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Pre-Team

Click on the links below and find out more information about our recreational classes.

Class Description and Commitment (click here to download the Pre-Team handout)

Pre-Team is the place for gymnasts who really enjoy rhythmics and who KLeanwant to master more challenging skills and routines. Members will have the opportunity to travel and perform more often. Gymnasts will learn more advanced rhythmic skills (body and apparatus) which are important for both competition and performance. Specifically, they will:

Pre-Team focuses on GROUP gymnastics - group gymnasts have many opportunities to travel, compete and perform provincially, regionally and internationally!

One of our goals on the Pre-Team is to develop physical fitness (energy systems, power, strength, flexibility, hand-eye coordination) and explore mental preparation skills (concentration and visualization techniques, goal-setting). 

Pre-Team Commitment

Gymnasts commit to attend one 2-hour practise every week. Gymnasts are expected to attend all practises with VERY FEW EXCEPTIONS (as a ‘rule of thumb’ – a gymnast who trains one day a week, should not miss more than one practise per session).  If you are sick, please stay home and get better faster.  If you must miss a practise, please contact your coach 24 hours in advance so that she can adjust her lesson plan. 

Because our focus in Pre-Team in on GROUP gymnastics, it is essential that ALL team members attend  practise.  If one gymnast is missing, it makes it much harder for the  rest of the group to practise formations, timing, lifts, exchanges – essentially every aspect of the routine. When  a gymnast misses a practise, we often spend at least part or all of the next practise making the same corrections as the previous practise so that all gymnasts are on the same page.

Class time, location and important dates (dates and location are tentative)

Time: Tuesdays from 6:00-8:00pm (September to end of May)

Location: Devon Alliance Church, Highway 60 and Miquelon Avenue in Devon (directions to gym)

Dates to Remember: Please note that these dates are tentative, they will be updated in August.

Start of fall classes: September 14, 2010 (anticipated)

Winter Break: December 15 - January 3 (practise resumes January 4, 2011)

Spring Break: March 28 to April 1, 2011

Last practise for 2010-2011 season: May 31, 3011

Parent-viewing classes*: November 23, 2010 and February 24, 2011

*These classes are an opportunity for parents to sit in on a practise and watch the gymnasts work. Coach Kristi will explain what the girls are doing and why, as well as how to watch rhythmic gymnastics (what to look for, what's important, etc).

Class Fees (Please note, there is NO FUNDRAISING commitment with Arabesque Rhythmics)

Training: $65 per month (9 months, September to May). Fees may be paid:

OR

Registration with RGA: $30 for the year (due the first class in September).

Estimated Competition/Gymnaestrada fees: $75 (in a given year, this amount will depend on what events we enter that year so it might be slighly less or slightly more than this estimate)

General class information

Gymnasts must wear a bodysuit (colour and style are at the gymnast's discretion) for classes. Bicycling shorts or tights may be worn overtop of the bodysuit (to keep legs warm).

Gymnasts will be required to purchase a Pre-Team bodysuit for performances (approximate cost = $75).

Gymnasts must bring their own equipment to practise. Pre-Team members should purchase their own:

Apparatus can be purchased at United Cycle (10323 78th Ave, Edmonton).

Bare feet or toe slippers (RG gymnastics shoes) only—no socks or tights.

Hair should be neatly tied back in a ponytail or a bun and kept off the face.

Class starts promptly at 6:00pm – please be sure to arrive slightly early so that to be able to fully participate in warm-up. Gymnasts who are more than 10 minutes late may not be able to fully participate in class.

What will participants learn in class?

At this level, gymnasts will continue to build fundamental movement skills with greater emphasis on the Learning to Train stage of the Long Term Athlete Development Plan. Gymnasts will focus on overall sport skills development and development of endurance, flexibility and strength.

Gymnasts will learn how to work together in a group. At this stage, gymnasts will also begin to explore the importance of expression in performance.

Performance Opportunities outside of class

Part of the excitement of being a member of the Pre-Team is the increase in opportunities to perform around Alberta!

All Pre-Team members will perform at:

What is the next step after Pre-Team?AGG08

Gymnasts who are interested in pursuing rhythmics at a higher level (gradually increasing training commitment, opportunities to compete and perform locally, regionally and internationally) will move up to the Arabesque Rhythmics Team.

Recommendation to move on to the next level will be based on (but not limited to) the following criteria:

Natural flexibility in gymnasts is handy, but is NOT necessary to be successful in rhythmic gymnastics.

Team gymnasts will practise two days a week (two hours per class). One of our main goals on the Team is to improve physical fitness (energy systems, power, strength, flexibility, hand-eye coordination) as well as mental preparation skills (relaxation and concentration techniques, goal-setting, visualization).