It’s already 2019, can you believe it?! A whole new year that is going to be filled with discovery, and what a year it is going to be for all of us at FCGC. We are all so excited for what’s in store for us all and all the new things we will learn along the way.

Around this time of year, we seem to be bombarded with expectations to have a New Year’s Resolution. Either from an advertisement, friends, family, class mates etc. even if it is only in fun and jest. The idea of placing one goal high up on a pedestal - which you will ultimately either complete or not – is not my cup of tea, so to speak. Instead of me discussing my own opinions, lets discuss the benefits of goal setting instead!
​
If you are anything like me, having lots of little goals gives me a greater sense of achievement. I am more likely to successfully achieve these goals because of this. By having lots of little milestones to strive for, that will last over a longer duration of time, the more chances i have of feeling successful. Let’s be honest, lots of achievements are going to be more rewarding than just one big one, that’s if you do manage to keep your new years resolution in the first place!

So how can you go about goal setting in a more achievable manner?

Let's say you have decided you want to be "stronger" in 2019. That's a fantastic start. You now have a very generalised idea of what you would like to be able to do. So what can you do next? Have you thought about what being "stronger" means to you? Do you have a skill you would like to be able to demonstrate at the end of it? Maybe you've decided you want to be able to do 50 push-ups by the end of the year. Now comes the planning about how you can achieve this. You might like to set yourself a daily goal of doing as many push-ups as you possibly can. You may even like to set a goal of being able to do 20 push-ups by the end of February. Identifying ways to get you to your end goal is going to make all of this so much easier, and feel a lot more rewarding along the way! 

It seems most of the focus of a New Years Resolution tends to be put on drastically changing an element of yourself, instead of working on what you already possess. As individuals we all have qualities that nobody else possesses. Identifying what you already have and working on them can only improve and better yourselves, not only for 2019 but the remainder of your life.

Taking this mentality and applying it gymnastics will only give everyone a chance to truly grow!

From everybody here at FCGC to you, we wish you all a SAFE and Happy New Year!

Signing off for now,
​Coach Maygan.

As parent or guardian of a gymnast we all want to see them achieve their very best. We have put them into their classes hoping to see them flourish and grow into their full personal and gymnastics potential. While that is fantastic, the truth is, they are still people who will feel down on themselves every now and again. That’s when you become vital to their development, as they are still young people, they don’t yet have the full mental capacity to handle stressful situations on their own.

Coaches will try their best to build a gymnast’s spirits back up, no matter how long it takes. However, with your direct support by setting your child up for success before they even step into the gym will benefit everybody involved!
 
Here’s how you could refocus and guide your gymnast:
​
Listen to them.
This might seem obvious. Yet how often do we find ourselves projecting our own opinions onto others? Encourage your gymnast to confide in you about how they are feeling, and what they might like to be done about it. Allowing a child to be involved in their decision making WITH you will only build a feeling of trust. The more they trust you, the more likely they are to open about their thoughts and feelings without the potential feeling of disappointment.  
 
Praise their efforts.
We would like to think that we tell our children how proud we are of them often, but sometimes being specific about an action we are proud of can help build character for your child. If you simply tell them “good job” that feels rewarding in the moments. If you were to say, “good job on rings today, you had lots of tries even though you were tired”, your child is going to remember that for next time.
 
Give them time to rest.
Gymnastics is a physically and mentally demanding sport. It is to be expected that a gymnast of any age will need time to recover and rest. I would also go as far to say that is the same for all sports. Where as most sports seasons run over the winter or summer, gymnastics runs all year round. If they need a week or two off to focus on something else, that’s ok. It doesn’t mean they aren’t progressing at all, it just means they are operating at their own pace.
 
Communicate this with their coach.
Building a trust worthy relationship with your child’s coach is important for many reasons, but most importantly they are going to be your child’s support down in the gym.  If your gymnast has been feeling upset about coming to gymnastics, make sure you communicate that with the gym or the coach, so they can be especially attentive to their needs and emotions. Coaches have a whole range of teaching tactics they can use, and the more information they have about a gymnast… the more the gymnast will get out of their lessons!
 
Children are incredibly resilient, and with the proper guidance, support and educational environment they can truly flourish. Give them time, kind words and they can achieve anything.
 
SKILLS FOR LIFE

Signing off for now,
Coach Maygan.

Signing off for now,
​Coach Maygan.

We can hardly believe it, and I'm sure you can't as well!
We are just one week out from our End of Year Display!

Our Gymnasts have been hard at work in the Gym every week of this Term,  remembering all of the elements of their individual apparatus and group routines. 

With the support and encouragement of their coaches, all of their routines are looking fantastic! We can hardly wait to see them performed for all of our spectators.

The costumes are getting their final touches. Skills are getting refined. Gymnasts are inviting friends & family. Front Desk is readying our Raffle Donations Table. Coaches are preparing the gym for over 300 spectators. Our High Bar Cafe will be also be opening it's doors! 

We can hardly wait!

If you need any further information on times, costumes, raffle donations etc.

All information can be found on our website.

Signing off for now,
Coach Maygan.