Onsite registration will be available at any time during Congress registration hours. Want to save time in line? Click here to access the onsite registration form. Complete and bring it with you to the congress registration table. Credit cards or checks are accepted for payment.
Visit the National Trade Show Hall to chat with vendors and check out the latest products and services in the industry, including equipment, apparel, technology, and more!
This 4.5-hour interactive workshop is designed for club owners, directors, senior staff and emerging leaders ready to elevate their impact. Led by experienced industry leaders, this session blends guided discussion, shared insights, and practical application. Together, you’ll explore how leadership shows up in real-world environments, beyond day-to-day operations and into the decisions, communication, and pressures that truly shape an organization. Participants will leave with actionable tools they can put to work immediately, a broader perspective on how peers are navigating similar challenges, and meaningful connections built through shared experience.
The workshop is structured into 3 parts:
Join USAG President & CEO Kyle Albrecht for his welcome address at his first National Congress & Trade Show.
Kyle will share his vision for the future of USA Gymnastics, discuss key priorities on the road to the 2028 Olympic Games, and highlight how we’re continuing to strengthen and support the grassroots gymnastics community.
Don’t miss this opportunity to hear directly from Kyle as he shares the exciting future of USA Gymnastics.
Please join us for the reception on Thursday, August 6, at 5:30 p.m. in Trade Show Hall, located in Exhibit Hall E of the Phoenix Convention Center. Light refreshments will be served.
Presented by Positive Coaching Alliance, this FREE workshop gives coaches practical strategies to handle challenging behaviors, strengthen team culture, and create practices where athletes can thrive. Instead of viewing disruptions or lack of focus as simple attitude problems, coaches will learn how behavior can be a form of communication – and how to respond in ways that build connection, accountability, and growth. Participants will leave with tools to manage tough moments with clarity and consistency, design more engaging and inclusive practices, and foster stronger relationships that lead to better athlete engagement and long-term team success.
This Course is FREE to National Congress Registrants!
Space is limited! Click Here to Register!
No sessions match the selected Tracks for this day.
Onsite registration will be available at any time during Congress registration hours. Want to save time in line? Click here to access the onsite registration form. Complete and bring it with you to the congress registration table. Credit cards or checks are accepted for payment.
Visit the National Trade Show Hall to chat with vendors and check out the latest products and services in the industry, including equipment, apparel, technology, and more!
Need a moment to recharge? Step away from the hustle of Congress and into a space designed just for you. We invite you to visit the Meditation Room in Room 230 — a tranquil retreat where you can take a break, slow down, and reconnect with yourself.
This calming environment features dim lighting, gentle, soothing music, and yoga mats for stretching, meditation, or quiet rest. Whether you need a few deep breaths between sessions or a longer moment to reflect and restore, the Meditation Room offers a peaceful atmosphere to support your mental clarity and emotional well-being. Because sometimes the most productive thing you can do is pause.
This offering is part of the Balance wellness initiative for gymnastics professionals. Click here to learn more.
Chat with a licensed physical therapist and learn about injury prevention, recovery, and self-care strategies – plus try out recovery tools and wellness gear designed to help you stay strong, healthy, and pain-free.
Chat with a licensed physical therapist and learn about injury prevention, recovery, and self-care strategies – plus try out recovery tools and wellness gear designed to help you stay strong, healthy, and pain-free.
Please join our High Bar NAL Juha Tanskanen for this interactive session to learn how to build solid stalders for junior use and how to modify them for higher level release purposes.
Bring the fun back into your rec classes with simple, creative ways to use games and props! In this upbeat, hands-on session, we’ll explore how play can boost engagement, spark imagination, and make skill-building feel exciting for athletes of all ages.
Together, we’ll experiment with props, partner activities, and playful teaching strategies that help you feel confident getting a little silly while still keeping learning at the core. You’ll walk away with fresh ideas, easy game variations, and ready-to-use activities that instantly add energy and joy to your next class.
Music makes everything BETTER! I will go over some fun warm up songs and activites as well as talk about making playlists to give your lesson plans life!
2000 Rec gymnasts, 100 coaches, with programming that hasn’t changed in over 10 years. How did we do it? I will walk you step by step on how to structure your rec program where your young coaches can be superstars.
Shoulder pain is common in men’s and women’s gymnastics, typically due to overuse of some muscles and underuse of others. This lecture focuses on learning about the shoulder complex and how to incorporate specific exercises into practice and conditioning that can reduce the risk of shoulder injuries and pain.
Risk doesn’t show up out of nowhere…it builds. This presentation introduces the Three-Layer Risk Model, a simple, clear way to understand how individual behaviors, weak systems, and unhealthy culture combine to create preventable problems. Club leaders will learn how to assess each layer, identify gaps, and take actionable steps that strengthen their entire program. It’s a modern, practical approach to creating safer training environments.
Learn the root cause and why athletes start losing mental control. Techniques to help athletes build a new mental blueprint, develop focus cues that actually work, and reinstall a sense of control. Learn how to prevent this from happening to other athletes.
This session is designed to help the Women’s Program community understand all the rule changes that were approved at the 2026 annual committee meetings. You’ll hear directly from members of the Administrative, Technical, and Development Program committees as they walk through the key updates — including changes to the Rules and Policies, the Development Program Code of Points, the Compulsory Book, and the Operating Code. These updates will take effect for the upcoming 2026-2027 competition season, so this is a great chance to get clear on what’s new.
Handstands can be challenging for children, and learning cartwheels adds another layer of complexity. Understanding and correcting the difficulties children face in these skills—especially since a handstand goes upside down and a cartwheel moves up side down and sideways—requires attention and patience.
Parents sometimes feel anxious if their child does not master these skills quickly. It is essential to encourage patience throughout the learning process and set realistic expectations. Guiding both the student and the parents helps build confidence—not only in the child’s abilities but also in you as an instructor.
Finding the right balance between learning and fun or structure and play can make or break a class. Join me in navigating lesson plans for preschool students where learning is fun!
In this presentation, we will explain the proper execution of exercises required for JumpStart testing, which is necessary for team selection.
The strength of any gymnastics program starts with the people on the floor. In this session, we’ll explore how intentional staff training is one of the most powerful investments a gym owner can make — elevating the quality of your coaching, strengthening your program, and building a reputation that retains athletes and grows your business. But the benefits go even further: a well-trained, qualified staff is also your gym’s strongest defense against liability. Gyms that prioritize staff development don’t just run better programs — they operate with the confidence and peace of mind that comes from knowing their team, their athletes, and their business are protected.
Watch and learn how to transform everyday gymnastics equipment – open floor, spotting blocks, and cart blocks – into tools for teaching foundational parkour and tricking skills, all easily adaptable for use within a gymnastics rotation.
