BTYC GYMNASTICS 2018 Squad Athlete Handbook - Men's Artistic Gymnastics (MAG) Women's Artistic Gymnastics (WAG)

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BTYC
  GYMNASTICS
     2018
Squad Athlete Handbook

 Men’s Artistic Gymnastics (MAG)
Women’s Artistic Gymnastics (WAG)
     Trampoline & Tumbling
               Gymstar

        360 Springvale Road, Donvale

            Ph: (03) 9841 4773
            Fax: (03) 9841 4733

        www.btyc.gymnastics.org.au
CONTENTS
      Category                         Detail   Page No.

GENERAL                                            3
                  Committee / Staff                3

                  Policies & Procedures            4

                  Communication                    4

                  Discipline                       4

                  Medical Conditions               4

                  Squad duty requirements          5

                  Gymnast Code of Conduct          6

                  Parent Code of Conduct           7

MEN’S ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS (MAG)                    8
                  Common Questions & Answers       8

                  Training                         8

                  Competitions                    10

WOMEN’S ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS (WAG)                 13
                  Common Questions & Answers      13

                  Training                        13

                  Competitions                    15

TRAMPOLINE & TUMBLING                             18
                  Common Questions & Answers      18

                  Training                        18

                  Competitions                    19

GYMSTAR                                           20
                  Common Questions & Answers      20

                  Training                        20

                  Competitions                    21

 2
GENERAL INFORMATION
The information in this Handbook has been provided to advise BTYC squad athletes and their families of
essential information which relates to squad athletes. The Handbook contains both general information and
information specific to each squad program (Men’s Artistic Gymnastics, Women’s Artistic Gymnastics,
Trampoline & Tumbling and Gymstar) in the form of a ‘Common Questions & Answers’ section.

If you have any questions or require any further information about the club or program, please refer to your
programs Program Manager. Additional information can be requested on your child’s performance from the
Coach or about the facility through the General Manager (contact details below).

COMMITTEE / STAFF
BTYC Gymnastics is a ‘committee-run organisation’. The BTYC Committee of Management meets once per
month to look at the strategic and budgeting aspects of the Club. It is vital to maintain a strong Committee
to ensure the successful running of our Club. The Committee aims to have at least one parent representative
from each Program on the Committee at all times.

If you are interested in joining the committee, please speak with either the General Manager or Club President.

BTYC Gymnastics is a ‘Not for Profit’ sporting Club, and as such, relies heavily on parent involvement and help
in a variety of different areas throughout the year. You will receive regular e-mails and notices advising of
any assistance sought with competitions, Club activities etc.

The following staff are responsible for day-to-day operations at BTYC Gymnastics:

     Program                        Role                         Name                       E-Mail
    Office       General Manager                         David Hunsdale       david@btycgymnastics.org.au
                 Office Manager                          Susie Guttmann       susie@btycgymnastics.org.au
                 Accounts                                Debra Tomsett        accounts@btycgymnastics.org.au
                 Customer Service representative         Thomas Kirishian     admin@btycgymnastics.org.au
                 Customer Service representative         Adele Wilkie         office@btycgymnastics.org.au
                 Member Protection Information Officer   David Hunsdale       david@btycgymnastics.org.au
    MAG          MAG Program Manager                     Chris Downie         chris@btycgymnastics.org.au
    WAG          WAG Program Manager                     Alysha Browne        alysha@btycgymnastics.org.au
    Trampoline   Trampoline & Tumbling Program Manager   Karen Daniel         karen@btycgymnastics.org.au
    Gymstar      Gymstar Program Manager                 Jess Cornelissen     jess@btycgymnastics.org.au

The primary contact point for all squad queries is the Program Manager for each program.

        3
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
BTYC Gymnastics has a number of Club Rules, Policies and Procedures that relate to squads and general
operations. This information, along with other valuable information, can be viewed at the BTYC website –
www.btyc.gymnastics.org.au.

COMMUNICATION
A vital key to the success of any program at our Club is ‘parents’. From the commencement of the term, we
endeavour to establish effective methods of communication between the Club, Coaches and parents. This
helps to ensure a clear understanding of Club program expectations, protocols and policies. To achieve this,
we hold meetings each year with squads and their Coach to ensure that families are well informed and able
to be part of each athlete’s learning experience at BTYC.

Should you need to meet with your Coach, please arrange a time either before or after a training session.
Under no circumstances should the Coach be approached during a training session.

BTYC has a policy to deal with the handling of complaints. In the event that you wish to make a complaint,
please speak with your child’s Coach in the first instance. If the matter is unable to be resolved, or it’s not
appropriate to speak with the Coach, the matter should be raised with the relevant Program Manager. Options
for further escalation can be outlined at this point, if needed to the General Manager.

If the matter relates to Child Protection, the appropriate contact is our Member Protection Information Officer
(MPIO), David Hunsdale, who can be contacted at david@btycgymnastics.org.au

DISCIPLINE
BTYC Gymnastics has a specific policy which outlines the process in the event that an athlete breaches the
Gymnast Code of Conduct. Consequences depend on the severity of the breach and will include, but are not
limited to, the following:
    •   issuing a warning, requiring verbal or written apology;
    •   a letter of reprimand from BTYC Gymnastics Club Inc.;
    •   counseling from the Program Manager or General Manager; and / or
    •   removal / suspension from the Club.

MEDICAL CONDITIONS
BTYC Gymnastics is an inclusive Club and will invite athletes with special needs into squads if they have the
necessary skills to partake at that level. We also have a comprehensive asthma policy and anaphylaxis policy
to ensure that all participants are catered for.

It is essential that families advise the Club of any medical conditions prior to commencing training.

Any athlete who requires medical attention for an injury obtained within or outside of the Club, is required to
supply a medical certificate and documentation from their medical practitioner regarding activities that can
and cannot be completed by the athlete. BTYC are accommodating of athletes who are carrying injuries, and
are happy to modify programs within guidelines by a medical practitioner.

