is NCCP level 3 certified with many years of coaching experience. He started coaching when he was in
grade 9. His high school grade 9 Phys-Ed teacher (Don Rop) was the women’s head coach at Cambridge Kips and
he needed coaches. Dave figures that he must have put a good effort into gymnastics because he was pulled aside
and offered a job. Dave’s parents had just split, so it gave him something special to do after school and kept him
focussed. Dave worked 10-25 hrs a week all through his five years of high school, and continued to coach during
college. This is his 32nd season coaching in Ontario. You can tell that Dave loves his job – especially on the days
he jokes and laughs with his youngest athletes.
Dave went to school for Interior design and is very interested in architecture, minimalist styles, trends to smaller
/ micro homes, and clean natural materials. He still manages to find the time to help friends and family with their
projects. Photography is also ranked as one of his passions; he will hike or walk in Toronto, Hamilton and NYC
as he tries to chronicle neighbourhoods or find artistic shots. He also loves cooking (Thai and Chinese), baking,
and watching movies or TV.
Jason Haid (MAG Coach)
Jason is NCCP level 3 certified with more than 10 years of coaching experience. He currently is a FIG Brevet
Judge and Provincial Coaching Chairperson. Before coming to Oakville, he was the Director of the Men’s Program at the Kitchener Waterloo Gymnastics Club. Jason is the strong silent type until you get to know him. His
athletes and co-workers will tell you that he always tries to help his athletes reach their full potential or the next
level, and he often will crack a smile and give a congratulatory props handshake when one of them has learned
a new skill. These are all signs that he is enjoying himself in the gym, and that he cares about his athletes. In
addition to coaching, Jason owns a small IT/Accounting business. He likes volleyball, tennis, squash and golf.
Ricardo Smith (MAG Coach)
Ricardo is what I like to call a permanent fixture at the Oakville Gymnastics Club. He was an athlete in the MAG
program for a short 6 months, but quickly discovered that Tumbling was his passion and he was a member of the
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Tumbling team for about 10-12 years. More recently, he did Acro for a year when the program started up. OGC
is basically a second home for him, as he loves gymnastics and he loves coaching. He is a NCCP level 2 certified
coach, and currently coaches our Interclub boys. He encourages his athletes to try new skills and conquer their
fears. I like to call Ricardo “Tigger” because he still loves to bounce and flip on the trampoline.
An overview of the current MAG Program
Men’s Developmental / Interclub: The pre-comp program is for budding young gymnasts who wish to get involved in a program geared towards competitive gymnastics. The training schedule is devoted to men’s gymnastics basics, trampoline acrobatic skills, and focused physical preparation.
Men’s Provincial: This program is for the more dedicated athlete. It challenges athletes, and allows them to
move up to higher levels when they are ready to do so. It also acts as a feeder system for the athletes who show
potential to move into a National or Elite program. Specific coordination, strength, and dedication are required.
The program focus is on the development of flexibility, strength, speed, endurance, basic skills, and form, as well
PAGE 6
as advanced skills and routine development for each of the six Olympic apparatus; Floor, Pommel Horse, Rings,
Vault, Parallel Bars and High Bar.
Men’s Elite High Performance: Elite gymnasts generally begin their training at a very young age. The High
Performance Program is for athletes demonstrating the potential to become one of the top gymnasts in Canada. It
is from within this level of competition that National Team members, World and Olympic level athletes develop.
The skill requirements, training schedule, conditioning program and the total commitment required of the athletes, parents and coaches is very demanding. This level is for the very talented and self motivated athlete only.
Gymnastics is not a “girls sport”
The Recreational program has been the main feeder into Oakville’s MAG program, and as the GMC and Boys
Recreational Program grew so did the competitive program. Greg attributes the interest in Men’s Gymnastics due
to the demographics and cultural diversity of the GTA and other large cities. If you go outside of the major cities
in Canada, more boys choose to play hockey rather than participate in what they believe to be a “girls sport”.
However, here’s a little history lesson. Gymnastics derives its name from the ancient Greek word for disciplinary exercises, combining physical skills such as body control, coordination, dexterity, gracefulness, and strength
including tumbling and acrobatic skills. Physical fitness was a highly valued attribute in ancient Greece, and both
men and women participated in vigorous gymnastic exercises.
Canadian Olympic Gold Medalist Kyle Shewfelt admits on his blog that he was teased for participating in a “girls
sport”, and he encourages male athletes to hold on to gymnastics if you love it. “It gives you an incredible physical foundation. It makes you knowledgeable. It makes you accountable. It makes you strong and fit. It makes you
flexible and agile. It gives you a foundation that no other sport in this world can give you.”
Greg agrees that “gymnastics is a fantastic sport”, and the presumption of it being only a girls sport is slowly
fading. So boys... love your sport, because you amaze those around you by the tricks you do that seemingly defy
gravity; show off your strength and flexibility... and be proud of your physical fitness!
Keeping our boys interested: Dreams of success take
many years
Success in gymnastics stems from many years of careful
planning, preparation, and dedication by the coaches, parents,
and the athlete. Long term development applies to all athletes
regardless of their competitive level. The most successful
programs are often a result of a joint partnership aligned to
ensure everyone is working together in the best interest of the
athlete.
In Canada, many of our MAG elite athletes often peak in their
20’s. If you consider that many of them started training at
the tender age of four, this is a long time for them to retain
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interest in gymnastics. Coaches need to
encourage a love for the sport and guide
their athletes in their journey. Here are
some of the things the OGC coaches are
doing for our boys and reasons why the
program has been a success.
Every year, the MAG coaches work together to determine the appropriate level of training and competition for our
athletes. The athlete should be challenged but also have an opportunity to
be successful. Generally, the coaches
try to work with their strengths, and
encourage them to put effort into their
weaker areas; this often means finding an average balance between all 6
apparatus, and not moving the athlete
into a level too soon just for the sake
of moving them. Greg firmly believes
that coaches and parents should not be
putting unreasonable demands on the
athletes too young or too soon, while at
the same time an athlete needs to prove
that they deserve a spot on the team.
Coaches and parents must understand
that each athlete has an individual
path, and that it is important that they
feel like they are making progress. By
setting individual and realistic expectations, coaches can guide, advise, assist and encourage, but they can never
make an athlete take the next step unless the athlete is willing or wants to.
Their progress, level of competition
and ultimately their performance depends solely on them. We must also
remember that success is not just based
on competitive results.
OGC boys are encouraged to take a
turn with purpose no matter what skill
or conditioning exercise they are
working on. Maybe this means they
are focusing only on pointing their
toes, straightening their legs, keeping the correct body shape, timing,
connecting one skill to another etc.
Correcting one thing at a time is
more attainable than fixing a whole
bunch of things at once. It is important that the boys know why they are
taking a turn, and that they focus on
something each and every time it is
their turn.
Greg believes that having the boys
see that skills are attainable is very
important. Encouraging the boys
to condition correctly or perform
progressions is also important, as
this makes difficult skills later on
much easier. Having access to pits
enables athletes to try more difficult skills sooner in a safe environment, and boosts their confidence
and self-esteem before ever having
to perform the skill on a fixed floor.
Jason encourages his boys by allowing them to move to the “next level”
or progression if they are successful. Similarly, Dave tries to show
his athletes what may be possible if
they focus and work hard. This becomes a game among the athletes,
and they begin to take ownership for
their development. It doesn’t matter how big or small their goal was;
nothing is more satisfying than seeing the smiles on both the coaches
and the boys’ faces.
