Boys Team Handbook

ASI Gymnastics Boys Team Handbook

Athlete Expectations

All team gymnasts are expected to arrive on time to practice, in the proper apparel:

• Form fitting t-shirts are preferred for all team practices, however a short sleeve t-shirt is allowed. Either option must be worn to all team practices and must be tucked in at all times.
• The gymnast must also wear a pair of athletic shorts to all team practices.

ASI restricts coaches and staff from having social relationships with the athletes outside of the gym. Examples include: family dinners, birthday parties, contact via social media, e-mail, and texting. Athletes should never contact their coach outside of the gym. We ask that all outside communication to the gym and the coach is handled by the parent.

It is our mission to not only teach your child quality gymnastics, but also to instill values such as teamwork, sportsmanship, leadership and respect. Any issues in workout will be communicated by the coach to the parent and we request parental support. Further issues in workout may result in dismissal from practice. All team gymnasts are role models in the gym and are expected to set a good example by having a positive attitude and showing respect to all coaches and fellow gymnasts.

Parent Expectations

The most important thing you can do for your child is to be a supportive parent. Parents should support the athlete, the coach, and the team, allowing the athlete and the coach to perform their roles. Parents need to remember that all training decisions are the responsibility of the coach and ASI Gymnastics.

Parents are always welcome to watch practice. However, we ask that you refrain from talking or motioning to your gymnast or their coach during this time. We need all of the athletes focused and attentive during practice and any distractions will affect the quality of their training and can even lead to injury.

ASI will send important information to team parents via the e-mail address you have provided to us. This information will come directly from Sales, and you can contact a sales representative at your gym if you need further information. ASI will also provide information through social media and our website.

Parents are always responsible for transporting their children. ASI coaches and staff are never permitted to provide transportation to any ASI students.

ASI restricts coaches and staff from having social relationships with the athlete and family outside of the gym. Examples include: family dinners, birthday parties, contact via social media, e-mail, and texting. If you need to contact your child’s coach, we ask that you call the gym. Only in extreme circumstances should you need to contact your coach directly. Examples include: running late to a competition and last minute withdrawal from a competition.

Gossiping and/or negative behavior from the parent or the child will not be tolerated. Any questions or issues should immediately be directed to your child’s coach or a sales representative. They have your child’s best interest in mind and will be happy to help you. They may also have insights about how to support your child over difficult skill development, inter-group relations or other training concerns.

Parents should never approach a coach during workout or a competition. Any concerns should be addressed before or after workout or competition. You can always speak with a sales representative. If they are unable to address your concern, they will immediately direct it to the appropriate person.

Nutrition

Parents of Team members are encouraged to enforce good nutritional eating habits. Healthy food choices are a catalyst to productive training. A quick snack break may be given during workouts lasting three hours or longer. Only healthy snacks will be permitted during these break times.

Fundraising & Booster Club Policies

ASI offers various opportunities to help team families offset the costs of their tuition. We will contact team parents with opportunities such as working at ASI hosted meets, clinic demonstrations, and performance exhibitions, all of which can earn account credit.

All booster club operations are completely separate from ASI Gymnastics. Each team program may choose to operate a booster club at their own risk and responsibility. A booster club should be set in place to aid in the financial support of all team families located at that facility. Booster clubs are encouraged to use their profits to help team families with expenses such as tuition, competition apparel costs, gymnastics camps, etc. Any booster club activity that requires ASI support or property usage must be approved by ASI Gymnastics in advance.

Attendance Policy

The ASI Gymnastics Team Program is a year round commitment. Regular attendance is essential for your child’s success and advancement in the sport of gymnastics. It is imperative to arrive on time and stay for the duration of every workout. You should call the gym and inform a sales representative if your child will be arriving late, leaving early, or is unable to attend a practice session. This information is necessary for the coaches in planning daily requirements, goals and objectives.

Over the course of a year, there will be a few practice cancellations due to meet conflicts, holidays, or other team functions. We will do our best to keep these at a minimum. Likewise, there will be occasions when additional team practices may be conducted. There are no team make-up classes offered if your child misses a regularly scheduled team practice. However, you may use your Reward Points to schedule an extra class in Power Tumbling.

