Clare Gymnastics Club hoping for further growth
Club holds Saturday classes at high school in Meteghan River, would welcome more coaches
Youngsters involved in the Clare Gymnastics Club during a recent workout.
There’s no shortage of energy when youngsters gather Saturday mornings at École secondaire de Clare in Meteghan River to take part in classes offered by the Clare Gymnastics Club.
The club, which has been going for about five years, has three different age groups – 3-4, 5-6 and seven and over – and there are more than 30 kids involved.
The club could use some more coaches, a spokesperson says, noting it would be nice to
get some high school students who would like to become certified to teach gymnastics.
“High school students are a valuable asset because they are great with the younger kids and they play a great part in being role models for these kids in staying active and having fun,” said Jenny A. LeBlanc, vice-president of the club. “We are hopeful that more individuals will be willing to become certified coaches in order to get our gymnasts to a competitive level.”
The club has two, eightweek sessions. One takes place
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in the fall, usually from October to December. The other is held during the winter. The last class for this session is Saturday, March 14. Visit the Clare Gymnastics Club Facebook page for more info about the next round of classes.
In the past there have been summer camps too, provided there are enough kids signing up for them and coaches are available to conduct them.
LeBlanc, who has been involved in the club the last two years, said the club came together a few years back when there was interest in getting something established in Clare. Otherwise, parents had to travel – to Yarmouth or Digby – in order for their children to participate in gymnastics.
The club has modern equipment – good for helping the kids develop their skills – and coaches will point out if something should be replaced or if additional equipment is needed, LeBlanc said.
“The kids are having a great time and parents are also enjoying seeing their kids being active,” she said.
Indeed, simply being active is a big thing for the club’s members. With this in mind,
LeBlanc said, the club would like to hear from anyone interested in helping out as a coach. Being a professional is not a prerequisite.
“The kids are very happy just to get moving,” LeBlanc said.
From her perspective, as a fairly new board member, she has found the club to be a welcoming place.
“Senior members have been very accommodating in terms of answering questions, providing lots of information and being very pro-active in ensuring a successful gymnastics club,” she said.