Arnold Challenge Weekend
Mar 8th
The girls optional teams competed at the Arnold Challenge this weekend and it was awesome!! All of our girls had a great meet and are now poised to have an amazing run at the state meets. Here are some highlights and pictures! Level 10 Katie Chamberlain placed 5th on beam. Level 9 Emily Bliss earned a spot in the event finals on floor by winning the event in her age group. Also a level 9, Traci Powers scored a personal best 9.45 on vault in the event finals winning 3 place overall! Level 8 Katie Bliss won bars, beam and all around titles in her age group. She also competed in event finals on beam and bars, placing 2nd overall on bars with a 9.275. Our level 7’s had another great meet winning their session as a team and qualifying 4 individuals on to finals – Madison England on bars, Amanda Talbot on beam and floor, Makenzie Grilliot on beam and Katy Jobe on beam! Makenzie placed 3rd on beam and Amanda WON the beam title!! Awesome job girls!! We are so proud of you.
Along with our competitive success, we are also improving our facility to meet the growing demands of all our programs. We have added a new vaulting table which has been noticed my many of our preschoolers because of the look and feel of the cover. It has already earned the nickname of the basketball or football table!! Other item that may not be as noticeable are a new set of competitive bars, giving us the ability to adjust settings more easily depending on the needs of our teams and classes. Finally behind the big wall in the back of the gym is our newly remodeled dance room! Check out some of the new classes that are being offered for both kids (gymnastics dance)and adults (Zumba)! Please stop by the front desk for more details.
Newsletter: Session 4
Feb 17th
Welcome to Session 4!
As we look forward to celebrating our twentieth year beginning in September of 2010, we want to thank you for letting us be a part of your Child’s education. We take great pride in our gymnastics expertise, yet perhaps just as much, in knowing that the unseen skills are just as important. The patience, determination and confidence needed to not only acquire, but just to attempt, new skills will hopefully stay with our students a lifetime. Whether it is one of our competitive cheerleaders doing a “full down” or our 16 month old doing a somersault for the very first time, the learning process is in full gear. In this hurry, hurry drivet hru world the patience often needed to succeed is lost. Gymnastics and Cheer are fantastic vehicles for learning that the proper base often takes time and that sooner or later a faulty base will make further advancement all the more difficult. We strive to foster a healthy competitive spirit, with the emphasis on doing ones personal best. Although our teams do travel and compete against others, our successes truly come from doing more than the individual dreamed they could do, gaining the self confidence to go further, and ultimately making themselves driven to the point that they are the elite of the elite. We strive to teach all of our students this intrinsic motivation, for in the world of today and tomorrow the need for self-confidence, daring and drive will be evermore vital.
Thank you again for your support, we look forward to continuing our programs for another twenty years. Check out the website, Blog and class handouts often for upcoming events, team results and special rewards to show our appreciation for your patronage.
PRESCHOOL
The Preschool Staff would like to thank you for being a part of the GTCO Family this session! It is wonderful watching your child master skills. We hope that your child learns not only gymnastics, but also gains the self-confidence that comes with each newly learned skill! We strive to make each child feel special, challenge them with skills, and realize the importance of FUN in a learning environment! In addition to focusing on gymnastics and developing fine and gross motor skills, listening, following directions and paying attention we will also be focusing on a skill of the week, colors, and numbers! These will aid in your child being ready for kindergarten and successful in school!! We have a dedicated and enthusiastic staff—please feel free to speak to them before or after class if you have any concerns about your child!!
Fun Stuff going on Session 4!
WEEK 3—Backwards Week!! Wear your shirt backwards this week! We will be learning all about gymnastics and going backwards!!
WEEK 5—Wear Green Week!! Wear green for St. Patrick’s Day this week & get a free sticker!!
WEEK 7-Hippity Hop Week & BRING A FRIEND for free Week!!We will be celebrating Peter Rabbit this week!! Students are invited to bring a friend this week also!! (This is also picture/video week andtuition for Session 2 is due!!)
Mark your calendar!! Friday, April 2 is our annual Good Friday Camp!! Most schools are closed that day so drop you kids off at GTCO for some great fun!!