        4
SQUAD DUTY REQUIREMENTS
BTYC Gymnastics requires the involvement of all squad families to ensure that the club is able to host
competitions at BTYC. As part of that process, BTYC levy a nominal amount to all squad members to assist
with the cost of hosting and staffing competitions.

This levy applies to all squad members from all disciplines –Men’s Artistic Gymnastics (MAG), Women’s Artistic
Gymnastics (WAG) and Gymstar.

The Squad Levy will be invoiced in January 2018 at $50 per required shift and will only be refundable at the
end of the year if all shifts are completed.

                                Program                  Duty Commitment            Total Levy

                        Men’ Gymnastics (MAG)         4 shifts per squad athlete       $200

                     Women’s Gymnastics (WAG)         4 shifts per squad athlete       $200

                                 Gymstar              2 shifts per squad athlete       $100

                              MAG pre-squad           1 shifts per squad athlete       $50

                             WAG foundation 1         1 shifts per squad athlete       $50

Families will be able to log on to a web-based program called SignUp Genius and select their squad duty shifts,
for competitions hosted at BTYC. Invitations to sign ups will be sent to the main account email (the same
email your account is sent to) for each roster.

All family members 18 and over, must have a working with children check and carry the card with them
when assisting at competitions.

There are a variety of duties required at the competitions including:

    •   Set up
    •   Door Attendant
    •   Canteen assistant
    •   BBQ assistant
    •   Athlete helper
    •   Judges hospitality
    •   Scorer
    •   Pack up

If you are unable to complete your shifts please contact BTYC on 9841 4773 to discuss further.

        5
GYMNAST CODE OF CONDUCT
ALL gymnasts training at BTYC Gymnastics are required to abide by the following Code of
Conduct:

   •   Come to training appropriately attired, i.e. leotard, t-shirt, shorts. NO jeans, dresses or shoes. Bare
       feet required for gym and socks or tramp shoes for trampoline. Long hair must be tied back. No hair
       pins or clips. No jewellery or items in pockets

   •   Bring your own drink bottle. Do not consume drinks other than water on the floor area

   •   Listen and fulfill your Coach’s instructions to the best of your ability

   •   Do not argue with an Official or Coach. If you need clarification, approach your Coach or have your
       parent approach the Official / Coach after the competition / training session and ask for clarification

   •   Be a good sport - applaud all good performances from every athlete

   •   Participate for your own enjoyment and do your best, not just to please others

   •   Respect the rights, dignity and worth of all participants regardless of their gender, ability, cultural
       background or religion

   •   Do not use bad language (swearing) under any circumstances

   •   Stay with your Coach and squad at all times and seek permission from your Coach to leave the group,
       e.g. to go to the toilet

   •   Be safety conscious and look where you are going. No running. Look before walking in front of other
       equipment, e.g. vault

   •   Disclose any specific medical conditions you may have using the child’s medical section in the parent
       portal and if it is a new injury, discussing with the coach before the start of a training session

   •   Report any injuries or illnesses to your Coach

   •   Do not enter the gym area or go on equipment under any circumstances unless supervised by your
       Coach in a class

   •   When competing for the Club or participating in Displays, wear the Club leotard and tracksuit

   •   Show respect to, and acknowledge opponents and Officials, e.g. shake hands, wish other athletes
       good luck and thank the Judges / Officials / Coaches

   •   Cooperate with your Coach, team and opponents - without them, there would be no competition

   •   Support your team mates and the athletes from other Clubs

   •   Enjoy your training!

       6
PARENT CODE OF CONDUCT
ALL parents who have gymnasts training at BTYC Gymnastics are required to abide by the
following Code of Conduct:

   •   Remember that children participate in gymnastics for their enjoyment, not yours

   •   Encourage children to participate, do not force them

   •   Focus on the child’s efforts and performance, rather than medals and scores

   •   Encourage children to always play according to the rules

   •   Never ridicule or yell at a child for making a mistake or not completing a skill

   •   Remember that children learn best by example - appreciate good performances of other athletes

   •   Respect Officials’ decision and teach children to do likewise

   •   Show appreciation for Coaches, Judges and Officials

   •   Respect the rights, dignity and worth of every young person regardless of their gender, ability, cultural
       background or religion

   •   Do not make comments about, or verbally abuse other children. It is the sole responsibility of
       the Coach to direct children during training, with the exception of Kindergym 2 and 3 classes
       where parents assist with their child

   •   Ensure as a parent / guardian you make your child aware of the Gymnast Code of Conduct and abide
       by this Code

   •   Athletes and parents / carers must wait upstairs before and after classes. No child is to wait for parents
       in foyer or outside the gym

   •   Ensure you keep non-participating children quiet and respect the classes in progress and the other
       parents viewing

   •   Ensure you walk up and down the stairs

   •   Ensure that siblings of participating members (especially during Kindergym classes) do not play in the
       gym area even if they are supervised by an adult. They are not covered by insurance if they are not
       registered members being supervised by a Coach

   •   Abide by the Gym Rules (as displayed) at all times

   •   Do not take food or drink (other than water) into the Gymnastics arena

   •   Abide by the Manningham DISC rules and regulations, including appropriate use of the car
       park (i.e. no double parking near entrance, no parking in turning circle)

       7
MEN’S ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS
               (MAG) PROGRAM
COMMON QUESTIONS & ANSWERS – MAG PROGRAM
TRAINING
HOW ARE TRAINING SESSIONS STRUCTURED?
Each squad warms up to increase their heart rate and they stretch to improve flexibility. This is followed by
pre-strengthening activities for body tension, either by themselves or combined with apparatus work. Training
then commences on apparatus as per the gymnasium training timetable. Throughout each session, strength
training is completed to increase the athletes overall power and muscle endurance. Most squads train on 3 -
4 apparatus each night. Apparatus work varies depending on the time of year (i.e. competition seasons).