Finally, we must also remember to
keep the FUN in gymnastics. When
they are young sticker books and
personal training records encourage
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self-motivation to improve. Coaches may motivate their athletes through guided discovery and independence,
and step back as they approach their teenage years. We must remember to allow them to play, bond and socialize
with their teammates.
The Future
Greg’s hope for the future is that
the program will continue to grow
by keeping boys well into their late
teens. The logistics of how this will
all play out is likely going to be dependent on acquiring more space
in the gym and training times. The
other competitive programs are feeling the same squeeze, as is the recreational program as we continue to put
young athletes on waiting lists. We
may have to look into daytime training, or dedicated sports schools (this is especially difficult when our athletes
come from several different school boards, and some athletes come from different cities). Keep working on that
second location because we have an army of men moving up in the ranks.
– Heidi Rampersad
- A very special thank you
to Greg Jackson, Dave
Harris, Jason Haid, and
Ricardo Smith for providing
information and their
coaching philosophies for
this article.
OGC MAG Boys at the 2012 Shewfelt
Gymnastics Classic with Canadian
Olympic Gold Medalist Kyle Shewfelt
PAGE 9
Meet the Coach – Brandon Jary
COACH: WOMEN’S ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS
B
randon’s career in gymnastics began at the age of three when
he joined a recreational program. By the age of seven his
parents encouraged him to make a decision on the sport he would
like to pursue competitively. “At this age I loved all sports, but I
had to make a decision over what I wanted to follow competitively. This choice had to be made over the likes of soccer, hockey
and baseball. I knew then that gymnastics was it. I was passionate about it even at such a young age,” says Brandon. The rest
you can say is history. Brandon chose gymnastics and was immediately put into a Provincial program at the Brampton Gymnastics
Club.
Brandon Jary
Brandon, a former National competitor, is a shining example of
do what you love. “Gymnastics has taught me so much. Most
importantly, it has given me great life skills. It is not just a sport,
but a way of life.”
As Women’s Artistic Gymnastic Coach, Brandon works with the
developmental group through to high performance gymnasts, and
he enjoys working with all the levels. He knows he can be silly and a child again with the energetic young ones
in the developmental group of ages five and six. Brandon feels he is always learning something new and helping the young women in the next level up realize their potential and work to see how they can achieve overcoming their obstacles. The high performance group is an exciting and new area for him in terms of coaching and
one that he is embracing.
Womens Artistic Program Coach
Brandon, who has over 14 years coaching experience, never intended to coach
gymnastics. He had actually pursued
the music business as a career option.
While studying at college, Brandon
took on a part-time coaching position
in Oshawa and in realizing this was fast
becoming a passion he took a very different path than originally thought.
When he moved to the Oakville Gymnastics Club from Shanderay Gymnastics Institute in Newmarket a little
PAGE 10
over a year ago it was a strategic step in his career. “I wanted to coach more and challenge myself further. The
Oakville Gymnastics Club has given me this opportunity as well as the chance to work with some of Canada’s
leading gymnastic coaches.”
Brandon says there are differences to coaching women versus men. “For women, the key challenge in gymnastics is the psychology of it all. I enjoy getting into their heads and understanding what switches need to be
pushed to inspire and motivate them.”
Brandon came close to realizing an Olympic dream when he was named to the 2002 London Commonwealth
Games. “It was a proud moment”, says Brandon. Unfortunately the dream was short-lived when, due to injury,
he could not attend.
Brandon has had other exciting moments in his career, including attending the World Age Games in Australia in
1998 for the Canadian Power Tumbling Team. “It felt like the Olympics. There were opening ceremonies and
all the fanfare. It was very exciting to be participating at that level. I placed 9th, which was a great personal
achievement for me.” He also received a silver medal for high bar in the 1995 Ontario Winter Games as well as
four Canadian titles on individual events.
Brandon offers some solid advice to young and rising stars, “When gymnastics gets challenging, and it will,
never forget how much fun you have had. Go back to the moment you were jumping on the trampoline, loving and enjoying it. Always remember why you wanted to pursue it, what you enjoy and love about it. Taking
yourself back to those great moments will help you through the tough times.”
When Brandon is not coaching you will find him and a group of friends teaching one another in the gym. He
may be halfway up the aerial rope or working on the pommel horse.
– Melanie Hayes
PAGE 11
Meet Coach Mircea (Mitch) Gorgos
COACH: WOMEN’S ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS
M
ircea (Mitch) Gorgos is a relatively new coach to the Oakville
Gymnastics Club’s competitive Women’s Program joining in
July 2012 but he is far from being new to the competitive coaching
arena.
Coming here from Romania back in 2000, he came with experience
at a high level. “Coaching women’s gymnastics is my passion. I
can coach at any stream,” explained Mircea as he spoke about his
background.
Being a physical education teacher in Romania after graduation
in 1994, Mircea soon realized that coaching gymnastics was his
calling. “I felt that coaching was more rewarding.” Entering the
disciplined women’s gymnastics field in Romania where gymnasts
were rigorously selected for the competitive stream, gave Mircea
Mircea (Mitch) Gorgos
experience that would benefit him when he came to Canada. He
Womens Artistic Program Coach
coached all levels in Romania at the second largest gymnastics club
at that time which included the junior Olympic team from 1999-2000. One of the athletes, Monica Rosu, was
selected to join the team where she later went on to the 2004 Olympics in Athens winning two gold medals.
“As a coach, you work as part of the team collectively and not as any one key to the success of an athlete.”
Mircea continued his successful
coaching career after moving
to Canada in 2000 to coach for
the Hamilton Gym Elites. From
there he went on to the Ottawa
Tumblers in 2002 – 2007 where
his last three years of coaching
there he was head coach of the
women’s artistic program at the
provincial level. He then came
back locally to the Burlington
Gymnastics Club from 2007 –
2012 where he decided to make
the leap to our club in July 2012
bringing with him many successes and his level three certification.
PAGE 12
“We are working hard on the women’s program
here at the club,” explained Mircea enthusiastically. “We would like OGC to become the club
of choice for competitive women’s gymnastics.
When you focus on quality the rest will fall
into place.” When asked about what he really enjoys about coaching at the OGC, Mircea
concluded “Getting good results and happy
athletes. My passion is to see the athletes excel
and as a result I am happy through them.”
– Jennifer Sweetland
Thank you again to all the OGC members that sold chocolates in our Fall fundraiser – it was a
great success! Athletes had an opportunity to enter their names in a raffle once for each case
of chocolates they sold. Congratulations to the following winners:
Jasmine D.
Ashleigh S.
Cesar L.
Eva P.
Claudia K.
-- IPad
-- IPad mini
-- IPod Touch
-- $100.00 Gift card
-- 5 lb. chocolate bar
There will be another opportunity in March for families to take part in another fundraiser.
Families will have an opportunity to sell a case of chocolates and to earn back cash at the same
time. Information will be distributed in the beginning of the Spring term.
PAGE 13
Meet the New Recreational Program
Supervisor: Stephanie Schmidt
About Stephanie
W
ith her naturally curly auburn hair and bright blue eyes,
Stephanie Schmidt exudes energy and fun.
Born and raised in Kitchener, Stephanie has gymnastics “in her
blood”. As an artistic gymnast, her favourite event was floor
because she liked to tumble and she liked to dance. Aside from
being an athlete, Stephanie holds a double degree in English and
French with a minor in Physical Education from the University of
Waterloo.
Stephanie Schmidt
“Stephanie is very positive, outgoing and bubbly,” says Kari Porter a friend and fellow gymnastic coach from Bramalea Gymnastics. “Her awesome personality and love for the sport makes her a
great fit as Recreational Program Supervisor.”
