Commonly Asked Questions???
How do I enroll my child?
Step 1: is go to the trial page on this website and follow the steps to schedule your child's trial class. If they have never done gymnastics before it's important to make sure they will enjoy it before investing money in the program. Steps 1, 2 & 3 are important so we can get your child enrolled in a class time that works best for everyone.
Step 2: show up to trial class in proper athletic attire (No Dresses/No Skirts, gymnastics is not dance and we practice bare foot, so NO Stockings or Tights that cover the feet)
Step 3: once trial class is complete, before leaving the gym, sign up for the actual class you want to enroll in & make payment at the front desk. This will guarantee your child will be able to keep the place in the class that best suits your ability level. Tuition & New student registration will need to be paid before your child can begin to attend classes after their initial trial class.
How much does it cost for my child?
Tuition is based on attendance, if your child attends once a week, their monthly tuition will be less than if your child attends 2 days weekly like most of our students.
All payments can be made from your I-class pro account or in the office.
Classes offered currently are 45 min or 60 min long. If your child is 5 & under or has interest in Champ-Beans preschool gymnastics or Little Ninja, they will be in a 45 min class. 60 min classes are Tumbling, Girls & Boys Gymnastics. These classes are for children 5yrs & older.
Fee's other than tuition is new student registration fee. This is a yearly fee, paid when you start & the anniversary month of when you enrolled. this fee is currently $40 but for families with 2nd or 3rd siblings can receive 10% off those children's registration.
What is the difference between Tumbling & Gymnastics?
Very simply put, Tumbling is Gymnastics training on Floor ONLY! for children that want to learn tumbling skills for cheerleading will need to take Tumbling.
Kids interested in Gymnastics will learn on 4 to 6 gymnastics events depending on their gender. There are 4 girls events to learn & train on, Vault, Uneven Bars, Balance Beam, & Floor. Boys Gymnastics has 6 events to learn Vault, Hi-Bar & Floor are about the same, Parallel Bars, Still Rings, Pommel or Mushroom are events girls do not train on.
My child has tryouts Next Week, can I schedule a private lesson so that she can learn a Back handspring?
We receive this question several times, twice each year, just before cheer tryouts for football & basketball season, from teens & parents alike. Let me just say that a back handspring does not take a long time to learn, *depending on the child. What is difficult and time consuming about a back handspring is throwing the skill, by yourself, on a hard or even slightly matted surface. The teenage mind is beyond complex and overworks constantly! If I was to come up to you the parent & say I have 30 mins to spend with you, I am going to teach you how to jump backwards & flip over. At the end of that 30 min you have to throw it by yourself, you'd look at me like I was crazy. Why? Because you could get hurt, your teen realizes this too, and even though they want to be on a cheer team that desire very rarely defeats the thought of "what if I get hurt?"
What should happen, is if your child has any desire for cheer at any age, get them in a tumbling class ASAP. Keep them in it even if it's one day a week, because at some point in those teen years they are going to want to try out, & if they don't have tumbling they will not have much of a chance to make the team.
Teens! If you are just about to graduate High School or have already graduated, and your considering doing cheer in college... you cannot try out on a whim for scholarship. You must have experience; you must be able to fill a spot on the team in question. Most college teams want standing back handspring tucks & running layouts. If that seems cryptic to you, you probably don't have enough skills to make a cheer team. We get contacted yearly from schools looking to fill slots on college teams, so we know what they are looking for. Most of the time serious cheerleaders have been preparing for college cheer since their junior year of high school. They have been scouting colleges for their hopeful major and the teams they want to cheer for. They have set up YouTube pages to send to prospective schools so that they can see what skills they have & what they would bring to a team, whether they are vying for a scholarship or not. Sports in college are not a last-minute thought, it's a plan. So please before you call us, looking to train for what you're hoping to do in Highschool or College, know what the school wants to reach your goal, and give yourself time to achieve it, because a weekend, week, or even a summer IS NOT ENOUGH!