Is your 2 year old ready to go “on their own”?? We offer a “Big Tots” class exclusively for our not yet 3 year olds who are ready to explore!! This class is a transitional class for children who are ready to go on their own without the assistance of mom or dad, but not yet ready for the perpetual motion of the 3 year old class!! Your child must have completed a session in the 2 year old class and the instructor will recommend the Big Tots class if your child is ready!
If your 4 or 5 year old boy ready for a BOYS ONLY class? This class is strictly boys working with our male coaches on boys events and equipment to make your son stronger, disciplined, and more self confident!! PLEASE NOTE: This class is only available to a student who has completed a session of 4/5 year old preschool class or has permission from an instructor to join!
TUMBLEGARTEN NEWS
Welcome and Congratulations
We would like to welcome all new Tumblegarten1 students. Tumblegarten 1 is an introductory level of gymnastics. It allows gymnasts to learn the basics of each of the gymnastics events; including vault, bars, balance beam, and floor exercise.
I would also like to congratulate all those gymnasts who moved up to the next level in Tumblegarten. Thank you for your hard work and Good Luck in your new level.
If you have any questions about Tumblegarten 1,2, or 3 please don’t hesitate to ask your instructor. Evaluations will be given back after each session with information concerning what skills your daughter has achieved and where she may need to work to attain more skills and move up to the next level.
New Coach – Tumblegarten has a new coach! Laura Thompson began coaching with us last session and we would like to formally welcome her to GTCO. We are glad to have you Laura.
TOPs News
Girls on the Move
The TOPs team has been hard at work these last couple of months. I wanted to highlight a few gymnasts as they accomplish their goals.
- Alyssa Wiedeman climbed the rope with perfect form.
- Emily Hamlett completed 5 tight body cast handstands in a row.
- All on the team have accomplished a straight leg bridge with flat hips, straight arms, and shoulders pushed over the hands.
- Chloe Hemm has pushed both her splits down on the boards with hips square.
- Alicia Fitton has completed 10 press to handstands in a row.
All the TOPS athletes are working very hard at each practice and making improvements each day. I would also like to welcome all those girls who were invited to join our Tiny TOPs team! We are very proud of all their hard work. Keep it up girls.
What is TOPs?
TOPs (Talent Opportunity Program), is a competitive talent search and educational program for gymnasts ages 7-11. Girls compete in June and July of each year for the chance to compete in Houston, Texas at TOPs Nationals. Girls compete doing handstand holding, press handstands, rope climb, sprinting, vertical jump, leg lifts, cast handstands, splits, and bridges. Training TOPs is a great way to increase strength and flexibility along with improving body awareness which leads to advances in actual gymnastics skills. GTCO also now has Tiny TOPs; an introduction to TOPs for gymnasts age 4, 5, and 6. If your daughter is younger than or meets the age requirements for this program and you are interested please contact Coach Amibeth.
Morning Practices
GTCO now offers morning practices for girls on the TOPs Girls Competitive. Each Monday and Friday mornings girls are invited to come into the gym and receive extra work on strength, flexibility, body shaping, and basic skills. A coach will be in the gym between 6:00 am and 8:30 am leaving you the opportunity to come at your convenience and improve your gymnastics. We are also willing to start a morning practice on Wednesday mornings. If you are interested in these morning workouts please contact Amibeth Hardy.
CHEER TEAMS (GTCO VOLTS)
The GTCO Volts are excited to announce that our tryouts will be earlier this year! Tryout dates will be announced later this month, please visit www.GTCOVolts.com for more information. In the meanwhile, feel free to contact the program director, Victor Zamora, for additional information. Phone number: 937.660.8307 or email: cheer@gtcohio.com.
The following are the competitions for the Month of February:
February 20 – 21: AB Championships in Louisville, KY.
February 28: Cheer For a Cure, in Centerville.
Good Luck Girls!
Let’s GO GTCO Volts!!!
