Our oldest granddaughter attended her first trial class with COACHES ALLY, LAUREN, and LANA a year…read moreago when she turned 3; all three were EXCEPTIONALLY and GENUINELY inviting and helpful with helping us decide which class would be best; they are still just as pleasant after a full year of classes!
We all (mom/dad/grandparents/kids) APPRECIATE and LOVE how WELL COACHES ALLY, LAUREN, and LANA (all *5-STAR WORTHY) care to get to know each student, therefore, can effectively teach solid fundamentals to this age group, fostering MOTIVATION, TRUST, and GRIT (yes, toddlers/preschoolers have a lot of it) without harsh and negative discipline. It is adorable and exciting to see everything learned, then practiced at home.
All three coaches provide authentic ENCOURAGEMENT, REINFORCEMENT, PATIENCE, RESPECT, and COMMUNICATION (the ability that they can let the gymnasts know what it is that they would like them to do); they have the ability to push the kids in ways they respond, including age-appropriate redirection with KINDNESS without compromising their standards, especially when there are large classes and/or kids get squirrely (we have seen kids encouragingly reminded to follow directions, and if they continue to need redirection after multiple requests, they are KINDLY asked to sit out if they are not quite ready for class that day).
Not sure about the competitive history of COACHES ALLY and LAUREN (i.e. placing, Olympics, etc.), but COACH LANA has an Olympic background and still EXEMPLIFIES the above-mentioned characteristics of a GOOD COACH. In other words, even though they place, and hold medals, they are humble and kind to LISTEN to a statement or question, BUILD TRUST, and POSITIVELY coach the gymnasts whether they have the next Simone Biles or Nadia Comaneci in the making, or not. They pay attention to all of the kids, not only the "good" gymnasts.
Our family has a STRONG (and beloved) sports background (baseball, boxing, wrestling, gymnastics, lacrosse, football, riding, swimming, surfing, and dads, grandparents, and great grandparents with 3rd degree black belts in karate (some Jute Keen Do) and jui jitsu), and we can attest to the fact that it is a HUGE, HUGE, HUGE, (non-negotiable) balance of SKILL AND CHARACTER to strike if you want to SUCCESSFULLY coach this age group - THE ABILITY to be GENTLE, YET FIRM, KIND, YET SERIOUS, and to BE ABLE TO QUICKLY BOUNCE BACK with a GREAT ATTITUDE FROM REDIRECTING KIDS WITHOUT being HOSTILE/PUNITIVE/RESENTFUL/showing FAVORTISM, and WITHOUT having a MEAN-SPIRITED SCOWL, STONE-COLD FACE using AVOIDANCE TACTICS, PASSIVE-AGGRESSIVENESS, SILENT TREATMENTS, WITHHOLDING POSITIVE FEEDBACK and ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, etc., (which to some is considered a form of bullying and abuse) IS KEY AND AN ART THAT CANNOT BE EMPHASIZED enough for ANY 3 and 4-year old LEARNING, and these COACHES HIT THE RIGHT BALANCE every class! 80% of language is non-verbal, and kids, nor adults, are ignorant when reading a person....so, EVEN IF a positive comment is said, if the motive/heart lacks kindness, it is apparent to ALL in one's countenance and actions.
We just met COACH ELIZABETH for the first time, and hope that she can provide the same culture and environment of the positive qualities described above, especially because we now have two gymnasts in class to be excited about!!
As parents and grandparents, we choose where to put our money and time in the DISCRETIONARY expenses in life...and it is because of the WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE & AMAZING CHARACTERISTICS, (THUS, AMAZING COACHING) FROM COACHES ALLY, LAUREN, and LANA teaching fundamentals WITH EXCELLENCE AND KINDNESS (and wonderful families whom we have met) that we continue to drive (a bit of a distance) to JUMP GYMNASTICS each week...
Looking forward to another great Fall season!!
*4 stars currently reflected since stars are given collectively, not individually, (we cannot rate COACH ELIZABETH at this juncture), since we aim to give accurate feedback based on continuity of coaching, thus the timing of this review since class is 1x/week ~