COMMITMENT

Joining a Virtue Squad is a large commitment for children and their families. It is both time consuming and financially consuming. To produce athletes to competition level takes a lot of hard work and dedication. Members are expected to attend all training sessions, all competitions, all displays and all holiday classes, the only exceptions being sickness and family holidays. Arriving late for sessions is not acceptable. If your child is in a squad at Virtue they will not be allowed to train at another gymnastics club. If your child is unable to attend a session please contact your head of squad via email and notify them through a squad FB page.

COMMUNICATION

If you would like to discuss any aspect of your child’s training development program at any time, please contact your head of squad via email to arrange a convenient time. Email addresses can be found on our meet the team page.  All important information about training times, finances, competitions, etc is sent to parents via email from the admin team. If you have a complaint or a query regarding session times or finance please email the office management team. If you have any concerns or queries regarding welfare please email the welfare team.

COMPETITIONS

Competition entry fees vary normally £10.00 – £70.00+. You will receive an email from Virtue notifying you that we wish to enter your child. You will need to confirm before the date stated. A competition entry fee invoice will be issued and this needs to be paid before the due date stated on the invoice. In some cases you may wish to arrange overnight accommodation (at your own expense) prior to the competition. Members are required to stay for the duration of a competition to support their team mates, regardless of where they place, this fosters great camaraderie. We encourage athletes and their families to congratulate, praise and support not only fellow team mates but also fellow competitors.

At times we may add a little extra onto each competition entry fee to cover coaches travel costs.

Aerobics only; Prevention of manipulation of competition policy

PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEO USE

At competitions it is no longer necessary to obtain permission to use cameras and photographic equipment. If photography is not permitted we will make you aware. All members of squads are required to have both photo and video consent.

SQUAD UNIFORM

It is compulsory to purchase the following garments as soon as a gymnast starts competing:

Club squad: Quatro club squad leotard, squad tracksuit and squad T shirt

A4: Club Virtue training leotard, Squad tracksuit and squad T shirt

A3/A2/A1: Quatro club squad leotard, squad tracksuit and squad T shirt, tights, socks, aerobics shoes

PK team: Virtue T shirt

Tumble: Quatro club squad leotard, squad tracksuit and squad T shirt

HOW TO PURCHASE SQUAD UNIFORM

Optional: club kit: Cost Varies (Bag and water bottle are advised)

The competition squad kit will be changed approximately every few years and it will be necessary for you to purchase the new competition kit. Please note competition kit should not be worn outside of competitions/displays or performances.

For training squad members are allowed to train in any suitable attire of their choice. Please note we allow girls aged 12+ to wear shorts on top of their leotard if they wish, girls under 12 should wear leotards only and no knickers underneath. Outer kit is allowed to be worn for warm up.

ADDITIONAL TRAINING AIDS

0.5 ankle weights

Elastics

Note book and pen

Chalk

EXTRA PRIVATE TRAINING

You may occasionally be offered private tuition to prepare your child for competition or to make up a new floor routine.  An extra charge will normally be made for such training. If you or your child feels they require extra training you can book a private session via email.

CONTACT DETAILS

Coach contact details can be found here.

Please request to join the relevant Facebook groups – These groups are dedicated pages for squad members only. Training times, competition and additional information will be posted here when possible.

Club Squad

Aerobics Squad

Pk Squad

Tumble squad

SQUAD PLACEMENT

In the interest of maintaining a successful squad, assessments and adjustments will take place throughout the year and the squad team is liable to change at any time. Dedication and commitment to the squad are required from all members to ensure a place on our team.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Please can you ensure your child brings a gym bag into training each week. In their gym bag they must their additional training aids and any thing else they may need. Please also ensure they always wear/bring suitable trainers (if it’s hot and they wear sliders please have trainers in their gym bag) into training as sometimes we will take the team out for a run.

There may be at home conditioning set by your head of squad. Parents please only date and sign conditioning sheets once your child has physically completed the exercises. Conditioning is an important part of our sport and it’s the secret to success in gymnastics as it advances the gymnast physical abilities. It’s important that they are physically complete fully. Please try to encourage your children to complete condition at home without ‘cheats’.

Throughout the course of the year there will be different routines set. When these are emailed out please print them off and stick them in your child’s gym books before their next session. Please make sure your child practices these routines at home regularly.

PARENT CONDUCT 

It may be difficult to resist getting over-involved whilst watching your child train or compete in their sport. It’s important to take a step back and let your child progress without too much personal input. Parents interference can impact upon your child’s progress and performance.

• Remember that children are involved in sport for their enjoyment not yours
• Respect all decisions made by coaches ie placement of groups, competition entries etc
• Respect all decisions made by officials ie competition scores, placements etc
• Be a role model by supporting your child
• Do not coach your child in competition or training
• Respect the rights of all members
• Applaud effort and hard work, as well as success
• Avoid criticising any member during competition or at training
• Encourage your child to follow the code of conduct
• Do not force your child to participate in sport
• Do not be rude towards members, other parents, coaches or officials
• Applaud the opposition as well as your own team

SQUAD MUSIC PROCEDURE (GYMNASTICS AND AEROBICS)

The squad coach will select suitable floor music for each gymnast in consultation with the gymnasts and the choreographer. The set requirements will be established for the gymnasts and these will be placed into the routine. The choreographer may need to spend time in private sessions to develop and teach the floor routine to the gymnast depending on the gymnasts ability to pick up the routine. This will possibly occur outside of training times and in consultation with parents. As with all artistic endeavours, the routine will develop and change over time due to different competition requirements or maturity of the gymnasts dance ability, however the music will remain the same. The gymnast will work with the choreographer on an ongoing basis to consolidate and modify the routine when and where required by the coach or choreographer. Please be aware that composing a routine will take a coach between 5 – 10 hours to choreograph plus teaching time. The cost of the music is paid for by Virtue therefore Virtue owns the piece of music that has been chosen and it remains the property of the Club. Elite level gymnasts will be charged a fee for all new music.

To assist parents and gymnasts in understanding this process we have outlined below a few points that are important in this process:

• The choreography of floor routines is extremely time consuming, often taking around 10 hrs to make up, plus added time to teach the routine to the gymnast
• A gymnast may have a floor routine for around 2/3 years depending on many factors. The routine must be suitable for the gymnast, their skill level and physical attributes. It will also be dependent on their ability to move to music and ‘sell the routine’
• Selection of music is critical! Time is spent finding the right piece to suit the gymnast
• The music will be professionally cut
• The music will promote the gymnast’s strengths and hide their weaknesses, whilst still meeting the strict requirements necessary for a good floor routine
• If the composition (skills, artistry, distribution of elements and rhythm and tempo) of a floor routine is poor then the gymnast is deducted by the judge at a competition
• Further, it takes time for the gymnast to work on the routine at home and the finished product cannot be assessed until a considerable time after the choreography is finished and tumbling is in place
• The music and choreography of a routine is a coach’s choice and is not within the area of parental input

SUPPORTING HANDBOOK

Click here for further info