HOW ARE SQUADS STRUCTURED?
Each squad is comprised of up to 10 athletes. This number may change depending on the level and coaching
structure in place for that particular group. For example, some squads may have up to 16 gymnasts with two
Coaches. Athletes are normally of a similar age, level and training commitment. Higher level athletes train
more hours each week. The minimum training hours expectation for each group is specific to what BTYC
coaching staff deem to be the best structure for safe and competent skill display at competition for that specific
level of gymnastics.

The guide we follow is below:
                 Level                Training Hours
        Level   2               6 hours training per week
        Level   3&4             7-9 hours training per week
        Level   5&6             10-12 hours training per week
        Level   7 & above       12+ hours training per week

WHAT IS THE CORRECT TRAINING UNIFORM?
•   Level 2-4 athletes wear a red training leotard with grey longs and shorts (longs can be worn the whole
    time when it is cold and shorts can be worn when it is hot, but pommels need longs for effective training).
•   Level 5-6 athletes wear a blue training leotard with the same grey longs and shorts.
•   Level 7-10 athletes wear training longs and shorts, with a BTYC Senior Squad Singlet.

It is essential that athletes train in the correct uniform to enable the Coach to see body shape and for safety
reasons. T- shirts are not suitable. Non-gymnastic shorts, like board shorts, restrict movement and catch on
hands if they have pockets. Gymnasts who do not respect and follow the uniform policy, are in breach of the
club rules and may be subject to the clubs disciplinary process.

WHAT TYPE OF SNACK SHOULD I GIVE MY SON FOR TRAINING?
Squads that train for longer than 2 hours have a short 3 - 5 minute snack break after their second apparatus.
The snack should be a high G.I. food like fruit (small apple or a banana) or a hand full of dried biscuits / rice
crackers, or a muesli bar. Athletes are not permitted to share food with other athletes.

        8
SQUAD TRAINING VIEWING POLICY
BTYC Gymnastics allows parents to view squad training sessions. This may be reviewed should we encounter
any of the following:
    •   athletes being distracted by parents (coaching from the sidelines or over-monitoring behavior)
    •   lack of athlete concentration that can lead to athletes endangering themselves whilst doing skills
    •   athletes who feel the need to ‘perform’ for their parents.

Please remember that you may not always see an improvement in your child if you are watching the whole
time.

HOW / WHEN DO ATHLETES MOVE UP TO THE NEXT LEVEL / SQUAD?
New athletes are assessed and placed on trial in the squad that the Program Manager (through consultation
with Coaching staff) feel they are best suited to. Existing athletes are evaluated during Term 3 & 4, after
reviewing their competition results and training advancement, to place them in new or existing squads for
Term 1 in preparation for the competition season in the next year.

Athletes who train more than 3 sessions per week will benefit more from strength, flexibility and skill
development. Athletes training less than this tend not to see similar improvements / advancement.

MAG LEVELS SYSTEM
The process by which MAG athletes proceed through the levels is detailed below. Please note there may be
further changes to this system for 2018:

                                                        National Levels                    International
                                                            System                            System
                                                        Level 9 Open                       Level 10 Snr Int.
                                                                                           Level 10 U/18
                                                        Level 8 Open
                                                                                           Level 9 U/17 + U/15
               For State Level                          Level 7 Open
               Manual see GV                                                               Level 8 U/14
               Web Site.                                Level 6 Open                       Level 7 U/12
                                                        Level 5 U/10

                                                        Level 5 Open

              Recreation                                Level 4 U/9
              System                                    Level 4 Open

                                                        Level 3 U/8
              Senior Team Freestyle                     Level 3 Open

                                                        Level 2 U/7
              Junior Team Freestyle
                                                        Level 2 Open

                                             Where boys are placed in squads for competitive gymnastics
    These squads are
    recreational and                                                                             Training uniform
    competitive – they                             Boys Recreational Classes
                                                     Bronze, Silver, Gold (Level 1)              and competition
    can train in activity                                                                        uniform for all
    gear and compete in                                   (1-2 hours/week)
                                                                                                 squads.
    training uniform.
                                                              Kinder Gym                For the extra Activities
                                                Automatically progress into boys        additional to the level 0
              Wear activity gear, bare
                                                recreational class when they start      & 1 NPM Routines see
              feet – Club t-shirt for Club
                                                school.                                 GV Web Site.
              Recreational competition.

         9
COMPETITIONS
It is expected that all MAG squad athletes enter competitions. The type of competition and the level at which
the athlete competes is determined by the Coach, in conjunction with the MAG Program Administration.

WHICH APPARATUS DO THEY COMPETE ON IN COMPETITIONS?
Olympic order for Men’s gymnastics is:

     Floor          Pommels              Rings               Vault          Parallel Bars        High Bar

In a competition, athletes compete on all six apparatus in order, starting at the one shown on the Rotation
Schedule, which is published 1 – 2 weeks before an event and given out to show start times etc.

WHAT ARE THE EXPECTATIONS FOR HOME & AWAY COMPETITIONS?
Home competitions are ones that our Club hosts. For these competitions, we need our parents to help with
the smooth running of the event. This is when we are on show to the gymnastics community, and it is
important for our competition to be of the best standard possible.

Away competitions are run by other Clubs or by Gymnastics Victoria or Gymnastics Australia. At these events,
parents are supportive spectators.

At all competitions, it is expected that parents are supportive of all athletes in the event. During the
competition, parents are not to have any social contact with their child. Athletes are under the supervision of
the Coach for all requirements until after the awards are presented. Any parent contact, or early
departure from the floor, can lead to disqualification of the athlete and / or the team.

WHAT DO ATHLETES WEAR ON EACH APPARATUS?
For Floor and Vault, athletes wear shorts over their competition leotard. For the other four apparatus (High
bar, Parallel bars, Rings and Pommel horse), athletes wear longs over their leotard and plain white socks.

For marching into the arena and for the Awards ceremony, athletes wear the BTYC Club tracksuit.

