20 November, 2008          MAG Report

This weekend is going to be a showpiece for our recreational program. For the first time in 2008, we will be holding a competition style event for our intermediate and advanced recreation gymnasts.
   The gymnasts are going to be split into three categories: "C" section for the novice gymnasts, "B" for the intermediate level gymnasts, and "A" for the advanced gymnasts. Coaches have been tirelessly teaching their gymnasts these routines for the last term. These gymnasts are going to really show off their best abilities, with routines that have been catered towards each gymnast's aptitude for what they have learnt this year.
   Recreational programs are not only the 'have a go' class in each gymnastics program, they are also the essential development aspect of each gymnastics program. What many parents see is the squad gymnasts training and competing at national and international events. But where, does one think, did these gymnasts start? It is these early childhood programs that are the feeding structure that has been systematically put in place to spot future squad gymnasts, future high-level recreational gymnasts, and future school level gymnasts. You see all of these categories complement each other and without one, we would have none.
   So please make sure you get down to NBG this Saturday the 22nd of November to really show your support for the ground roots program at NBG. For some, this is their gymnastics goal for the year. For others, it is only the beginning. But regardless, it is a guaranteed fun day for all and has the possibility of seeing some future NBG stars.

Yusuf Topari, MAG Development Coach

14 November, 2008
Competition results are now available for WAG Level 4–6 State Championships...
    Results >>>

13 November, 2008
Attention... all WAG gymnasts competing at the National Clubs Competition:
The session timetable is avalable now.
    Download Timetable (PDF)>>>

12 November, 2008          WAG Report

It's State Championships time and after months of training, the NBG Level 4-6 girls are ready to go! Come show your support as the girls showcase their best routines for the event this weekend at the Norhtern Beaches Indoor Sports Centre on Jackson Rd. Good luck to all the girls competing, I've no doubt you'll make us all proud.
With November well under way, we're only two weeks away from this year's National Clubs competition in Canberra which is sure to be a great experience for all the girls attending from NBG. This weekend's State Championships should be a great indicator on how the girls are going with their training for the event.
As we approach mid-term, all squads and their coaches are starting to prepare for the NBG "Endless Summer" display day on December 6th. With dancing and tricks and displays ranging from our Kindy kids right through to the elite stream, it's sure to be a fun, impressive and very cute show!
Finally, as Christmas nears, so do the holidays. For WAG squads, this means allocated time off and holiday training alike. As with any competitive program, regular training is crucial to maintaining skills and strength and reducing the risk of injury. On the flip-side, time off is also important to revitalize the passion for the sport and spend quality time with friends and family. Most squads' allocated time off will begin on the 25th December and carry through to the 7th of January. Keep an eye out for holiday training timetables and please ensure to notify your coach as to which sessions your child will be attending!

Delphine Oliver-Lloyd, WAG Development Coach

12 November, 2008          MAG Report

Congratulations NBG! We just picked up the award at the True Local Business Awards, by The Manly Daily for our Kindygym program. This is a program catered towards early childhood education and has been a product of Gai Forrest's hard work in organising all the very dedicated and hardworking coaches that keep this program thriving. And a big thankyou to all NBG's dedicated parents that put forward a nomination for Northern Beaches Gymnastics Centre.

Sometimes I get a chance to ask how various gymnasts training is going during training sessions. Often I get a "good", which, as we know how specific children can be, can mean a multitude of things. So. to my surprise I was greeted with an answer of "I'm just ready for bed and tired" the other night when I asked one of the boys. So I asked several questions as too why he was so tired, and some of the answers were both surprising and also, not as straightforward as one would think.
   Now of course gymnastics, being a very time consuming and demanding sport, stress and tiredness is a given. But "recovery" is very important post training to make sure an athlete is in their best possible shape for their next training session and also everyday function. So I got the answer of "because morning training was so hard and my body just doesn't feel like it can function". Now yes, as morning training is strength specific it can be a draining training session, but it's an essential part of any gymnastics, the question is how can a gymnast maintain their stamina for their next training session in the afternoon or the next day? So what steps can you take as parents and also instil in your child as to make sure of this. So I asked do you think it can only be morning training? No other factors? To a response of "no". So delving a bit deeper I asked about his sleeping habits, fluid intake for the day and what/when he ate during the day. I got answers of "11pm; I had a bottle of coke at lunchtime, and ate my lunch at lunchtime, around 1pm". Ok so first things first, any random person walking down the street needs 8 hours of sleep per night. This is even more crucial for an athlete. Their bodies need to sufficiently rest and recover for the next day, and a sleeping time of 11pm or later, and waking up at 6am is not doing that. I know the next question, and this is most likely from the parents. "When is my son going to do his homework then"? Of course homework is vital, and recommending a child to do there homework at the end of the day when all they are thinking about is sleeping's is not the most appropriate time. If you ask any high level athlete when do they fit their study in, it will be a pretty universal answer. You simply have to find the time during the day. So in a lunch break or morning interval, the car trip to school and again to the gym are all opportune times to be able to get some notes out, read a chapter for Biology or start a Shakespeare essay. It's all about time management, and support from the parents in this area is forefront.

