Students 'Inspired' to be like Olympians
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha and Caitlin Ryan-
For a group of young ladies taking part in a summer gymnastics camp at Inspire Training Center in Winchester, they not only are learning the basics of the sport, but they are watching the best in the world perfect the sport in front of millions as they watch the USA gold medalist Olympic team.
Becki Crum, owner of Inspire Training Center, hosted a gymnastics camp during the week of July 30, with a group of girls ages 6-10 and a mini tumblers class of boys and girls ages 3-4. The girls in the camp said they have been watching the 30th Summer Olympics as the women on Team USA have been competing on the world stage this week.
The women of Team USA (Jordyn Wieber, Aly Raisman, Gabby Douglas, Kyla Ross and McKayla Maroney) won the team gold medal this week, the first time Team USA has accomplished that feat since 1996 and the second women's gymnastics team from the United States to win team gold.
When asked what their favorite events were in the Olympic gymnastic competitions, each girl had a different answer.
"I like the uneven bars," Sophie said.
"I like to watch them on the balance beam," Danielle said.
Crum grew up watching the Olympics as a child as well, as she said the gymnast she looked up to was Mary Lou Retton, a gold medalist in the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.
"Mary Lou Retton was the one we all looked up to. She was the one we were all looking to be like," Crum said. "I started gymnastics around 1985, 1986.
"Primarily, I was self-taught in gymnastics and then competed in cheerleading through high school."
Before opening her first gym, Crum coached gymnastics when she was in high school and college. While in college, Crum worked with Mary Lee Tracy, a USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame coach who has coached numerous Team USA competitors over the years, including two Olympians from the '96 team.
"When I was in college, I taught for Mary Lee Tracy at Cincinnati Gymnastics Academy, and she was actually the coach of two Olympic team members in 1996 with the gold medal Olympic team," Crum said. "I was coaching in the facility when Amanda Borden and Jaycie Phelps were there training under Mary Lee."
Crum opened her first gym in January 1994, and since then her philosophy on the sport has been, "It doesn't matter if you are a girl or a boy, the benefits you can get from as little as a month up to years of gymnastics training can make a huge impact for years on your ability in other sports."
"It's a sport that benefits all other sports," Crum said. "For example, if you concentrate on basketball, basketball won't necessarily help you with your soccer skills, whereas gymnastics can help you with any sport."
Since opening her first gym, Crum's students have had great success, and she talked about what some of the Olympians go through to actually reach the Olympics and how what is learned from gymnastics can be used throughout a lifetime.
"I've coached two national trampoline champions," Crum said. "We look to help each child reach their individual goals, whether it be to turn a cartwheel or go to the Olympics. Our focus is to keep it a safe and fun environment for them to reach those goals."
Crum emphasized that while the gymnasts competing at the Olympics may make the sport look easy, the young women competing are there after years of almost constant dedication and work, which not everyone will be willing or able to do.
"The Olympic gymnasts are in the gym so much, some of them are actually homeschooled in the gym," Crum said. "Their level of dedication … it's not really typical that they would be that dedicated in this area. We do what we can to help our students reach their goals, whatever they are.
"The main thing we want kids to learn is they can set and achieve goals in any area of their life, not just gymnastics."
Throughout the camp, Crum gives positive feedback to the girls, with practices that are full of forward rolls, jumping, bridges, flips and cartwheels. The instruction is given in a positive atmosphere for the girls who are learning the basics of the sport.
The girls at the gymnastics camp said that they have been learning aspects of gymnastics all week, and hope to someday learn as much as their heroines at the Summer Olympics. Of course, some things can be difficult to learn at first for these budding gymnasts.
"I'm trying to do backward rolls, but it's hard," Ava said. "I go sideways."
Danielle said that she is working on back handsprings, and Scarlett said that she is trying to improve her cartwheels.
Crum also spoke about how her students can achieve their goals no matter their skill level.
"We start out from the very basic beginner forward rolls, and the level of difficulty they achieve is the direct result of time spent in the gym," Crum said.
"All their goals when they come are different. Most want to learn a cartwheel or a back handspring."