WHO COACHES ATHLETES AT A COMPETITION?
In most cases, the team with the most athletes from the same squad will have that squad’s main Coach go
around with them at a competition. This may change if the Coach is required to Judge at the event, as many
of BTYC’s MAG Coaches are also some of Victoria’s Judges. All attempts are made to give the athletes a Coach
that knows them and their requirements.

Before competitions, class Coaches are often swapped to give the athletes in the class a new set of eyes,
usually by a Coach who is also a Judge. This is done to maximise their competition potential, or to get them
used to the Coach that will be taking them around at the competition.

      10
WHAT DO ATHLETES TAKE TO COMPETITIONS?
MAG competition uniforms are available to be purchased from the BTYC office in Donvale. Both new and
second-hand uniforms are available (depending on size availability).

MAG athletes are required to have the following items when they compete:
    •   Competition leotard, white longs and white shorts (NOT training uniform)
    •   Apparatus aides – grips etc
    •   Club Tracksuit
    •   2 pairs of plain white cotton socks (no color bands, logos or colored heel / toe parts)
    •   Club bag for holding drink bottle of water, small snack which is not messy (minimize lollies) and their
        uniform items they are not wearing.

Athletes should leave shoes with parents before going on to the floor to join the Coach before the competition.
Parents should label all items as they are easily mixed up with other athletes. Grips and other gymnastic
equipment should be placed in the competition bag.

Long hair should be kept neatly off the face with gel, or tied back with a hair band or head band. Athletes
should check which apparatus they are starting on in competitions and wear the appropriate longs / shorts to
the competition.

HOW DOES JUDGING WORK?
Depending on the competition, there will be 1–3 Judges at each apparatus. The Head Judge is always the
highest level judge on that apparatus.

The Judges award the Start score or what mark the routine will be judged out of (Difficulty Score), and then
they average their deductions (Execution Score). The Execution score is deducted from the Start score to give
the final score. Technical errors (for things like swearing or wearing incorrect competition apparel) are then
taken from this score by the Head Judge to give the Final Flashed score.

HOW DOES THE CANADIAN COMPETITION FORMAT WORK?
At most competitions, and some State events for levels 2 - 4, the Canadian competition format is used. This
competition format saves time during rotations by having an athlete warming up on an apparatus whilst the
Judges are calculating the score for the previous routine.

HOW ARE AWARDS DECIDED AND AWARDED?
Scores are entered and tallied on a scoring program that takes the scores that the different Judges award and
calculates a final score that must coincide with the final flashed score on the Judges score sheet. Any
discrepancies are taken back to the Head Judge to sign off on or to change.

Some events have special rules for how awards are given out – these are published to the Coaches in the
event promotional material. It is up to the Coaches to explain / publish any different rules to the norm to
parents before they consent to attending the event.

Team combinations are published before events, e.g. 5 with 3 to count means that a team can have 5 athletes
in it and the top 3 scores on each apparatus count toward that team’s score. The team size and counting
number can vary from event to event.

Individual awards are given for each apparatus and for the All Around (AA) scores – usually from 1st to 3rd.
For some events, tie breaks are decided by All Around score, the higher AA score wins over the lower on that
apparatus.

        11
Each competition has its own awards system based on the number of competitors in each age division at each
level at the event. Large events separate ‘Under’ and ‘Open’ age divisions for awards, whilst small events
often combine these divisions. Under and Open age divisions are decided by the age the athlete is at 1 st
January in the year they are competing:

                            Age Division                             Age to compete
                               2 Under                 6 years old               Under 7 at 1st Jan
                               3 Under                 7 years old               Under 8 at 1st Jan
                               4 Under                 8 years old                Under 9 at 1 Jan
                               5 Under                 9 years old               Under 10 at 1 Jan
                               6 Open             10 years old and above                n/a
                               7 Under              10 & 11 years old            Under 12 at 1 Jan
                               8 Under              12 & 13 years old            Under 14 at 1 Jan
                               9 Under              14 & 15 years old            Under 16 at 1 Jan

State stream and Recreational competitions have their own unique awards system that puts more of an
emphasis on participation than winning.

MAG SELECTION POLICY (TEAMS)
During the competition season, teams are selected at random by BTYC, within each eligible level. However,
for the Victorian Championships, National Clubs Carnival or any specific ‘team based’ competitions, gymnasts
are split into ranked teams. ‘A’ team athletes will be chosen on ability, based on past competition experience
from that year, using All Around scores. Additionally, the MAG Program Manager and Coaches may use
performance at training and internal testing to support team selection. The strongest athletes will be placed
together in the ‘A’ team, and the remaining athletes will be placed in the ‘B’ team and so on. This is not a
decision that is taken lightly, and the BTYC Coaching staff will only pick the team they feel offers the strongest
competitive advantage in this scenario.

All attempts are made to have the teams compete together in the same group, but on occasion, this cannot
be done, as levels groupings are often decided by the host Club. When this occurs, athletes will be arranged
into teams before presentations.

For National and State events, Level 2 - 5 teams are made up of 6 athletes with the top 4 scores on each
apparatus to count toward the team score. For some Invitationals, teams are comprised of 5 athletes with
the top 3 scores to count. Similarly, for National and State events, Level 6 - 10 teams are made up of 5
athletes with the top 3 scores on each apparatus to count towards the team score.

Where there are enough athletes to make a level specific ‘open’ or ‘under’ team, BTYC MAG coaches will always
prioritize this option first. If there are enough athletes for two teams, then two teams will be entered e.g.
competitions where teams are 5 with 3 to count – and 8 BTYC athletes are entered, BTYC will enter a team of
5 and a second team of 3. At all competitions, BTYC athletes will be put in teams rather than be entered as
individuals, unless there are not enough athletes to make up a team.

For some State and National events, Open age and Under age teams are separate. This does not change the
selection of athletes. However, Under age athletes can be put into an Open age team, but it does not go the
other way for Under age teams.

