November 2013, Coaches Newsletter

We would like to congratulate our October Athlete of the Month:

Deandra McNaught

Coach’s note: 
Deandra has put an exceptional amount of effort in to achieving her goals and conquering her fears this past month, and her hard work is really proving useful as she is progressing with each training day. As a multi-sport athlete Deandra has shown a lot of dedication to balancing the demands of her many athletic schedules and is determined to be the best she can be in every aspect of her life. We are so proud of you Deandra, you are a great example of what can be achieved with hard work and determination. Keep it up! 

 Reminders and Updates:

1. Team Wear Update: Bodysuits have been ordered and are in the process of being manufactured. All families will be receiving an email once the bodysuits have arrived with payment details and deadlines. The approximate pricing for the bodysuits is as follows:
Provincial Bodysuit $136
GymStart Bodysuit $60

Track Suits: All gymnasts who needed a new track suit have been sized, and you will be receiving notification on cost and payment deadline once the tracksuits have been received by Splitz.  

2. Competitive Communication Board: Please be sure to check the communication board located upstairs at Splitz for important training updates and competition schedules. Any healthy recipes to share? Send them to clubteamz@splitzgymnastics.com and we may be posting your recipe for everyone to try. Nutrition is an essential piece of every athlete’s training!

3. Christmas Training: As Splitz will be closed for regular classes from December 22-28th we will be having some alternate training times over this week for the Christmas holidays. Please stay tuned for the holiday training schedule! 

4. Competition Calendar: Our competitive team will be attending the following competitions this year:
North Shore Invitational: December 14-15
Splitz In-House Competition: January 18-19
Winterfest: January 25-26
Christy Fraser Invitational: February 14-16
Surrey Invitational: February 28-March 2
Provincial Championships: March 14-16 Kamloops
Wild West Fest: March 14-16 Kamloops
Twisters Invitational: April 3-6
Delta Invitational: May 9-11
Some of these competitions will not be offering all levels, so please check the Blog or Communication Board to view the full schedule which is broken down by level. 

5. Bell Ringer Challenge:  Through the month of November, the athletes will be challenged to achieve as many new skills as they can. When a child achieves a new skill at Splitz, they ring the bell and are able to show their new skill to everyone in the gym. We will keep track of the number of “bell ringers” to share with everyone in next month’s newsletter and each time an athlete rings the bell, they will be entered into a draw for a prize! Watch the communication board to track the number of bell ringers in November!

6. Coping with Fear: Fear is a very real part of gymnastics training, and every athlete is likely to face it at one time or another. The coaching staff is very invested in helping our athletes work through their fears and achieve all of their goals. If your child is experiencing fear and voices their concerns to you at home, please encourage them to talk with their coaches about their fears to formulate a plan to help them to move past it and reach their potential. If your child is experiencing fear, and you are unsure how to help them work through it, check out http://familyfitness.about.com/od/kidssports/a/Help-Your-Child-Cope-With-Sports-Anxiety.htm for some great tips. 

7. Additional Training: Additional private training sessions may be available to athletes on a case by case basis. If your gymnast feels that she is struggling in a particular aspect of her training, please bring your concerns to Tracy and Renée and private training may be arranged if all are in agreement that it would be beneficial. Private training sessions will be $35/ hour and will be arranged with Tracy and Renée with payment through the Parent Portal or through the office during office hours. 
Training Updates & Upcoming Events: 

Rememberance Day: There will be no training on Monday, November 11th as Splitz will be closed for Remembrance Day.
Our first competition is approaching quickly,  “Good Luck” to Mackenzie, Deandra, Jordanne and Hannah as they complete their pre-season preparations and head into the competition season!  T-minus 44 days!

Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.
~ Dale Carnegie

Fall 2013 Newsletter

Welcome back to the pre-season everyone! 

The girls have all been progressing beautifully this month and we would like to welcome all of our new members to the team. If you see an unfamiliar face at practices we would like to encourage everyone to say hello and introduce themselves.

We would like to congratulate our September Athlete of the Month:

Courtney Snell

Coach’s note: 

Courtney has an extremely positive attitude through every training session and always puts 110% into what is asked of her. She is becoming a great role model for the younger team members at just 9 years of age. Courtney had a very successful summer with many new skills and has continued that momentum through the month of September.  Courtney’s determination is something to be admired. Keep up the fantastic work Courtney!

November Reminders:

1. As cold and flu season has arrived, please be sure to encourage your children to wash their hands, continue to eat well and get lots of rest. A proper diet full of vitamins and nutritious food helps to build a strong immune system, keeping those nasty germs away!

2. The rainy season is upon us and as such, coaches will be checking that all athletes are leaving with proper clothing for the change in weather, so please make sure that your child has a warm sweater or jacket as well as long pants when leaving the gym after their training session.

