THERE are some variations on the stereotypical gymnastics coach that we’ve all seen on television – whether at the Olympics or parodied in comedies.
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Mostly it’s a vision of an overweight man from the Eastern bloc whose angry, erratic outbursts drive his terrified young charges to feats of superhuman performance and, inevitably, the gold medals.
Think The Simpsons episode when Lisa met gymnastics coach Lugash.
Nance Foster, of Advance Academy of Gymnastics (AAG), in Toronto, doesn’t fit the stereotype. And that’s a good thing.
She prefers to take a more relaxed, nurturing and, most of all, fun approach to teaching young boys and girls gymnastics. And it’s working.
Her gym recently finished equal runner-up club of the year in women’s artistic gymnastics (WG) at the NSW Country Gymnastics Championships at Glendale.
A large Tamworth club claimed the top prize, while AAG tied with a Wollongong club on the dais.
“I think our results were a huge achievement,” Ms Foster said.
“We’re only a very small club, and some of the other clubs are huge. I think Tamworth has something in the order of 60 level gymnasts [gymnasts that compete in graded levels] and we have 21 all up,” she said.
“To come runner-up to them is fantastic.”
AAG had competitors competing in Level 4 to Level 7 divisions at the meet [Level 10 is the highest], and there were some outstanding individual performances.
Among them was AAG’s Level 7 team of Claudia Martin, Chailend Malinowski, Bethany Fisher, Gemma Lyons and Kaylan Moloney who won gold for overall champions in WG for levels 7 to 10 combined.
Among the outstanding individual performances achieved by the locals was Kaylan who claimed gold in the vault, silver on bars, and bronze on the beam; Bethany who won gold on the bars, bronze on the vault and silver in the all-round champion; and Chailend who won bronze on the vault.
Ms Foster said AAG’s results could be attributed to good coaching and a focus on enjoying the sport.
“Our girls really enjoy what they do, and that helps.”
She said gymnastics was an ideal first sport for children, starting with Kinder Gym classes for 2-year-olds.
“Gymnastics is the foundation or the nursery for all sports because it teaches co-ordination and balance and builds self-confidence and body awareness.”
Ms Foster previously operated the KWK Gymnastics Sportz Academy, at Morisset, but shifted to bigger premises in Toronto last year. The new gym includes a sprung floor, foam pit and apparatus such as uneven bars.
Ms Foster said most children attended the gym for recreation only, not to compete, and the gym welcomed children of all skill levels.