Although I can't go into great detail about nutrition, I think everyone should know by now that for any athlete, albeit a recreational soccer player, or top level swimmer, nutrition plays a huge role in how they train and perform. Hydration is the most important, water, powerade or Gatorade are excellent hydrating formulas that can be drunk through out the day and can keeps ones energy level during a hard training session, and help with recovery post training. Foods high in energy and low in saturated fats are also essentials. This is all information that is by no means new or revolutionary, but from my simple conversation the other day, I see the message is still not getting around. Talk with your kids, find out what they do and what they eat during the day and help educate them on what can help them, and remember that their most influential teacher is you.

Yusuf Topari, MAG Development Coach

5 November, 2008          MAG Report

In case you have not heard yet, NBG will be holding an 'End of Year' display for the first time in its new home of the Pittwater Sports Centre. This is an exciting opportunity for all the families of NBG to be able to bring their friends and family down to the centre to showcase all the hard work their children have been putting in with the help of their coaches for the last 12 months. So make sure you jot down in all your busy diaries the 6th of December, as this will be a massive showcase for NBG and a proud moment for parents and gymnasts alike.

We also are going to be acknowledging some of our up and coming stars of the future. We actually started this last term, however have decided to update this on a regular basis to show some of the talent that our club is fortunate to have. These athletes will be rewarded with a photo and report on their gymnastics, to feature on our wall near the notice boards, so make sure if you see a gymnast featured please make sure to congratulate them on this honour as, like with all the children at NBG, they work extremely hard for this sport of gymnastics. I also want to encourage parents to being more open to talk to their child's personal coaches. It is important we keep up this communication, especially for new parents to the sport. So if there is any questions you have, or you just want to know how your son is going with their training please feel free to try to catch them at the end of the class and all coaches will be more than willing to answer your questions.

Yusuf Topari, MAG Development Coach

4 November, 2008          WAG Report

WAG Level 4-6 State Championships are only two weeks away and for NBG, it's all about routines, routines, and more routines for the girls who have been selected to represent the Club at the Northern Beaches Indoor Sports Centre (on Jacksons Rd) on November 15th and 16th. A big congratulations to Rylee Morton and Kathleen in Level 4, Mary, Tess, Newbie, Keiley, Tori, and Felicity in Level 5 and Madeleine, Riley Cross, Kata, Ebony, and Sophie in Level 6. Make sure to show your support as the girls continue to train hard for the event.

Last weekend was a busy one for the élite girls as they packed the 'bus' and headed down to Canberra for the weekend for another State Squad training clinic at the AIS with Peggy, Jo, Valery, and the rest of the national coaching team. The girls had the opportunity to learn new skills and drills at the clinic, as the coaches assessed their continued progress with their skill attainment and development. With the next clinic being held at National Clubs at the end of November, the girls and Xiao Qing will be working hard to lift the NBG standard even higher.

It's now only three weeks until the National Clubs competition, usually the final competition of the year. This year's comp is being held at the AIS in Canberra from the 22nd of November to the 29th of November. For NBG, it will be an opportunity for our Level 4, 5 & 6 girls to showcase their best routines and compete against some of the best clubs in the country. Good luck!

Just a final reminder to keep Saturday, December 6th free on your calendar as the girls will be performing a display at the 'Endless Summer' NBG Display!

Good luck to all the punters who purchased tickets for the Melbourne Cup raffle! A healthy $500 is up for grabs!

Delphine Oliver-Lloyd, WAG Development Coach

29 October, 2008          WAG Report

This week has been true to “end of year” form and been quite busy for the WAG squads around the gym. With some of the squads already getting started on their displays for the end of the year, it’s sure to be a fun afternoon for all. So as to make sure all the gymnasts can be present for the occasion, the display date has been changed to December 6th. Please make sure you and your family are available for what is sure to be a great way for the whole family to see what their little gymnast can do!