3. David Kenwright: After David’s observation of the additional training session in August, Tracy and Renée have met with David several times and received a lot of great feedback on the Splitz competitive program. David was very impressed with our team spirit and positive training atmosphere, which is very unique to Splitz. He has supplied the coaching staff with many excellent new drills and suggestions on how to make the Splitz competitive team as successful as possible. Plans for additional trainings sessions with David in the coming months are being devised, so stay tuned!

4. Event Themes: This season we have devised themes for each event, giving a new focus and direction to each event practice. The themes are as follows;
Vault- Explosive Power
Bars- Strength and Control 
Beam- Poise and Confidence
Floor- Dynamic movement
What does each of the themes mean to your athlete? These themes set the athletes up for the use of important key words, little reminders of what each event is about and where their focus should lie.

5. Program questions: Gymnastics is a very complex sport, and as such, many parents will often have questions. If you have any questions regarding your child’s progress or training plan, please do not hesitate to ask Renée or Tracy before, or after practice. If by chance we are not able to answer your question right away, please send an email to clubteamz@splitzgymnastics.com and we will respond as soon as possible! Clear lines of communication are the best path to success for all team members. 

6. Policy Changes: It has been brought to the attention of the coaching staff that some of our athletes have been looking to other gymnastics clubs for specialized event training in addition to their regular practices at Splitz. This sort of training is not permitted and can be detrimental to your athlete’s progress. Not all facilities have the same approach to teaching gymnastic skills and coaches outside of Splitz will be unfamiliar with our training program and certain techniques and approaches unique to the Splitz competitive program, putting your athlete at risk of injury.
If you have any concerns regarding your child’s training or progress it is imperative that you discuss these concerns directly with the Competitive Directors (Tracy and Renée). After discussing any concerns with Tracy and Renée, alternative training plans may be arranged on a case by case basis.

7. Goal Setting: Helping your girls achieve their goals is our aim, and we have completed goal setting exercises with groups 1-4. Please remind your athlete to review their goals regularly and speak to their coaches regarding these goals if there are any questions.

8. Gym Homework: Flexibility and stretching is an integral part of all gymnastics training. Each athlete should be stretching outside of practice at least 5 nights per week. 10 minutes invested in flexibility per night will be extremely beneficial in the long run 
for even the most advanced gymnast.

9. Team Wear: New team bodysuits are in the process of being ordered. We are very excited to be ordering our suits from GymGear this year! GymGear is a Canadian bodysuit manufacturer based out of Alberta. You may9. be familiar with their creative bodysuit designs such as the “super hero” suits or “Angry Bird” suits from competitions. 

Provincial team members will be required to wear a long sleeved bodysuit as in past years, and pre-competitive (GymStart) team members will be ordering tank suits in the same style. 

Track suits are also in the process of being ordered from Ivivva again this season. If your gymnast has a tracksuit from last year, please have her try it on to be sure that it still fits. 

If your child will need a new tracksuit, or you are looking to buy or sell a used tracksuit please email Renée and Tracy by October 16th at clubteamz@splitzgymnastics.com. If a used tracksuit is not available in your child’s size, a new one will be ordered in her size. Also, if we are unable to find a buyer for your used track suit, it will be returned to you.

Provincial Suit

Precompetitive Suit

Training Updates & Upcoming Events: 

Thanksgiving: There will be no training on Monday, October 14th as Splitz will be closed for Thanksgiving. The competitive coaching team at Splitz is very grateful for our fabulous gymnasts and their families. What is your athlete thankful for?    

"Champions do not become champions when they win the event, but in the hours, weeks, months and years they spend preparing for it. The victorious performance itself is merely the demonstration of their championship character." T. Alan Armstrong
                                          

