Teaching
How did I ever get here?
I look at those formative years and recall some of my role models. Most of them would not even recognize me if I walked up and shook their hand. If they did, it would be as Harry’s little brother, the quiet nerdy kid who was either reading or standing on his hands.
I was thinking the other day, how so many of the people who influence us in life rarely ever realize the impact they had. I wouldn’t even know if they were aware of me let alone know that after 40+ years, I am still in the sport.
Gymnastics & Trampoline makes kids smarter. Fact.
Einstein is (mistakenly?) credited with saying “if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” I think that he is really on to something. Not everyone is the same and so it makes no sense to use a standardized measure for intelligence.
Read MoreValen-Times Day
They say that everyone we meet has a purpose: some will test you, some will teach you, some will use you, some will bring out your best, and others may bring out your worst. But they will all bring something to the table. If every person could be a potential relationship, then we should treat each person as having a value.
Read MoreWhat Really Matters
Having just survived the holidays, some are making NY resolutions. I ask that maybe this year we could let go of the minutia, cast away the petty disagreements and squabbles; and resolve to matter. What if for one year we tried to honor yesterday and shape tomorrow?
Read MoreAfter The Cartwheel: Part 2 of 2
In gymnastics we develop skills over long periods of time. We sometimes lay the groundwork for skills by doing drills years before they may utilize what they learned for a particular skill. Complicate that with normal ups and downs of training, goals being realigned, and even sickness/injury/vacation costing training time and it can seem like learning a skill takes forever.
Read MoreAfter The Cartwheel: Part 1 of 2
With gymnastics we have the benefit of motivating through fun for learning such lessons. “Getting it right” is fun and kids are taught to try again and again and progress higher and better. Gymnastics has no top-end. There is always more to learn and better to be done and just like life in general, learning and growing is fun. Why would anyone not want to have that?
Read MoreMy nose starts right here
We struggle every day. We stay open because, in our minds and the minds of our families, we feel that we are an essential business. Providing kids a physical outlet helps them stay healthy both physically and emotionally. It allows them a small bit of social interaction in a controlled environment, and that is essential. We are as clean as any doctor’s office, safer than any “essential” store, and even more than that; we care about our kids. Your kids.
Read MoreDefending Gymnastics
When our kids train hard, they sometimes fall. They sometimes get extra work to enforce a new technique, or they may have repercussions for failed attempts. This is not abuse, it’s coaching. They learn This is the technique I need to use for that particular skill. They learn I will push myself to get this skill to satisfy the coach but more importantly satisfy myself. They know that they are strong and resilient once they have met pain/fear and become unafraid to face it again. That lesson through life provides a young person who is willing to work to receive and is willing to stand up for themselves when others may cower. They become strong of body, spirit, and mind because they know that nothing will stand between them and their goal. Isn’t that a worthy outcome?
Read MoreThe Mountain Top
No one said the road would be easy, but if the dream is worth attaining, then a difficult journey will only raise the value of the dream. We encourage them to work through setbacks and keep their focus on what is in front of them. The feeling of return after a setback is one of the most fulfilling feelings a person can experience if we allow it to be. We, as leaders, must stay in front of them as they tread the difficult parts. Reminding them that they will be stronger for fighting through.
Read MoreHow you do anything is how you do everything
At Gymfinity we cleaned and cleaned again. We developed stringent requirements that our staff would operate by, we closed when we were told to close and didn’t open until we were told we could. We stayed below the required percentages of people allowed on site and we enacted so many protocols that rather than a gymnastics program that has safety procedures, we are feeling like a safety procedure company that has gymnastics as a side gig. But we did it, because, as we often tell the children, we’d rather suffer doing right, than prosper doing wrong.
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