Rec Program Supervisor
“When I met Stephanie, I felt she had a really positive energy.
She seemed genuinely excited to be a part of our club and to be a positive influence in the recreational program,” says Lauren Cohen, Recreational Program Manager at Oakville Gymnastics. “She is an extremely
happy person, constantly smiling and laughing. She makes everyone in the gym feel welcome and included.
Stephanie has a great knowledge of gymnastics and makes sure to visit each group in the gym to ensure that all
of our members benefit from that knowledge.”
Stephanie stepped into the gymnastics gym at the age of three and has never left. “I’ve always been in gymnastics because once I stopped competing I began coaching. It’s in my blood,” she says. “It’s been such a part of
my life and I believe that is why so many of us who have been athletes go in this direction.”
Stephanie says that she is happy that she stuck with gymnastics because there were many life lessons along the
way that helped her become who she is today.
Gymnastics teaches you how to prioritize things
Believe it or not, the competitive gymnast learns about organization and time management. “Because, … if
you have gym and you’re training all the time and you still have school, but you maybe want to see your friends
PAGE 14
or you might want to do other things you have to learn how to work out all of those things. And you have to do
it at a very young age,” Stephanie says.
Gymnasts make sacrifices
“I learned sacrifice and I had to make hard choices that would have a large impact on my life,” says Stephanie
Schmidt. “Sometimes you don’t get to go to that birthday party or that field trip because you are training or you
have a competition or you are away. So you [the gymnast] learn how to make sacrifices at a very young age.”
Gymnasts learn to be confident
Stephanie says, “It’s not a team sport per se. Unlike soccer or other team sports, gymnasts perform alone in
front of audiences of people. When you’re eight years old you’re pretty little to have to go out by yourself and
not have a team behind you - like soccer - that would be out there with you,” Stephanie explains. “And if you
fall, that’s on you.”
The Recreational Program Supervisor is like the Floor Manager at a Restaurant
Stephanie compares her job to that of a floor manager at a restaurant. I make sure everything is running
smoothly and on time, says Stephanie. “… and I’m also a liaison between the parents and the coaches. If the
parents have questions, they come to me.”
Teamwork and a common goal
“A successful Rec Program requires a really good leader and a good team” says Stephanie. “Everyone needs to
work towards a common goal and everyone needs to know what that goal is.”
“You want the kids to have FUN.
You want the kids to LEARN and to have a
GOOD EXPERIENCE that they could share with their peers.”
Overall Stephanie offers this advice to athletes and parents:
“Gymnastics is a great sport for balance, flexibility, organization and structure. It was a huge part of my life.”
“I’d say to the parents with children: At least try it. It’s hard but worth it. If I were to do it again, I would not
have changed a thing.”
– Julie Misquitta
PAGE 15
Women’s Artistic Program Update
G
ymnastics is the height of human movement. It is the basis for all athletic
ability and helps shape the way in which our young athletes will approach
life outside the gym. Although we spend countless hours devoted to skill building and physical preparation, gymnastics also gives us an opportunity to teach
life lessons on a deeper, more lasting level. Sacrifice, dedication, perseverance,
and will power are several of the life skills needed to attain goals a gymnast
might have. It is with these building blocks which we give to our athletes to take
with them through life that will afford them the best chance at success inside
and outside the gym.
It is with great pride that we coaches take the saying “it takes a village to raise
a child” to heart and try our best to help grow and shape our young athletes into
mature, responsible and caring people. Furthermore, we teach them that if you
work hard, stay focused and see it through even when times are tough, greatness
will follow.
Alexa Barac
Womens Artistic Program
Head Coach
“Sometimes all it takes is twenty seconds of insane courage. Just literally twenty seconds of just embarrassing
bravery. And I promise you, something great will come of it.” – Benjamin Mee, We Bought A Zoo.
Our team of coaches in the Women’s Artistic Program- Alexa Barac WAG Head Coach, Brandon Jary, Mircea
Gorgos, Damaris McCalla and Jenn Stokes-Dore- are working hard with our Provincial and National athletes
preparing to show off their skills in this year’s competitive season. The gym is filled with the sights and sounds
of a team ready to compete!
This year’s competitive schedule will be taking us to several new places:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Nov 29th- Dec 1st 2013- Blenheim - First Provincial Qualifier
December 6th-8th 2013– Burlington- Elite Canada Screening – National Qualifier
Jan 24th – 26th 2014 – Oshawa- Second Provincial and National Qualifier
Feb 6th – 9th 2014 – Gatineau, QC - Elite Canada – Qualified National Athletes
Feb 21st – 23rd 2014- St. Catharines- Third Provincial Qualifier
Mar 6th – 9th 2014 – Montreal, QC – L’international Gymnix
Apr 3rd – 6th 2014 – Windsor – Ontario Champinoships
May 2nd – 4th 2014 – TBD, Ontario – Eastern Canadian Championships – Qualified Prov/Nat Athletes
May 26th – 31st 2014 – Ottawa – Canadian Championships – Qualified National Athletes
In addition to the qualifiers our Provincial and National athletes are also looking forward to competing at
L’international Gymnix travelling to Montreal, QC from Mar 6th – 9th. This competition brings some of the
best athletes in the world to the Canadian Podium. Athletes from Russia, Romania, and France will take the
stage to compete against Canada’s Junior and Senior National competitors. Such a competition makes it
exciting for our athletes and it is always inspiring watching Team Canada challenging to be the best when
competing with the best.
PAGE 16
For this competition to be possible the Women’s Artistic Program hosted a Pub Night Fundraiser and a Silent
Auction that was a great success and we would like to thank everyone involved in this process for all their
efforts and support.
The Provincial qualifying system is made up of 3 qualifying competitions where athletes will compete to
achieve their highest All Around scores. Once all three qualifiers are complete their top two scores will be
averaged and the athletes will then be ranked within their age group and category in Ontario. If they are ranked
within the top 32 in their age group and category, they will then qualify to
attend the Ontario Championships which is being held in Windsor.
Our invitational competition schedule for our interclub and precompetitive athletes is just about as exciting as it can get. The athletes will have
the chance to compete on the same floor with some of Ontario’s finest.
This year’s schedule will take us to 3 of the top meets Ontario has to offer.
• Mar 22nd – 23rd 2014 – Kitchener – Revolution Rewind
• Apr 25th – 27th 2014 – Mississauga – Canuck Cup
• May 9th – 11th 2014 – Burlington – Burlington Spring Cup
To all the athletes from all the coaches we wish you the very best of luck and much success on your 2013/2014
season.
– Alexa Barac
Womens Artistic Program
Head Coach
For the latest news,
online registration,
and links to the
program blogs, check
out the OGC website!
Remember to check out the
Lost & Found table in the
lower lobby to retrieve
missing and forgotten items!
w w w. o a k v i l l e g y m . c o m
PAGE 17
Men’s Artistic Program Update
Competitive Level Placement
E
ach year the coaches have to register the boys in the appropriate
competitive level on October 15th. It may seem early in the competitive year to be deciding what level the boys should compete when
they don’t actually have their first qualifier until January; however, the
boys have been working on their new skills and are constantly assessed
by the coaches following Ontario Championships the previous year.
Greg Jackson
Men’s Artistic Program Director
While it seems commonplace to just simply go up to the next level like
a grade in school, that is not always the case as the boys get into the
higher levels. Each competitive level further challenges the gymnasts
both physically and mentally and the new demands can thwart even the
most motivated gymnast.