Gain a deeper understanding of optional combination tumbling as a coach and judge come together to share their perspectives.
The return on investment in men’s gymnastics extends far beyond money, but financial sustainability still drives every successful business. This presentation explores practical ways to start, grow, or maintain a boys’ program without operating in the red or selling off all your equipment. Learn how to right-size the initial investment, maximize shared space, improve retention, and build a sustainable path from red to gold.
Under-fueling shows up long before the injuries or major performance decline. This session teaches coaches the subtle behavioral and physical cues that indicate low energy availability, how to respond appropriately, and when to involve parents or healthcare providers.
We know how crucial dedicated recovery time is to mental and physical wellness, to performance and to longevity, but how do you find time? In this session, you’ll learn how to increase range of motion with ease via drills that increase flexibility while also resetting the nervous system.
Your USA Gymnastics Club Member Membership now includes access to a FlipBiz Education Portal, a powerful staff training and development platform built exclusively for USAG Member Clubs. In this session, FlipBiz Founder Brent Gwinn walks you through how to activate your portal, set up your team, and start using the tools available to you. These tools include 20+ coaching education courses, 52-week lesson plans, certificates of completion, and content creation tools. Learn how to onboard new coaches faster, track staff progress, and build a culture of development at your gym. Whether you’re a single-location club or a multi-site operation, this session will show you how to get the most out of your member benefit from day one.
This presentation will provide USA Gymnastics Member Clubs with a practical overview of the USA Gymnastics Safety & Response Policy, highlighting the key requirements clubs must implement to remain compliant. Attendees will also learn how reports of misconduct are received, assessed, and addressed under the policy, along with best practices for fostering a safe environment, promoting accountability, and protecting athlete well-being.
This session is designed to help the Women’s Program community understand all the rule changes that were approved at the 2026 annual committee meetings. You’ll hear directly from members of the Administrative, Technical, and Xcel Program committees as they walk through the key updates — including changes to the Rules and Policies, the Xcel Program Code of Points, and the Operating Code. These updates will take effect for the upcoming 2026-2027 competition season, so this is a great chance to get clear on what’s new.
I will discuss important areas of focus for long term development on all 6 events that are not specifically mentioned in the routines.
This session will review the choreography of the Level 3-5 Balance Beam routines including major points of emphasis, common errors and easy corrections.
Learn ways to develop a conditioning plan for different levels so athletes can perform at their full potential. Based on your schedule, time, levels, events, and program needs, each plan may require adjustments to be most effective. We’ll explore how tools like weights, bands, and TRX can be used to cross-train and enhance gymnastics conditioning, along with examples of how existing conditioning programs can be adapted to better support the demands of this dynamic sport.
We will cover plyometrics for power, speed, and dynamics, as well as practical tips for incorporating prehab and rehab into both conditioning and event work. The session will also include an open discussion format, encouraging coaches to share feedback and perspectives.
This lecture provides a thorough understanding of the mechanics of twisting and its application with drills for beginner twisting, advanced twisting, and twisting in double saltos.
Many of us are retired gymnasts or maybe just feeling the years of long weekends on cement floors. Either way, it is necessary to take care of our own bodies and minds in order to better take care of our athletes. Learn ways to tap into your body and listen for what it needs. Listen to suggestions on self-care, mental health, and when to refer to other professionals. Get out on the floor and try the breathing, stretching, and restorative tools provided throughout the lecture.
This presentation will provide training plans to make the transition from Artistic Gymnastics to Trampoline in a safe way.
Navigating the changes and revisiting the foundations of Level 10.
Coaches aren’t just teaching skills. They’re managing the emotional temperature of a training environment. This session dives into the real mechanics of communication under stress: how to regulate your own reactions, how to calibrate expectations, and how to guide athletes through frustration, fear, and pressure. Participants will leave with practical strategies for setting clear expectations, redirecting intensity in healthy ways, and creating a training space where athletes feel supported.
A high-energy session designed to elevate every aspect of your recreational coaching. Learn practical strategies for class management, creative progressions, student engagement, and communication that builds confidence and keeps kids coming back.
Coaching preschool children presents its own challenges in the gymnastics environment. In order to effectively teach young children, it is important to understand their developmental stages and how those stages affect behavior as well as cognitive understanding. In this session we will cover the following topics and how they relate to effective communication with preschoolers:
Come take a breath for yourself and maybe learn a skill that will shift the energy of the whole room. This session teaches you to regulate your nervous system and manage your energy so you can stay composed when everyone around you needs you most.
• Your nervous system is contagious — calm coaches create calm athletes
• Breath control is one of the fastest ways to shift your state, your focus, and your presence
• Simple techniques, immediate results — tools you can use in the gym, on the floor, and in life
The most powerful thing you can offer your athletes is a regulated, grounded coach. This guided meditation isn’t about being perfect at stillness — it’s about training your mind the same way you train your body.
• A dysregulated coach creates a dysregulated environment — your athletes feel your mental state before you say a word
• This session builds the mental steadiness that lets you lead clearly, stay patient, and make sharp decisions under pressure
• Come recalibrate so you can be the anchor your athletes need when it matters most
Gym owners are some of the hardest-working people in the business world, but hard work alone doesn’t create clarity, accountability or sustainable growth. Attendees will leave with practical examples they can use immediately to strengthen leadership, improve follow-through and reduce the feeling that everything depends on the owner. Meal not provided. Please bring your own lunch.
Meal not provided. Please bring your own lunch.
Every child is unique. Children experience the world through their own personalities, emotions, strengths, and perspectives. They communicate differently, respond differently to challenges, and are motivated by different forms of connection and encouragement. There is no “one-size-fits-all” approach to teaching. This topic explores the importance of recognizing how children learn best. By understanding different personalities and learning styles, we can build stronger connections that motivate and support children in reaching their full potential. Meal not provided. Please bring your own lunch.
Running is a commonly used yet often misunderstood skill in gymnastics. Too often it is coached for appearance rather than performance, with athletes lacking a clear, repeatable system. In this practical session, Nick will break down the fundamentals of effective running mechanics and introduce a simple, structured approach that can be applied across multiple disciplines. Meal not provided. Please bring your own lunch.
This talk will dig into the opportunities for sponsorship that are available fro small businesses. I will cover how to sell sponsorships with a structure that makes everyone accountable. How to monitor sponorships so that all parties are not only happy with the results but are anxious to renew. I will introduce a way to stop the debate on the value of the sponsorship and bring the parties together to grow the sponsorship. Meal not provided. Please bring your own lunch.
In this presentation, we go through the Development Program and Elite Mobility System for Trampoline. Pick when to move up and how to do it. Meal not provided. Please bring your own lunch.