Poker Night Fundraising Event

Poker Night Saturday, November 2, 2013 Doors open at 6pm. Event begins at 7pm sharp No minors Port Kells Hall $50 ticket price includes poker chips and appetizers (Cash bar) $25 re-buys (for more chips) Lots of great auction items Cash Prizes tentatlively are $800 1st, $400 2nd, $200 3rd, $100 4th prize and $50 5th prize. (*dependent on ticket sales) Ticket Sales Our goal is to have each family sell four tickets. However, each family is required to sell a minimum of TWO tickets. Payment ($100) is due when we distribute the tickets. If you are not attending Poker Night, you will still be responsible for selling two tickets. Neighbours, school parents and friends may still want to attend this exciting event!! :)  If you are on facebook, create an event and invite all your poker friends.  Please contact me if you would like more than two to sell. We need to keep track of number of tickets actually sold. Our success depends on filling up the poker tables and selling out our event. Please try to sell your ticket to an outside source before asking another gymnasts family to use yours for their extra ticket needs. Alcohol donations We are asking for alcohol donations this year. Liquor sales are a major part of our funds raised. If we can cut out the expense of purchasing alcohol it will help our success. For each bottle of alcohol or case of beer donated, you will receive commitment points.   This will be co-ordinated through Jill Popoff, please wait to hear from her before sending in your alcohol as she may provide a list of specific liquor she is looking for. Volunteer Jobs There are many positions that need to be filled. This is a great way to work off some commitment points!! Individuals volunteering with setup, work during the event and cleanup will earn 20points per hour. The following are committee leads that will earn more points: Food Chair- Yvette and Steve Reid (daughter Selena) Responsible for organizing the food donations (appetizers, desserts) each family is to bring. They will also run the kitchen during the poker event and make sure the appetizer tables stay filled and put food out when necessary. We will also find a couple volunteers to help with food during the night. Silent Auction- Dodie McNaught (daughter Deandra) Responsible for gathering silent auction items from each family. Wrapping items, printing auction sheets/description for the items, setting up the silent auction tables and making sure it is run smoothly during the event. The gymnasts can help with wrapping items to  get them involved. Bar- Jill Popoff (daughter Lela) We are looking for a parent/family friend who has Serving it Right and bar-tending experience!!! You would be responsible for running the cash bar for the evening. Poker Coordinator - Chad Olafson  Will run the poker game The following jobs are awarded points per hour worked and will likely be in 4 hour shifts.  Number of volunteers needed for each job and other details to follow Dealers- (20 points per hour) We need a minimum of 10 dealers for the poker game. Don't worry if you don't know how! We will teach you. Last year the dealers did not have experience, but we had a few lessons before the event and they all had a blast!! Once we have our volunteer dealers we will arrange some practice sessions. Keep in mind that you may not have to deal the entire night. Once players start to lose out, we condense the tables. Your table could be shut down early. Re-buys and Drink ticket sales- (20 points per hour) Responsible for running the check in and sale tables. You will be checking the poker players in, selling re-buys (poker chips for those wanting to buy back in) and drink tickets.    Set Up and Clean Up Crew (20 points per hour) We need help setting up the chairs and tables and also cleaning up the hall right after the event.  Runners- (20 points per hour) We need a couple people who are willing to serve as runners and floaters. We may need you to run out for more supplies or float around the room helping with chip pick up, offering food/drinks or assisting with selling raffle tickets, etc. Kitchen - (20 points per hour) Will assist in the kitchen. Cooking items and replenishing food on tables. Gymnast Posters/Square board - Tina Dunbar (daughter Jordanne) In previous Poker Nights weve had the girls take part in a poster contests. Each gymnast made a poster (poster board from the dollar store) about what gymnastics means to them. The posters were amazing!!! Guests attending poker night got to vote on their favourite poster and the gymnasts won a prize. This is a great way to get the girls involved and show the guests what their donations are supporting. We will be asking each gymnast to make a poster again for the event. Silent Auction donation and Food donation- Each family will also be responsible for donating one silent auction prize (you will receive commitment points for items donated) and one food item for the night. The food coordinator will have a sign up sheet upstairs at the gym soon! There is an oven so you can bring a hot appetizer . Thank you!!   Janet Vidovic

Summer Break Conditioning

Ask your Dad to demonstrate if you need a good laugh

Warm-Up:  Running. Swimming, or 5 minute warm-up: 1 minute each; running on the spot with high knees, bounding, squat jumps, jumping jacks, skipping .

Stretch:

• Pike stretch with straight legs, 30 seconds pointed feet, 30 seconds flexed
• 30 seconds each lunge, heel to bum, straight leg reach
• 1 minutes each right, left and middle splits with square hips and pointed toes
• 1 bridge with 10 rocks,10 kicks each leg, legs together, straight arms, triangle hands
• Sitting tall in pike, 100 held flex and points *proper posture & tight legs*

Conditioning:

• 2x  45 seconds hold each front support, rear support, left and right side support
• 60 seconds handstand hold against a wall tummy in and bum tight with straight arms *toes off tall shoulders*
• 2x 25 V-Snaps
• 60 second wall sit + 30 seconds each single leg wall sit
• 2x 15 candle rocks & 15 each leg
• 15 push ups elbows out, 15 elbows in, 15 tricep pushups
• Standing in front of the wall, arms straight in front 30/30/30 heel raises feet together, heels together, toes together
• 100 toe lifts
• 40 mountain climbers
• 30 second shape hold, 30 upper body lifts, 30 lower, 30 upper and lower, 30 rocks. Incurve, outcurve, and both sides
• 2x 20 chair dips (hands on seat, stretch feet away and bend arms to 90degrees and back up)
• 50 squats
• 2x30 seconds handstand hold against the wall
• 10 presses against wall

Repeat stretching

Summer Newsletter

Team Photos

When it is

Sunday April 21, 7 to 9pm

 

Where to go

Splitz

 

What you get

Each girl will receive an individual and team photo which will be funded directly by PDGS. The photographer will offer packages as well should parents want to purchase additional photos.

KMS BBQ Fundraiser

Coming Up March 16

 

10am to 4pm

 

 

 

At KMS Tools Langley located across from Willowbrook Mall

 

Volunteers needed, especially those with Food Safe

 

Those that can help are asked to contact Darren Snell