The Day Leah Didn’t Play

   A friend of mine posted (by his own admission, a rant) on his Facebook page regarding the fact that his daughter (and only his daughter) did not play in her school’s team basketball game, spending the entire game on the bench, in what was the last game of the season. When he asked the coach […]

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10 Safety Reminders: As Told by GIFs

Safety. It’s the number one concern of a strong gymnastics school, coaches and parents. We all want to ensure the safety of the young athletes that we train. We take certifications, read manuals, attend clinics and spend hours upon hours training in matters of safety. And yet, accidents still happen. They say a picture is […]

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25 Life Lessons Gymnastics Teaches (Without Even Trying)

Like the wise sage that teaches lessons without saying a word, gymnastics hands out life instruction without even trying. Here are 25 lessons that gymnastics (and other sports) brings to us: How to deal with fear How to deal with failure How to get along with others How to manage time How to take criticism […]

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8 Tips for Managing the Car Ride Home After a “Bad” Meet

If your child competes long enough in any sport, it’s going to happen. The dreaded bad meet or game. It may range from mild displeasure to major disappointment, but at some point you child will fall, strike out, not qualify, be benched, miss the penalty kick or whatever that leads to major post-competition blues. These […]

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12 Things Albert Einstein Taught Me About Coaching

Albert Einstein was a genius. Sure given that the word “Einstein” is synonymous with “genius” this could be the opening sentence to The Book of the Obvious. But I mean it sincerely: aside from being a brilliant scientist, the man was an incredible philosopher. While I wouldn’t go so far as to call it PTSD, […]

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You Might Have a Budding Gymnast If…

Gymnastics is a sport where kids can begin at an early age. But how early? Well, in some cases before they can even read…or walk.  You might have a budding gymnast on your hands if… This is how they get into their high chair: And into their crib: As well as out of their crib: If […]

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Beware: 8 Cognitive Traps to Consider When Switching Gyms

Earlier this week I wrote about the difficult decision to switch gyms.  In that article, I acknowledged that sometimes the gym your child is currently enrolled in is no longer a good fit and that there are times where switching gym clubs is in everyone’s best interest. Making decisions like this are not easy.  When […]

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Should We Switch Gyms? 8 Ways of Knowing When It Is Time to Move On

Should we switch gyms? It seems to be one of the most frequently asked questions on gymnastics chat boards as parents struggle with the question of whether or not it is time to move on. Here’s the thing: Marriages break up.  Siblings stop speaking.  Life long friendships end.  So we should hardly be surprised that […]

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