What do the new definitions for artistic performance mean? How do I train my athletes to maximize artistic performance and score higher on beam and floor? This session will focus on the categories for artistic performance, help coaches and judges recognize where to take deductions, and provide drills to help athletes maximize artistry in their floor and beam routines.
AI isn’t coming, it’s already quietly reshaping how the most efficient gyms operate. In this engaging session, Mark Mahoney, Founder & CEO of Jackrabbit Class, will break down five practical, real-world ways gyms are using AI today to save time, improve decision-making, and increase profitability without needing to be tech experts.
From front desk automation to marketing optimization and staffing efficiencies, you’ll walk away with immediately usable ideas. We’ll also explore when technology supports growth vs. when culture, leadership, and systems should be prioritized to ensure long-term success.
Key Takeaways:
Five specific AI use cases gym owners can implement right now.
Where AI adds real value vs. where it creates distractions.
How to balance automation with culture, relationships, and leadership
A clear framework for deciding when to scale with tech, and when to simplify.
Guided Hands on Spotting Practice
Learn progressions & spotting techniques for coaching gymnasts with different abilities.
Space in this session is limited! Reserve your spot by signing up at the Congress registration desk beginning Thursday at 11:00a.m.
Session attendees aged 18+ must be U110 SafeSport Trained to participate in hands-on spotting activities.
Practice judging Platinum, Diamond, and Sapphire Bars with an emphasis on extra swings and bonus for Sapphire.
Drills, Progressions, and Tips for Preschool Vault.
Review of gymnastics-specific return to play protocols. Receive a step-by-step, week-by-week, event-by-event plan on how to process your gymnast back to the gym and also prevent reinjury.
Let’s be real—this sport asks a lot of coaches. Long hours, emotional labor, the pressure to produce results, and the weight of caring deeply for every athlete. Burnout isn’t just possible—it’s common. But what if the key to coaching greatness wasn’t just about pushing through, but learning how to lead with clarity, boundaries, and personal sustainability?
This session is for the coach who wants to keep doing this work—but with more energy, purpose, and peace. We’ll explore the psychology of burnout, tools for managing emotional fatigue, and mindset shifts that protect your passion for coaching. You’ll leave with strategies to stay grounded, lead with resilience, and still love this sport years from now.
Takeaways:
How to recognize early signs of burnout before it takes over
Tools for managing emotional load and protecting your energy
Boundaries, self-awareness, and practices that support long-term coaching success
In this lecture, we will explore how understanding learning styles and Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences can enhance teaching effectiveness and help coaches connect with a broader range of learners. As educators, we often teach in ways that resonate with our own learning preferences, which may not always align with those of our students.
This presentation will introduce the core principles of learning styles and multiple intelligences and demonstrate how these concepts can be specifically applied to teaching gymnastics. We will focus on strategies tailored for both recreational and competitive gymnasts at all levels. Using targeted examples, we will illustrate how to apply these principles to specific skill instruction.
Straighten Your Legs! Cover Your Ears! While these corrections are often important and accurate, they are likely not going to be solved simply by repeating them over and over. Addressing the why and the how are imperative to mastering new skills and minimizing deductions. In order to make real change, the entire skill needs to be analyzed as a chain of actions and reactions within the body and with the equipment. We can use scientific principles to better recognize and understand these patterns and thus help our athletes address their needs.
This session will review the choreography of the Level 2-5 Floor routines including major points of emphasis, common errors and easy corrections.
Apply the updated rules to calculate your start value.
Preschool gymnastics is more than songs, stations, and getting the wiggles out, it is where children build the brain-body foundations for focus, coordination, confidence, regulation, school readiness, and future gymnastics skills. In this session, coaches will be introduced to the 6 Sensory-Motor Building Blocks behind the Born to Move Preschool Gymnastics Curriculum and learn how purposeful movement can improve participation, class flow, behavior, learning readiness, and skill development.
Walk away with practical ways to support babies, parent-child, toddler, and preschool classes while building better movers, stronger learners, and more confident children from the very beginning. Because preschool gymnastics is not just where gymnastics starts, it is where children build foundations for life.
Teaching our gym’s warm-ups with dynamic movements that mimic the sport that we train in.
Coaches give corrections all day—but getting a gymnast to use the correction is a completely different skill. In this session, you’ll learn what’s actually happening in an athlete’s brain when she overthinks, shuts down, gets frustrated, or repeats the same mistake over and over. Walk away with practical tools that make your corrections clearer—and more effective.
Together, we’ll explore how to break recreational skills into clear components, design progressions for each part, and adjust a single setup to meet a range of athlete needs.
From rolls to walkovers, we’ll experiment with how to challenge advanced athletes or support beginners using the same station. Walk away with fresh ideas, adaptable drills, and a level-up toolkit you can use in your very next class.
Break free from the “this is how we’ve always done it” mindset with practical, out-of-the-box strategies rooted in real experience. In this session, I’ll share lessons learned from growing Pinnacle Gymnastics and successfully acquiring a second studio—highlighting the cultural shifts, operational upgrades, and leadership approaches that helped transform both into top-performing programs. Attendees will walk away with fresh ideas, actionable tools, and the confidence to challenge old habits in favor of innovation, alignment, and long-term success.
“So… you’re just a gymnastics coach?”
I’ve heard that my whole life—until I used it as fuel to build the career I’d only dreamed of. In this session, I’ll share my journey from gymnast and part-time coach to judge, program director, and consulting business owner, and the real (sometimes uncomfortable) lessons I learned about leadership along the way.
We’ll talk honestly about the hard parts: setting boundaries, having tough conversations, advocating for yourself, and thinking like a leader even when your title doesn’t say “manager” yet. Coaches and managers will leave with practical tools to create a professional growth plan, identify their next steps, and start treating their role like the career it truly is—not something they’re “just” doing.
This fast-paced session will rapid-fire 30 “Greatest Hits”, the most valuable recreational lessons (and mistakes) I’ve learned since my teen coaching years. Featuring pivotal content from the most popular and requested topics of the past three decades of Congress experience.
Learn how to build a sustainable wellness program in your gym that supports happy, healthy, high-performing athletes. Mental Performance Coach Rebecca Smith, M.A. and Head Coach and Nationally Ranked Judge, Maureen Koehler will walk you through the essential components: mental training, nutrition, and sport-specific rehab. Learn how to choose the right professionals, fund the program, and get coaches and parents on board. You’ll leave with a clear framework you can use to construct a wellness program that can help athletes communicate better, stay healthier, and perform with confidence in the gym and beyond.
Get ready to move with Dancing with the Stars pro dancer Louis van Amstel!
Join the creator of LaBlast Fitness for an exclusive session that proves dance is more than just expression—it’s a powerhouse workout. Based on the iconic styles seen on DWTS, this format hits every component of physical fitness, from cardio endurance to core strength.