For the level 4-6 girls, this week has been full of changes and focused training. With State Championships only weeks away, the girls have been hard at work perfecting their routines for the event, with all the coaches pitching in to help.

With the competition season out of the way and some big changes and requirements already in place for the next Olympic cycle, our Development squad had their first testing of the term this week. Now that routines are out of the way, it is time to focus on new skills and plenty of strength training. With the new requirement standards and skills set high for 2009 and strict age requirements, the girls and their coaches will have a big job ahead of them. Consistent training will be crucial to their success within the program. Individual parents' meetings will be organised throughout the term to discuss the pathways of these junior élite gymnasts and they will continue to be tested on a regular basis throughout the year to ensure they are well on track.

Just a final reminder to all the families about the Melbourne Cup raffle tickets handed out earlier this term. Please ensure to bring the back all money and unsold tickets to administration so remaining tickets can be sold.

Oh, and Happy Halloween to all the little monsters out there!

Delphine Oliver-Lloyd, WAG Development Coach

28 October, 2008          MAG Report

The last week has seen all the junior MAG gymnasts at NBG going through their first profile strength test of the year.  We are going to continue these tests every quarter to make sure the junior development men's program is working in unison and achieving the necessary improvements to make sure everyone is on track for the 2009 season.  So far, from the results, all boys are showing good strength and stability; however flexibility is the main area which I will be talking with the coaches to look at so we can improve this weakness and make it a strength of ours.  Also, the last few weeks have given me a chance to go around to most of the junior programs to see how they are moving forward.  I'm increasingly pleased to see the development of some of these squads. Looking at them when I first arrived at NBG in February and looking at them now I can see a enormous amount of improvement, not only skill-wise, but how the boys are training and the mental toughness when they might be struggling with a skill or having a tough training session.  All together, this is very encouraging as we approach 2009 and I have high expectation once the competition season arrives.

Also as we approach the Christmas holidays and the end of year, I think it is important for all families to continue their commitment towards their squads.  Now holidays are inevitable and NBG understands that, but there are several things that jointly we can do to ensure gymnasts are not losing condition and missing a large amount of training time.  One of these is trying to organise your holidays around the compulsory squad holidays.  These are from the 24th of December until the 12 of January.  Also, ensuring that your child has a holiday program from coaches is essential.  This is a program that they can do to make sure that their flexibility and strength is not drastically affected from the holiday break. All coaches will be ensuring that these programs are given out well in advance as it is sometimes good to implement the skills and activities prior to the holidays so it can become routine.  All in all, I am extremely pleased with how we are all going and how we are progressing with skills and the general training atmosphere from the squads and staff. I think when parents come to watch their sons' training they will be enthusiastic to see this developing.

Yusuf Topari, MAG Development Coach

22 October, 2008          WAG Report

Well, as promised, term 4 is bound to be full of excitement! The newest and funnest addition to the term is of course the announcement that NBG will be once again holding a display. Ranging from Kindy to Squads, it is sure to be a fun day for all (and no doubt fun in the planning as well!) So please remember to book Sunday, 14th of December in your calendar. It will be a great opportunity to see what the gymnasts have been up to in the last year as they perform for the show!
   As well as the display, Term 4 is the Level 4-6 competitive season. For our gymnasts wanting to make it to State Championships in November, last weekend's competition was crucial as they needed to achieve a qualifying score to be eligible for nomination to represent NBG at State. Well done to all of the gymnasts who competed at Penrith and achieved a qualifying result. A special mention for the following results:

Level 5
• Newbie Redding: 4th Vault, 4th Beam
• Keily Dober: 4th Vault
• Mary McGowan: 2nd Floor

Level 6
• Sophie Wong: 1st Floor & Vault, 2nd Beam & Bars, 1st All-around
• Kata Eglesz: 3rd Vault, 5th All-around
• Riley Cross: 3rd Beam, 7th All-around
• Ebony Morrison: 3rd Floor, 8th All-around
• Madeline Lucas: 10th All-around

Stay tuned for the announcement of gymnasts who will be participating in this year's Level 4-6 State Championships. They will be posted on the website as soon as they are announced through Gymnastics New South Wales.
   Finally, with Christmas just around the corner, it is almost that time again: school holidays! For squads at NBG, Christmas offers a well deserved break for gymnasts and families. However, as with any competitive sport, there will be training as well as holidays during the summer months. Please familiarize yourself with the training schedule as well as the allocated time off for squads so as to minimize any unnecessary time away from training and enjoy some time off at the same time!
   For all gymnasts heading to the USA early in the new year, the training and travelling schedule can already be found on the website. For all other squads, time off allocation and holiday training schedules should be available on the website by next week, stay tuned!