BTYC Gymnastics expect that all competitive MAG athletes attend scheduled Invitationals each year, as well
as Trials for the Victorian Championships.

       12
WOMEN’S ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS
        (WAG) PROGRAM
COMMON QUESTIONS & ANSWERS – WAG PROGRAM

TRAINING
WHAT DOES THE WAG PROGRAM ENTAIL?
Athletes train on all four of the WAG apparatus, Vault, Bars, Beam and Floor, as well as strength and
conditioning training, flexibility, trampoline and ballet. BTYC offers a specifically designed artistic preparation
program to assist with posture, leaps, jumps, turns and general presentation. This program is taught by
accredited artistic preparation teachers with gymnastics experience.

HOW ARE TRAINING SESSIONS STRUCTURED?
Each session includes a number of different apparatus and conditioning aspects to prepare the athletes for
competitions. Sessions will also include a general warm up which sees athletes increase their heart rates to
allow better stretching and improve flexibility. Athletes then also work on strengthening activities, as well as
some other focus areas such as injury prevention and artistic preparation. Most squads train on all apparatus
each night of the week, but some see just 2 or 3 each week, and then the remaining apparatus in their next
session.

HOW ARE SQUADS STRUCTURED?
Squads are comprised of up to 10 athletes with one Coach, or up to 18 athletes with multiple Coaches who
‘team Coach’. This number may change depending on the level and coaching structure in place for that
particular group. Athletes are normally of a similar age, level and training commitment.

Higher level athletes train more hours each week. The minimum training hours expectation for each group is
specific to what BTYC coaching staff deem to be the best structure for safe and competent skill display at
competition for that specific level of gymnastics, based on advice from the Women’s Gymnastics Technical
Committee.

HOW MANY HOURS DO ATHLETES TRAIN?

                      Program             Number of                  Program                Number of
                                            Hours                                             Hours
            Foundation Level 1              2 hours

            ALP 2                           5 hours

            ALP 3                         9-12 hours

            ALP 4/5                        15 hours            ALP 4-5 Limited Hours          10 hours

            ALP 6                          15 hours             ALP 6 Limited Hours           10 hours

                                                               ALP 7-8 Limited Hours          12 hours

                                                               ALP 9-10 Limited Hours         12 hours

       13
WHAT ARE THE ATTENDANCE EXPECTATIONS FOR CLASSES?
It is imperative that athletes attempt to attend as many classes as possible, as even two weeks out of the
gym can lead to significant de-conditioning. Extended time away from the gym may also result in large growth
spurts, rather than a graduated rate of growth. Both of these can lead to periods of un-coordination due to
de-conditioning or changes in body mechanics due to growth.

It is also important that athletes arrive at training on time, as the warm-up segment of training is a crucial
part of injury prevention. Athletes who have not had adequate warm-up are more likely to injure themselves.
This section of the class is also important for the focus of the athlete as it sets the tone for the entire training
session. A disciplined team approach to warm-up will help generate a disciplined team approach to apparatus
training.

AM I EXPECTED TO TRAIN ON PUBLIC HOLIDAYS?
BTYC Gymnastics do not run squad training sessions on public holidays. Classes that fall on a public holiday
are not charged in the term fees.

AM I EXPECTED TO ATTEND TRAINING DURING THE HOLIDAYS?
Training during the school holidays is highly encouraged as it ensures that deconditioning over the holiday
period is kept to a minimum. We also understand that it is important to have family time and participate in
other activities as well and we will attempt to take this into account when scheduling training.

Costs for training sessions scheduled during the holidays are included in fees, regardless of whether the athlete
attends the training sessions. Dates for training sessions during the holidays are provided to athletes at the
beginning of the year. Program Managers have taken into consideration that families may like to enjoy some
time away from training during the year and as such have scheduled holiday training for each squad to have
1 week of during school holidays separate to their competition season.

WHAT IS THE CORRECT TRAINING UNIFORM?
Athletes are encouraged to wear leotards for all training sessions. Crop tops are NOT to be worn in the gym
however full-length singlets are permitted. All uniform items need to hug the athlete’s body to allow Coaches
to see the shapes the athletes are making during training.

There is a competition uniform for all competitive athletes, the girls are asked not to wear this to training to
ensure it stays in good condition for competitions. This uniform is available to be purchased from the BTYC
office in Donvale.

WHY DO WE DO BALLET/ARTISTIC PREPARATION?
Some BTYC WAG squad athletes are scheduled to take a session of ballet each week with an Accredited Ballet
or dance teacher. The program taught is ‘WAG influenced’ Ballet, incorporating ballet techniques which are
relevant to gymnastics to improve skills such as leaps, turns and leg strength. The program provides
knowledge surrounding posture and the finer points of body alignment and control. We focus on developing
musicality and confidence into movements to assist with creating well-presented artistic floor routines.

WHAT TYPE OF SNACK SHOULD I GIVE MY DAUGHTER FOR TRAINING?
Squads that train for longer than 2 hours have a short 3 - 5 minute snack break half way through training.
The snack should be a high G.I. food like fruit (small apple or a banana) or a hand full of dried biscuits / rice
crackers, or a muesli bar. Athletes are not permitted to share food with other athletes.

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SQUAD TRAINING VIEWING POLICY
BTYC Gymnastics allows parents to view squad training sessions. This may be reviewed should we encounter
any of the following:

    •   athletes being distracted by parents (coaching from the sidelines or over-monitoring behavior)
    •   lack of athlete concentration that can lead to athletes endangering themselves whilst doing skills
    •   athletes who feel the need to ‘perform’ for their parents.

Please remember that you may not always see an improvement in your child if you are watching the whole
time.

COMPETITIONS
HOW DO COMPETITIONS WORK?
In 2015 the new Australian Levels Program (ALP) for
WAG was introduced across Australia. This new
program was developed by a number of influential
members of the extended gymnastics community and
aims to have a more holistic approach to gymnastics,
offering higher retention rates in the sport as well as
providing more opportunities for success at
competitions with greater division of athletes across
specific levels.