But we aren’t stopping at the dance floor. After the workout, Louis will personally demonstrate how to take those high-energy LaBlast patterns and transform them into gymnastics floor routine choreography.
Why you can’t miss this:
Are you ready to dance like a star?
This is the coaching framework I wish I’d had from day one — a guide on what skills to teach your boys, where those skills are taking them, and how to pull everything together into engaging lesson plans that keep your guys motivated.
For many children’s activity businesses, summer is a season to survive. We will share the systems, strategies and mindset shifts that transformed summer into our most impactful season of the year. Use summer camp to drive revenue, develop leaders and staffing pipelines, create high demand and fuel year-round growth. You’ll leave with practical ideas to turn summer into one of your biggest opportunities.
Guided hands-on spotting practice. Gain practical experience in safely and effectively spotting a range of foundational gymnastics skills under the guidance of an experienced spotter. Ideal for coaches working with recreational-level gymnasts.
Vault: basic vaulting skills
Uneven Bars: Pullovers, Back Hip Circles, Swings and Regrips, Squat-Ons
Balance Beam: Handstands, Cartwheels
Floor: Cartwheels, Back Walkovers, Front Walkovers, Backward Rolls, Handstands, Back Handsprings
Space in this session is limited! Reserve your spot by signing up at the Congress registration desk beginning Thursday at 11:00 a.m.
Session attendees aged 18+ must be U110 SafeSport Trained to participate in hands-on spotting activities.
Handspring Vault for Levels 1-7 + Xcel.
Navigating the changes and revisiting the foundations of Level 8.
Dive into the behavioral science behind motivation, engagement, and learning in gymnastics. This session breaks down how reinforcement actually works in the brain, why some strategies backfire, and how to use evidence-based techniques to increase cooperation, reduce challenging behaviors, and create smoother, more productive classes for all athletes, including those with neurodivergent profiles.
Key Takeaways:
Understand the brain science behind reinforcement and behavior patterns
Learn practical reinforcement strategies that improve listening, participation, and skill retention
Discover how to prevent power struggles and create positive behavior momentum
Take home real gym-ready examples of behavior shaping for all age groups
Developing circles on UB for high level skill development, with focus on the clear hip circle.
Running a successful gymnastics program requires more than great coaching—it requires a legally sound business foundation. Yet most gym owners are unknowingly exposed to significant risks in four key areas: business entity structure, personal injury liability, tuition agreements, and staffing practices. Small oversights in any of these categories can drain profits, trigger regulatory penalties, weaken your valuation, or even shut down your gym entirely.
In this practical and eye-opening session, attorney and former gym owner Matt Becker will break down the most common legal landmines he sees in gyms across the country—and how to fix them before they become expensive problems. Using real scenarios drawn from more than 800 gym consultations, Matt simplifies complex legal issues into clear, actionable steps you can implement immediately.
Attendees will learn:
How to ensure your entity and corporate documents truly protect your personal assets
Why most waivers fail—and what an enforceable adult and kids’ waiver must include
How tuition agreements impact revenue stability and compliance with consumer laws
How to avoid costly staff misclassification and bartering mistakes
A practical legal checklist every gym should complete annually
Whether you run recreational classes, competitive teams, camps, or preschool programs, this session will help you protect your athletes, your business, and your long-term financial stability.
No sessions match the selected Tracks for this day.
Visit the National Trade Show Hall to chat with vendors and check out the latest products and services in the industry, including equipment, apparel, technology, and more!
Onsite registration will be available at any time during Congress registration hours. Want to save time in line? Click here to access the onsite registration form. Complete and bring it with you to the congress registration table. Credit cards or checks are accepted for payment.
Chat with a licensed physical therapist and learn about injury prevention, recovery, and self-care strategies – plus try out recovery tools and wellness gear designed to help you stay strong, healthy, and pain-free.
Need a moment to recharge? Step away from the hustle of Congress and into a space designed just for you. We invite you to visit the Meditation Room in Room 230 — a tranquil retreat where you can take a break, slow down, and reconnect with yourself.
This calming environment features dim lighting, gentle, soothing music, and yoga mats for stretching, meditation, or quiet rest. Whether you need a few deep breaths between sessions or a longer moment to reflect and restore, the Meditation Room offers a peaceful atmosphere to support your mental clarity and emotional well-being. Because sometimes the most productive thing you can do is pause.
This offering is part of the Balance wellness initiative for gymnastics professionals. Click here to learn more.
This morning session blends a yoga flow with mindful movements designed specifically for gymnastics professionals. You’ll start with grounding breathwork to wake up the body, move through a slow flow that opens tight hips, shoulders, and hamstrings from years of training and coaching, and end with a few minutes of stillness to set your intention for the day before you head off to class. No prior yoga experience needed — just come ready to stretch, breathe, and reset before the day. Bring your co-workers and friends — friends who play together stay together!
This session is part of the Balance wellness initiative for gymnastics professionals. Click here to learn more.
You have to rotate to bars with your preschoolers/beginners. Do they have upper body strength? Do they have grip strength? Can they even reach the bar? Here are many ways to keep them active while gaining the upper body and grip strength to succeed.
Attention differences show up in many young athletes, but traditional coaching methods often miss what the ADHD brain truly needs. This session equips coaches with realistic tools for improving focus, reducing overwhelm, and channeling energy into progress instead of frustration. You’ll learn how to adjust pacing, communication, and class structure to support athletes who think and move quickly.
Key Takeaways:
Recognize how ADHD commonly presents in the gym (and how it’s often misunderstood)
Learn fast, effective adjustments to instruction, spotting, and transitions
Use movement, novelty, and structure to keep athletes regulated and engaged
Walk away with ADHD-smart drills and class strategies you can implement immediately
Guided hands-on spotting practice. Gain practical experience in safely and effectively spotting core skills under the guidance of an experienced spotter. Ideal for coaches working with preteam and entry-level competitive gymnasts.
Uneven Bars: Kips
Beam: Cartwheels, Handstands, Back Walkovers, Cartwheel Side Handstand Dismounts
Floor: Front Handsprings, Back Handsprings, Round-off Back Handspring
Space in this session is limited! Reserve your spot by signing up at the Congress registration desk beginning Thursday at 11:00 a.m.
Session attendees aged 18+ must be U110 SafeSport Trained to participate in hands-on spotting activities.
Many gyms offer “ninja” classes built on gymnastics equipment—but families notice the difference, and they often leave for facilities that provide authentic ninja obstacle training. In this session, Christina teaches gym owners and coaches how to build a true ninja program that stands out and outperforms competitors offering gymnastics-based versions.