What should my child do, Gymnastics or Cheer?
Ok this is a topic I am very passionate on, kids that are 9yrs or younger if they are unsure what they would rather do Gymnastics or Cheer, GYMNASTICS 1st! There is a very short window of opportunity in a child's life where they can do and be successful in gymnastics. Once they are done riding that gymnastics wave, cheer will always be there. No Cheer Team has said No to a Gymnast... Ever! Gymnasts are strong, have excellent form & technique for all that cheer requires.
That said, Cheer has no age limit, no window of limitation accept tumbling but there are plenty of teams that do not need tumbling. You can graduate college & become a Dallas Cheerleader! So, if you as a parent have hopes of your child becoming a cheerleader, it's our recommendation that you put her in Gymnastics.
That said there are factors we can see in a child when they do a gymnastics trial class, that will tell us what a better fit would be, gymnastics or tumbling. Rest assured we will be upfront and tell you the moment we see what will work best for your child. At Champion we don't want to waste your time or your money we always come to you right away & tell you if your child is ready to advance, or switch classes, or if gymnastics isn't the sport for her or him.
Does my child need a leotard?
No, we recommend comfortable athletic attire! There are some limits to what we want or what is safest for practice wear. No Dresses, No Skirts (this includes Skorts) No school uniforms, or street clothes that are ripped or torn. Gymnastics is not the same a dance, little outfits with Tutus or Tights, & ballet slippers are not gymnastics appropriate wear. So, if you're planning on attending gymnastics class, some fitted bike shorts a fitted tank top or T-shirt is fine. No need for special attire unless you child wants one, which we sell in the Gym.
*If you decide to buy a leotard from cheap vendors, please be aware that the fit the construction & the quality is inconsistent. The item will not last terribly long, too often the material tares, the outfit is to lose, or the outfit cannot be distinguished from back to front, so students show up to class with body parts being uncomfortably reveled. At least half a dozen times each day we have to tell someone their leotard is on backwards because the kid & parent didn't pay attention to how the item was put on or worse didn't bother to try it on before purchasing.
What should I do with my child's Hair?
Ok we don't get this question a lot, but it is a constant problem in the gym. Children with long hair, absolutely MUST have their hair pulled up out of the face & off their shoulders! Long hair or even short hair that falls into the eyes & face is a safety hazard to your child. When I was a gymnast my parents cut my hair short, so that I wouldn't mess with it in class. I wasn't fond of it, but they were hair dressers, I didn't really have a say. As a an adult/Coach I totally get it! At least once every class I have to stop class to fix a child's hair because its falling out or the hair tie wasn't strong enough or the kid won't stop playing with their hair in class. If your child isn't practicing they are wasting time & your money, so parents learn how to put up your child's hair up the right way the 1st time. Think about your hair if your working out, if it's down or falling out & your sweating and moving fast, its annoying and distracting to your goals. I often have 2 & 3 hair ties in my hair at all times. Your child might need this too.
Decorative hairstyles can also be a safety hazard on the practice floor. Multiple clips, clasps & beads, excessively long breads, head bands and big bows, are all dangerous to your child's head while in the gym. Running & getting pelted in the face with beads or clips falling out & getting stepped on, big bows with a snapping clasp on top of the head on a roll or head stand, headbands break when the head hits the floor or gets stepped on after they fall out of the hair. Gymnastics is a sport where falls happen, even when the best prevention methods are in place. Head landings are the most popular, and with excessive decorations in the hair, your child will be subjected to unnecessary pain. So please for your child's sake, if they are in gymnastics, modest hairstyles should be a MUST! My best recommendation is to look at your favorite Olympian or College athlete in Gymnastics. Simone Biles doesn't train or compete with overly decked out hair.
Should my child do gymnastics?
