Summer Gymnastics Camps!!

This is a list of great Summer camp options for your gymnast this summer!! Here is the link for CAGE gymnastics summer camps:

 http://www.cagegymnastics.com/index.php/summer-camps

Gymnastics Locations Including: Training, Stores, And More!!

Podcast on Nutrition

http://alyssaholloway.podbean.com

Here is the link to my podcast on Nutrition for gymnast.

This podcast will cover great nutrition do's and dont's for your gymnast. This is a must listen with summer practices right around the corner.

Check it out!!

     Photo by Gymnastcare.com

Retire Last Years Competitive Leo

Retire Your Leo

Need economical Ideas: 

1. Sell it at your gym

•   Most gyms have a store to retire old leo's and warm ups called                                                  consignment! 

2. Wear it as a new 
       practice leo:        

• This adds a great touch and can save parents some                                                                   money 

3. Talk to parents 
       at the gym         

• New kids coming in to that level will want to buy your used leo                                                    for a discount.

Picture by : Spiralsfoundation.org

Is My Kid Moving Levels????

A common concern with parents is: 

                           

          Will my child move up a level this year?

              Gymnastics is not like school we do not move up a level simply because it is a new year. If they move up great if they do not, still great.  Some parents see this as a bad thing, is it? No, if your child stays in the same group as a second year they will have the chance to be a leader and help newbies. 

What Factors Do Coaches Think About When Moving Kids?

•  Age
• Ability
• Skills
• Matureness
  
• Scores

Example:

            A seven year old level 3 named Sue has all of her level four skills and was top three all year long. This means she is ready for the next year skill wise. She also can compete well with good scores and medals. The level four group has much longer practices. The coaches have noticed that Sue is very fatigued after her level three practice. The coaches choose to keep Sue in level three to work on her stamina and conditioning. Sue will be a year older and the coaches hope she will be more successful in level 4 as an eight year old. Sue will be more mature and stronger. 
                                                                               
                                                                                                  Photo By: www.gymnasticsrevolution.com

Parents this is not a bad thing. This is a way to keep each kid successful. Gymnasts will progress at their own rate!!

Summer At Cage

Photo by pensacolawithkids.com

* TOP 3 GREAT SUMMER IDEAS *

1. Run Outside (mark a route or simply run around the gym)

2. Car Wash (great fundraiser as well)!

3. Plan a trip to a local amusement or water park. This will build team bonding. This is a lot of fun as well.

Spring Fling At CAGE Gymnastics

Designed by: fresnowomensnetwork.org

Want To Try Competitive Gymnastics????

Host: CAGE Gymnastics

What is Spring Fling?

          

                Spring Fling is a mock meet (fake). Kids will learn a routine during our Spring Recreational classes to perform at the Spring Fling. They will learn a routine for all four events of Woman's Artistic Gymnastics (beam, floor, vault, and bars). 

Who Can Watch?

                Parents, grandparents, friends, and whoever else would like to support your gymnast is welcome to come!

When is Spring Fling?

                May 2nd 

Come join CAGE for the 2015 SPRING FLING !!

Oh No!!! There's a Parent In The Judges Room

Photo by www.babble.com

This is a must read!!!

This is a story of a mother in search of the judges to explain her daughters score. This can be hard for parents especially when you are unsure of what your child is doing wrong.

Here is the link:

http://wendybrucemartin.com/2015/03/24/oh-no-theres-a-mom-in-the-judges-room/


Please comment and give me feedback of what you thought.

Thanks,


Coach Alyssa
CAGE Gymnastics

# STATE MEET

GOOD LUCK GYMNASTS

This weekend is State meet if you are a gymnast or  a parent to one. This is the biggest meet of the year!! This is what you have been working for ladies. Rock it ♥

This week will mean hard practices and tons of hours at the gym!