Fall registration for Inspire Training Center's classes will be held Aug. 18 from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., with classes beginning Aug. 27. A wide range of gymnastics classes for ages 18 months and up, as well as cheerleading for ages 4 and up, are offered based on age, level and experience. For more information, visit www.inspiretc.com or call Crum at (937) 402-6050.[[In-content Ad]]
Becki Crum, owner of Inspire Training Center, hosted a gymnastics camp during the week of July 30, with a group of girls ages 6-10 and a mini tumblers class of boys and girls ages 3-4. The girls in the camp said they have been watching the 30th Summer Olympics as the women on Team USA have been competing on the world stage this week.
The women of Team USA (Jordyn Wieber, Aly Raisman, Gabby Douglas, Kyla Ross and McKayla Maroney) won the team gold medal this week, the first time Team USA has accomplished that feat since 1996 and the second women's gymnastics team from the United States to win team gold.
When asked what their favorite events were in the Olympic gymnastic competitions, each girl had a different answer.
"I like the uneven bars," Sophie said.
"I like to watch them on the balance beam," Danielle said.
Crum grew up watching the Olympics as a child as well, as she said the gymnast she looked up to was Mary Lou Retton, a gold medalist in the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.
"Mary Lou Retton was the one we all looked up to. She was the one we were all looking to be like," Crum said. "I started gymnastics around 1985, 1986.
"Primarily, I was self-taught in gymnastics and then competed in cheerleading through high school."
Before opening her first gym, Crum coached gymnastics when she was in high school and college. While in college, Crum worked with Mary Lee Tracy, a USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame coach who has coached numerous Team USA competitors over the years, including two Olympians from the '96 team.
"When I was in college, I taught for Mary Lee Tracy at Cincinnati Gymnastics Academy, and she was actually the coach of two Olympic team members in 1996 with the gold medal Olympic team," Crum said. "I was coaching in the facility when Amanda Borden and Jaycie Phelps were there training under Mary Lee."
Crum opened her first gym in January 1994, and since then her philosophy on the sport has been, "It doesn't matter if you are a girl or a boy, the benefits you can get from as little as a month up to years of gymnastics training can make a huge impact for years on your ability in other sports."
"It's a sport that benefits all other sports," Crum said. "For example, if you concentrate on basketball, basketball won't necessarily help you with your soccer skills, whereas gymnastics can help you with any sport."
Since opening her first gym, Crum's students have had great success, and she talked about what some of the Olympians go through to actually reach the Olympics and how what is learned from gymnastics can be used throughout a lifetime.
"I've coached two national trampoline champions," Crum said. "We look to help each child reach their individual goals, whether it be to turn a cartwheel or go to the Olympics. Our focus is to keep it a safe and fun environment for them to reach those goals."
Crum emphasized that while the gymnasts competing at the Olympics may make the sport look easy, the young women competing are there after years of almost constant dedication and work, which not everyone will be willing or able to do.
"The Olympic gymnasts are in the gym so much, some of them are actually homeschooled in the gym," Crum said. "Their level of dedication … it's not really typical that they would be that dedicated in this area. We do what we can to help our students reach their goals, whatever they are.
"The main thing we want kids to learn is they can set and achieve goals in any area of their life, not just gymnastics."
Throughout the camp, Crum gives positive feedback to the girls, with practices that are full of forward rolls, jumping, bridges, flips and cartwheels. The instruction is given in a positive atmosphere for the girls who are learning the basics of the sport.
The girls at the gymnastics camp said that they have been learning aspects of gymnastics all week, and hope to someday learn as much as their heroines at the Summer Olympics. Of course, some things can be difficult to learn at first for these budding gymnasts.
"I'm trying to do backward rolls, but it's hard," Ava said. "I go sideways."
Danielle said that she is working on back handsprings, and Scarlett said that she is trying to improve her cartwheels.
Crum also spoke about how her students can achieve their goals no matter their skill level.
"We start out from the very basic beginner forward rolls, and the level of difficulty they achieve is the direct result of time spent in the gym," Crum said.
"All their goals when they come are different. Most want to learn a cartwheel or a back handspring."
Fall registration for Inspire Training Center's classes will be held Aug. 18 from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., with classes beginning Aug. 27. A wide range of gymnastics classes for ages 18 months and up, as well as cheerleading for ages 4 and up, are offered based on age, level and experience. For more information, visit www.inspiretc.com or call Crum at (937) 402-6050.[[In-content Ad]]