Tell me about college club gym/naigc

[gymnastgets10]

I hope this is the right forum for this. Anyway, I'm a junior and starting to look at colleges. A couple of the ones I'm looking at don't having any gymnastics (div i, ii, iii, or club), and I'm trying to decide how big of a factor that should be - I really can't see myself without some kind of gymnastics. I love going to local college meets and I think that might be something I'd miss. And I think I would like to be on a club team if possible. I should be about level 9 skill level when I graduate, which I think is where you need to be for NAIGC, but I don't really know anything else about it. Can anyone tell me more? If you've been on a college club team, how did you like it? What was the atmosphere like? (I'm guessing really laid back???) Where did you practice? Did you have coaches that could spot? What were meets like? Would you have regretted it if you had gone somewhere that didn't have a club team? Anything else I should know? Thanks in advance for any answers!

 

[Tumblequeensmom]

This is a great opportunity for those who go to college w/o a gymnastics scholarship. It is a low pressure environment, more fun, yet you still get to compete. Each college runs their club a little bit differently, and of course the make up of the team depends on which girls participate. The skill level can be all over the place as well. Some teams have girls who don't have any gymnastics experience all the way up to L10's. Anyway, here is a great website for more information:

NAIGC

 

[bookworm]

We have a friend who loved gymnastics too but went to a school without any type of a team so to fill the void ,she coaches at a local rec gym..and loves it! Keeps her involved in the sport while not actually being on a team. SOmething to consider as well...

 

[gymnastgets10]

Thanks TQM! That website was helpful - I think I've seen it before but I dug a little deeper this time. Looks like I could start a team if enough people are interested.

Bookworm, I've thought about that before and I really would like to coach in college... problem is, I don't think I'm going to have a car at that point, which complicates things. But thanks!

If anyone has any other info - and especially if you've been on a club team yourself - please post!

 

[Tumblequeensmom]

Here is some video from 2010 NAIGC Nationals: Enjoy! URI Gymnastics at NAIGC National Championships - YouTube

 

[BlairBob]

I actually know the treasurer and the president and another member on the board (2 of them work out at Berkeley's collegiate club). I bumped into NAIGC since UCDavis came to our gym to workout in the summer (since one of our coaches was on the team).

NAIGC is way bigger back east. There are more clubs there that are more serious in their competitions as they have athletes that used to be higher levels and more of them.

Some clubs can afford coaches. Sometimes they get to workout at their college gyms but sometimes they just rent gym space from a local gymnastics club.

Cal had workouts 5d/week from 830-11PM. Some clubs only get to work out 2-3x/week.

Meet fees are cheap. Like 20 bucks. Many clubs fundraise to pay for their meet fees, and trips to Nationals, etc

The atmosphere can be pretty lax. Some clubs can allow for members on their team who don't go to their college. The girl's music selection was typically pretty lame. Sometimes I would spot or help them out

Club was the right price for me, as in free because I coached through Golden Bear Gymnastics which is under UC Recreational Sports where the club also worked out.

Meets are pretty fun. Sometimes they have dinner together afterwards or a sort of potluck.

They also have a Facebook.