Attendees will learn how to design a proper ninja space, select essential obstacles, and coach ninja safely and effectively at every level. Christina will walk through how to create a structured curriculum, a level-based advancement system that boosts retention, and class formats any coach can follow confidently.
The session also includes how to prepare athletes for ninja competitions and how to host competitions in-house—an exciting and profitable revenue stream that immediately elevates your program. Taught by a 4-time American Ninja Warrior athlete and successful ninja gym owner, this session gives you the tools, coaching methods, and strategies to launch a strong, credible, and competitive ninja program.
This session will look at the major changes to Level 6/7 Vault in the new Code of Points, and help coaches and judges understand how these deductions will be applied.
Navigating the changes and revisiting the foundations of Level 9.
Flops and Russian wendeswing skills are two of the most crucial lines of skill development for higher level and elite pommel horse. This presentation addresses how to put together a long range strategic developmental program and offers practical development systems that yield a foundation in these skill areas for conversion to high level pommel horse routines.
This lecture covers “The Laws of Motion for Bars”. It is incredibly helpful to teach coaches why their gymnasts are making the errors they do and how to correct them. The understanding of these principles gives a coach the tools to teach any skill even if they have never taught it before.
As a gym owner, you don’t just manage facilities, you run a high-pressure business built on performance culture. Every decision, every challenge, every conversation is filtered through one system first: the brain.
When your mental operating system is optimized, you’ll easily lead with clarity, confidence, and consistency, no matter how chaotic the day gets. Ready to build your business with less stress? Then don’t miss this interactive, high-impact session.
Join Jackrabbit Class and The Better Brain Project for a practical, energizing look at the neuroscience behind high-performing gym leadership. You’ll discover how mental fitness helps you:
Make faster, higher-quality decisions
Handle tough conversations without stress
Strengthen time-management and boundaries
Maintain resilience so you can lead at your best
You’ll also see real-world outcomes through a gym case study and leave with simple tools you can put into action immediately to elevate how you lead your athletes, your staff, and your business.
Considerations for training modification during growth spurts and how to recognize growth spurts in your athletes to decrease risk of growth-related injuries. These often coincide with progression in levels and more training hours and can be challenging to recognize.
We will be going over methods and drills to work into twisting Yurchenkos. Focus on generating the height and rotation to be able to get these vaults on the competition surface.
I have MORE than 25 videos of creative ways to utilize the wedge mat to develop skills and maximize space in the gym! Some skills that will be featured include handstand variations, cartwheels, flipping and FUNditioning!
The balance beam is a crucial part of our sport, but it can become a major roadblock in a developmental program. I’ve seen programs across the country rush to put children on the beam too quickly and at too much height.
In the past, I’ve emphsized a creative approach to balance beam work, which is valid. However, this session will focus on exploring all the opportunities and alternatives to developing balance before introducing students to the beam.
There isn’t always much time for conditioning during rec classes, so when we do it, often it’s pretty un-exciting. This session is full of ideas for conditioning – many of which double as warm up activities – all with elements of play, contests & games so kids don’t complain!
In this lecture, you will learn drills and progressions for twisting and non-twisting double somersaults utilizing the trampoline.
Building an elite routine is about more than adding difficulty—it’s about maximizing scoring potential. In this lecture, Tom Forster explains how to construct routines that achieve the highest possible Difficulty Score while minimizing execution deductions. Learn how to select the skills with the most connection potential and eliminate unnecessary risks. Get real-world examples you can start with immediately.
This session will focus on amplitude of leaps and jumps on beam as well as degree of completion of elements with turns in the air. The goal will be to help judges differentiate amplitude and precision in these skills on beam.
Whether they are there for a couple years or decades, the culture of a gym or program will leave lasting changes in the lives of the athletes, coaches, and parents. This impact will influence decisions throughout their entire lives. What kind of impact this is stems largely from the culture that coaches, parents, and leaders create together through their choices and actions.
Take connections, and problematic skills and get feedback from a judge, then a coach as to what is deducted and how it can be fixed in the gym.
See compulsory bars from both lenses! In this collaborative session, Brad Harris (Region 8 Development Program Committee Chair) and Linda Thorberg (National Technical Committee Chair) team up to align coaching strategies with judging expectations for Levels 3–5 uneven bars, connecting skill development with scoring to support athlete success.
Discover the seven principles that shaped the onboarding system at Metro Stars Gymnastics, from a small startup to a multi-location program. Learn practical strategies to create a consistent, engaging onboarding experience that builds confidence, reinforces your culture, and prepares new coaches for success from day one. Whether you have one employee or one hundred, you’ll leave with ideas you can implement immediately.
Burnout has become one of the most pressing issues in gymnastics—impacting not only athletes, but also coaches, owners, and support staff. In this session, we explore the real causes of energy depletion in gym environments and provide practical, sustainable strategies to restore motivation, joy, and emotional resilience across your entire program.
Drawing from decades of hands-on experience running a busy gymnastics facility, I break down the internal and external stressors that contribute to burnout at each role in the gym:
Athletes facing pressure, fear, overtraining, or performance expectations
Coaches juggling emotional labor, communication demands, and long training hours
Gym owners managing constant problem-solving, staff needs, and business responsibilities
This session offers a holistic, actionable approach to supporting well-being, including:
How to identify early signs of athlete or coach burnout before performance declines
Daily practices that help athletes build emotional resilience and confidence
Simple communication scripts that support athletes through fear, frustration, or low motivation
How gym owners and directors can establish boundaries that reduce staff overwhelm
Culture-building tools that promote teamwork, appreciation, and strong relationships
Strategies to help coaches recharge—even in high-intensity competitive seasons
We’ll also explore how small culture shifts—celebrating progress, reducing perfectionism, creating safe spaces to communicate concerns, and teaching athletes self-regulation skills—can dramatically impact retention and overall well-being.
Participants will leave with:
✔ A clear understanding of what burnout looks like in different roles
✔ Tools to create a more positive, supportive training environment
✔ Systems coaches can implement immediately to reduce emotional fatigue
✔ Techniques for building confidence and motivation during tough seasons
✔ Leadership habits that help owners model balance, empathy, and calm
This session is both uplifting and practical, blending coaching insight, leadership experience, and real-world solutions to help gyms maintain healthy energy—for the athletes and the adults who support them every day.
Athletes aren’t born motivated. They’re inspired into it. In this session, coaches will explore what truly drives effort, resilience, and joy in young athletes. You’ll begin by reflecting on your own coaching journey and the beliefs that shaped who you are today. Then, we’ll dive into the sport science behind motivation, including Self-Determination Theory, which shows that when athletes’ basic psychological needs are met, their motivation, wellbeing, and performance naturally rise. Coaches will walk away with practical strategies to spark intrinsic motivation, build trust, increase effort, and create a training environment where athletes feel empowered to push themselves. This session blends research with real-world tools you can implement the very next practice.