There will be two divisions of the ALP athletes:
   • ALP and
   • ALP Limited Hours (LH) – not across all levels.

ALP athletes are permitted to train an uncapped
amount of hours, however the ALP LH athletes are
only permitted to train up to a specific amount of
hours for that level.

Foundation Level 1: Under this new program, BTYC athletes will not compete until ALP 2. Foundation 1 is
designed to prepare the athletes for their future years of training. Although some invitationals and State
events offer competitions at level 1, the focus of BTYC's program is designed to work on skills and strengths
of the athlete, rather than adding the pressure of competing and remembering routines. During training
sessions, athletes will focus predominantly on building their strength, shaping and conditioning and working
on the basics that will prepare the athletes for competitions in following years.

ALP Level 2-6 athletes will compete the compulsory routines as per the current ALP. The compulsory ALP
routines are designed to encourage gymnasts to participate whilst advancing current skills and learning new
skills through each level. Floor routines and music will be set for all athletes, thus no extra charges will be
incurred by families at these levels. Competitions will be team based only for level 2-4 and then team and
individual based for level 5 & 6. Teams must be made up of athletes from the same age divisions within the
same level.

Level 7- 10: Both the ALP and ALP LH athletes will compete a mix of compulsory and optional elements on
each apparatus. Athletes in Level 7 and above will have set requirements with optional skills to be included.
Each Level 7 and above athlete will have individual floor routines with optional music. For level 7 and above
the team element for competitions is slightly different and conducted at a separate event including both limited
and unlimited athletes.

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WHICH APPARATUS DO I USE?
Olympic order for Women’s gymnastics is Vault, Bars, Beam, Floor. In a competition, they will compete on all
apparatus in order, starting at the one shown on the Rotation Schedule. This is published 1 - 2 weeks before
an event and will be emailed out to families prior to the event.

COMPETITION EXPECTATIONS
Athletes are provided with a full list of expected competitions for their level prior to the commencement of the
competition season. Information is also provided before each competition on things such as arrival time,
clothing, attendance etc.

All WAG athletes are required to attend competitions in full club uniform, including a level appropriate leotard,
club tracksuit, white socks, a BTYC bag (of any variety) and hair in a neat eye level bun with a blue competition
scrunchie.

COMPETITION CHECK LIST
Athletes should use the following checklist to pack their bag / prepare for competitions:
    • Competition leotard
    • Warm-up leotard (ALP Level 7 and above)
    • Club T-shirt to wear whilst doing apparatus warm up
    • Club Tracksuit
    • 2 pairs of plain white cotton socks no colour bands, logos or coloured heel / toe parts.
    • Apparatus aides – grips, loops etc.
    • Drink bottle of water
    • Small snack – rice crackers, dried fruit etc. (minimize lollies)
    • Club bag for holding drink bottle, snack, spare socks, uniform and apparatus aides
    • Leave shoes with parents before going onto floor to join Coach before competition
    • Label all items as they are easily mixed up with other athletes
    • No nail polish or jewellery permitted

INVITATIONALS
Athletes will be placed in teams that comprise of athletes within their level (can be from across multiple
squads) or teams that are evenly divided across more than one age group at the same level. Where there is
only one group per level, then all athletes will be in evenly divided teams.

STATE QUALIFYING & STATE EVENTS
Level 3 - BTYC Gymnastics will place the top six (6) athletes into one team (the ‘A’ team) for State level events.
This decision will be made by the Coach, in consultation with the relevant Program Manager. Selection will be
made based on the performance of the athletes in class, at in-house competitions and at Club Invites. Typically,
at the lower levels only one team will be entered per level, unless exceptional competition results have been
seen throughout the competitive season for that year.

The ‘A team’ for finals events will consist of the top six all round athletes, or up to two apparatus specialists
may be selected to boost the team on certain apparatus. Throughout the invitational competition season
coaches and Managers will create different combinations of teams within the specific levels attempting to give
all members of the squad the opportunity to appear on a podium at the end of an event, however there is no
guarantee that this is achievable based on the nature of competing and the performances on the day of
competition.

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At finals events teams will be in the following formats (please note this is where all athletes are attending the
event);
         • 3 athletes – all athletes are selected (this is the minimum requirement to make up a team)
         • 4 athletes – all athletes are selected
         • 5 athletes – all athletes are selected
         • 6 athletes - all athletes are selected
         • 7 athletes – top 6 athletes are selected and one athlete would not compete
         • 8 athletes – top 6 athletes are selected and two athletes would not compete
         • 9 athletes – top 6 athletes are selected for A team and next 3 athletes would make up a B team
         • 10 athletes – top 6 athletes are selected for A team and next 4 athletes would make up a B team
         • 11 athletes – top 6 athletes are selected for A team and next 5 athletes would make up a B team
         • 12 athletes – top 6 athletes are selected for A team and next 6 athletes would make up a B team

For levels that allow for an individual component as well as a team component of competition, the additional
athletes would be entered in the competition as individuals.

BTYC SELECTION POLICY
Entry into BTYC competitive squads is by invitation only. Athletes can progress to the next level by:
    a. Qualification to the State Pennant finals – this automatically upgrades the girls a level as they will not
       be allowed to repeat the same level the following year
    b. At the higher levels – achievement of a certain individual all round score at a Championship results in
       automatic upgrade of a level
    c.   Level Achievement Test (LAT) – from Level 4 onwards, the girls can enter select Invitationals that
         have been granted LAT status and will receive their level provided they score over the minimum
         individual All Around score.
    d. Internal assessment by the Coaches - skill testing, strength testing and control tests to ascertain if the
       athlete is capable of being successful in their LAT.

