A busy gym is a good problem to have!
Growing Together
If the gym has felt a little busier lately, you're not imagining it.
Over the past few months, Cooroy Gymnastics has experienced exceptional growth in our membership. We've welcomed hundreds of new gymnasts and families, grown our coaching team and continued strengthening our programs across the Club.
It is exciting to see so many children coming through our doors each week and enjoying gymnastics.
With that growth also comes responsibility. We know that when families join at different points throughout the year, some of the little pieces of information about how things work at Cooroy can easily be missed.
We're also continuing to improve the way we communicate with families. Thank you for your patience and understanding while we get some of those systems right. We want our communication to be clear, timely and useful, without overwhelming families with information.
So, whether you've been with us for years or have only just joined, here is a quick Cooroy Gymnastics refresher.
ARRIVING FOR CLASS
Please aim to arrive 5–10 minutes before your child's class.
Gymnasts should wait with their parent or carer until their class is called. At the scheduled start time, our coaches will call the gymnasts onto the floor.
Classes begin with a group warm-up before gymnasts separate into their smaller coaching groups and move through their activities and apparatus.
If you're new and aren't sure where to go, please come to the front office and introduce yourself. We'd much rather you ask than feel unsure.
WHAT SHOULD MY CHILD BRING?
Keep it simple:
Comfortable, fitted clothing suitable for gymnastics
A named water bottle
Long hair securely tied back
No jewellery
Gymnasts participate barefoot
There is no need for special gymnastics clothing when you're starting out.
PARENTS & THE GYM FLOOR
Parents and carers are welcome to watch from our designated viewing areas.
For athlete safety, parents, carers and siblings aren't permitted onto the gym floor or training areas unless invited by a coach or staff member.
Once your child's class begins, their coach is responsible for their group. Keeping the training floor clear allows our coaches to focus on the athletes and helps us maintain a safe training environment, particularly as our numbers grow.
WHAT HAPPENS DURING CLASS?
Our classes are structured according to the age and level of the gymnasts. Our coaches are all qualified to coach the allocated class they take. The junior coaches are supervised by senior coaches.
Depending on the program, you may see athletes working on:
gymnastics shapes and fundamental movement;
strength, flexibility and coordination;
skill development and progressions;
apparatus work;
safe landing, jumping, rolling and balancing; and
teamwork, listening and independence.
You may not always see your child attempting the "big skill" they're working towards. Gymnastics is built through progressions. Often the smaller drills, shapes and strength exercises you see are exactly what allows a gymnast to safely achieve the bigger skill later.
TALKING TO YOUR CHILD'S COACH
We want families to feel comfortable asking questions.
At the same time, our coaches' first responsibility during class is supervising and coaching the athletes in front of them.
If you have a quick question, you're welcome to approach the coach once their class has safely finished.
If something needs a longer conversation, please speak with our office team so we can make sure you get the right person and enough time to properly discuss it.
HELPING US START & FINISH CLASSES ON TIME
As our programs grow, moving one class off the floor and another class on becomes increasingly important.
Please help us by:
arriving before your scheduled class;
having your gymnast ready when their class is called;
remaining available for collection when class finishes; and
allowing coaches to complete their class before approaching them.
Those few minutes make a significant difference when hundreds of athletes are moving through the gym each week.
WE'RE GROWING OUR TEAM TOO
Our membership isn't the only thing growing.
We've been actively building our coaching team, developing our existing coaches and creating clearer pathways for coaches to continue developing their technical knowledge, qualifications and leadership skills.
A strong gymnastics club needs strong coaches, and investing in our people is an important part of where Cooroy Gymnastics is heading.
You may see some new faces around the gym as our team continues to grow. Please make them feel welcome.
COMMUNICATION — WE'RE WORKING ON IT
One thing we have recognised through our recent growth is that good information isn't useful if families don't receive it at the right time.
We're reviewing the way information is provided from the moment a family books their first trial, through enrolment and into their first few weeks as a member.
Our goal is simple: give you what you need to know, when you need to know it.
That includes clearer information around classes, payments, policies, communication, events and what being part of Cooroy Gymnastics looks like.
We won't get every part of that perfect immediately, and we appreciate the feedback and patience families have shown while we continue improving it.
MORE THAN A GYM
Cooroy Gymnastics is a not-for-profit community sporting club.
Our Club works because of the combined contribution of our athletes, coaches, staff, committee, volunteers, families, sponsors and community.
As we grow, we want to make sure we don't lose what matters: a club where people know one another, children feel like they belong, coaches are supported, families feel informed, and athletes are encouraged to work hard and achieve their potential.
Growth is exciting.
But our focus isn't simply on becoming a bigger club.
It's about becoming a better one.
Thank you for being part of Cooroy Gymnastics.
