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TEAM OGC - Women’s Artistic Gymnastics Developmental

Female at least 4y but less than 9y

New in 2015 to the WAG Developmental Program is the Canadian Junior Olympic Program (CJO) which Gymnastics Canada has adopted from the United States, modified and implemented into the Canadian system. The CJO program will allow our developmental athletes to get the opportunity to experience competitive gymnastics earlier by competing compulsory routines in the JO Levels 1-5. This program is modified from the original American Junior Olympic (JO) Program and is based around the concept of all athletes, no matter their ability, shall have a strong base of technical skills to build on in their gymnastics career.

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Women’s Artistic Programs 

Ortona’s Programs

The Women’s Artistic Gymnastics (WAG) Developmental program is made up of several levels. Younger gymnasts begin the WAG program in levels that focus on introductory gymnastics, learning and training to compete, and skill and ability development. New in 2015 to the WAG Developmental Program is the Canadian Junior Olympic Program (CJO) which Gymnastics Canada has adopted from the United States, modified and implemented into the Canadian system. The CJO program will allow our developmental athletes to get the opportunity to experience competitive gymnastics earlier by competing compulsory routines in the JO Levels 1-5. This program is modified from the original American Junior Olympic (JO) Program and is based around the concept of all athletes, no matter their ability, shall have a strong base of technical skills to build on in their gymnastics career.
 
All WAG Developmental and Competitive programs follow the CJO program but each program is open-ended so that the coach can alter and adapt the program to best suit the needs and abilities of each athlete. The programs are also tailored to match the child’s strengths and weaknesses. This tailoring ensures that each child gets the best training possible and results in a unique experience for each athlete. 
 
Athletes in the WAG Developmental program advance through various levels based on their age, physical strength, skill ability and attitude
 
WAG Team Prep

WAG Team Prep is a Coach invitational program. Athletes develop at different rates, when children progress through the gymnastics exercises quickly and learn the gymnastics movements faster than their fellow classmates but need to polish some of the skills before moving into the JO streams.

A Team Ortona Training suit is provided to the athletes at no additional cost however, a competitive body suit is required to be purchased. 

These WAG Team Prep athletes train year round at  6-9 hours per week. They have two different schedules, one in the summer (July & August) and one in the Fall (September to June). 

 
CJO Level 1 and Level 2
These are the first levels of the WAG Developmental program, and is for 4- 9 year-old athletes who are beginning in the WAG program.
 
The athletes focus on building a foundation of strength, flexibility and basic skills. The athletes get exposed to competitive environments through testing events where they compete against themselves to achieve higher scores in their physical abilities. Compulsory routines are also practiced and performed to get athletes use to the formation of routines.
 
CJO Level 1 and 2 athletes start training at 4-6 hours per week with Camp weeks in the summer and a regular training schedule from September to June. 
 
These WAG Developmental athletes train year round at  6-16 hours per week. They have two different schedules, one in the summer (July & August) and one in the Fall (September to June). 
  
CJO Level 3- 5

Aspiring athletes enter the CJO Level 3-5 program between the ages of 6 and 10 years old. They learn compulsory routines on all 4 events that encourage strong basics and particular technique.

CJO Level 3-5 athletes continue to build on their foundation of strength, flexibility and basic skills by working through the different levels of compulsory routines These athletes are eligible to compete at Invitational Competitions as well as one Sanctioned Event per year, Northern Zones. Testing events are still included in their program to continue to encourage the development of strength and flexibility. 

These WAG Developmental athletes train year round at  6-16 hours per week. They have two different schedules, one in the summer (July & August) and one in the Fall (September to June). 

Interested in a Program?
These programs are invitation only. We host Tryout dates throughout the year, check out the front page of our website for upcoming dates. You can also complete an assessment request found on our website. Assessments are one on one with a coach to assess the level of your athlete, they take 10-15 minutes and are followed with a conversation with a coach to answer any questions you may have. 
 

Team Coaching at Ortona

Coaches working together to help each gymnast, whether they be a WAG, MAG or T&T athlete, in the Ortona Gymnastics Club’s (OGC’s) development and competitive programs. Ortona coaches strive to have each athlete to become the best gymnast they can be, while staying true to the Club’s vision, mission and goalsTeam coaching encourages and supports all athletes, in all disciplines and celebrates with them in all achievements - inside and outside of the gym.