Coaches will walk away from this presentation with a plan for training a round-off, back handspring, back tuck that gymnasts can use to launch them into more difficult twisting and double flipping skills. Coaches will have methods for teaching great round-offs in their gym and be able to avoid the common errors in round-off, back handsprings and back saltos.
Oh no! You finished your rotation or class 5 minutes early, so now what!? You can’t just sit there or send the kids home – parents pay too much money for that! But don’t panic – come to this session and learn a handful of easy, productive, creative & FUN ways to fill those time gaps. You’d be amazed what you can teach in 5 minutes!
Compulsory bars can make or break a meet. In this LIVE problem-solving session, I demonstrate how to teach and clean up the most troublesome skills —squat-ons, front hip circles, underswings, and the kip-to-cast connection —through my combined lens as both a coach and a judge. I’ll show you which deductions are most common, why they happen, and exactly how to fix them with simple, repeatable progressions.
Back pain remains one of the most common injuries in gymnastics, yet many coaches lack practical tools to identify early warning signs or modify training appropriately. This session teaches coaches the most common types of back pain in gymnasts, what they look like in real time, and why they happen. We’ll cover movement patterns like excessive lumbar hinging, rib flaring, poor shoulder mechanics, and hip restrictions and how these contribute to both pain and skill inconsistency.
Coaches will learn simple movement screens, effective warm-up strategies, and strength progressions that improve shaping, extension work, tumbling, and bars technique.
Attendees will leave with actionable steps to keep athletes training safely while promoting long-term spine health.
Guided hands-on spotting practice. Gain practical experience in safely and effectively spotting key skills and connections under the guidance of an experienced spotter. Ideal for coaches working with preteam and competitive-level gymnasts.
Uneven Bars: Clear Hips, Group 3, 6, 7 Circling Skills
Floor: Round-off Back Handspring series; Round-off, Back Handspring, Back Tuck
Space in this session is limited! Reserve your spot by signing up at the Congress registration desk beginning Thursday at 11:00 a.m.
Session attendees aged 18+ must be U110 SafeSport Trained to participate in hands-on spotting activities.
Many athletes struggle to stay controlled, safe, and focused on trampoline – and coaches often aren’t sure what to adjust when that happens. This session teaches simple, effective ways to modify trampoline drills and support techniques so athletes with different needs can jump safely and make steady progress. Back on solid ground, we will look at simple, effective ways to adjust floor drills so every athlete can participate safely and successfully. We’ll cover how to change equipment, spacing, pacing, and coach positioning to support athletes with sensory, motor, or communication differences. You’ll leave with practical strategies you can use immediately to reduce chaos, improve safety, and help every athlete succeed on trampoline and floor.
The technical aspects of specific dance skills will be analyzed, along with a completed, long-term training sequence of these dance skills. Addressing the weak areas to make better skills. How twisting & spotting go both ways & relates to all events.
Navigating the changes and revisiting the foundations of Levels 6 and 7.
Coaching gymnastics is unlike coaching in just about any other sport. It is physical. It is beyond mental. It is year-round. During competition season, there are virtually no days off and it’s not uncommon to experience 12+-hour coaching days and possibly multiple days in a row. It’s not uncommon to spend 40-50 years as a gymnastics coach. In addition, gymnastics coaches are adults with adult responsibilities that extend far beyond the gym. Yet they still need to show up at practice every day healthy, strong and ready to inspire, mentor and physically develop young, growing athletes of varying ages. This session will address nutrition, exercise/strength training, and recovery for coaches to help them be resilient to the rigors of their job and, beyond gymnastics, to live a long, strong and healthy life. This lecture will also be valuable for judges and club owners.
Ideas to improve strength and fundamental skills while keeping your recreational students happy and successful! Let’s think outside the box.
In this lecture, we will explore a series of drills for Xcel gymnasts (nominally Gold, Platinum, and Diamond divisions) who are ready to progress beyond front handspring and half-on vaults but are not ready for more advanced Tsukahara and Yurchenko vaults. The session will focus on two key vault progressions:
If time allows, we will also cover Yurchenko timers with a half-off and full-off twist. By the end of the lecture, coaches will leave with a toolbox of drills designed to improve gymnasts’ late tilt twisting technique in the second flight of their vaults, ultimately enhancing both performance and safety during execution.
Tips on how to set up a class for babies around 6 months old and get them ready to feed them into your walking baby classes.
I started my business in 1973. For the first 7 years—like many small business folks—I was burdened with urgencies, emergencies and long work weeks. I came dangerously close to permanently burning out. Fortunately, about 1980 I learned the importance of a written organizational strategy; a carefully designed matrix of the positions required to fulfill my company’s brand promise, along with the specific responsibilities each position-holder must fulfill to deliver on it.
I also learned how to delegate effectively by honoring all three legs of the delegation stool: (1) clearly and powerfully communicating RESPONSIBILITIES; (2) granting the AUTHORITY needed to fulfill them; and (3) holding each person ACCOUNTABLE for results.
Get these things right and watch your life turn around and your career soar. Join me for what could be the most valuable hour of your career. Jeff
Come take a breath for yourself and maybe learn a skill that will shift the energy of the whole room. This session teaches you to regulate your nervous system and manage your energy so you can stay composed when everyone around you needs you most.
• Your nervous system is contagious — calm coaches create calm athletes
• Breath control is one of the fastest ways to shift your state, your focus, and your presence
• Simple techniques, immediate results — tools you can use in the gym, on the floor, and in life
The most powerful thing you can offer your athletes is a regulated, grounded coach. This guided meditation isn’t about being perfect at stillness — it’s about training your mind the same way you train your body.
• A dysregulated coach creates a dysregulated environment — your athletes feel your mental state before you say a word
• This session builds the mental steadiness that lets you lead clearly, stay patient, and make sharp decisions under pressure
• Come recalibrate so you can be the anchor your athletes need when it matters most
Explore proven strategies to amplify your gym’s presence and brand online. Learn to attract and retain families and create a loyal community through social media. This session will cover content planning, brand storytelling, platform selection, and practical tips for growing engagement and enrollment through creative and intentional digital marketing. Meal not provided. Please bring your own lunch.
Learn the exact operational systems that turn a chaotic gym into a predictable, high-performing program. This session breaks down SOPs, management, communication systems, daily checklists, and how to get every coach on the same page. Attendees will walk away with ready-to-implement templates that reduce confusion, burnout, and mistakes—while increasing consistency across the entire gym. Meal not provided. Please bring your own lunch.
Meal not provided. Please bring your own lunch.
