4 Things Every Parent Should Know Before
Choosing A Gymnastics School

If most gyms seem to have qualified, friendly teachers, experience teaching children, and safe equipment, aren’t they all pretty much the same? Does it really matter which place you decide to enroll at? Yes. There are 4 main things that can make a huge difference in the quality of the overall enjoyment and satisfaction of being involved with a gymnastics program. Here are 4 things that every parent should consider before deciding on a gymnastics school for their child.

1) Are the instructors certified?

Gymnastics is a great sport for children of all ages, but it is important that they are taught correct technique in a safe environment. We feel that it is extremely important for all of our coaches to be safety certified through either the CARA Gymnastics Certification Program or the United States Association of Gymnastics Certification Program (or both!). Coaches should be up to date on the latest safety and spotting techniques, as well as new skills. All of our coaches go through the safety program every other year. Many gymnastics programs feel that is OK to have a high school student teaching the younger students since they are only learning basic skills and no major spotting is required. We believe in training the youngest student correctly from the beginning, therefore ALL of our classes are taught by certified coaches.

2) What is the size of the class?

If a gymnastics class has fewer students in it each child will receive more personalized attention, learn more and have more fun. With younger students it is easier for a teacher to maintain control over the class and make sure each student understands the concepts and instructions. Our smaller class sizes make sure that no fundamental concepts are being missed. A smaller class size also allows our teachers to ensure that students are not developing bad habits or improper technique. Our student to teacher ratio for our 2-5 year old classes is 8 to 1 and the student teacher ratio for all our other classes is 10 to 1. Most of our gymnastics classes are taught by two instructors.

3) Is there something special for my gymnast to look forward to at the end of the year?

Most gyms do not have an end of the year performance for their students; programs are on-going. We believe that it is important to give students something to look forward to at the end of the year, and give them a chance to “show off” all they have learned. In June of each we put on a “Mock Meet” for our gymnastics students. They will showcase routines they have worked on throughout the year on all 4 events (floor, balance beam, uneven bars and vault. They differ some for the boys program), and receive medals, ribbons, certificates and personalized T-Shirts. They also receive a team leotard or short outfit to be worn at the “Mock Meet.” We do not charge admission for parents or guests, and parents are allowed to video tape during the performance. Picture sessions with classmates and coaches is available at the end of the meet.

4) Can I get immediate assistance and customer service?

In many gyms the teacher or the owner conducts classes and does the administration. By trying to do two jobs at once, the class may suffer by the teacher having to use class time for customer service issues, or the gym may have no customer service available if the teacher is in a class. To have a good experience it is important to choose a gym that can assist you with details even if a teacher is occupied in a class. Our gym has office staff available during class times, so you can have immediate assistance for any customer service issues you may have. Our teachers are left free to focus on teaching: the class always gets undivided attention.