2009 Heather Maynez for Woga.
(Video by athleticevolutionhillard.com)

Spring Break for gymnast will be next week ( March 30th- April 7th ). This means no practice and I  recommend no open gyms or practicing at home either. Keep them busy with other activities. These girls need a break!!!

Paying For Gymnastics

How To Pay For Gymnastics 

FUNDRAISERS

This is the time of season coaches are picking fundraisers, if you have a great idea let your coaches know. They may not know about it yet!

Candles Are Great:

Photo by: https:www.coshoctontribune.com

Gold Canyon is a good one

Glow Candles

Scentsy always goes over well

Food:                                                                                                       ABC Fund raising has great stuff!

Popcorn palace, Yum.

Or ,

Get outside the box:

Do a bake sell

Car Wash

SPONSORSHIP

Your gym may have forms for you to give to local or family businesses. This normally comes with advertising perks such as: name on sponsorship t-shirts for $500 or more. These add up fast and are very helpful. They even allow small sponsors starting as low as $25. These are good for grandmas and grandpas!

PARENT VOLUNTEER HOURS

See if your Gym allows this opportunity. If so, definitely take advantage of this!! You can do things such as help check in when they host a meet or on gym clean up week come out and help. This will allow you to earn money that goes on your account.  

I Love This Drill Of The Week

                                  ♥ DRILL OF THE WEEK ♥

Work on setting in a round off or round off back handspring (BHS) back tuck:

1. Land 3 round off or Round (BHS) back tucks on the spring floor.
2. Land 3 Round off or Round (BHS) back tucks up to an 8"
3. Land 3 Round off or Round (BHS) back tucks up to two  8"s.
4. Land 3 Round off or Round (BHS) back tucks up to  a resi mat equivalent to three 8"'s
5. Land 3 Round off or Round (BHS) back tucks up to a mat equivalent to four 8"'s, I use the level 3 vault mat!

Feel free to spot whenever. You can also make it a game by eliminating those who fall. 

Photo by: Angelfire.com

Great End Of Season Ideas!!

Its The End Of The Season 

Woop Woop For Next Year  !!!!!

Here Are Some Great End Of Season Ideas!

                                                                                                             PARENTS:

Take your gymnast out for a pedicure or manicure! Gymnast have to go all season without nail color.
Let them go crazy!!

Use spring break as a chance to try other activities you don't have time for during season.

Find out the summer schedule and began preparing yours.

COACHES:

Start working next years skills. This will get the girls pumped up for the longer summer practices. These gymnast have been working routines all season they are bored at this point.

Do something fun like run or warm up out in the spring weather. (I am in Kansas if your weather is crummy disregard this) The kids will love this and it will be a good time to get some fresh air.

Begin making summer goals. This will give the gymnast something to strive for now that the pressure of season is over.

FEAR OF FAILURE

                                        FEAR OF FAILURE

  

Natialukinfoundation.com

Does your child have anxiety before practice? If your a gymnast do 

your hands sweat as your feet feel the cold floor as you walk to the 

                                                beam? 

This is common and it is usually a fear of failure. This is a 

common anxiety of doing a new skill or even competing at all 

                                    that many gymnast face.

So, how can you attack this? First, you need to figure out what

is causing the anxiety. Whether it is a well needed break, a fear 

of a new skill, lack of confidence when competing, or an over

                            load of pressure this is correctable

Lastly, once you know what is causing the problem you can act

accordingly whether it is extra time in the gym to build confid-

ence, or less open gyms and private lessons to get a break and

                                          have some fun. 

Gymnastics is a year round sport. Sometimes a break is neces-

sary especially at the end of season, as we are coming up on State 

                                      at the end of March!

                                   GOOD LUCK GIRLS!!

      Keep an eye out for my next post "Great End of Season Idea's"

No Off Season

No Off Season!!