BOYS GYMNASTICS
After winning the level 5 team trophy at the Hocking Valley Winter Cup, the Level 5 team placed 2nd at the GTCO Invitational (Dec. 13-15) with Collin Jasin winning the AA, and Conner Iverson placing 3rd in the AA.. Thommy Pretorius winning vault and the rest of the team placing well.
Sammy Chamberlain won Level 10 AA, and Josh Davidson traveled to the Windy City Invite in Chicago and then to the Brain Babcock Invitational in Allentown, PA. There he placed 9th PB and tied for 2nd in vault.
Level 5 – 7 – 8 will compete at the Blaine Wilson Invite in Columbus Feb. 13 – 15 and the Optional boys of Sammy Chamberlain and Josh Davidson will travel to Oakland, California for the Pacific Coast Classic.
At the Queen City Invitational the level 5 boys did well with Conner Iverson placing 3rd AA, and Thommy Pretorius winning the AA in his age group. Others placing and doing well were Luke, Knapke, Ryan Bernnard, Jason Phelps, Collin Jasin and Tommy Stone (2nd vault). Sammy Chamberlain placed in Pb – V in Level 5.
In March Michael Pretorius – Speros Gabriel – Bishop Hungarland will make their debut at the Indy classic on March 6 – 7.
Tommy Mistretta (level 9) has moved to California and we wish him and his family the best of luck.
Anyone wishing to be a competitive gymnast at GTCO should get in contact with Don Sellman, Boys Team Director.
Post graduation plans update
Feb 7th
Hello all! I just thought I would give you an update on my plans for after graduation, which is less than 3 months away, but who’s counting?! I’m not sure if I shared this or not, but I branched Medical Services in the Army. I’m not exactly sure what this means yet, or what I will be doing once I finish all of my training, but it was my first choice, so I’m pretty excited about it. I’m hoping to stay on the research side of things, but usually you have to have at least your Masters to be considered to specialize in the field that I would eventually like to go into. So, I guess I’ll just have to wait and see where they put me.
After graduation, I am going to go on a trip to Costa Rica for 2 weeks in May. Then I have about a month and a half off once I get back to do absolutely nothing! I report at Fort Sam Houston, TX (near San Antonio) on 18July. I have 9 weeks of training there until I report to my first unit. We haven’t gotten our first assignments yet, but I’m hoping we get them before the end of the month. Once I figure out what unit I’m going to, it will give me a better idea of if, or how soon I will be deploying and where. Most 2LTs these days are deploying within a year of their commissioning, so I guess we will just have to wait and see.
That’s all for now. I hope season is going well!
-Alison DesJardins
Happy New Year
Jan 13th
Things are getting back to normal after a crazy December, starting off with our Cartwheels and Pinwheels meet, Christmas, New Year and then some snow days. A few illnesses and we are getting back into the swing of things. A great big thank you to all the booster parents who helped put on a great competition, everyone was very impressed with the smoothness of the meet. Also, on behalf of all the staff , thank you for the Christmas gifts. We are excited for the new year and all it promises, we recently held our first dance rotations in the newly remodeled dance room….. the room needs some finishing touches but we just could not wait to try it out. Thank you once again to all the parents and athletes who made last year so great and we look forward to an even better year in 2010.
Happy Holidays!
Dec 7th
Session 3
Thank you all once again for making GTCO a part of your Childs education. We especially cherish this time of year as many of our former athletes return from college to get reacquainted, and our younger students are bubbling with the thrill of the holiday season. It is at this point of the year I believe we truly appreciate the depth of our position. From our youngest student to our most seasoned team member, we are striving to instill qualities that will allow the student to succeed not only in sports but many areas of life. The self discipline, patience and HOPE learned at GTCO will benefit them for years to come. We teach hope…… not in an inactive sense, but rather as an active part of ones success. Confidence in ones ability to overcome adversity, belief in the patience it takes to master a skill, and the discipline to work harder than ever before allows our students to have HOPE in the here and now, as well as the future. The quiet confidence that one will be able to effectively overcome seemingly impossible obstacles brings about a peace that is priceless. Our jobs are more fun than anyone could imagine, but the results we strive to obtain for our students are life shaping.