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TRAMPOLINING / TUMBLING
                    PROGRAM
COMMON QUESTIONS & ANSWERS – TRAMPOLINE PROGRAM

TRAINING
WHAT DOES THE PROGRAM ENTAIL?
The athletes will train on their chosen apparatus, as well as flexibility, strength and conditioning training. The
program offers all disciplines in the sport of trampolining - Trampoline, Double Mini Trampoline and Tumbling.
Each athlete may choose to do one or all disciplines at competition. It should be noted that all of these
disciplines are only offered on a recreational basis (no formal squad). All athletes that may wish to attend
competitions can inform their coach or the Program Manager. Competition notices will be sent out a few weeks
prior to competitions.

COMPETITIONS
WHAT IS THE BTYC TRP/ TUM SELECTION POLICY?
For Invitationals - all athletes can compete in Invitationals provided they meet the level requirements.

For State Qualifying and State Events - all athletes must be able to compete at the appropriate age level.
To qualify for the State Team, athletes must meet Gymnastic Australia’s qualifying scores, and meet all
requirements outlined in Gymnastic Australia’s Technical Regulations publication.

HOW DO COMPETITIONS WORK?
   •    Level 1-6- At Levels 1-6, athletes compete at their own level and medals are awarded based on scores.
        This is an individual competition.

   •    Levels 4-10 (Normally compete National stream or International Stream) - Athletes competing in the
        National steam and International Stream are trying to attain scores to allow them to be eligible to make
        the Victorian Team and compete at Nationals. Some athletes may also be competing at sanctioned
        competitions to attain a score to make the Australian Team to compete at International events. Please
        note, to compete in these streams, athletes must be at a certain level at a certain age. All the
        information can be found in Gymnastic Australia’s Technical Regulations publication.

WHAT DO I TAKE TO COMPETITIONS?
    •   Competition leotard
    •   Club T-shirt to wear whilst doing apparatus warm up
    •   Club Tracksuit
    •   2 pairs of plain white cotton socks (no colour bands, logos or coloured heel/toe parts)
    •   Club bag for holding drink bottle of water and small snack which is not messy (minimise lollies). Also
        carry a spare pair of socks.
    •   Leave shoes with parents before going onto floor to join the Coach before the competition.
    •   Label all items as they are easily mixed up with other athletes.
    •   If you have Tramp or DMT shoes or other gymnastic equipment, have it in your competition bag.
    •   Long hair should be kept neatly off face with gel or tied back with a hair band.

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WHICH APPARATUS DO I COMPETE ON?
In a competition, athletes will compete in the order shown on the competition schedule. This is published one
or two weeks before an event and given out to show start times etc.

HOW DOES SCORING / JUDGING WORK?
Depending on the competition, there will be 4 – 9 Judges on each event. The Superior Judge is always the
highest level judge on that apparatus. They supervise the performance and difficulty, as well as make the
final call on technical errors and extra deductions required. They also hand over all scores to the scorers and
sign off on final scores.

The Performance Judges mark on the execution of each skill performed. They have a 0 - 0.5 range of
deduction per skill. They add their deductions and deduct the total from 10 for their score. The Difficulty
Judges calculate the difficulty of each skill and add them up where necessary to be given in to the Scorers.
The Final Score is the middle 3 performance marks plus the difficulty.

WHAT ARE THE COMPETITION EXPECTATIONS?
All competition entries must be paid for prior to the closing date of that competition. Families will be provided
with a full list of competitions in which athletes are expected to compete for their level prior to the
commencement of the competition season.

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GYMSTAR PROGRAM
COMMON QUESTIONS & ANSWERS – GYMSTAR PROGRAM
HOW ARE GYMSTAR CLASSES STRUCTURED?
Each squad is comprised of up to 10 athletes. This number may change depending on the level and coaching
structure in place for that particular group. For example, some squads may have up to 16 gymnasts with two
Coaches. Athletes are normally of a similar age, level and training commitment. Higher level athletes train
more hours each week. The minimum training hours expectation for each group is specific to what BTYC
coaching staff deem to be the best structure for safe and competent skill display at competition for that specific
level of gymnastics.

WHAT ARE THE HOURS TRAINED PER LEVEL?

                 Level                 Training Hours
        Level   2              2   hours training per week
        Level   3              3   hours training per week
        Level   4 Challenge    3   hours training per week
        Level   4              4   hours training per week
        Level   5 Challenge    4   hours training per week
        Level   5              5   hours training per week
        Level   6 Challenge    5   hours training per week
        Level   6,7            6   hours training per week
        Level   8,9,10         9   hours training per week

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WOMEN’S ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS (WAG)
& GYMSTAR?
WAG classes are directed by the Victorian and Australian governing bodies for Gymnastics. Athletes in WAG
classes compete on four apparatus’ – Bars, Vault, Beam and Floor.

Gymstar is a separate program with its own levels. A Gymstar class is more flexible than a WAG class and
requires less hours of training. However, it is still a competitive program, with athletes expected to compete
at a minimum number of competitions in the second half of the year. Athletes in the Gymstar program
compete on six apparatus’ - Floor, Vault, Beam, Bars, Parallel bars and Rings.

TRAINING
WHAT DO I BRING TO TRAINING?
    •   A small healthy snack if the training session goes for three hours or more
    •   A water bottle containing water
    •   Asthma puffer or epipen (if required)

IS THERE A SPECIAL UNIFORM?
There is no training uniform, but Gymstar athletes are required to wear appropriate gym gear. No low cut
tops or crop tops. We recommend a leotard and shorts, or leggings / shorts and t-shirt. It is highly
encouraged that Gymstar athletes wear their Gymstar t-shirt to training to foster a sense of team spirit.

When competing, athletes are required to wear the Club leotard and Gymstar t-shirt (purchased from the
BTYC office at Donvale). BTYC leotards are supplied by Gymwiz. Coaches will measure and organise leotards
before competition seasons commence each year.

