FAQs

You've seen your child walking or balancing on top of their swing set, doing back flips on the backyard trampoline, or copying all the moves from So You Think You Can Dance. You think they might be ready for gymnastics, dance or trampoline classes, but not sure which program is best. Our friendly staff are here to help! Please contact us and we'll be happy to discuss all our programs on offer with you, and we'll advise on the best program for your child.

Testing Weeks are held at the end of Terms 1 - 5 depending on the program you child is enrolled in . The dates for the Testing Weeks are as follows:

28/2/11, 2/5/11, 4/7/11, 5/9/11, 7/11/11

Throughout the term the gymnasts are being tested by their coaches from week to week and record their results.

You will only see the gymnasts test a small number of skills in testing week as all other skills required have been tested during the term and recorded by the coach.

At the end of the test your child will receive their awards as recognition of passing their current award.

Generally there is 1 week left remaining of the term after testing week, all gymnasts remain in their current classes to the end of the term and progress to the next class in the following term.

Week 10 is set as a fun and games challenging week where the gymnasts have the opportunity to play games with other classes and interact with other gymnasts as well as be challenged with new skills that will be coming up in their new award the following term.

When you register your child for the new term they need to be booked into their new award.

For example:

• Passed Monkeys – book into Bunny’s
• Passed Bunny’s – book into Possums
• Passed Possums – book into Seals
• Passed Seals – book into Award 5

Each Term, our Department Leader designs the Term around a certain Theme.

During that Term, each class is then related to that Theme.

For example, the Term Five Theme is Countries.

Week One's Theme is Hawaii (we know that Hawaii is technically not a country but it's a fun one to do Kindergym with!).

Week Two's Theme is China etc.

During the Term the Coach will have a 'Bring a Friend Week' where you can invite a new friend to the Academy in your child's class (preferably the same age as your child so they too can enjoy the class activities.)

On the invites will be a closing date and friends must inform the Academy if they are attending by this date so AGDA staff can allocate the appropriate number of coaches to accommodate for the number of children in the program.

The Kindergym Krew program has 3 different colour levels for each age group/animal for example:

Kangaroos - Yellow & Blue – This group only has 2 colours as it is only a 6month program.

Koalas/Wombats and Platypus - Yellow, Red & Blue.

When a child has completed a colour level they move to the next colour level. When they have completed all colour levels they will move to the next animal.

Example:

• Kangaroos move to Koala’s
• Koala’s move to Wombats
• Wombats move to Platypus

Each colour level is designed to be completed in 1 term for each colour.

Your child’s coach will keep you up to date of when your child is ready to move to the next program. If you have any questions on your child’s progress please do not hesitate to ask your Kindergym coaches.

The most common and understandable response from parents when their child is offered a place in a competitive program has been that parents are unsure as to:

• How their child will cope in a competitive program,
• If their child is too young,
• Or if it is too big of a step to take so early in their gymnastics learning.

We have considered these concerns with great respect and as a result we are offering an introductory one hour program to the competitive stream, at the same cost as a one hour recreational program. In this program the gymnasts will train as a competitive team and their goal at the end of the term will be to compete Level 1 routines.

During the year smaller in-house competitions against other level 1 gymnasts maybe arranged by the AGDA Competitive Staff.

This will give parents the opportunity to see how their child will cope with different style of training, learning routines and performing in a stress free, fun competition.

You are also invited to attend external competitions where you and your child can be a spectator and see what a real competition is like.

The requirements to enter this program are:

• All gymnasts remain committed to the program for the entire term
• An AGDA recreational navy blue training leotard ($26.00 and ordered through AGDA Reception) be purchased and worn to training and also fun comp. This will help the gymnasts feel part of a team and whilst training, make it easier for coaches to correct technique by being able to see body posture better.
• Gymnasts may only be involved in this program for one term then either move into the competitive stream or to recommence back into AGDA’s Progressions to Purpose Program and continue in the recreational stream.

There is no guarantee that your child will be offered a place in a competitive team. Numbers a limited in competitive teams which means places available are minimal. If the coach would like to offer a place to the child but there are none available at the time, the child will go on a waiting list for the competitive program. The coach will also recommend a P2P program that is going to keep your child on the right track for when they do have the opportunity to be apart of the competitive program.

The Pre Comp program is not only for yourself and your child to see what a competitive program is like but also to give the coach the opportunity to see where each individual child’s abilities are. If the coach decides that the child’s abilities are better suited to a recreational class they will then offer a place in the P2P program.

For more information about our Pre Comp program, please contact Cassie Macintyre at cmacintyre@agymda.com.au