Exceleration Gymnastics Center

Welcome To The Team!


We look forward to many successful years together, helping your children grow into confident young women!

Team Handbook

Welcome to the EGC Gymnastics Team

The owners and coaches of Exceleration Gymnastics Center would like to welcome your family to the competitive gymnastics team. You girls, as gymnasts, should be applauded for your hard work and dedication to the sport of gymnastics. As parents you have embarked upon an exciting and character-building sport for your children.

This handbook will attempt to give your family more insight into how our program operates and hopefully answer many of the questions you may have pertaining to our team. We hope that EGC can offer our team members and their families an amazing gymnastics program that will make for fond experiences and memories. This handbook will function as an agreement between the coaches/owners and the parents/gymnasts. After this manual has been discussed and read, we would like the last page to be signed and returned. This acknowledges that there is an understanding between all parties involved. If after reading this handbook any questions still arise, don’t hesitate to ask either the coaching staff or owners.

We look forward to many successful years together, helping your children grow into confident young women!

- The Coaching Staff and Owners of Exceleration Gymnastics Center, LLC.

Team Philosophy

Gymnastics can be a very demanding sport which requires dedication and hard work. Our goal at Exceleration Gymnastics Center is to help our gymnasts reach their highest individual potential. This will be different for every gymnast, and both parents and coaches must understand this important point. We will not push a gymnast beyond her natural abilities. Both short term and long term goals should be openly discussed and agreed upon.

Exceleration will provide the best coaching staff that we possibly have to offer with progressions and hands-on techniques. We will run a structured, disciplined program that will require a strong work ethic on the part of the athlete, mutual respect between the staff, parents and children and the understanding that where there is growth... there are going to be mistakes. Be prepared as athletes to learn from them and grow from them. The owners, coaches, gymnasts, and parents or guardians need to be working together to make this a successful and happy experience for everyone involved.

Policies for Gymnasts

Attendance Guidelines
EGC gymnasts are required to attend all regularly scheduled workouts! Our attendance policy is that no more than 25% of the normally practices can be missed during a month. This attendance guideline also includes time for being late or leaving a practice early. All of our coaches are required to keep track of attendance for each gymnast. The number of hours that each team devotes to practicing has been carefully thought through. Practices are very important, and we want to stress that to succeed in this sport all practices must be taken seriously.

A meeting will be called between the parents and coaches to discuss any gymnast missing more than the allowed number of practices. A gymnast also may become ineligible to compete at meets due to the number of practices missed. Phone calls or messages left on the gym phone are definitely appreciated, to let us know if gymnasts will be late to practice or will not be able to attend. We do care and worry if a gymnast is absent! Any absences due to injuries or illness must be accompanied by a doctor’s note.

“In the Gym”
Respect is one of the most important behaviors that a gymnast and their coach can show each other when working out together in the gym. Negative attitudes should not be brought into the gym. Any instances that arise will be dealt with immediately. Respect must also be shown to teammates and other gym members. A team, including the individual gymnasts and their coaches, that doesn’t work together and train amicably, will not gain as much from their gymnastics instruction. Also, injuries can occur and training can be disrupted if teammates are fooling around and not respecting their coach or teammates.

Participation in Scheduled Meets
There are some important conditions that must be upheld in order for a gymnast to participate in competitions as an EGC gymnast. Firstly, EGC team gymnasts in levels 4-10 will be required to compete in six out of seven of the regularly scheduled meets during the competitive season. The state meets for each level are considered MANDATORY. Five meets will be planned for the level 3 team season, and we ask that four out of five of these meets are attended. Secondly, mastery of skills needed for competition is essential. A gymnast will not be allowed to compete on a particular apparatus unless she can perform ALL requirements on that apparatus during the week of the competition and during the event warm-up. Gymnasts must attend all regularly scheduled practices the week before a competition or they may be ineligible to compete. Any extenuating circumstances must be brought to the attention of the coach or owners ASAP. Lastly, a positive attitude and showing respect to coaches and teammates is imperative.

