Policies

House Team Policies

• Absences must be reported in advance to Erin Hunter at Ehunter1011@gmail.com 
• If your child is going home with anyone other than her parent or guardian, a note from the parent must be presented to the coaches. If they must leave early from practice, a note must also be presented to their coaches.
• Recurring absences/vacations taken prior to a meet/prolonged sickness will determine whether or not your child participates in a competition. If your child is absent from practice the week before a competition, there is a possibility she may be scratched from that weekend’s meet. 
• Level movement is at the discretion of the Head coach. All questions pertaining to level requirements and skills must be addressed to Erin Hunter. 
• House team participants are expected to compete in the majority of meets presented on the meet schedule and attend the practices outlined on the workout schedule. Every effort will be made to help HS gymnasts juggle both schedules. New gymnast mid season team tryouts involving possible team participation and any other changes to our policies are at the discretion of the gymnastics director. 
• Make up days are at the discretion of the coaching staff only
• Please respect the decisions of the coaching staff – They are experienced professionals
• Parental support of your gymnast is essential. Only words of encouragement and positive remarks will help reinforce your child’s self-esteem and confidence. Pressuring your child to perform better or comparing your child’s progress to other athletes; will NOT be tolerated. Each child progresses at her own rate and this must be recognized and respected by parents.
• As in any competitive sport, nutrition is a major contributor to a gymnast’s performance. Eating healthy will affect greatly an athlete’s mental and physical well being, not only in the competitive arena but in the arena of life. As a parent, please help us instill these valuable principles.  For tips on healthy food choices, please consult a certified nutritionist.  You can also refer to the following websites:
• Hughston Health Alert
• Healthline
• Communication is essential in promoting a healthy gym environment. We encourage you to address any concerns you may have as soon as possible. Please feel free to set up a meeting with one of our coaches before or after practice. 

Travel Team Policies

• Absences must be reported in advance to Vladimir Kovalenko.  Please email Vladimir at vladimirandValentina@hotmail.com
• Or contact the gym after 3:45 pm at 203-655-4584.
• If your child is going home with anyone other than her parent or guardian, a note from the parent must be presented to the coaches. If they must leave early from practice, a note must also be presented to their coaches.
• Recurring absences/vacations taken prior to a meet/prolonged sickness will determine whether or not your child participates in a competition. If your child is absent from practice the week before a competition, she will not attend that weekend’s meet. Please do not make vacation plans until the competition schedule has been announced. 
• Travel team participants are expected to compete in all mandatory meets presented on the meet schedule and attend the practices outlined on the workout schedule. Every effort will be made to help HS gymnasts juggle both schedules. A one on one meeting with the director is required. New gymnast mid season team tryouts involving possible team participation and any other changes to our policies are at the discretion of the gymnastics director. 
• Please respect the decisions of the coaching staff – They are experienced professionals
• Parental support of your gymnast is essential. Only words of encouragement and positive remarks will help reinforce your child’s self-esteem and confidence. Pressuring your child to perform better or comparing your child’s progress to other athletes; will NOT be tolerated. Each child progresses at her own rate and this must be recognized and respected by parents.
• Understand that the specific mission of the Darien Y is to develop happy, healthy, and confident young people.  One way in which we can help meet this demanding goal, is to place the gymnasts at the level where they can be happy, safe and confident. Mobility through the levels can only be achieved when a high level of proficiency has been demonstrated at the current level, and the potential for a high level of proficiency in the next level is apparent.  This means that a gymnast is never declared having moved to the next level until ALL of the requirements for that level have been achieved. 
• Mobility through the levels takes place at the full discretion of the Team staff and Head Coach. As stated by USA Gymnastics, the following guidelines and requirements must be met for level advancement. 

• In order to advance to the next level, an athlete must have completed at least one full competitive season with a high level of proficiency (e.g. season AA average at or above 36.00 or a score of 36.00 or higher in a Championship Competition).  Additionally, the athlete must be able to master all of the skills necessary for the current level. To see a list of skills for each level, please consult with one of the coaches.
• As in any competitive sport, nutrition is a major contributor to a gymnast’s performance. Eating healthy will affect greatly an athlete’s mental and physical well being, not only in the competitive arena but in the arena of life. As a parent, please help us instill these valuable principles.  For tips on healthy food choices, please consult a certified nutritionist.  You can also refer to the following websites:
• Hughston Health Alert
• Healthline
• Communication is essential in promoting a healthy gym environment. We encourage you to address any concerns you may have as soon as possible. Please feel free to set up a meeting with one of our coaches before or after practice. 
• Make up days are at the discretion of the coaching staff only