Sometimes boys just seem to assume that they will move up because they did that level last season; that is not
always the case in the Men’s Program. Each successive competitive level has a required skill set and requirements that are designed to challenge the gymnast into improving their overall level of gymnastics.
Even though Provincial Level 3 and higher are optional programs, OGC has a standardized set of routines that
we use for those levels. This ensures that the routines that the boys learn are developmentally sound and allow
for a strong foundation to build on for future routines.
The boys have worksheets for the next competitive level that outlines the skills required by on each of the
Men’s apparatus. When they achieve the specific skill or skill family, they get to check in the box. The coaches
use the sheets throughout the off-season to get a feel in which level to place the boys in the upcoming competitive season. While many of boys would like to go to the next level, their worksheets show otherwise.
The coaches want your child to be in the level best suited for their gymnastics abilities. While we try to keep
groups of friends together, that is not always possible as each boy continues to choose their own gymnastics
path which may not be compatible with other members of the group.
The ideal competitive level is the one that will challenge the gymnast appropriately based on their own strength,
flexibility, in-gym commitment, their own goals and desires and their ability to manage their fear.
When coaches push boys into a level that is too demanding, boys will quit the sport due to the stress of having
to work on skills that they do not want to train, or having to compete routines that are too hard / scary for them,
or having to compete routines that they know are well under par for the level.
The men’s competitive coaches at OGC have over 70 years combine experience and are all men’s judges.
Please entrust us with your son’s competitive placement.
PAGE 18
2013–14 Competitions
Competition
Date
Location
First Qualifier
January 24–26, 2014
Mississauga
Second Qualifier
February 21–23, 2014
Muskoka
Third Qualifier
March 21–23, 2014
Kitchener-Waterloo
Congratulations
Former OGC athlete Matthew Albrecht and his long time sweetheart, Sharaya Musser, were engaged on
November 12th. Matthew is a Physician’s Assistant in the USA and former Captain of the Penn State Men’s
Team.
– Greg Jackson
Men’s Artistic Program Director
Congratulations to all of the OGC gymnastics disciplines for
putting on a great show at the first Year End Gala Performance the
OGC had in the Glen Abbey Rec Centre. All of our competitive
athletes and some of the Master’s Gymnasts from our Adult class
took part in this great show. Thank you to all of the families who
came out to see their athlete put on a show. We are really looking
forward to the OGC 2014 Year End Gala.
PAGE 19
Recreational Program Update
A
s our Winter Session approaches, I would like to take this opportunity to
look back at how much the Recreational Program has evolved in the last
year. Keeping in mind the Gymnastics Canada philosophy of Fun, Fitness,
and Fundamentals, we have focused our efforts on providing every recreational athlete with the most positive and developmental experience possible.
Through increased coach training, and implementation of theme weeks and
our newly developed level system, we have created an environment that promotes skill development and creates consistency between classes.
Lauren Cohen
Recreational Program Manager
Every week, our Recreational Program is presented with a new “Theme of
the Week.” These themes incorporate a body “shape” position as well as one
of the 6 Fundamental Movement Patterns outlined by Gymnastics Canada.
Throughout each session, these themes ensure that our participants are exposed to a well-rounded gymnastics program, and increases the opportunity
for skill progression and advancement.
The Recreational Program’s biggest
evolution this past year has been the
development, implementation, and
tracking of our new level system.
After a lengthy creation process, the
level system was introduced to the
Recreational Program during our
Spring 2013 session. It is designed to
be progressive, allowing our athletes
to develop their skills in a timely and
safe manner. The level system is a
helpful tool in the Recreational Program; testing sheets allow our coaches
to track athlete progress, athlete development has become more uniform
across the program, and our unique
report card and level award system,
given to athletes at the end of our
Fall, Winter, and Spring sessions, will
help our athletes to feel motivated and
encouraged to continue in the sport of
gymnastics. We hope that after spending time in our program, each athlete leaves with a sense of accomplishment, improved self-confidence, and a desire to remain active as they get older.
PAGE 20
Welcome Stephanie Schmidt
I am pleased to welcome Stephanie Schmidt to our Recreational Team. Stephanie joined us in the summer of
2013 in the capacity of Recreational Supervisor. As our Recreational program continues to grow and develop,
Stephanie will play an important role in implementing program updates and guiding the rest of the Recreational
Staff through transition periods.
Stephanie brings with her more than 20 years of coaching experience focused on recreational programs. During
her coaching career, she has worked with a wide range of ages and abilities, from recreational athletes to developmental competitive athletes.
Over the past several years, Stephanie has worked as the Recreational Coordinator at Cambridge Kips and the
Bramalea Gymnastics Club. With her knowledge and experience, Stephanie hopes to contribute to the growth
of the recreational program and the continued development of our recreational coaches. She hopes that her
energy and positive attitude will inspire both coaches and athletes to be the best they can be, and have fun at the
same time.
National Gymnastics Week
Oakville Gymnastics Club is looking forward to National Gymnastics Week coming up in February! During
this special week, Recreational Program participants will have the opportunity to take part in our “I Love Gymnastics” Colouring Raffle to win prizes and show their love of gymnastics. More information will be posted
around the facility as we approach National Gymnastics Week.
Coaching Opportunities
Coaching is a fulfilling profession which can be started as young as 13 years old. Hours are flexible as they
include daytime, evenings, and weekends. We are always looking for new coaches and encourage parents, students, and friends to inquire about opportunities with Oakville Gymnastics Club.
Oakville Gymnastics Club recently received a grant from the Ontario Sport and Recreation Communities Fund
to be used for coach development. We provide a high level of coach training within our club, and ensure that all
coaches complete certification courses required by the National Coaching Certification Program.
Many of our coaches come from a gymnastics background, however anyone who is interested in working with
children and fostering a child’s interest in an active lifestyle is considered. High school students also have the
opportunity to complete their mandatory volunteer hours for school. To apply for a position in the Recreational
Program, please send your resume to l.cohen@oakvillegym.com.
– Lauren Cohen
OGC Rec Program Manager
PAGE 21
Power Tumbling Update
Running Away with Cirque du Soleil
Congratulations to Oakville Gymnastics Club alumni Jonathan Meehan
who has been invited to join Cirque du Soleil’s Orlando show, La Nouba.
Jonathan finished his Power Tumbling career this past summer and was
attending Sherridan College for Kinesiology when he got the call from
Cirque du Soleil offering him a contract. Jonathan will be filling the role
of a tumbling and trampoline acrobat in the grand finale trampo-wall act.
Good luck to Jonathan as he makes the transition to becoming an artist
with Cirque du Soleil.
Don Holmes
Tumbling & Acro Program Director
2013 Canada Cup and Qualification
to World Age Groups
This year’s Canada Cup for Trampoline &
Tumbling was held in Airdrie,
Alberta just outside of Calgary.
Whenever we travel to an event
we try to get in a bit of sight-seeing. This time we took the kids
on a horse-back trail ride through
the mountains in Banff. The trail
ride was excellent and we were
able play with some friendly
prairie dogs in front of the famous
Banff Springs Hotel. On our way
out to Banff we stopped at the
largest gymnastics club in Canada
the Calgary Gymnastics Centre to
check out the competition. It’s a
great facility.
Johnathan Meehan
PAGE 22
The competition was a big success for most of our tumblers: 5
out of 10 captured medals and
5 qualified to attend the World
Age Group Championships.
Mackenzie Senior
competed in his first
official National level
event and took home
the Bronze medal in the
National Open Men’s
tumbling division.
Rachel Davis captured
her first National Title
taking the gold in the
National Open Women’s
division.