Delphine Oliver-Lloyd, WAG Development Coach

21 October, 2008          MAG Report

What gives an athlete the added advantage it takes to land on top of the medal podium?
   All athletes put in endless hours of hard training, sacrifice social time, and spend more time at training than they do at their homes, but that comes with choosing an athlete's life. Those sacrifices don't mean a lot when it comes time to put on the leotard and compete under the big bright lights of competition.
   What can make the definitive difference can be the small things put in place in the lead up to competition... things such as mental preparation and also nutrition. These are sometimes the last things athletes, and especially coaches, consider to change. I know a lot of gymnasts that love the competition side of gymnastics. It is what motivates them... that thrill of being in front of a huge audience and being able to show off for them. But, for an equal amount of gymnasts this concept is petrifying. Admitting this for a gymnast is a massive step in itself, but more importantly, what are they to do about it? Stop competing? Quit the sport?
   Sometimes gymnasts do feel like they have to resort to these extreme measures, but this would be a very premature action to take without researching all possible avenues to help this one aspect of a gymnasts career. Sports psychologists are becoming ever more popular, being endorsed and employed by some major sporting teams. They can help with a wide variety of aspects, from visualisation to mental training at your actual training sessions.
   There is an old saying that its "10 percent sweat, and 90 percent brains" and from personal experiences this is not a far cry from reality. The winning Chinese gymnastics team, that is renowned for making silly mistakes in major competitions, costing them a number of world and Olympic medals, used sports psychologists for their athletes leading up to the 2008 Beijing summer Olympics. They did not only win, but dominated the entire competition.
   This is just a very small segment of the alternative issues on which athletes should seek advice. For any gymnasts struggling to put together their performances for training, having problems with facing their fears, and having trouble concentrating during training, I highly recommend looking into seeking advice from a sports psychologist. You will be highly surprised at how they can affectively help you, and also their success rate.
   If any parent wants additional information or help don't hesitate to email me.

Yusuf Topari, MAG Development Coach

21 October, 2008
Congratulations to all girls who competed at the Level 4–6 State Invitational Trial at Penrith last weekend. Well done to Sophie Wong for her gold medal in Level 6 Junior all-around.

20 October, 2008
At NBG we promote a healthy lifestyle, so please leave un-wanted germs at home.
    Please ensure you advise our office staff PRIOR to program commencement, if your child will not be attending a session due to illness or other commitments.
   NBG's make up policy for Squad Gymnasts is available in the Squad Member Information Pack(PDF).

15 October, 2008          MAG Report

The final term is here and it is the final stretch to the end of the year. Term four, as a whole, is a critical point; one for the club and two for the development of the gymnasts. This is the time that coaches look forward to, but also one of the more stressful times. This is when we have the freedom to start developing new skills before the new season and also fixing the areas which we can see are weak. We have profile testing coming up for the boys in the next couple of weeks. This will be able to give us a clear view on how our strength and conditioning programs are working, and also to see how much the boys have improved.
   In the past weekend we also saw the GCA Cup held at NBG for the first time. Although the boys' program was not included in this year's event, the success of the girls' competition leaves a lasting impression on what is to come in the following years. This is certainly a competition to keep an eye on in the coming years and one that could rival the National Club Championships run by Gymnastics Australia.
   Also, I want to start educating parents and the younger gymnasts about the other factors that are involved in gymnastics. These including nutrition, recovery, pre and post training etc. These will be covered in detail in not only the coming reports but also in resources that gymnasts and parents can take away and try to implement into their daily lives. A great starting point for this is http://www.ausport.gov.au/ais Here you can follow the tabs and be able to see some amazing information that can help all athletes and coaches. Term four is looking to be a busy and fun packed term, but one thing that is crucial is to remember this is not the time to relax. Squad gymnasts have been given an amount of hours that they need to train and this is to ensure they are fully prepared in all areas. When gymnasts are constantly missing training, this impacts not only a gymnast's ability but also their coache's program as well. This is why we ask that all parents remain committed to their squads and try to attend all training sessions. Let's all work together and make term four another successful term.

