As we approach the end of the second year of the regional development squad we have been reviewing the progress achieved so far and considering how to become more effective in working towards the objectives we set. Those objectives were:
We believe that, although the ball has ‘started to roll’, the process needs to be refined and become more accurately targeted towards high achievement. Regardless of criteria, at a minimum, squad sessions will always remain open to the attendance of ANY COACH in the region to further their knowledge and development.
Starting on Sunday 25th May, the squad will be split according to age in order to focus more directly on the appropriate stage of gymnast development and ensure that the younger gymnasts (age groups under 13 and below) begin their careers on the correct technical path. It is clear that the existing squad members (under 17 years) have made significant technical progress and we want to maintain this momentum, but most of these older gymnasts would have benefited even more from an earlier introduction.
It will be difficult to set out specific selection criteria for each age group, but the older group will be based on criteria similar to those adopted in the past. The younger group will be assessed initially on a combination of factors:
Of course the most important criterion will be an obvious desire to ‘do what it takes’ to achieve excellence, because physical talent on its own is never enough.
As always, we may need to modify criteria slightly from time-to-time as circumstances dictate.
Venue: | Courage Hall, Brentwood |
Times: | 9.00 am to 11.50 am Junior Squad 12:10 pm to 3.00 pm Youth Squad |
Numbers: | We expect numbers at each squad to be lower ensuring greater opportunity and bed choice. |
Cost: | £12.00 per gymnast. |
Jack Kelly & Paul Kitchen – squad@trampoline-east.org
Despite having a number of regular attendees at squad missing, we have found ourselves oversubscribed for the next development squad on March 23rd. This means that, unfortunately, we are unable to meet all the requests for wildcards. Since the purposes of the squad are to promote excellence we have decided to select the wildcards who have shown the best form results in recent competitions and, accordingly, the squad list is as follows:
After the last squad we set up a short on-line survey and asked those attending to respond to a range of questions intended to inform the Squad Coaches on how squads are (i) being received and (ii) could be improved.
Both coaches and gymnasts were asked to respond, in total 13 of 28 gymnasts did so, and 9 of approximately 15 coaches (excluding those related to the squad and its operation) – so approximately 50%. The summary results are:
Questions | Options | Coach | Gymnast |
---|---|---|---|
Responses by: | 9 | 13 | |
Have the squad sessions helped you to make changes? | Yes | 8 | 13 |
No | 1 | 0 | |
Which area of approach has been affected? | Attitude | 2 | 7 |
Technique | 6 | 7 | |
Training Method | 7 | 11 | |
Skipped question | 1 | 0 | |
What has changed? | Text responses | 8 | 12 |
Skipped question | 1 | 1 | |
Do you believe the change is sustainable? | Yes | 8 | 12 |
No | 0 | 0 | |
Skipped question | 1 | 1 | |
Please suggest improvements | Text responses | 6 | 7 |
Skipped question | 3 | 6 | |
Name | Given | 6 | 9 |
Not given | 3 | 4 | |
Club | Given | 6 | 9 |
Not given | 3 | 4 |
Some written responses to specific questions (summarized/truncated in some cases) are:
Question: | Coaches | Gymnasts |
---|---|---|
What has changed? | More attention to basics, technical criteria at an earlier development stage. More emphasis on lower grade coaches within the club to adhere to these principals.Changes to the organisation of club squad sessions.Insisting not just on good technique, but aiming towards excellence. We use drills every session now with the whole club.Hoping to introduce the perpetual training to some of our sessions.
Adding conditioning to the circuit also more work on the control of jumping. I will use more of Jack’s drills/exercises with all my club classes (I already used some from reading his articles on the Brentwood website but it’s much better so see them for real!) After last Sunday I will be putting even more emphasis on balance than before too. [truncated] I believe that my training method and technique has changed in small ways, helped by picking up information from the higher level coaches around at the squad sessions. After both the squad sessions I have attended, I have come away feeling inspired and wanting to put into place things I have learnt. Very focused on take-offs now – what is happening in the bed as much as what happens in the air. Introduced the perpetual motion concept for our elite gymnasts which seems to be working well.
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The coach has improved our warm up session by including the warm ups we did on Sunday. We now use training diaries on a regular basis. The squad training has helped me focus more on my technique and it makes me want to improve myself as much as I can.At the training we did the perpetual motion system that kept me busy in between goes. The log books have been helpful cos I could write down what I’ve done and what I need to improve on. So at the next training sessions I know what I need to think about.Direction and the ability to control my take off into moves.I do drills, which I learnt from squad, every training session and this has improved the accuracy of my straight bouncing.
