Judging Course Acrobatic Gymnastics 1st in Canada

Sitting Front (l-r) Suren Torosyants, Sarah Thomas, Valere Binet, Don Holmes

Standing (l-r): Nancy Carss, Debbie D’Sousza, Amanda George, Suzie Owen, Jane Kirwan, Marissa Balogh, Jackie Wald, Anastasiya Torosyants, Tony Baker, Jackie Patrick, Joe Pacheco, Sandra Baker

On October 29^th and 30^th Gymnastics Ontario hosted the first ever Acrobatic Gymnastics Judging course in Canada.   With 14 participants completing the course we now have a great base of judges to put to the test during this year’s Acro competitions.  With two qualifiers and a Provincial Championships our new judges will have ample opportunity to perfect their eye for detail and delivery of scores.

Sarah Thomas and Valere Binet from USA Gymnastics Federation flew in from Annapolis, Maryland to instruct our group of enthusiastic new judges on the ins and outs of judging acrobatics.  Sarah is also a coach at 1^st Class Gymnastics Club where she heads a program of 50 acrobatic gymnasts and Valere is an USAG Judge for Acrobatic Gymnastics formerly from Belgium.  Thank you to this dynamic duo for educating our group on how to be top judges.  

Thank you to Sarah and Valere as well as the USA Gymnastics Federation for the help and support we have received for this course and over the past several years as we have been developing Acrobatic Gymnastics in our Province. 

Good luck to all of our new judges and we look forward to smooth adjudication throughout the 2011/2012 Acrobatic Gymnastic season. 

Acro Video of the Month October 2011

This month's video is of the Chinese Men's 4 from the 2009 World Games.  The Chinese men always have an interesting and unique performance.  I love the human trapeze portion of the routine.  Follow the link.  

http://www.youtube.com/user/donaldarchieholmes#p/a/u/0/rcr2fawDxgc

Acrobatic Gymnastics Pic of the Month October 2011

Great action shot.  

Acro Skill Series of the Month October 2011

This skill series shows several photos taken during the Gymnastics Ontario Coaching Congress.  Simple low level acro elements that can be put together to make the Level 4 Men's 4 balance pyramid.

You can also throw a coach in the mix if need to add some flare.

Acro Video of the Month Sept 2011

This time the video of the month is not perfect.  I wanted to show that sometimes an element may fall or not be caught.  Here are the Muldovan Junior (12-19) Men's four performing their dynamic routine from the 2010 World Age Group Championships in Wroclaw, Poland.

http://www.youtube.com/user/donaldarchieholmes#p/a/u/0/_0qMcvot694

Acro Skill Series of the Month Sept 2011

Here is more hand to feet stuff but its so important.

 Let's start with how to hold the feet.  

A pic from the front and the back.

Note that the base has his eyes closed. 

Then both the base and the top have their eyes closed.

Important to just feel the balance.

Toe pitch to holding facing forward with a full turn just to mix it up.

Acrobatic Gymnastics Pic of the Month September 2011

This months Acrobatic Gymnastics picture of the month is the world famous Ed Upcott from the UK.  A multiple world champion in Men's Pairs acrobatics but also a high flying member of the Spellbound troop that won the a previous season of Britain's Got Talent.  Ed's handstands are technically great and his attention to form is something any acro top can aspire to.

Acro Video of the Month August 2011

Here is the Russian Level 12-19 Women's Trio from the 2010 World Age Group Championships for Acrobatic Gymnastics in Wroclaw, Poland.


Follow the link.


http://www.youtube.com/user/donaldarchieholmes#p/a/u/0/uTEed7GM9bs 


The trio is very flashy in this balance routine.  It's one of my favourites.  Hope you like it.

Acro Skill Series of the Month Aug 2011

Hands to feet is a common starting point and an important basic to learn.  Here are some simple starting point skills for both the top and the base to get comfortable with working together.  Really simple stuff, I know but basics, basics, basics just like in any gymnastics discipline.

So some basic stepping up and down.

Some squat jumps ups.  Some stationary squats for balance checking.

Some transferring of weight from side to side more difficult for the base.

Thank you to the my Portuguese friends.  All photos from the FIG Level 3 Coaching Academy in Lisbon.

Acrobatic Gymnastics Pic of the Month August 2011

Okay so I'm behind again with the Pictures, Videos and Skill Series of the month.  Don't worry.  I will get caught up.


Here is a cute picture of the Oakville Gymnastics Club's Summer Gymnastics Camp.  Each week of summer camp has a theme and during 'Circus Week' all of the recreational classes got to try some Acrobatic Gymnastics.  The OGC Elite Acro group lead the recreational classes through some of the simple acrobatic gymnastics skills.  This was a great way to incorporate acro into a summer camp.   This is what Gymnastics Ontario is all about, participation and integration of acrobatic gymnastics at the grass roots level, making it accessible to all.  Well done OGC.  The face paint just makes it all that much more fun.