Niki, Rachel, and Don
Savannah, Michael, and Haven
Mac Senior
Savannah Wepf and Haven Swarts came away with the silver
and bronze in the Junior Open Women’s tumbling division both
with personal best routines. Michael Chaves was pushed back
to Bronze in the Senior Men’s tumbling division behind a super
star British tumbler Greg Townly who was a guest of the competition. The 2013 Canada Cup was Jonathan Meehan’s last
chance to qualify to the 2013 Senior Men’s Tumbling Team
for World Championships but due to a slip up in the preliminary round he missed hitting the qualification standard. Jonathan came back strong in the final round to put in his personal
best tumbling passes of the year and finish off his competitive tumbling career. Congratulations to Jonathan on a great
run of competitions and years of representing the Oakville
Gymnastics Club.
PAGE 23
Nathaniel St Romain switched to the Oakville Gymnastics Club from Quinte Bay (near Belleville) prior
to the Canada Cup. This young tumbler managed to
qualify himself to the Canadian Age Group Team in
the 13/14 age category. Representing Oakville and
Canada at the World Age Group Championships will
also be: Haven Swarts (13/14 age category), Savannah Wepf (15/16 age category), Ben Senior (17/18
age category) and Michael Chaves (17/18 age category). This is the most OGC tumblers to ever qualify
to a single World Age Group Championships. Way to
go OGC Tumblers!
2013 Eastern Canadian Championships
The Oakville Gymnastics Club had a large contingent of our tumblers qualify to attend the 2013 Eastern Canadian Championships
in St John’s, Newfoundland. The OGC Tumblers that represented
Ontario were: Eryka Evans (Provincial 1), Maxx Brunetta (Provincial 1), Teanna Paris (Provincial 2), Nicole Nieweglowski (Provincial
2), Elizabeth Karam (Provincial 4), Mackenzie Senior (Provincial
4), Stephanie Milligan (Provincial 4). Congratulations to Stephanie
Milligan who won GOLD in the Provincial 4 division. Way to go
Stephanie! -- The Best in the East.
Stephanie Milligan
PAGE 24
Canadian Championships
The OGC Tumblers had another strong Canadian Championships with a total of
10 tumblers attending: Emma Chau National Youth, Monique Lazaruk (National
Youth), Rachel Davis (National Open), Dezember Treleaven (National Junior
Open), Haven Swarts (National Junior Open), Savannah Wepf (National Junior
Open), Ben Senior (National Junior Open), Jack McGarr (National Junior Open),
Michael Chaves (National Senior) and Jonathan Meehan (National Senior).
Hannah Roberts (National Open) qualified, but was not able to attend but was not
able to attend the Canadian Championships.
Ben Senior and Rachel Davis were each invited be part of the
Team Competition event with Ontario Men’sTumbling Team landing in second place behind a strong Quebec team and the Ontario
Women’s Tumbling Team capturing the gold ahead of Quebec.
In the individual results only Ben Senior and Michael Chaves
captured medals with Ben bringing home the Bronze in the Junior Open category and Michael capturing the silver in the Senior
Men’s tumbling category.
Congratulations to all of our OGC tumblers for performing as well
as they did and making this one of the best Canadian Championships.
Ben Senior
For info on the photos see the following blog post:
http://ogctumblingprogram.blogspot.ca/2013/05/2013-canadianchampionships-tumbling.html
Michael Chaves, Jon Schwaiger, Vincent Lavoie
PAGE 25
Ontario Championships
At this year’s Ontario Championships the OGC Tumblers cleaned up capturing 2 GOLD, 4 SILVER, and 4
BRONZE for a total of 10 medals. Countless top 8 finishes saw other tumblers take home Ontario Championships ribbons. Way to go Team.
Congratulations to the medalists from the 2013 Ontario Championships:
Maxx Brunetta - Bronze Provincial Level 1 Boys
Helen Dong - Bronze Provincial 1 9&10 Girls
Eryka Evans - Silver Provincial 1 11&12 Girls
Alyssia Cordiero - Bronze Provincial 2 9&10 Girls
Teanna Paris - Silver Medal Provincial 2 11&12 Girls
Nicole Nieweglowski - Gold Provincial 2 Girls 15 & Over (last competition)
Rylee Davisson - Gold Provincial Level 4 13 & Under
Elizabeth Karam - Bronze Provincial Level 4 13 & Under
Stephanie Milligan - Silver Provincial Level 4 14 & Over (last competition for
OGC, switched to Rugby)
Mackenzie Senior - Silver Provincial Level 4 Boys
Maxx Brunetta
Mackenzie Senior
Stephanie Milligan
PAGE 26
Alyssia, Riley, and Helen
Nicole and Alyssa
Rylee and Elizabeth
Daniela and Niki
PAGE 27
Retro Summer Tumbling Invitational
The Retro Summer Tumbling Invitational is a fun,
end of season tumbling event hosted by the
Scarborough Gym Elites. We always take our
Interclub tumblers to this event and a handful of
tumblers who are trying new levels. This year’s
Retro meet was a great way to end the season.
Riley, Helen, and Danielle
Anna McLelland
Cassandra and Maxx
Ryan and Andrew...
PAGE 28
Teanna Paris
Mac Senoir and Emma Chau
Sophie and Victoria
PAGE 29
Power Tumbling Update
NEWS FROM SOFIA, BULGARIA:
HOST OF THE 23RD WORLD AGE
GROUP CHAMPIONSHIPS
S
ofia Bulgaria is both the Capital and the largest city in Bulgaria. It is
a city rich in history, dating back 2400 years and is one of Europe’s
oldest cities!
Niki Lavoie
Tumbling Program Director
With all of its rich history, Sofia will add that it was host of the 29th
World Championships and 23rd World Age Group Championships for
Trampoline and Tumbling!!
Upon arriving in Sofia, we immediately took the
athletes to the gym to watch and support our
Canadians compete in team as well as some
individual finals......and to help ward off our jet lag!!
We got to see silver medal finishes by our Men’s and
Women’s Double Mini Trampoline teams.
We were also there to see Rosie MacLennon win her
first ever World Championship title (she is currently
our Olympic Champion)! What a great honor we had
in singing our National Anthem for the final event at
World Championships! I knew this would be a huge
motivation for all of the members of the younger team
for their upcoming week of competition!
The construction of the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
started in 1882, when the foundation stone was laid,
but most of it was built between 1904 and 1912. Saint
Alexander Nevsky was a Russian prince. The cathedral
was created in honour to the Russian soldiers who died
during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878, as a result
of which Bulgaria was liberated from Ottoman rule.
Cathedral Saint Alexander Nevsky
PAGE 30
Niki reading the Coaches Oath
Competition Day 1:
St. George Rotunda
St George Rotunda is an Early Christian red brick
rotunda that is considered the oldest building in Sofia.
It was built by the Romans in the 4th century. It is believed that it was built on the site of a pagan temple,
though the original purpose of the building was for
public use.
All of our athletes got to take part and watch the
Opening Ceremonies of the Games and I was honored
to be chosen to read the coaches’ oath.
Nathaniel St. Romain and Haven Swarts were the
youngest on the Canadian Team, and both had amazing performances in the 13-14 age category! They
both achieved their goals of successfully landing
both of their preliminary passes. In a tough category,
Nate showed 2 great passes and ended in 14th place.
Haven had the competition of her life and ended up
in 4th after her preliminary round! Considering her
goal was to come in the top 10, this was a fantastic
achievement!