Use of Perpetual Motion at clubs squad sessions. Warm ups have become more focused on straight bouncing and control rather than doing what we want, I find it useful because I have a better idea of how to prepare for the session. I have started to use the perpetual motion hour rota and it’s made me work harder. We are using more drills in our warm up and they are improving. The squad sessions have helped me focus more on my moves and where my body should actually be on certain moves. I liked the way that even our basic moves were shown how to perform better, I loved seeing the really good trampolinists and feel inspired to be able to do the same skills and moves as them Thinking about the best way to bounce, positioning of arms. I now know what I want out of my training and it all ha a purpose also it’s good seeing other gymnasts that want the same thing I think my attitude towards trampolining has changed, and towards what I want to do. Also, I think I have improved some of my moves and I liked doing the Perpetual Motion Hour as a training method |
Please suggest improvements | More written handouts to take back to clubs to ensure nothing is forgotten and all the information gets handed on.Introduce other HPC coaches into the delivery team and encourage club coaches to bring other coaches from their club to support their own performers so they can circulate either with jack and Paul or just to listen in to other coaches for a spread of ideas.I can’t fault how the day is run! Well organised, useful and appropriate coach feedback. I think 4 per bed is an ideal number. I think that selection should be made from top end D’s and all C’s. As our coaching improves the ages should naturally get younger. Having wild cards is a must in order to ‘raise the game’ as a region.Nothing yet has changed though I have taken away ideas for further thought before making a change, holding for an alternative reference or discarding. There are changes I would like to make, as in better use of time between goes. Though this will be a very hard thing to change as teaching older jumpers who have become set in their ways. Will try and see how it goes. There seemed to be a large range of ability and the numbers I thought were also on the high side. [Truncated]
The squad sessions are good as they are they differ each time we come which allows us to take back to our club different things each time , I know that all our gymnasts have loved the sessions and found them helpful. That’s difficult as I thought the whole day was brilliant and really useful! The only thing is personally I would like to be able to bring more of my trampolinists to have input from the squad coaches rather than just 1, as it was really hard to choose 1 & they would all benefit, but I can see that’s not really viable. Alternatively is there any way a squad coach could possibly come to my club and do a 1 off session for all my competition squad children (& all my coaches)?? |
There were quite a lot of interruptions which sometimes made it difficult to focus.There are no improvements that could be made in my opinion.I think it would be more useful if we spent less time working on basic things such as straight jumping and maybe just give a note about it to coaches during the session as it is hard to keep focused doing things like this. Additionally last squad session I think there were slightly too many people there as when there is 5 people on a trampoline you didn’t get a chance to do a lot. But overall it is a useful session especially in terms of coaching points.I would like it if I got some advice from other coaches from different clubs.
One of our coaches was involved in the squad, we didn’t get enough coaching time. [Truncated] I just hope that I will be able to keep coming even though I’m not a grade C and because I learnt so much there. I like the way they are done now I’ve been to them since they started and enjoyed each one. |
We would like to thank all those of you who took the time to respond and to assure you that in planning the upcoming squad, we will be conscious of the comments and trying to take them into account as much as is feasible. The questionnaire is now closed to further responses, a new one will be opened after the next squad.
Trampoline-East is pleased to announce the formation of a new DMT development squad for 2014. The first of a number of squad days will be held on Sunday 18th May, at Hitchin Boy’s School Sports Centre from 10am – 3pm.
Clubs are invited to nominate gymnasts who meet the minimum eligibility criteria set out below. Nominations should be sent to the Squad Director, Phil Dodson at dmtsquad@trampoline-east.org by Sunday 4th May.
There are 24 places available, and these will be allocated by the Squad Director once all nominations have been received.
When nominating please include the following information:
Selected gymnasts are to be accompanied by a coach who is aware of their current training programme. There is an open invitation for any coach who wishes to attend for the purpose of mentoring. The cost to each attending gymnast will be £15, which will be collected by Phil on the day.
Eligibility Criteria
There are no age restrictions.
Eligibility criteria will be reviewed after the first squad.
Following issue of revised criteria recently Jack & Paul are pleased to confirm the following successful squad applicants for the 9th February 2014 Squad session:
* All gymnasts should bring their current training diaries and a pen to the squad session on Sunday 9th February. Anyone without a training diary should bring a suitable notebook as this will be required during the session.
The squad will commence at 10am on 9th February and finish around 3pm, catering is normally limited to vending machines so you are advised to bring refreshments with you, we normally take a 45 minute lunch break in the middle of the session.