If your child is absent from practice the week of a meet, they may not be able to participate in that particular meet. Safety is our number one priority and it will be up to the coach if they feel it will be safe or not for your child to compete that weekend without practicing.

Injuries

Injured athletes, if able, are encouraged to participate in their normal practice sessions. In most cases, it is possible to work around injuries and turn a difficult situation into something positive by giving the injured athlete a specialized training plan to work on flexibility, strength and specific skills not related to the injury. There is no reduction in tuition unless the injury prohibits the gymnast from attending workout for longer than one month.

In the event that the injury requires any type of support (such as tape or a brace), a doctor’s note must be given to the child’s coach detailing specific injury restrictions.

Tuition Policies

ASI is unique that our monthly team tuition includes all of the following:

• Athlete affiliation registrations
• Meet entry fees
• Coaches session fees
• Coaches travel expenses
• Coaches training/ education
• Personal assessment and evaluation from a USA Gymnastics certified judge

These items are not covered in your monthly team tuition: your child’s workout and competition apparel, and any costs associated with additional meets your team chooses to attend.

Meets

Governing Bodies

ASI gymnasts will compete in three different leagues in order to provide the best venue for them at each stage in their gymnastics development. Each of these governing bodies has specific state meet qualifications. A gymnast will not qualify to state, regional or national competitions without meeting all of the following requirements.

Texas Gold Gymnastics Association (TGGA): Levels 1-10

• State Meet Qualifications: All athletes are eligible to compete in the TGGA State Championships regardless of the amount of TGGA meets attended during the meet season.

USA Gymnastics (USAG): Levels 4- Elite

• State Meet Qualifications: All levels are eligible to qualify to the state championships based on score eligibility. Depending on the level of a gymnast determines the score requirement to qualify to the state championships.
• Regional Championships: Regional Championships take place for Levels 6-10. A certain percentage of athletes from each state will qualify to the regional championships based on state championships results. The percentage will be determined by the USA Gymnastics Regional Committee.
• National Championships: National Championships take place for Level 8-10. A certain percentage of athletes from the regional championships will qualify to the National Championships based on regional championship results. The percentage will be determined by the USA Gymnastics National Committee.
• For more information you can visit the USA Gymnastics website:usagym.org

ASI Hosted Meets

All meet functions will be set and determined by the Meet Director and the Marketing Staff of ASI Gymnastics. We do not require our team parents to provide their gym with any assistance when hosting a meet. However, team parents and gymnasts that are at least 9 years of age are given the opportunity to help with meet setup, scoring, music, hospitality, and gym breakdown, which all earn tuition credit. Parents and gymnasts can work at any ASI hosted meet regardless of their home gym.

Meet Schedules

Since most entry forms are not due to the host gym until a few weeks before the meet, meet schedules will usually not be posted any earlier than 10 days prior to the event. Therefore, do not attempt to contact any meet director to inquire about their upcoming meet schedule. ASI will post meet information for home and outside meets on our website as soon as it becomes available. At all ASI hosted meets athletes and spectators should arrive at the meet location 15 minutes prior to the “Open Stretch” time listed on the meet schedule. No one will be allowed to enter until the previous session has exited the building. Doors will open on time as long as the session prior is running on schedule. If the session prior is running late, we will update the ASI Gymnastics website with any delays. Outside meet venues will have different requirements regarding admissions and are subject to change. We suggest you check the host gym’s website for admission information, but as a general rule you should arrive 15 minutes prior to “Open Stretch.”

Gate Fees

All ASI and outside meet venues will charge a gate fee for parents and children who are attending the meet. All gymnasts competing during the attended session will not be charged a gate fee. All meets are subject to different pricing depending on the meet location, governing body and number of sessions. Most non-ASI gyms will only take cash for these fees.

Meet Attire

Team gymnasts are required to purchase all pieces of the competition attire specific to their level. These items are purchased in the fall, so that they will arrive before the first official meet of the season. An athlete will not be allowed to compete without the appropriate attire. The current competition attire was introduced in the 2011-2012 season. We will keep these same styles until the 2014-2015 season.

