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ASI Gymnastics is so excited to share with you all that USA Gymnastics has designated AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX as the site for next year’s AT&T American Cup! That’s right, the most important international gymnastics competition held on US soil will be in our own backyard for the first time since the late 90s! The 2015 American Cup, which will be held on March 7, 2015, is a very important stop on the road to Rio 2016. Every woman in US history to win the Olympic All-Around gold medal was a past American Cup Champion, so this event offers North Texans an unprecedented opportunity to see some of gymnastics’ brightest stars up close!

From USA Gymnastics:

“AT&T Stadium will be a truly unique stage to showcase gymnastics as the Road to Rio heats up in 2015,” said Steve Penny, president of USA Gymnastics. “Hosting the event at AT&T Stadium is important to us for several reasons: AT&T, one of our premier corporate partners, is based here and its name is on the stadium and the event itself; this will be the first time this event has ever been held in a football stadium; and Texas has one of the largest gymnastics communities in the country. The AT&T American Cup showcases the best in gymnastics, and this facility is definitely world class.”

From AT&T Stadium:

“We are excited to have the opportunity to showcase some of the finest gymnasts in the world the year before they head to the 2016 Olympics in Rio,” said Charlotte Anderson, executive vice president and chief brand officer of the Dallas Cowboys. “We are always looking for new ways to bring the greatest sporting events and athletes to AT&T Stadium, and the success of U.S. gymnasts in recent years on the global stage makes our venue the perfect place to host an event of this kind.”

Watch this exclusive interview from Nastia Liukin and Carly Patterson on WFAA Good Morning Texas!

Stay tuned for more announcements about exclusive offers and ticket sales for ASI Gymnastics families as this exciting event approaches!

As many of you have probably figured out by now, ASI does in fact stand for AcroSports International. Congrats to everyone who guessed correctly. Now, the even bigger question is… why?

Stayed tuned for that answer some time next month… JUST KIDDING!

When ASI was founded in the early 90s, we observed some of the best practices for teaching gymnastics from around the world, and we noticed something very intriguing. The countries with the most successful gymnastics programs at the time tended to place a heavy focus on trampolines, especially for their younger gymnasts.

When athletes spend time bouncing and flipping on trampolines at an early age, they are building air awareness. Scientifically speaking, they do this by activating the vestibular system in their inner ear, which affects our balance, and tells us when we’re upside down and when we’re right side up. As you train your inner ear by spending time upside down and changing directions, like young gymnasts often do on trampolines, you are developing an air sense almost like a cat. That’s why cats (and the best gymnasts) always land on their feet!

As you can probably imagine, this increased air awareness not only makes it easier to learn advanced gymnastics skills, but it is also a very effective means of injury reduction. If an athlete is attempting a skill she has never tried before, especially one that involves multiple twists and flips, she could get lost in the air, fall, and risk injury. However, if she has spent years doing basic tumbling progressions with proper supervision, she has built up her air sense in a way that she can determine exactly where she is in the air, how much rotation she has left to complete before she lands, and the best way to move her body to ensure a safe landing. This kind of air awareness is a coach’s dream, so it’s probably easy to tell why ASI gyms have so many trampolines!

One of the most frequently asked questions in ASI Gymnastics’ history has always been “What does A.S.I. stand for?” In fact, it’s a popular trivia question at Survivor Camp, Birthday Parties, Open Gym and Gymnastics After School. The kids offer all kinds of creative guesses, and many come close, but as it turns out, this very important acronym remains something of a mystery to most. Let’s examine the possibilities”

Does it stand for “All Skills Improved” because of our dedication to helping kids learn, grow, and achieve their dreams in the sport of gymnastics? What about “All Sports Improved” or “All Students Improved” because gymnastics has been scientifically proven to its give athletes a leg-up in other sports and academic endeavors? Could it be “All Students Included” in honor of our commitment to Gymmie Kids to offer a safe, fun, high-quality fitness outlet to all children, regardless of their age or ability? Maybe it stands for “Activating Students’ Imaginations” because our carefully developed preschool classes give kids early exposure to shapes, colors, music, movement, and fitness in a safe environment that challenges them to exercise their bodies and their brains?

What if it’s more about the company’s structure? Could it stand for “All Staff is Important” because we truly value our employees, and we want to help them grow and develop their careers as well?

What do you think ASI stands for? Guess in the comments below, and if you don’t already know, look for the big reveal next week! HINT: It’s a very important ACROnym!