Later that day, Haven performed in her first finals
competition (top 8) of a World Championships. She
had a slight rhythm break, which caused her to land
short in her end skill (a full-in tuck). Due to the
structure of Worlds, being fresh-start (going back to
0 for finals), this pushed her to 8th position, which is
still an amazing result for Team Canada! Canada has
not had a female in the 13-14 age category make it to
finals in over a decade!
PAGE 31
Competition Hall 2013 WAGs Bulgaria Tumbling Strip
Competition Day 2:
On the second day of competition Savannah Wepf competed in the 15-16 age category. She struggled somewhat
with the equipment in Sofia, resulting in her faltering in
preliminaries and having a disappointing finish on her
second pass.
Competition Day 3:
It was a really strong 17-18 age category for Michael
Chaves and Ben Senior who competed on day 3 of competition. Ben was one of the most consistent athletes in
training all week. He had a small hand touch at the end of
his first pass and then had a rhythm break in the middle of
his 2nd pass, causing him to have a fall at the end of his
pass.
Michael had 2 strong preliminary passes that resulted in
a 3rd place finish after his second pass. That evening, in
finals, he unfortunately had a fall on his triple back tuck
that pushed him into 6th place.
Michael Chaves
PAGE 32
Over all, OGC athletes had a
great experience and represented
their Country, their club, coaches
and themselves very well!
Haven, Nate, Savannah,
Mike and Ben, OGC is
proud of you!!!
– Niki Lavoie
Tumbling Program Director
Savannah Wepf, Michael Chaves, Haven Swarts, Nate St. Romain, and Ben Senior
WAGs Team 2013 Bulgaria T&T
Haven Swarts
PAGE 33
Acro Program Update
Ajax’s Demo Day
Competition
Don Holmes
Tumbling & Acro Program Director
The OGC Acrobatic Gymnastics
program performed at the Ajax
Acro’s Demo Day competition in
June of 2013. Again our team was
the big highlight of the event
pulling off a fantastic performance
to Kill Bill’s theme song Battle for
Honour. Congratulations to David
Scott on his great choreography
and the whole OGC Acro team for
pulling together such a great show.
As well our Interclub Girls did a
routine to a medley from Little
Orphan Annie. Super cute and well
received.
PAGE 34
Meet the Gymnast - Lauren Feaver
W
hen I think of an ordinary 7-year-old girl… I
think of Barbies, playing dress-up, playing
with her Mother’s make-up, and possibly a little bit of
jealousy over what new and exciting toys her friends
have that she doesn’t. But Lauren is anything but
ordinary!
I remember when, after months of practice, my
daughter, Mackenzie, finally got her kip. The sincere
excitement Lauren expressed for her fellow teammate
was so pure and genuine. I can honestly say that this
kind of selfless behavior is a clear indication of just
the kind of girl Lauren is.
Climbing street signs, doing back handsprings off
the steps into the pool, and spending plenty of time
upside down, Lauren is clearly on the right path in
her life at such an early age.
Lauren Feaver, WAG Program
Training 16 hours each week might seem like a lot,
however, when I asked Lauren how she feels about
spending so much time at the gym, without hesitation
she said:
“I like it. It is so much fun to go to gymnastics and to
see all of my friends and have fun with them. I sometimes miss out on things at school, but I don’t mind
because I prefer to be here with my friends”.
“Lauren’s love for gymnastics started with her first
rec class at Cygnus gymnastics club in at. John’s, NL
when she was 4. Half way through her first session,
the coaches pulled [her mother] aside insisting she
come to competitive tryouts. That tryout turned into
a spot on the competitive team, training 8 hours a
week.”, explained Lauren’s Mother. She continues by
saying: “At the age of 5, Lauren moved to Oakville
and was warmly brought into the OGC family- a
place where she has grown and excelled ever since.
Her passion for the sport is obvious in her dedication
PAGE 35
to training, her relationships with her teammates, and her constant practicing on the living room floor!”
Aside from enjoying spending time with her teammates, Lauren finds herself most looking forward to working
on floor and bars each practice. She feels they are both her strongest skills.
I have had the privilege of spending a great amount of time at
OGC for my own kids, so I have had the opportunity to watch
Lauren too. Her positive attitude toward her coaches, teammates, and learning new skills is very apparent. I would consider her to be an old soul to say the least. Lauren seems to be very
aware of her strengths, weaknesses, and she knows what she
wants for her future in gymnastics. She is such an enthusiastic
young girl, with her eye on the Olympics.
– Jennie Stribling
PAGE 36
Meet the Gymnast - Jayson Rampersad
E
ven as a young child, Jayson was very well coordinated, liked to
climb, was full of energy, and had little fear, so at the age of 4 it
seemed the obvious choice for his parents to enrol him in gymnastics.
You see, his mother, Heidi, was herself a gymnast and is currently a
coach at OGC. Also, Jayson’s younger sister, Alyssa, competes in the
WAG program at OGC.....it is truly a family affair!!
Gymnastics was Jayson’s first sport. After two sessions of recreational
gymnastics, one of the competitive coaches noticed his potential and
asked that he try out for the MAG program. This was the beginning of
his love for the sport.
That summer he also started to play organized baseball, and that following winter he learned to downhill ski. Jayson continues to ski when he
has time, and
Jayson Rampersad, MAG Program
also continues
to play baseball,
with his team winning the OMBA championship this
year.
Jayson, who is 10 years old and currently in grade
5, sees the sacrifices he has had to make as all being
worth it. He may not get to ski as much as he would
like, but his teammates at OGC also happen to be his
best friends, meaning that even when they are not
training together at the club they are outside playing
together at home.
Jayson’s mother also sees the family sacrifices as
worth it. “I wouldn’t trade this experience for them
(Jayson and Alyssa) because it’s something they love”.
She sees the coaches and other athletes at OGC as
their extended family. “They are not just gymnastics
coaches; they have helped in raising him to become
who he is today”. Jayson feels gymnastics has taught
him physics and discipline, as well as strategies to
overcome problems.
At school, Jayson enjoys learning math, science, and
history. His favorite author is Rick Riordan, and you
PAGE 37
can often find him reading one if his books about mythology.
Jayson’s favorite gymnast is Kohei Uchimura. He feels Kohei
shows a lot of strength on the rings, and that his “high-bar is
insane”.
In the future Jayson hopes to work in the field of architecture, as he
loves to design and build things. However this will have to wait
for a while, as he is “focused on making the Olympics” with his
dream being to represent Canada on the world’s stage. His favorite
apparatus is the pommel horse, in which he won Gold at this year’s
Provincial championships. Jayson won 1st allaround (MAG Level 1) at the 2012 Provincial
championships, and was 3rd all-around (MAG
Level 2) at the 2013 Provincial championships.
This year he is hoping to qualify for Easterns,
which would likely make him the youngest
in the MAG Level 3 category. With all of his
hard work, dedication, and his positive attitude,
Jayson is certain to be successful in his future
endeavours, in gymnastics and in life.
– Dan Craddock
PAGE 38
Meet the Gymnast - Andrew Kay
F
rom a very young age Andrew was constantly climbing, jumping,
and tumbling, so his parents thought that gymnastics may be a more
constructive outlet.....and they were right. While living in Fishers, Indiana,
they enrolled Andrew in gymnastics at the early age of 18 months, and he
has since developed a strong passion for the sport.
Andrew recently celebrated
his 10th birthday and is in
the 4th grade at Maple Grove
Elementary School. His favourite subject at school is
science, and he was recently
awarded the Golden Griffin
Award for leadership and
Andrew Kay, MAG Program
maturity in his classroom.