Competition attire/presentation should consist of the following:

• TGGA (Levels 1-4)/li>
• Competition T-Shirt
• All gymnasts are required to wear black athletic shorts and should be purchased at an outside vendor. Competitive T-Shirts will be purchased through ASI gymnastics.
• USAG (Level 4)
• Competition Tunic
• Competition Shorts
• Competition Bag
• USAG (Level 5-10)
• Competition Tunic
• Competition Shorts
• Competition Pants
• Competition Warm-ups
• Competition Bag
• Your competition bag should include: water bottle, healthy snack, bag for trash, meet journal for note taking, grips (if applicable). No electronic devices are allowed with the child out on the floor.

Meet Etiquette for Athletes and Family

All athletes and parents are subject to the same rules and policies that are expected in the gym during a competition weekend. Here are some important things to remember when attending a meet.
• It is very important that you arrive on time. Arriving late can result in your gymnast missing out on an event or even cause them to become ineligible to compete in the meet at all. In addition, a late arrival causes the gymnasts to miss out on their warm-up which is an essential step in having a safe competition. If you are going to arrive late to a meet, the sooner you can inform your coach, the better chance they have of being able to help the situation.
• Depending on the meet venue, they may not allow you to bring in any outside food or drinks.
• Athletes must stay with their coach on the floor at all times. In addition, do not allow your child to go out on to the floor before their coach has called for them, and wait for your child’s coach to release them to you at the conclusion of the meet.
• All parents, siblings, family and friends must remain in the spectator area and will not be permitted on the floor at any time before, after or during the competition.
• No flash photography is allowed during the competition for the safety of the gymnasts.
• Un-sportsman like behavior from an athlete or parent will not be tolerated.
• Only your child’s coach should speak to a judge or meet director. Parents should not approach a judge or meet director at any time.
• If there are any issues regarding the meet sessions including questions about scores or performance, please set a time to speak with your child’s coach after the meet weekend has concluded. Negative talk or gossiping during a meet will not be tolerated. Please be respectful of other athletes and sessions after your child has competed.

Awards

Awards will take place at the end of every session at a meet. In most cases, Level 1 and 2 gymnasts receive achievement awards and gymnasts Level 3 and above receive placement awards. Teams with at least three participants will also have the opportunity to receive team awards, which are typically done for both small and large teams. Team awards are not presented until all gymnasts at that level have competed, so you may attend a session and not learn your team results until later. Gymnasts will accept awards in their team attire. No food or gum is allowed during this time. As an athlete, a demonstration of courtesy and gratitude is appropriate. Under no circumstances should you show disappointment in the awards that you are given. We ask that our parents and athletes cheer not just for their own team, but for all athletes receiving awards. All gymnasts must be present during the entire awards ceremony. If the awards ceremony is on the competition floor, parents must stay in the spectator area to take photos.

Level Mobility

As the meet season comes to an end, we will begin preparing for our summer training program. Those gymnasts who have mastered their Skill Requirements for the next skill level will move to their new level at this time.

To Level…	Criteria/Requirements
1	✓ Complete Boys Silver
2	✓ Mastered 100% of the Boys Level 2 Team Skill Requirements
3	✓ Mastered 100% of the Boys Level 3 Team Skill Requirements
4*	✓ Mastered 100% of the Boys Level 4 Team Skill Requirements
5	✓ Mastered 100% of the Boys Level 5 Team Skill Requirements
6	✓ Mastered 100% of the Boys Level 6 Team Skill Requirements
7	✓ Mastered 100% of the Boys Level 7 Team Skill Requirements
8	✓ Mastered 100% of the Boys Level 8 Team Skill Requirements
9	✓ Mastered 100% of the Boys Level 9 Team Skill Requirements
10/Elite	All required elements and advance based on coaches professional discretion

*Athletes in Level 4 will compete in either TGGA or USAG. The coach and Team Director will determine which pathway is best suited for the gymnast that season.

Parents and gymnasts will receive a copy of their Skill Requirements sheet periodically throughout the season to keep them updated on their progress. You may also request a copy of your child’s Skill Requirements sheet from a sales representative or your child’s coach at any time.

If your child drops from the team program for a month or longer, they will be reevaluated to make sure they are placed in the appropriate level based on their current skill set.