Yusuf Topari, MAG Development Coach

15 October, 2008          WAG Report

Well, it's finally here... Term 4! With competitions, training clinics, National Clubs Competition, and even a display organised for this term, it's bound to be a busy and exciting time for the NBG family.
   The inaugural Gymnastic Clubs of Australia Cup competition was held last weekend with our girls competing in a teams event in Levels 1-6. What a great success it was for all the girls, with some great results and routines across the board! Congratulations to the all the gymnasts that competed for their fantastic results and great team performances! Thank you to all the coaches, parents, judges, and volunteers who helped make the event such a success. We look forward to an even bigger and better CGA Cup next year.
    For next weekend, we'd like to wish 'Good luck' to the Level 4-6 girls heading to Penrith for their 1st Invitational. The girls are hoping to achieve their qualifying score to make it to this year's State Championships. We're all behind you. Good luck!
   With the new term will come a few changes for our programs. Some of our MAG and WAG squads have changed their training times to ensure they have the most productive time within the gym and now with daylight savings finally here, most squads will start at 4.30pm and finish at 7.30pm. If you are unsure whether these changes concern you, please check the WAG Squads page or email Delphine.
    Finally, don't forget to come support NBG and the Supporters' Club this Friday at the Squad BBQ for your chance to win the Lucky Badge Draw and enjoy a nice night out with the NBG crew. Hope to see you all there!

Delphine Oliver-Lloyd, WAG Development Coach

7 October, 2008          MAG Report

As we are about to enter into term 4, the NBG MAG tean has some pivotal time on its hands to be able to teach the boys new skills for their routines and to develop those skills in the future. This is where the next two terms will be focused... to hone these skills to be as near perfect as possible come 2009. Looking around at the squads, strength is a key component that needs to be improved overall. This is critical for the future and will make new skills that little bit easier. I want to implement a quarterly profile testing for each squad so the coaches and parents can see the improvement the boys are making, and to see where there are weaknesses. The final stages of this is being drawn up with our first testing, hopefully around week three.

Workshops over the holidays have again been a massive success with packed capacity nearly every day showing that the job NBG is doing continues to prosper into one of the leading programs, not only on the Northern Beaches but also in Sydney. A massive congratulation is in order for Mark Forrest and his gymnasts, Matt Angel and Aaron Bruce, for their performances over in New Zealand. With Matt finishing fourth, competing against some New Zealand Commonwealth Games representatives and Aaron against some élite ranked athletes, their third and fourth placements in the Level 9 and International élite categories is a monumental achievement and hopefully is a picture of things to come.

Yusuf Topari, MAG Development Coach

1 October, 2008
Great results from the National Levels Competition in New Zealand... Well done boys!

  Aaron Bruce:  Level 9: 3rd P-Bars, 3rd Rings, 3rd Pommel,3rd O'All
  Matt Angel: Senior International: 3rd Floor, 3rd Vault, 2nd P-Bars, 4th O'All

Also, congratulations to Matt Angel who is Team Captain of the 2008 National Levels Tour

1 October, 2008          WAG Report
Time off can be very important for any athlete. It gives the opportunity to spend time with friends and family and it allows minds and bodies some time away so they can come back refreshed and motivated. But, as with any competitive sport, there is a certain amount of 'work' that must accompany the down time.
    For the young gymnast's body, stopping training all together can be harmful and can increase the risk of injury or strain. This doesn't mean that a gymnast can never have a break, it simply means that breaks have to be taken in a 'smart' way. You would be amazed to see how quickly a gymnast can lose muscle and flexibility even after just a week or two off. Most of the time the recovery period is twice the amount taken off.
   So what can you do to ensure your time off is helping rather than harming? It's quite simple really. Stay active, eat well. Take a few minutes every day or so to maintain strength and flexibility and the time needed to get back on track will be much shorter. They can walk back into the gym excited and the hard work needed to get that body back to the strength they had before the holidays may not be as hard on that first week back.

Congratulations to Mark, Matt, and Aaron for their great results in New Zealand! And a big THANK YOU to Gai, Gloria, and all of the volunteers from the Supporters' Association for all of their hard work over the school holiday period for providing all of us staff with some yummy lunches!

CGA Cup entries are closing soon... stay tuned for announcement of teams and timetables!

Delphine Oliver-Lloyd, WAG Development Coach