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ARE THERE TRAINING SESSIONS DURING SCHOOL HOLIDAYS?
Training sessions are offered during the term 2 and term 3 school holidays, however they are not compulsory.
These training sessions help to ensure that athletes do not lose too much strength or flexibility, and allow
more practice time before and during the competition season. Training sessions during the holidays can be
different to term training times, as we can utilise the gym during the day when there are less classes. Athletes
need to book in for training sessions during the school holidays. There is a minimum number of 5 participants
for training sessions to run in the holidays. The fees for holiday training are invoiced separately.

ARE THERE OTHER EVENTS THAT ATHLETES HAVE TO PARTICIPATE IN?

All social events are not compulsory but highly encouraged as they are great team bonding events. All are
invoiced separately and you need to book in to participate.

For Level 2 and 3 athletes, we offer a practice competition at the start of their competition season. This gives
them a first experience of competitions in the comfort and relaxed environment of their own Club. There is
lunch provided afterwards and the girls can have a free play and socialise.

For Level 4 - 10 athletes we offer a pizza and play night. The girls will get to spend time in the gym socialising,
playing on equipment and participating in structured games. They get to have pizza for dinner and have some
fun before we get into the seriousness of competition season.

COMPETITIONS
COMPETITION DATES / COSTS
Competitions start in Term 3, around July or August. They usually run through until early November. Athletes
and families are informed about which competitions they will compete at but are required to do a minimum of
4 per year. There is also a late entry fee and withdrawal fee which is passed on to us by the external Gymstar
Co-ordinator. These fees are passed on to families as relevant.

WHAT DO I BRING TO COMPETITIONS?
    •   A drink bottle containing water (no soft drink allowed on the floor)
    •   Small snack (i.e. sandwich, fruit, or muesli bar – please limit lollies and chocolate)
    •   Gymstar leotard appropriate to level and Gymstar t-shirt
    •   Small bag to keep belongings in
    •   Navy tracksuit pants or navy shorts
    •   Hair brush and hair ties/clips
    •   Please leave shoes with parents before the competition starts

HOW DO THE ATHLETES GET SCORED / JUDGED AT COMPETITIONS?
Level 2 and 3
All athletes start with a score of 15 to which deductions are applied. The minimum score is 10. When athletes
are judged, they get points taken away for things such as bent legs, un-pointed toes, forgetting a skill, falling,
bending arms, arching their back too much, not presenting to the Judge and many more little things that all
impact on the score they receive for their routine. Each 'fault' can have a different value. For example, a fall
off the beam is worth a full mark while a small separation in legs might be only worth 0.1 or 0.3 of a mark.

Gymnastics is all about perfection, so you aim to have as little mistakes and faults as possible. Scores in the
13's and 14's are what we look for, and 12's are pretty good. When we get 11's and 10's, something has gone
quite wrong in the routine and we will do our best to fix it for next time. The top 4 scores (out of 6 possible
scores) get added together to make their overall score. This determines what colour medal the athlete will
receive. We don't put emphasis on the colour of the medal, we think just getting out there and giving it a go
is great. We just want them to have fun and do the best routine they can.

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Level 4-8
At Level 4-8, the same basic scoring system applies, however the girls can have ‘bonus’ skills in their routines.
Their routines therefore start from 14, and they can have two bonus skills to bring their score to a maximum
of 15. A routine with only one bonus skill will have a starting score of 14.50. We try to ensure that the girls
have at least one bonus skill in every routine. At this level, only the top 3 scores for each apparatus will
receive a medal and the top 4-6 places on each apparatus will receive a ribbon.

Level 9-10

At level 9 & 10, girls are still able to have bonus skills in their routine. The difference from the other levels is
they are allowed more than two bonus skills to make up their routine start score. At level 9, you are allowed
up to three bonus skills and at level 10, you are allowed up to four bonus skills which means your routine can
start from 16.

ARE THE ATHLETES EXPECTED TO ATTEND EVERY COMPETITION?
We know that attending all competitions is often not possible due to family commitments and other activities.
However, the more competitions they do, the more comfortable the athletes become which leads to a better
performance. Every competition that they participate in will give them experience and confidence for the next
competition. It is expected that athletes compete in a minimum of 4 competitions per year. Where there is a
clash of commitments on a competition date, families are required to communicate this in advance.

WHERE ARE COMPETITIONS HELD?
Competitions are held in gymnastics Clubs around Melbourne. Some common venues for competitions are
Eclipse Gymnastics, Eastern Gymnastics, Footscray City Gymnastics, Endeavour Hills YMCA and BTYC
Gymnastics. They are always on a Sunday and run for approximately three hours.

HOW DOES MY CHILD LEARN THE ROUTINES REQUIRED?

It is up to the Coach to teach their class the routines required at each level. There will be some individual
differences in routines, but essentially, they will be the same at each level. We will ensure that each class
begins their routine training at the same time and will ensure that this is done early enough before competitions
to allow the athletes to be adequately prepared. Once the athlete has learnt their six routines, they will
compete these at every competition they attend.

Floor routine teaching is the exception, as this begins at home for Level 4, 5, & 6. We will send you a link to
a private YouTube page that has every routine available for your child’s level. They need to learn their favourite
routine at home and then we will help them to refine it at training. Level 3 floor routines must also first be
learnt at home, however they will have one set routine and not a choice.

In level 7-10, athletes are asked to get a personalized choreographed routine that is made specifically for
them. A personalized routine is around $75 and this includes 2x 30min privates to teach the routine to the
athlete. They can choose their own music or it can be chosen for them. Coaches will give athletes a notice to
book in a choreographer before their competition starts.

OVERALL GYMSTAR COMMITMENT AND PARTICIAPTION

Gymstar is a wonderful and challenging program that offers our athletes a chance to grow and develop their
skills in a safe and supportive environment. This program allows extension of gymnastics skills while not being
overly demanding, and allows participants to play to their strengths while working on their weaknesses.

We look forward to working with your daughter in 2018, and helping them to be the best gymnast they can
be. Thank you for your support and interest in the Gymstar Program and I wish everybody every success in
2018.

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