The squad fee remains set at £15 payable on the day to Dave please. Can you please confirm your intent on attending as soon as possible since there are other wild card opportunities we could still consider if you are not able to attend.
Please note all performers should be fit enough to cope with the length of the session and accompanied by a coach familiar with their current work.
The squad director & coach have been considering the large numbers who became eligible for the last squad. In this light, they have tried to find a way of ensuring a manageable squad whilst trying to provide the broadest possible scope for all clubs in the region to participate. For this reason the following criteria will be applied to the February squad although, following that, may be reviewed further.
In addition it has been decided that in line with the policy to include a coach education element during squad sessions, any club in the region affiliated to the ECGA and not already represented (as above), may send one coach and one gymnast (the gymnast’s standard to be determined by the club in question). Please be sure to notify the names of gymnast and coach by the closing date above.
If places on the squad session remain available after applying the above criteria, the Regional Squad Coach will invite appropriate ‘wild card’ gymnasts.
Jack Kelly has just confirmed the following schedule for the January 2014 squad this weekend (although please note that the hall booking is only until 3pm so this schedule will be time-adjusted accordingly – please arrange pickups for 3pm):
It should be noted that periodic light snacking can also take place during the morning session without interruption to training.
All squad members must be accompanied by a coach who is used to working with them and we extend an open invitation to any qualified coach wishing to attend for the purpose of expanding their knowledge and understanding of Trampoline Gymnastics.
The following are confirmed attendees, please advise us if any are no longer able to attend:
The first East Region Squad session for 2014 will be held at Brentwood on 12th January starting at 10am. Eligible gymnasts will be under 17 and qualified at Regional D, Nat C and Nat B using 2013 criteria, if you have such gymnasts please nominate them (with relevant details) by email to squad@trampoline-east.org as soon as possible.
There will be a maximum of 24 places on the squad but if the number of applicants exceeds availability then an assessment process will take place during the first squad session. In order to identify the gymnasts most likely to obtain long term benefit from squad membership, the following squad criteria will be broadly applied.
It must be stressed that these criteria will only be required if numbers of applicants exceed available spaces.
Like last year, all coaches within the region, whether or not they have a gymnast on the squad, are invited to attend squad training as part of their continuing coach development. We hope there will a be a significant response to this invitation as one of the squad aims is to raise coaching standards in addition to the level of gymnast performance.
Jack Kelly & Paul Kitchen
December 2013
Paul & Jack have established the following provisional dates for regional squad 2014, selection criteria to follow soon.
Remember that these days are at least as much about developing coach skills as they are performers, so even if you don’t think you will have eligible performers please do put the dates in your diaries.
At Sunday’s meeting of clubs following our Trampoline East AGM, we had a long and serious debate about the current competition structure, how and why it evolved, and how the structure now being mandated by BG contrasts with it. (Webmaster note – discussion documents & minutes are available on this site – click this link).
The debate looked into the possible effects of the new structure, the lack of certainty about certain elements (such as how an arm-set would be judged), and the potentially serious effect it might have on retention, safety and welfare. We were particularly grateful to Sue Lawton who took the trouble to travel from Berkshire to be with us.
From the way the debate progressed it was clear that there was a strong consensus view that the current structure allows for a more measured development of individuals than the proposed structure. Having said that, it was also acknowledged that our ‘Elite’ performers need to have a competitive pathway open to them for possibility of national representation.
At the end of the debate we considered the following options:
Following a vote in which each club had one vote the results were:
Option 1 | No votes |
Option 2 | 13 votes (voters for this would switch to option 3 if for some reason the Trampoline-East committee found option 2 unimplementable) |
Option 3 | 5 votes (voters for this would switch to option 2 if for some reason the Trampoline-East committee found option 3 unimplementable) |
Option 4 | No votes (but only on the basis that the clubs felt that a pathway to the BG galas/nationals had to be left in place given that BG are intent on implementing their structure regardless of reasoned opposition to it, not because anyone thought the proposed structure had merit). |
It was debated and understood that the voted for option 2 would mean Eastern Region would not be able to take part in the Regional Finals.
Agenda, reports & discussion documents relating to the upcoming Regional AGM and, probably most importantly, Competition Structure meeting are now available to view at http://trampoline-east.org/committee/minutes/.
All clubs, and interested parties are welcome to attend the meeting taking place at Sawston Sports Centre, New Road, Cambridge, CB22 3BP. Please forewarn us if you intend coming by email to:
If you have opinions this is the time to express them, silence or apathy is the enemy of fair play!