The Saboteurs Running Your Gym
10pm parent emails, schedules rewritten four times, working overtime to fill gaps. You’re exhausted and ready to quit, but nobody knows it. Join Kelly Abanda, PQ expert, for a working session built around your unique inner pressures. Click here to take the free Saboteur Assessment before lunch, then come find out what your results mean for how you lead, and how shifting your inner critic can help you get to your goals with less stress. Meal not provided. Please bring your own lunch.
Bring your pommel horse coaching questions and put the National Apparatus Leader on the spot! Daniel Ribeiro will answer questions on skill selection, training strategies, routine construction, technique, judging, and more. Whether you’re coaching beginners or advanced athletes, this interactive Q&A is your chance to get expert insights.
Meal not provided. Please bring your own lunch.
Understanding the Americans with Disabilities Act and our responsibilities under the law. Meal not provided. Please bring your own lunch.
There are tons of underutilized training tools in your gym, it’s just time to get creative. Here’s an innovative look at stall bars, sliders, bands, medicine balls, blocks, small weights and yoga methodology to train your athletes on core, stability, flexibility and strength. Meal not provided. Please bring your own lunch.
After supporting 25 gymnastics federations and thousands of coaches worldwide, Nick has identified the patterns, mindsets, and practices shared by the highest-performing teams. In this insight-rich session, he reveals the key lessons that consistently drive success—from leadership and culture to training environments and athlete development. Learn what the best do differently—and how you can apply these principles immediately. Meal not provided. Please bring your own lunch.
Coaching gymnastics should be fun for you and the gymnasts! Incorporating games can increase motivation, productivity, and results in the gym- which will increase retention for your clubs. I will share videos of games, ideas to modify them for your specific needs, and we will get up out of our chairs to play some games together!
A practical, coach friendly session designed for owners and program directors looking to confidently add or strengthen trampoline and tumbling within an established gymnastics program. We will break down the process into clear, manageable steps from space and equipment consideration to staffing, safety, class structure and athlete pathways.
I have over 40 years of experience coaching all levels of beam from toddlers through elite and am passionate about developing athletes who love beam (and are good at it)! This lecture will cover a comprehensive plan for developing the basic skills necessary to set your athletes up for success. We will focus primarily on backward acro skills and how to develop them in a fundamentally sound manner. The skills covered are applicable to Level 5 – 8 and upper Xcel divisions.
In this lecture, I will help gym owners / managers utilize a few simply collected metrics to be able to assess, predict, and adjust your business’ health, in about 15 minutes per month. We’ll break this down into small, easy to collect, and easy to understand metrics so you can predict and eliminate challenges; predict and execute growth strategies, and head off problems before they become overwhelming.
Guided hands-on spotting practice. Gain practical experience in safely and effectively spotting key skills and connections under the guidance of an experienced spotter. Ideal for coaches working with competitive-level gymnasts.
Uneven Bars: Flyaways
Beam: Acro series: Back Walkover-Back Handspring; BHS-BHS; BHS-Layout
Floor: Front Tucks; Standing Back Tucks; Aerials; Front Handspring, Front Tuck
Space in this session is limited! Reserve your spot by signing up at the Congress registration desk beginning Thursday at 11:00 a.m.
Session attendees aged 18+ must be U110 SafeSport Trained to participate in hands-on spotting activities.
We will discuss the proper order of teaching skills to cut down on inefficiency and ensure a smooth development from compulsory to optional gymnast.
Acrobatics & Tumbling: One of the Fastest-Growing Sports in the Nation! Acrobatics & Tumbling is rapidly expanding across the country, with new collegiate programs launching every year and more scholarship opportunities than ever before.
How do I start a Youth A&T program? Ready to bring A&T to your gym, school, or community? In this session, we’ll dive into exactly how to build a successful youth A&T program from the ground up. You’ll learn:
• How to structure age-appropriate levels
• Equipment and safety requirements
• Staffing, certification, and coaching essentials
• Building routines & skill progressions
• How to market A&T to parents and athletes
• Creating pathways from youth to collegiate recruitment
• Pricing, scheduling, and competition models
• Common mistakes to avoid—and how to grow fast
By the end of this session, you’ll have everything you need to launch, grow, and sustain a thriving Acrobatics & Tumbling program that prepares athletes for the future.
Breaking down the unrealistic expectations around work/life balance and replacing them with a more practical, honest approach. Learn how to prioritize what actually matters, avoid burnout, and perform at a high level without losing yourself in the process.
Unusual circumstances that come up during the competitive year and how to address them.
This lecture, “The Unseen Injury: Mental Health and the Athlete’s Comeback,” provides coaches with a deep dive into the psychological trauma and emotional challenges inherent in an athlete’s journey from injury to return to play. It positions the mental impact of injury—grief, identity loss, fear, and pressure—as the “unseen injury” that often dictates the speed and success of a physical recovery.
Various functional training circuits that incorporate movements of all three planes of motion to make the athlete, better balanced, and dynamic.
Get ready to unleash your inner team player in “Cooperative Games,” where collaboration isn’t just suggested, it’s the main event! Prepare for a whirlwind of high-fives, playful banter, and spontaneous group scrambles—all designed to build trust, sharpen communication, and fill the room with laughter, until you almost forget that you’re actually learning some pretty useful skills. Ain’t no sit-n-get, come ready to play!
Tom Forster presents the step-by-step progressions and drills used to develop all the major uneven bars release moves: Tkatchev, Jaeger, Gienger, Ray, Ricna, and Hindorff. Tom shares the most effective lead-ups, strategies, and dangers, as well as when to start and when to compete these skills.
Learn updated techniques for getting square hips in splits, open shoulders in handstands, and maximizing the stretching you are already doing. Understand how to work with the body to optimize function and minimize pain. Stop putting athletes in categories (i.e. tight shoulders) and facilitate their progress towards better movement and control.
Learn how to teach back acro and series on beam in the simplest, most direct way possible. I’ll break down the pathway from the first handstand to a confident layout step-out series, showing coaches how to build high-level skills through clear shapes, logical progressions, and easy-to-apply corrections.
At gymnastics clubs across the country, it’s common to see young coaches working their very first job. We often focus on teaching these coaches skills, drills, progressions, and technique; however, young coaches also need to know how to be a professional. Many new coaches lack experience with workplace expectations like punctuality, preparedness, appearance, and attitude. This session will cover key professionalism topics and effective ways to teach them, including: communication, reliability and accountability, appropriate conduct, appropriate appearance, and more.
Development that begins with fundamental body positions, strength, and movement patterns to create the foundation of circles. You’ll leave with an idea you can implement in your next practice and another you can build into your annual training plan to create stronger, more confident mushroom athletes over time.
Building the Pak, Bail handstand, straddle back.
KPI’s are performance measurements that define what numbers are important to the success of your business and therefore important for you to know. Come to this session to learn which numbers to focus on and quickly be able to identify if your financial performance is outstanding, good, satisfactory or poor. And then learn how to correct these for a more profitable and better run business!