For some extra fun over the Holiday break check out our mini camps. We offer 1 to 6 days of gym fun, just stop by the front desk, or check out the website for more info. No need to look too far for that last minute or unexpected Holiday gift. Tumbletime Treasures has candles, clothing and cards for that last minute gift need.
Check out the Boys and Girls Gymnastics teams in action at the Kingdom Sports Center on Saturday and Sunday the 12th and 13th. Check out the website and bulletin boards in the lobby for other competitions involving our cheer and gymnastics teams. Congratulations to The Volts, GTCO Cheer squad, two competitions and numerous number one teams. GREAT JOB.
A new session has begun and we will have new students in our programs, but our goals will remain the same. A time tested step by step approach to teaching not only cheer, tumbling and gymnastics but attitudes and methods that will help them succeed in whatever else they may pursue. We will have two weeks of class and then two weeks off, with classes resuming January 4th and completing the remaining six weeks. There is no need to schedule make-ups; the break is worked into our session schedule.
Once again thank you for letting us be a part of your Childs growth. We take great pride in providing superior individual attention in a fun group atmosphere.
Home Meet
Dec 5th
I just wanted to remind everyone that GTCO will be hosting a boys and girls gymnastics meet December 12-13! We are very excited about this event. Not only is it our first meet of the season, but it is also for a great cause! Kids competing against Cancer! Please come out and support our gymnasts! Visit our website www.gtcohio.com for details. Have a great week!
Let’s Go GTCO Volts!!!
Dec 4th
GOOD LUCK EVERYONE! We are excited to see you all compete at the COA Raider Championship. Have a great weekend and we will see you Sunday!
We Rock!!!
It’s almost time…
Nov 12th
…for me to come home for Thanksgiving!!! AHH I can’t wait to see everyone again and see how much you all have grown! Just one more week…which is going to come fast! (thank goodness)
Well, right now routines are starting to come together and the team is looking great! We are all working very hard getting ready for next Wednesday which is going to be our very own intersquad called “Turkey Indian.” Once I land a double pike on the floor (on my feet and not my butt haha) I’ll be set! When it comes to learning any new skills since I’ve been here…well, that would be no. They told me that I’m already at a 10.0 start on everything and as long as I clean it all up, that’s all they need: Vault’s the same (of course), bars….hmm…, beam is the same minus the switch leap layout step out (but it’s there for back up), and floor is down to just 3 tumbling passes (double pike, front full front lay/tuck, and rudi), a full turn instead of double, and popa wolf full instead of wolf 1/2…
So yea, all I’ve gotta do is hit and I should score well! Like they’ve been telling me, “just one thing at a time Alaska.” haha.
Well that’s it for now, I’ll be sure to tell you all much more when I arrive home! OH, and here’s a video I’ve been meaning to share with you guys…enjoy!
LET’S GO MOUNTAINEERS!!—> West Virginia Gymnastics Pre-Season Vault!
Tumbling and Mental Blocks
Nov 10th
Many athletes are now experiencing problems with their tumbling. It is not an uncommon problem due to the high number of athletes tumbling around the country. Because of those numbers, it has become a well published issue. We use a variety of techniques, much like the following listings, and have had success with many of them. below are links that may help you and your athlete understand they are not alone, and how to approach the problem. At GTCO we use a variety of training techniques, floorings, drills and instuctors to help the athlete through the issue. Thank you to Kirsten who provided these links, which are having good results for her daughter. Good luck to those of you working on this issue. Remember…patience and optimism will go a long way to you recapturing your skills, plus you are not alone. http://boards.varsity.com/index.php?topic=95.0 http://boards.varsity.com/index.php/topic,2393.0.html http://en.allexperts.com/q/Gymnastics-2245/2008/1/Mental-block-roundoff-backhandspring.htm http://www.gymnasticsmedia.com/Blogs/SplitLeap/tabid/306/EntryId/95/Mental-block.aspx http://www.britannica.com/bps/additionalcontent/18/36365444/Getting-over-it http://www.gymnastike.org/videos/coverage/view_video/234095-mental-edge-mondays/98681-mental-block-breakthroughs
Please let us know if this was helpful,or if their are other related questions we can help you with.
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