        In gymnastics there is no off season!! Gymnastics has a rough schedule that even the strongest gymnast cant always hack. A gymnast schedule can be so strict they are forced to be home schooled. At CAGE none of our gymnast are home schooled. A gymnast may spend countless hours and multiple days in the gym year round. Weekends are spent traveling around the U.S. to gymnastics competitions and their best friends are their teammates. 

        So why pick gymnastics? This hard work and devotion is put in so gracefully. Ask any gymnast and it is the best decision they ever made. You get so many great things from this sport. You are on a team, a very strong team. But, out on the floor you are independent, you are the only one. This sport teaches you poise, teamwork, leadership, and confidence. 

                                                                           
                                                  Picture By www.championswaya.com

How To Get Boys Involved In Gymnastics!!

HOW TO GET BOYS INVOLVED IN GYMNASTICS

     The answer is Ninja Zone. This is a program that uses gymnastics, parkour, dance, martial arts, and obstacle courses. Kids run, jump, flip, and fly threw the air. In gymnastics you have landing and sticks. Not in Ninja Zone this fast pace program is designed to keep going!

                                  

                                                    Picture by Spring Hill Gymnastics
                                                          Springhillgymnastics.com

      This program is designed for boys in the gymnastics environment.  Normally ages are 4-11 and categorized by levels white (beginner), yellow (intermediate), and green (advanced). Find a gym with this program it is wonderful!!

February: Peace Out Meet

Peace Out Meet

When:      February 27-March 1st

Where:    At Xtreme Gymnastics in Lee Summit, MO

Meets are great opportunities for parents to watch with their kiddo that wants to do gymnastics, especially competitive. Come on out and watch these amazing gymnasts.This  will prepare you and your kiddo for what's ahead. Gymnasts work very hard and put on a great show.

Good luck to any gymnast competing!  If you are a gymnast or parent wanting the schedule for this weekend go to Xtreme's website. anybody who wants to post other great meet dates feel free! 

Thanks for reading!

Need A New Leotard!!!

Need A New Leotard!!!

CAGE Gymnastics in Topeka just got a new shipment of leotards!!!  We have all sizes and many new designs. Come by and see what we have. 

See you soon!!

Photo by SBD Sportswear; Kid Steals

From Fun to Full-Ride: Getting to Know Illini Freshman Becca Cuppy

From Fun to Full-Ride: Getting to Know Illini Freshman Becca Cuppy
By Amanda Wijangco

Link: http://www.gymnastike.org/coverage/252029-2015-University-of-Illinois-Gymnastics/blog/47293-From-Fun-to-Full-Ride-Getting-to-Know-Illini-Freshman-Becca-Cuppy

         For several years, gymnast Becca Cuppy simply loved gymnastics and lived for the moment. Once she got to level 9/10, she realized that she had a strong desire to compete in collegiate gymnastics and receive a full-ride scholarship.

That dream came true, and now Cuppy is a freshman on the University of Illinois women’s gymnastics team with a full-ride scholarship.

When she found out that she was being offered a full-ride, she was ecstatic, as it was something she worked towards for years.

Picture of Becca Cuppy

By http://www.gymnastike.org, Amanda Wijangco

Her love for gymnastics first began around the age of 8. When the Cuppy family moved to Akeny, Iowa from Pleasant Hill, Iowa, her father enrolled her in gymnastics.

“I always liked climbing around on jungle gyms, and he used to do it when he was younger, so I just wanted to be like him,” she said.

Her dad not only started her in the sport, but he helped her achieve her dream of obtaining a full-ride scholarship to compete in collegiate gymnastics. When she began competing level 9/10, her dad recorded all of her routines at every meet she competed at. He then uploaded them to YouTube, and she sent them to college coaches.

She mostly sent her videos to schools in the Midwest, specifically Iowa and Iowa State, as an Iowa native. In addition, she tried to garner the attention of Big Ten coaches, because she “really wanted to be in the Big Ten.”She got just what she asked for. After Landrus attended the Region 4 Championships and saw Cuppy’s YouTube videos, she offered Cuppy a full-ride to be a Fighting Illini gymnast.