Andrew loves to read in his spare
time, and his favourite author is Michael Morpurgo. Andrews’ parents
often find him deeply entrenched in one of the author’s adventures. In
his free time, Andrew also enjoys skateboarding, trick scootering, and
swimming with his friends.
When he was younger, this Indianapolis Colts fan was on a soccer
and basketball team, but as he advanced in gymnastics there was
little time for other organized, extra-curricular activities. Having
said this, his gymnastics skills have made him a well-rounded athlete. Andrew is consistently in the top 5 for his school cross-country
and track & field.
It was obvious from a young age that
Andrew wanted to compete, so it became
his personal goal to compete in gymnastics,
with his aim to one day represent Canada
at the Olympics. “Whenever Drew puts his
mind to something, he will achieve it”, beam
his proud parents....and they are right to
be proud. Andrew made the “pre-team” at
Deveau’s School of Gymnastics in Indiana at
the age of 4, and then began competing for
North Raleigh Gymnastics in North Carolina
at age 7. In May, 2011, Andrew won the State
PAGE 39
title as the North Carolina State Champion for his age
group. In the fall of that same year, Andrew’s family
relocated to Oakville, so he and his sister Abby began to
train at Oakville Gymnastics Club. Last year, Andrew
won Silver for Horizontal Bars, and finished 6th allaround in Ontario for the Level 1 MAG program.
Andrew has been training hard this past summer with his
OGC teammates and Coach Dave, and has accomplished
“giants” on the high bar, as well as earning his hand/
wrist grips for high bar and rings. He enjoys each new
challenge that is placed in front of him, and is looking
forward to the 2014 competitive season. “Drew comes
into the gym bouncing and eager to get going”, says
Coach Dave, “he is very intelligent, gets along well with
the other boys, and is supportive of their work”. “He is
a real pleasure to coach and a genuinely nice young man.
It is easy to coach athletes like Drew.”
Gymnastics has taught Andrew discipline, focus, patience, and created a desire to try new things, both inside
and outside of the gym. “Gymnastics is a big part of who I am.”
– Daniel Craddock
PAGE 40
Meet the Gymnast - Maxx Brunetta
How did you get introduced to gymnastics and how old were you?
Maxx Brunetta: My sister used to do recreational gymnastics and my
mom always brought me along to watch. I found it very interesting and
it looked like a lot of fun so I asked my mom if I could join. I started
off doing rec when I was 5. One day Don noticed me and invited me to
join the Competitive Tumbling Program. I tried it out and enjoyed it and
have been doing Power Tumbling ever since.
How old are you now?
MB: I am 10 years old now.
What is your favourite thing about gymnastics?
Maxx Brunetta, Tumbling Program
MB: My favourite thing about gymnastics is being able to learn and do
new and challenging skills. I love flipping, and power tumbling allows me
to do this. Doing skills on the rod floor is my favourite part about tumbling.
How many hours do you train a week?
MB: I train 9 hours a week – Sundays, Wednesdays, Thurdays and
Fridays.
What is your favourite part about the sport?
MB: My favourite part about this sport, power tumbling, is being
able to flip!
Describe to the readers your typical day?
MB: During the week, I wake up at 6:45am to get ready for school.
When I come home from school, I do my homework, if I have any,
then I hang out with friends and then go to training on the days I
have to.
What has been your greatest obstacle to date?
MB: One of my greatest obstacles to date is sticking my double twist
on the floor. Another obstacle, which I have now overcome, is dealing
with the pressures of competition.
PAGE 41
What has been your greatest achievement that you are most
proud of?
MB: My greatest achievement that I am most proud of was
qualifying for the Eastern Canadian Championships in
Newfoundland and then placing 5th. Another achievement
that I am proud of was placing 3rd at the Ontario Provincial
Finals for my age and level in 2013, which at the time was 9
competing in P1.
What is your favourite skill and what would your dream skill be?
MB: My favourite skill is doing double tucks and back pikes off
the double mini and trampoline. My dream skill is to one day do
a triple back tuck on the rod floor.
Where will we
see you compete
this year?
MB: You will see me next at the beginning of February 2014
at the 1st Ontario Provincial Qualifier in Mississauga.
What is your ultimate goal in this sport?
MB: My ultimate goal in power tumbling would be to qualify
for Worlds and win a medal there.
What have you learned from being a competitive athlete?
MB: I have learned that it takes lots of training and hard work
to be a competitive athlete. You
have to be very
dedicated in your training, which means that sometimes you
have to give up some personal things in order to go to training,
such as hanging out with friends, but that’s OK with me because
I love tumbling and improving on my skills. Most importantly,
you really have to focus in order to do well. Without focus and
concentration you cannot achieve your best.
What else besides gymnastics do you do?
MB: I used to play soccer but now I just do tumbling.
How do you stay motivated when there are other things you
would like to do?
PAGE 42
MB: Watching the National Tumblers really keeps me
motivated because it is amazing what they can do! I hope that
one day I will also be as great a tumbler as all of them. There is
no other sport that I would like to do because I love tumbling
and just want to continue to improve on my skills and get better
and better.
What do your friends think about what you do?
MB: My friends think that the skills I can do are pretty cool
and amazing.
What do you like
to do in your
“down time”?
MB: In my downtime, I like to hang out with my friends, ride
my bike, scooter, ripstick or penny board and go swimming. I
also love playing on my x-box and of course, I can’t live without
my ipad!
What is your favourite food?
MB: My favourite food is my Nonna’s Italian pasta! I have a
sweet tooth as well, so I love eating candy.
Who is your role model and why?
MB: My role model in tumbling is Michael Chaves. He can do
amazing tricks and skills and he keeps me motivated. I hope to be as good as Michael one day.
What are your plans for university and/or for your future career?
MB: My future plans are to go to university and get good
marks so that I can study to be a lawyer when I grow up.
Many young gymnasts look up to you. What advice would you
give younger gymnasts just starting out in this sport?
MB: I would tell them to always think positive and believe in
themselves and to keep encouraging and pushing themselves to
achieve their goals. Only you can make your dreams come true
with hard work and dedication!
– Lynn Wepf
PAGE 43
Meet the Acrobatic Gymnastics Trio Tessa Chiricosta, Alexandra D’Souza, & Sophie Lake
T
Tessa Chiricosta, Acro Program
(Trio Top)
Alex D’Souza, Acro Program
(Trio Middle)
Sophie Lake, Acro Program
(Trio Base)
hese three young ladies, Alex, Tessa and Sophie, make up the Oakville Gymnastics Club 11-16 Women’s
Acrobatic Trio. Having been together for only one year, their close relationship is easy to see, as well as their
common goals. The girls are spending 17 hours a week together in the gym training. All that training paid off,
when they won the Ontario Championships 11-16 Women’s Trio, AS WELL as the Alberta Acrobatic Gymnastics Open. With these wins accomplished, the girls all agree their future goal is to compete at the 2014 Acrobatic
World Championships in France. The World Championships is an event that one of these girls has already accomplished. Tessa competed at the 2012 Championships in Florida with her 11-16 Mixed Pair partner. When the girls
are not at the gym, they find many other activities to keep them busy.
Sophie Lake, being the oldest of the trio, is 15 years old and is in Grade 11. She
started acro at the age of 12. This quiet girl, who describes herself as a perfectionist, also enjoys other sports like volleyball and tennis. However, her real love
is for animals. Sophie’s teammates describe her as
hilarious and a “peach.” She credits her parents as
having the most influence on her success in acro.
When I asked her if there was anything she would
want to do someday, skydiving was her choice.
Sophie’s words of advice to other athletes are, “If
at first you don’t succeed, try, try again!”
