What if I'm not a member of AGA and have never been to an AGA class?
We welcome new athletes! When an athlete registers for a class, clinic, or camp, they are added to our registration system and sign the appropriate waivers. Beginning in March 2023, an annual $25 membership fee will be charged on registration which go towards AGA's liability insurance.
What if I just want to see if my child likes your gymnastics gym?
We have open gyms on most Fridays and Sundays. Simply bring him or her to the recreational open gym time and let your child try it out!
What if I don't know which class to register my athlete for?
E-mail us at [email protected] or Facebook message us. In general, if a child has never had gymnastics lessons before--or not many lessons--the Ruby Class (formerly called Beginining Amethyst, ages 6 and up) or Topaz (for kids 4-5 y/o) is appropriate. If they've had gymnastics lessons before and are developing walkovers, turns on the beams, good cartwheel and round-off form, and mounts onto the bars, then they are a good fit for Amethyst. We have skill sets listed on our webpage. Not every skill listed needs mastered to be in a particular level, but the athlete should be able to be working on it with his or her current strength, agility, and skills. Listening ability and coachability are very big factors too!
What if my child wants to compete?
Please e-mail us or message us. We offer USAG club competition opportunities that are not affiliated with any school. We have had a small team for three years now, and with our own training space, we are excited to expand our USAG competition team. Competitions usually start in approximately December, so we usually try to have our team put together by September. Competition is a big commitment, so we do encourage families to thoughtfully consider the opportunity. We want to help kids reach all their gymnastics dreams!
To work towards the necessary skills required for USA Gymnastics team competition, we have a pre-comp team too!
Do I have to RSVP for open gym?
No! It is drop-in. We have waivers there to sign for new gymnasts.
Are you only for girls?
Absolutely not! We offer Boys' Tumbling. In addition, boys are welcomed to all our classes, clinics, and camps, but they are usually vastly outnumbered by girls. If they're up to that, then boys are always welcomed by all our athletes! We work really hard to meet the needs and requests of our community! So if more and more boys join and express interest, we can totally see adding in more boys' gymnastics and more boys' equipment. We will progress and expand as our community asks us to!
What if I'm from another gymnastics gym?
That's no problem! Gymnasts often train at different gyms. It takes a village of coaches to raise a gymnast! Kids often need to hear things many different ways sometimes before they finally grasp and master a skill. Our Aberdeen community has several acrobatic and gymnastics opportunities! Let your kid try them out and see where he or she learns best and has the most fun.
What if I'm from out of town?
No problem! You are welcome to sign up for classes, camps, and any other program we have here. You'll register like anyone from the area. If you train to the point you want to join a team, we can offer you a USAG Competition Team opportunity if you meet the skill levels.
What is your gymnast to coach ratio?
We work for a 6 gymnast to 1 coach ratio. Once about six athletes are in a class, we like to add in another coach so there are more hands and eyes to help the kids!
Can I watch lessons?
Absolutely! We have chairs at the front of the gym to watch from. You are welcome to watch. Please stay at the chair/entry area and do not come onto the beam, Tumbl Trak or gymnastics floor area. Be aware that some kids do better with parents watching and some do not. So be aware of your child's behaviour and use that to guide you.
Why is my child progressing so slowly through gymnastics?
Gymnastics progression can feel very slow to parents. In addition to the necessary strength, agility, and flexibility required, there are also small details that coaches need to see for a student to progress. Sometimes, skills can regress with a child's growth spurts or after a mental block. Patience and encouragement is required! Gymnastics does require a lot of strength and repetition, and like any sport, progress is directly proportional to training input.
How many lessons a week can my child take?
Most classes are offered 1-3 times per week. Gymnasts can sign up for just one class, two classes, or even all three. Payment is adjusted according to the number of classes taken. Most gymnasts will see quicker progress if they take more than one class per week. Gymnastics requires so much strength and practice! But most importantly, we want your child to like what they are doing! We do ask that our USAG competition team practices at least twice a week.
What is USAG?
USAG stands for USA Gymnastics. USA Gymnastics is the national governing body for the sport in the United States and sets the rules and policies that govern the sport of gymnastics. USA Gymnastics has many responsibilities, including selecting and training the U.S. Gymnastics Teams for the Olympics and World Championships; promoting and developing gymnastics on the grassroots and national levels; and serving as a resource center for members, clubs, fans and gymnasts throughout the United States. USA Gymnastics also provides continuing education resources for new and experienced coaches and instructors in the sport. USA Gymnastics encompasses six disciplines: Women’s Gymnastics, Men’s Gymnastics, Trampoline and Tumbling, Rhythmic Gymnastics, Acrobatic Gymnastics and Group Gymnastics known as Gymnastics for All.
Can my child come to recreational open gyms?
Yes! All youth between the ages of 6-18 are welcome to come play and use the gym at this time. Children ages 3-5 may stay with an adult.
When can my child come to experienced open gyms?
Experienced open gyms are times for gymnasts (at the elementary, middle school, or high school level) who want time to work out and practice drills on their own. Gymnasts often select individual drills because they have different strengths and weaknesses than their teammates. A coach is always present at open gym, and the coach can be asked for help. However, because numbers will vary in open gym, the coach cannot always be hands-on and doesn't set up drills like in a practice. So gymnasts are ready to come to competition open gym when they can self-guide on what they need to work on and take initiative to ask a coach for help. They must also be able to respect the work of other gymnasts and not impede others' drills.
Do you have an app?
We do! We use Go Motion as our registration platform. You can download the Go Motion app to your phone!