Policies for Parents

  1. Make sure your gymnast attends all regularly scheduled workouts, meets, and special functions and arrives on time. Communicate with the coaches regarding any problems.
  2. Each team gymnast will be given a mail slot, which is located next to the front desk, outside of the pro-shop. This box will serve as a means of communication for the office, coaches, gym owners, and booster club. Any important information with regards to meets, important dates, announcements, etc. will be put in this mail slot. It should be checked weekly by all team parents and gymnasts. Please let the front desk personnel know if you have any other questions. Our office number is (419) 381-1000.
  3. Be responsible for all the financial requirements required of Exceleration Gymnastics Center and have an understanding if the consequences of not living up to them, which includes all required apparel and gear.
  4. See that your gymnast is rested and maintains a healthy diet.

Competitive Season Information

USAG Fees & Forms
Exceleration Gymnastics Center is a member of the USAG competitive system, which is the governing body of the Olympics. USAG dues are $40.00 - $50.00 per year (August 1 - July 31). These dues are subject to change and are not controlled by EGC. USAG fees must be paid by July of the year for all Level 4-10 gymnasts in which your gymnast plans to compete. Each gymnast must also complete and sign the USAG Athlete Registration form and turn this in with the USAG dues in order to be registered to compete. These Registration forms can be found at the front desk. Since this is the first year for EGC to compete levels 3s, we will have to get more information regarding any fees due.

Meet Scheduling
At the beginning of each season (August or September), a preliminary schedule of meet locations and dates will be handed out to the gymnasts. This schedule is again a preliminary schedule, which means that meets may be cancelled or rescheduled. This is something that is out of the control of Exceleration Gymnastics Center. We will try as much as possible to stick to the original meet calendar. (Last year for example we didn’t have any deviations from the originally planned meets.)

The EGC competitive levels 4-10 will be competing at nine meets including states. For our level 4s and 5s, our first four or five meets will be local meets. We will try to travel further out in Ohio (possibly 3 hours drives), with one or two out of state meets a possibility, for the meets at the end of the season. Level 6s will compete within Region 5 which includes Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky, Indiana and Illinois. Level 7-10 may be required to travel further distances throughout their season, outside of Region 5. Our five meets for level 3 will include our home meets mentioned below as well as two away meets. (Possible Cleveland, Columbus, or Lima area meets.) We will again be hosting our High Energy meet in November of this season, as well as Pirate’s Landing in January. The Frogtown Invitational will be hosted by EGC in March.

We are going to try and recruit at least one parent from each team level to be the designated level coordinator. (Only one or two people will be necessary for the optional group.) This person will be responsible to pass out any information necessary for meets. This information can include directions, costs, times, host hotels, etc. We normally receive information on meets about 1-2 weeks before a competition. Gymnasts invited to a meet will be given only one notice. No other reminders will be given. Please request this information if you have not received it in your mail slot. You may also find most of the information available online at the host gyms website. Also, it is not uncommon for host clubs to send out meet information late or make last minute changes. We will try and announce any changes ASAP.

Explanation of Meet Events
The average meet can take as little as 3½ hours or as long as 6 hours. There are two main formats to how a meet runs. The first is traditional format, where all of gymnastics apparatus are warmed up first, with the competition taking place after all warm-ups. The second is called capital cup format. This is where a gymnast will warm-up an event and competes the same event right after she is done warming up that particular apparatus, and so on with each consecutive apparatus. Competitions seem to be leaning towards the capital cup format, but we will see traditional format every once in a while.

Listed below are terms used at competitive events:

  • Open Warm Up - Usually a half-hour long. This time is for general stretching and getting equipment settings specific to the gymnast.
  • Timed Warm Up - Every gymnast present warms up on each of the apparatus. This procedure can take from an hour to an hour and a half, sometimes more.
  • March In - all the gymnasts line up and march in to the gym to be presented to the audience and judges. Usually the National Anthem is played. This takes about ten to fifteen minutes.
  • Competition - the gymnasts now actually compete and receive scores from the judges at each event. This may take an hour and a half to two hours to complete. Longer if it is an optional meet and one touch warm ups are necessary.
  • Awards - if the organization running the meet is on the ball you may only have to wait five to ten minutes before the awards are handed out. It has been known to take significantly longer to get the awards ready. Once they are prepared it can take from fifteen minutes to half an hour to hand out the awards.