This is a great question but a delicate topic! At Champion we have had many students, with all types of body styles & educational challenges. we find that no matter what your child's challenges their success has nothing to do with how we can train them or even their ability, but what you as the parent is willing to encourage. If your child has been labeled with ADD, ADHD, Autism, Asperger's, Downs, Cerebral Palsy, or even Obesity. To us these things are just that "a Label" they are not a determination of what your child is capable of! To our coaches & staff they are Normal children. Children are supposed to have energy, even in excess. Children are supposed to be emotional in new situations or have difficulty making friends or knowing how to express themselves. We all look different and have physical challenges and quirks that make us unique, and challenge us in the day to day. How we get thru these things is with consistent education, support & discipline. We can be very encouraging to a child but letting them give up, not try, cry, and give in to a moment of weakness in their mind is never an answer or solution. Children have to be pushed past their physical, mental & even emotional boundaries to grow. If you as their parent aren't willing to do this, we as their coach will only get so far in the process. Using a Childs "Label" against them as an excuse for behavior, or abilities should never be accepted or OK. If you use the excuse even once you are undermining them and showing them that its ok to give up or quit because they have a Label. That is not the mentality we accept at Champion, being a gymnast or an athlete is about breaking the barriers set before you, exceeding the limits and proving yourself every day. We know beyond a shadow of a doubt that kids if not permitted to give in to fear, doubt, emotion, or uncertainties can achieve things they never imagined they could. You their parents, like our coaches have to be willing to be strong for them and be the voice of reason & tell them they CAN, & it's NOT ok to give up ever.
Children with physical weight issues, are NOT an exception. As a child I had weight issues and not the right body type for gymnastics. I have coached students large & small, and have found that size never matters to the individual success of a child in gymnastics, it is however, how hard they work. That said, I must caution a parent about enrolling your child in gymnastics if the goal is "for them to loose weight.' sounds crazy but several times a year parents will call and say "I need to get my child into something so they can loose weight." most of the time these kids are fine and there isn't an issue. Occasionally there are times when a child has more of an issue then gymnastics can help with. All kids can learn gymnastics "YES!" but event the simple things like rolls or supporting their bodies up on apparatus can be tremendously difficult. Injury from falls are increased when a child has extreme weight issues. We want everyone to benefit from gymnastics in their life, but if your only goal as their parent is for them to "loose weight" their are safer ways to start. {suggested activities in this case would be: swimming, playing tag with friends or family, going for walks, riding bikes & fun simple cardio activities} We hope to see your child in the Gymnastics program as soon as they reach your goal of weight control. If your ever unsure Please give us a call & schedule a Trial class or Private lesson ($20) we will be happy to work with your child to see if gymnastics is the fit your looking for.
What age do you start gymnastics?
Many gymnastics program start children at 18mos & up. At Champion we offer preschool gymnastics for 18mos-4yrs but just because your child is of age does not mean they are ready for class. In our preschool classes students will learn basic movements & skills for gymnastics, but they will also learn how to follow instructions, sit & wait their turn, and how to treat other children properly. Every child can absolutely benefit from classes here at Champion, but some kids may pick up what's taught in class right away, some may take more time to get into the groove, and that's ok. Preschool classes allow a parent to assist children (if needed) that have difficulty staying with class or following the teachers instructions. This is when we find out if your kid is ready for gymnastics, its not because the child might cry or not understand what their being asked but more if you the parent can handle their potential outburst or difficulty in class. We have been doing this for quite some time & we have seen it all, we know kids will have bad days & cry at times, we know they will not always want to do what they are being asked, in time they come around. What guarantees that a child is not ready is if you, their parent, cannot handle their behavior. If you feel embarrassed by their tantrum, or if you don't parent their outburst effectively and let their drama go on, it will only continue. It takes firm consistency for a child to break bad habits and a new experience can often be overwhelming for anyone. Kids need positive encouragement & their coach can help but the parent needs to not feel embarrassment. Yes if a kid cries it's ok to take them from class for a minute, but they should come back & try. Giving up is never a solution to a problem, especially if it just new or different.