“Illinois just had so much to offer,” she said. “It has such a beautiful campus and great academics and athletics. Both of those combined is really what I was looking for.”

After years of hard work in the gym and in the classroom, Cuppy is right where she wants to be, and Landrus couldn't  ask for more.

Gymnast Survey

       

SURVEY:

             This survey is for the everyday gymnast. Whether you are recreational or competitive this survey is for you. I want to get into the mind of a student. This is incredibly helpful when being a coach. Please feel free to post your answers to my blog. It will be greatly appreciated!

1. What were you most proud of at gym today?

Photo by: https://www.dukechironyc.com

2 .If you could pick one word for your attitude at the gym today what would it be?

3. What was the best compliment you received today?

4. What made you laugh the hardest at practice today?

5. What was the best thing a teammate did today?

6. Pick one word to describe today's practice?

7. What are you going to work on at the next practice?

8. Were you ready to leave practice today?

9. What would you have changed about practice today?

10. Did you understand your corrections today?

Thanks for your time!! 

Coaches: Must See Back Hand Spring Drills

Welcome back to Twist and Talk, 

This post is a great one for coaches training back hand springs. This video is helpful for beginners who are just learning the shaping of a back handspring. 

Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOO3543UnWo

This video is fabulous for gymnasts who have learned a standing back hand spring and have moved on to round off back hand springs. I really liked how it focused on keeping toes down in the entry of the back hand spring. All my gymnasts want to whip their feet over as fast as they can causing real shape trouble.

Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSz_UuzxnNw&list=PL2CEADA0A593036CE

Thanks for reading Twist and Talk, I hope it helped!

Let Kids Be Kids

Hey everyone,

This post is going to be aimed towards parents of young gymnasts. As parents we often sit in the stands and think about how we can help our children. The answer is simple support them. When the

y are done they need a "good job" or "you worked hard" from mom or dad. As a coach I see many parents immediately start ripping them for things they witnessed while sitting in the stands. They have been coached for the past three hours they do not need anymore. When kids go home from practice they want to have fun, play games, hang out with friends, let them!! Parents always stop me after practice and ask what they need to work on at home. I tell them having fun! They are competitive athletes, they are also kids. Let kids be kids and enjoy the sport. If you never let your child get away from gymnastics, you will burn them out.

Thanks for chatting with me today. See you soon!!

Break A Leg

Gymnastics involves one huge thing fear! If you want to understand this sport you must understand this aspect and why it is always present. This is one sport were there is real danger involved. We train are gymnast to do skills, land skills, and fall during those skills safely. Yet, accidents still happen.

So why would a parent want their child to be a gymnast? This sport build life skills. To be able to mental commit to something so difficult and stick with it. Practicing long hours giving up time with friends and other activities. Being able to be a team mate in practice but stand alone in front of the judges.  Performing in front of hundreds or thousands of people is life changing. You will walk away a better person. Who can communicate as an adult and understand not only their body but their mind.

As a gymnasts gets older they understand the danger involved. As they progress so does the difficulty. Read this article that will go more in depth, this will give you a better understanding of fears in gymnastics. https://www.competitivedge.com/overcoming-performance-fears-and-blocks-gymnastics-0.

My Crazy Life: The Story of Alyssa Holloway

Hey everyone, my name is Alyssa Holloway. I would like to welcome you to my blog, I hope you enjoy!

This blog is about gymnastics from a coaches stand point. I have been coaching competitive gymnastics for seven years and love every minute of it. If you are a coach, parent, or gymnast you will benefit from this blog.

I will explain the sport of gymnastics, list drills for coaches or young gymnasts, and discuss problem areas in this sport that may benefit many parents of young gymnasts. I love feedback, so feel free to comment or post.

                                                    CAGE Gymnastics at Cupid Classic 2015 in 
                                                                  Kansas City. Photo taken by Alyssa Holloway (me).