General Guidelines for Understanding Gymnastics Scoring
Everyone needs to remember that gymnastics is a subjective sport. A 10.0 is the highest score that a USAG level 4-10 can receive. The scores that a gymnast receives are opinions of judges based on criteria and rules that have been set down for each level, in the sport of gymnastics. A score of 9.0 on a particular event at a particular meet may not mean the same thing at another meet. Sometimes judges will be judging hard on an event and sometimes everyone may get the highest score they have ever received. An 8.3 may win an event at one meet, but a 9.6 may come in fourth at another meet. All we can ask as coaches is that your girls try and perform the best they can with the skill and grace that they possess.

Meet Etiquette for Gymnasts

The following guidelines will help each gymnast make competition a fun and successful experience. Number one stipulation, please plan on arriving to the event ON TIME. Most of the people running a meet try to be accommodating if a gymnast is late, but this definitely doesn’t help out the gymnast’s nerves. Remaining competitive and focused can be extremely difficult when a gymnast is flustered.

Gym bags should be placed where your coach directs you to place them. Everything that you brought down to the competition floor with you should remain with you. This means that your warm up suits, grips, and any other stuff you brought with you should be placed inside your gym bag.

Once a gymnast “enters the floor” to begin open stretch she should be ready to compete! Gymnasts should have their hair done* and any make-up done before the competition starts. Your leotard should be completely on under your warm-up. Gymnasts should not be getting dressed or undressed in the middle of a competition; this looks unprofessional and should not occur. At the time of march-in and when your awards are being accepted you should be in full warm-ups with your leotard fully on underneath. And as open stretch begins the most important thing you need to do is listen to your coaches!

*Each coach has individual preferences with regards to hair; please talk with your coaches!

Sportsmanship is one of the most important qualities a gymnast can possess. Gymnasts, how you act at a meet directly reflects upon Exceleration Gymnastics Center. Any negative comments and attitudes whether directed at other teams or your own teammates will not be tolerated!

Being friendly with other teams makes the whole experience that much more enjoyable. When the opportunity presents itself, introduce yourself to the other gymnasts and coaches in your competitive rotation. Most of the time you will have the chance to develop some new relationships, however, when another gymnast is being given directions by her coach or preparing to compete, you must allow her time to concentrate without distraction.

Stay focused on the competition. Talking with parents, relatives, or friends is inappropriate during the meet. Even with the best of intentions, relatives and friends may give advice that conflicts with what your coach says. What will you do when you receive advice from Mom that differs from what Dad told you, then the coach says something different? The answer is you will become more nervous and uptight because you do not know where to place your focus. During workouts and competition pay attention to the coach, let mom and dad just sit back and enjoy themselves as well.

Before leaving the competition, notify the head coach. Always let the coach know when you are going to leave the facility. You should never leave the competition facility or go to the parking lot without specific permission from the coach. You should always be accompanied by another team member or coach when leaving the competition floor.

The meet is not complete until ALL the awards have been handed out. The other gymnasts have waited patiently to receive their awards and have applauded your efforts. You owe them the same consideration. And above all, remember you are representing Exceleration Gymnastics Center and if we hope to be champions, and then we must act like champions.

Meet Etiquette for Parents

Please show proper respect to all Judges and Coaches at every competition. They are all there for one reason, to support your child's interest in gymnastics. Under no circumstance should you attempt to contact any judge on the competition floor during or after the meet (judges, score keepers, etc.) If you have any questions regarding the meet or your child's scores you must contact your coach after the meet. Even the coach is not allowed to approach the judges regarding routines or scores during the meet, but must submit an inquiry through the Meet Director. Points could be deducted not only from your gymnast but the team score as well for failure to follow these rules.