Every coach has technical strengths which they incorporate into their coaching. Team Coaching allows athletes to learn from each coach’s individual strength which translates into confidence and success in an event, regardless of the athlete’s skill level or discipline. The Team Coaching philosophy does not guarantee that athletes will work exclusively with a specific coach even at the request of a parent/guardian.

The coaches are assigned to groups by the Technical Gymnastics Programs Director (TGPD) using criteria defined by our program requirements for that year.  Coach assignments are based on education; coaching experiences, certification level, the TGPD’s assessment of the coaches’ skills, professional growth and guidelines of various governing bodies for gymnastics in Alberta and Canada.

The TGPD role is to manage all OGC team coaches and facilitate the communication between all disciplines of coaches. The TGPD also assigns Lead Coaches to training groups.

The role of the Lead coach, within the framework of team coaching is:

  • To act as the point of contact and open up the lines of communication between the parents/guardians, athlete and assigned team coaches.
  • To act as the representative for the gymnast’s coaching team.
  • To ensure that the yearly training plan set for each gymnast is being followed or modified when necessary.
  • To address any issues that arise within the group (ie. bullying, attitudes, injuries, etc.) with the parents/guardians and communicate the solution to the rest of the coaching team.
  • Lead coaches will attend Alberta Gymnastics Federation Sanctioned events with their assigned athletes.

The assigned Team Coaches’ roles are:

  • To follow the Lead Coach’s training plan. The Lead Coach has a long-term vision for the athlete, and team coaches will respect the vision for each particular athlete.
  • To recognize that the Team Coach is part of a team that has a singular vision. That team is comprised of several coaches who collaborate to produce athletes that contribute to the whole. The team works toward the vision to ensure it becomes a reality.
  • Team Coaches work on complimenting one another’s attributes and strengths. This is done by coaching to that particular coach’s strengths, as well as mentoring other coaches to follow suit.
  • Attend non-sanctioned events as assigned by the TGPD throughout the year.

Finally, Team Parents/Guardians have two points of communication throughout the year, their athlete’s assigned lead coach and a contract administrator. 

 

 

Women’s Artistic Gymnastics - A History Lesson

An A-moo-sing Start
Gymnastics can trace its origins back to ancient civilizations in Asia and the Middle East. Although the ancient Olympics performed by the Greeks were exclusively for men, both men and women would attempt to achieve symmetry between their minds and bodies by jumping over charging bulls. The athlete would run toward the bull, grab its horns, and when tossed in the air, would perform aerial movements before landing on the bull’s back and then dismounting onto his or her feet on the other side of the bull. A great deal of courage, grace and maybe even a bit of foolishness was required. Who said exercise was bad for you?
 
Putting the Art in Artistic
The term, artistic gymnastics, was first heard around the early 1800s as a way to distinguish free-flowing gymnastics styles from military training techniques. Artistic gymnastics were first performed at the Olympics in 1896, but women were not allowed to compete. Women finally got their chance to shine during the 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam, where women’s artistic was a team event. Since the origins of women’s artistic gymnastics, this discipline has become a world recognized sport, and the most popular form of gymnastics.
 
 4 Ways to Shine
Women’s artistic continues to be fascinating and popular among girls of all ages, likely due to the constant  challenge it provides and its ability to develop an  athlete’s coordination, courage and flexibility.

The 4 events in women’s Artistic gymnastics are the  vault, uneven bars, balance beam and floor exercise.
 
Vault:
In this event, a 25 metre run leads to an  explosive jump off a springboard, where the athlete  launches over the vaulting table. While in flight, the  athlete performs multiple twists and rotations before  sticking a solid landing. It takes control, stability,  strength and aerial mastery to execute this high-flying sequence.
 
Uneven Bars:
Two bars means twice the challenge, with the lower bar being 170 cm tall and the higher one being 250 cm with 180 cm between the two. A gymnast needs strength, precision, rhythm and courage to execute twists and somersaults with grip changes, releases and high flights. The wind-up and dismount are among the most breathtaking moments of any routine.
 
Balance Beam:
At 10 cm wide, the balance beam is the most precarious and challenging apparatus for women. But with the challenge, comes incredible acrobatic displays that seem to gracefully defy gravity. With zero room for error, the gymnast performs a series of leaps, turns, steps, waves, flips and balances. A gymnast utilizes the entire length of the beam to show off her grace, strength and balance.
 
Floor Exercise:
Considered to be the most expressive event, the floor is where each athlete’s personality shines. The routine is always accompanied by music, and combines dance movements, acrobatics and tumbling. The whole floor area is used, and the routine often changes to match the music’s mood and speed. These are gymnasts and artists.

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