Sophie Lake
Alexandra D’Souza, who prefers to be called Alex,
is 13 years old and is in Grade 8. She describes
herself as “determined,” I personally found her extremely funny and very talkative. When she is not
focusing her time on acro, Alex just wants to be
Alex D’Souza
PAGE 44
participating in any and ALL sports possible. Alex began
gymnastics at the age of five but made the change to acro
at the age of eight. When asked what she would love to
be doing besides acro, becoming a track star is her next
goal. However ACRO is her first love, and as she said, “It’s
like breathing to me, without it I can’t survive. It’s my life,
I love it, I wouldn’t know what to do without it!” Alex’s
words of advice to young athletes is “Never give up on
your dreams! Work hard and you will succeed!”
Tessa Chiricosta
Now to top off the trio, literally because 13 year old, Tessa
Chiricosta is the girl on top being thrown around by the two other girls. Tessa started acro around the age of 10 but
three years before she was into circus. When I asked Tessa what she would love to be doing later in life, she also said
“skydiving.” I can definitely see a common theme going on here......FLYING IN THE AIR! Her teammates describe
her as talkative and one of a kind. Talkative yes, she was extremely informative about acro. Tessa has many people
she would like to thank for having such an influence on her, including
friends, her parents and Don, Jack and Jane. When she is not at the
gym training, she is playing the violin, guitar and alto sax. However,
Tessa’s real first love is horseback riding. According to her mom
Jane, this true love of riding has helped Tessa with her
success in acro, as riding and
jumping less than perfectly
behaved ponies, (her favourite
kind) has taught her determination, cooperation, balance
and motivation.
(Continued on page 48)
PAGE 45
Clinic Corner
TAPING
VERSUS BRACING
Is taping or bracing best after an
athlete suffers from an injury? This is a very
common question that we receive in the clinic
and it is actually one of the most debated
subjects in the sports injury field. The decision as to whether or not to use taping
or bracing is really up to each individual athlete and is also at times based on their
specific injury. Below are some pros and cons for each to hopefully help you to
make your decision easier!
John Smyth
Glen Abbey Massage
& Sports Injury Clinic
TAPING PRO CON PRO CON Fits perfectly to the injured area Relatively Inexpensive (if short-‐term) Possible allergies Long-‐term use can be more expensive than bracing Can fit inside gym suits/shoes, etc (less bulky) Loosen slightly with sweat Diverse in use Sometimes difficult to self-‐administer Certain types of taping can be used for more than one training Athletes seem less prone to dependency on tape BRACING Athletes can apply themselves Can be less expensive, if needed for long-‐
term use Can be fit properly by a professional Less worry about allergies More effective for a longer period (does not lose benefits with sweating) Possibly very expensive, depending on the type Very easy to mistakenly use the wrong kind or wrong size for the injury, which can lead to other problems Athletes can become dependent Difficult to find skin coloured (which is now required for trampoline and tumbling competition) These are just some of the pros and cons of taping versus bracing. Each athlete is different and each injury requires
individual consideration as to whether taping or bracing will be the best choice. It is always best to seek out the advice
of a medical professional before making a decision!
– John Smyth
Glen Abbey Massage & Sports Injury Clinic
PAGE 46
FLU – HOW ARE YOU PROTECTING YOURSELF?
Y
es, flu season is approaching. The ads will be urging
us to get that flu shot because it will be the worst
season ever! Before you run out and get your flu shot,
please consider the following points.
Getting your flu shot?
How effective is the flu vaccine? The flu virus has the
ability to change its’ face many times during the course of
a single flu season. This is why there are many different
strains. Before the flu season begins, scientists have to try
and ‘predict’ which of these strains will be active. When
they have made their decision, they begin making a
vaccine which contains
a weaker form of that
strain. Unfortunately,
by the time this strain is
isolated, cultured, and
given to the public, it
could have completely
changed into a different
form, making the vaccine
ineffective for many people. Another point to consider:
we are all bio-chemically unique; therefore each of us will
handle the flu (and anything else) differently. Assuming
this to be true, then each of us would also handle a vaccine
differently. When you think this through, the vaccine may
not work for everyone.
What are some ingredients that may be found in
vaccines:
• Formaldehyde – a cancer causing agent
• Thimerosal – a mercury disinfectant/preservative that can result in brain injury and autoimmune disorders
• Phenol/Carbolic Acid – a disinfectant and dye
• Aluminum – linked to Alzheimer’s disease,
seizures and cancer (in lab rats)
• Neomycin and streptomycin – antibiotics which
have caused allergic reactions in some people
• Sulfites – preservatives causing shortness of breath,
wheezing, diarrhea, stomach cramps
Remember, they’re also cultured via eggs – so if you have
an issue with egg you may have a reaction!
What are some symptoms of a possible problem?
Some people who get the vaccine may experience any
of the following symptoms: redness, rash on the body or
fever. In small children, you may even notice a piercing/
painful crying spell. These are ways in which the body
may be telling us it’s trying to fight the toxins in the vaccine.
For some who may have adverse reactions to the flu shot,
or other vaccines, you may be intolerant. We can test
your body’s ability to handle them, and help alleviate your
symptoms.
Other Ways to Protect Yourself
Did you know there are other ways to protect yourself
from the flu? Here are some common sense approaches:
• Wash your hands often*
• Get enough rest, tired bodies are more apt to getting sick
• Eat more garlic – it’s anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti- viral
• Eat your veggies and skip the processed/packaged foods – you need to keep strong!
• Exercise – it stimulates the immune system by improv ing circulation
• Don’t get stressed – it weakens your immune system
• Take extra vitamin C and Vitamin D and zinc – when it comes to vitamins, you get what you pay for
• Avoid all forms of sugar – one teaspoon can turn off your immune system for up to 6 hours
• Take a probiotic supplement – you need more than what can be found in yogurt
–– Christine Ng, RHN
www.allergiesplease.com
Christine is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist and Allergist. The information in this article is for informational
purposes only and is not intended to serve as a substitute
for the consultation, and/or medical treatment of a
qualified physician or healthcare provider.
* Did you know that OGC provides many hand
sanitizer stations throughout the building?
PAGE 47
( Meet the Acro Trio... Continued from page 45 )
Having only met these unbelievably dedicated,
talented young women once, I could tell from this
short time, that their future looks extremely bright!
Keep up the good work
girls and with your combination of personalities
and dedication, the 2014
World Championships
WILL be a goal that you
will reach.
– Samantha Swarts
Fast Track Editorial Team
Daryl Ralph ................. Publisher
Heidi Rampersad ....... Copy Editor
Jackie Wald ........... Layout and Design
Matt Perrier ........... MAG Photographer
Melanie Hayes ......... Writer/Reporter
Jennifer Sweetland .. Writer/Reporter
Julie Misquitta ......... Writer/Reporter
Dan Craddock .......... Writer/Reporter
Jennie Stribling ........ Writer/Reporter
Lynn Wepf ............... Writer/Reporter
Samantha Swarts ..... Writer/Reporter
Gary Mark ............... Photo Sourcing
Submissions of articles and photos are always
welcome, as well as any ideas for news stories.
Email directly to the Fast Track team at:
info@oakvillegym.com
Thanks to our OGC Sponsors
and Partners for their Support!
ERIN MILLS ACURA
RUSSELL ALLEGRA
LAW OFFICE
Acro Trio: Alex D’Souza, Sophie Lake, and Tessa Chiricosta
PAGE 48

The Evolution of the OGC Men`s Gymnastics Program

Transcription

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