Please show proper respect to all competitors. You NEVER KNOW who is sitting near you (I.E. parents of the gymnast you just made a remark about). Good sportsmanship is a must for our cheering section! Please keep all negative comments under wraps.

Once a gymnast has walked into the competition area for warm-up, they ARE NOT ALLOWED out of the competition area until the competition is over. The coach should now be in charge of the gymnasts and the girls should stay together as a team at all times, unless otherwise directed by the coach. This has less to do with control than it does with FOCUS. Any distraction could disturb the focus necessary to have a successful routine. The coach's job at the meet is to monitor the gymnast's condition and teach her to respond appropriately. If the gymnast is too excited, the coach calms her down. If the gymnast is too complacent, the coach pumps her up and motivates her to do her best. The emotional dynamic is fluid in a competition. An excellent vault score may cause a gymnast to be over-confident. A terrible bar routine may actually provide an educational moment. At these times the gymnast needs to focus on her coach's advice, not distractions from off the competitive floor.

In any competition, parents, friends, and relatives of the gymnast ARE NOT ALLOWED onto the competitive floor. YOU MUST remain in the spectator's area. This also includes other relatives and friends. Gymnasts can be immediately scratched from the meet if a parent is in the competitor's area. USAG requires credentials for admittance to the competitive floor. This regulation is supervised under very strict guidelines.

In the case of injury during warm-up or competition, YOU MUST stay in the spectator area until your coach flags you onto the floor. There is a medical person attending most meets. Allow them the opportunity to evaluate the seriousness of the injury. You will be summoned when needed. In most cases, you may approach the general area, but must be summoned to the immediate area. Please standby rather than stand over!

DO NOT coach your child. Coaches should coach, everyone else should encourage. Injury may result from changing the gymnast's focus away from the coach's technique. Even the most helpful comment from you could have disastrous consequences.

NO FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY is permitted during a meet. The sudden flash of light could cause a gymnast to be injured. Check out your camera in advance. Many cameras come with an automatic flash that will go off if it detects low light levels. If you cannot manually disable this device, please do not take pictures during the competition.

At the awards portion of the competition, all gymnasts are expected to stay until the end of the awards ceremony whether they are receiving an award or not. They need to cheer all award recipients - especially their teammates. Just remember that you as parents are the cheering section for your gymnast and her teammates at EGC. Wear some team spirit and have some fun!

Team Level Advancement

Level advancement in the sport of gymnastics cannot be compared to moving up grades in school. Gymnasts may advance in levels each season or may stay at a level for two or more seasons before they move ahead. We would like to assure both gymnasts and parents that both of these instances are normal. Coaches and older gymnasts will be able to confirm this fact.

We have a certain level of competitiveness to uphold at Exceleration Gymnastics Center. Therefore, we require that our gymnasts are able to perform the skills needed at their competitive level in order to be eligible to participate at that level.

*Please remember that all team level advancement is at the discretion of the coaches and owners of Exceleration Gymnastics Center.

Move-ups from level to level are based on scores from the previous meet season, attendance at practice, mastery of required skills, and attitudes/maturity of the gymnasts. For level 3s and 4s hoping to begin competition this will be based on skill evaluations and the coaches’ evaluations.

At the end of the season, each level coach and the owner will sit down and discuss the overall season for each individual gymnast and make a determination of what level they should be placed in for the next season. Everything will be taken into account when making these decisions. For instance, some deciding factors could be if an individual gymnast consistently performs the skills required at the next level; do they have a good attendance standing, the maturity level and a good attitude.

In rare instances, the coaches and owners of EGC may feel that a gymnast is ready to advance to a higher level earlier than the normal progression. Half seasons or skipping levels will be considered if a gymnast is able to demonstrate high levels of performance at meets (consistent 36s and above) and all skills necessary. This again will be at the discretion of the coaches and owners.

**Remember that we will always try to do what we feel is best for the gymnast.

Boosters Policies and Roles at EGC

Please see the Booster By-Laws section for more information

A printable version of this Team Handbook is available for download.


Click For Printable Team Handbook


Gymnastics can be a very demanding sport which requires dedication and hard work.