Updated Deduction Guidelines for Choreography, Expression, Posture, Footwork, and Dynamics.
I will show you easy ways to implement award programs, and activities that will make your gym a core memory in every one of your families lives.
This lecture focuses on fun and unique assignments, lesson plans and lead ups to help your gymnasts thrive under pressure and hit at meets!
Some kids just need things a little more broken down. Create creative setups for little learners!
Curious about TeamGym and why it’s gaining momentum worldwide? This session breaks down the discipline in simple terms, explores its competitive potential for your gym, and looks at where TeamGym is headed. Learn why the global community is eager for full U.S. participation—and what that could mean for your program!
No sessions match the selected Tracks for this day.
Onsite registration will be available at any time during Congress registration hours. Want to save time in line? Click here to access the onsite registration form. Complete and bring it with you to the congress registration table. Credit cards or checks are accepted for payment.
Visit the National Trade Show Hall to chat with vendors and check out the latest products and services in the industry, including equipment, apparel, technology, and more!
Need a moment to recharge? Step away from the hustle of Congress and into a space designed just for you. We invite you to visit the Meditation Room in Room 230 — a tranquil retreat where you can take a break, slow down, and reconnect with yourself.
This calming environment features dim lighting, gentle, soothing music, and yoga mats for stretching, meditation, or quiet rest. Whether you need a few deep breaths between sessions or a longer moment to reflect and restore, the Meditation Room offers a peaceful atmosphere to support your mental clarity and emotional well-being. Because sometimes the most productive thing you can do is pause.
This offering is part of the Balance wellness initiative for gymnastics professionals. Click here to learn more.
Chat with a licensed physical therapist and learn about injury prevention, recovery, and self-care strategies – plus try out recovery tools and wellness gear designed to help you stay strong, healthy, and pain-free.
This morning session blends a yoga flow with mindful movements designed specifically for gymnastics professionals. You’ll start with grounding breathwork to wake up the body, move through a slow flow that opens tight hips, shoulders, and hamstrings from years of training and coaching, and end with a few minutes of stillness to set your intention for the day before you head off to class. No prior yoga experience needed — just come ready to stretch, breathe, and reset before the day. Bring your co-workers and friends — friends who play together stay together!
This session is part of the Balance wellness initiative for gymnastics professionals. Click here to learn more.
In this lecture, coaches will learn (and be provided with) pre-set turns, progressions, and skills for a 15 minute rotation on the trampoline.
This lecture will provide a variety of 5-10 minute complexes that you can use with your Team athletes to help make them awesome beam workers! Complexes will include Turns, Stability & Tight Body, and more!
Guided hands-on spotting practice. Gain practical experience in safely and effectively spotting key skills and connections under the guidance of an experienced spotter. Ideal for coaches working with competitive-level gymnasts.
Uneven Bars: Low Bar Giants
Floor: Round-off, Back Handspring, Back Tuck & Beyond (Layout, Twisting)
Space in this session is limited! Reserve your spot by signing up at the Congress registration desk beginning Thursday at 11:00 a.m.
Session attendees aged 18+ must be U110 SafeSport Trained to participate in hands-on spotting activities.
Important steps for developing a powerful employment team.
Developing and progression of front uprise stutz and front uprise diamidov. Developing and progression of honma.
We all know that playing games is a big part of what we do with our recreational classes. BUT are we ensuring that our games are accessible and inclusive for all participants? We’re going to get active and collaborate on ways that we can adapt games used in our environments.
An overview of the elements for the 2029-2037 compulsory routines for Levels 1-5 will be provided including the new Level 5 parameters.
Explore how participation in gymnastics enhances both fine and gross motor skills, supporting overall physical development in young athletes. This session will highlight key developmental milestones in children and demonstrate how gymnastics-based activities can help them progress with strength, coordination, balance, and control. It will also provide practical strategies for assessing motor skill development and fostering continued growth in a supportive and engaging environment.
This Coach/Judge Perspective session will explore the differences between what coaches see when evaluating a vault and how judges assess and apply deductions. Through collaborative video review, participants will gain insight into judging perspectives while sharing coaching priorities. The goal is to better align coaching strategies with judging expectations, helping athletes achieve stronger, more consistent vault scores. Although focused on Compulsory and Xcel vault, the concepts discussed are applicable across all DP levels (4–10) and Xcel divisions (Gold through Sapphire).
An inside look at the realities of nutrition in gymnastics. Where we have been where we are going based on visiting 300 gyms in America and also found in my new book You Can’t Flip On Empty. Problem solving real issues with coaches parents and athletes.
This lecture will explore how owners and directors can successfully implement adaptive and inclusive programming within their organizations, with a focus on practical strategies and real-world application. Attendees will gain insight into creative funding approaches, including budgeting techniques and examples that make these programs sustainable. The session will also cover best practices for finding and training staff, emphasizing appropriate ratios, essential skills, and maintaining a strong commitment to safety. In addition, participants will learn effective advertising strategies to reach and engage the right audiences, helping to grow inclusive programs and build a welcoming community for all.
How to create a safe and effective parkour program for 3+ year old’s. Understanding the basics, fundamentals, and safety for children
For the average athlete the beam routine is composed of nearly 2/3 dance and locomotor skills and connectors. Small corrections can lead to large gains in aesthetics, balance control and scores! Maximize the footwork, posture rhythm and artistry with maximum performance quality.
In this lecture you will learn to perform skills from the stomach and back. This is important for various skills required to compete in Trampoline as well as learning progressions for difficult skills performed in Trampoline, WAG, and MAG.
Perfect for early childhood programs, Bouncing Babies turns movement into an adventure, helping preschoolers develop motor skills, listening skills and a lifelong love of being active, one big BOING at a time
This is a great lecture for both judges and coaches. We will show examples of what some common deductions (lack of acceleration, head/arm position) are in the Level 2-5 tumbling and what may be causing the athlete to have those deductions. Then we will show drills that will help the athlete develop the strength, flexibility, and body awareness to complete the skills without these deductions. We will also explain the philosophy of why these skills were choosen by the Development Committee and how they help provide the necessary basics which are the building blocks for more advanced skills. Even though this lecture will focus on the compulsory tumbling, the drills are also relevant to the Xcel program.
This session addressed a seldom-discussed but critical topic: the performance anxiety and inner self-criticism experienced by coaches, drawing a direct parallel between the mental worlds of athletes and their mentors. The lecture provided a safe space and “permission to admit” that professionals in high-stakes roles experience similar pressures to their athletes.
Key topics explored the manifestations of this anxiety, including intense self-criticism after meets and the pervasive fear of being judged by parents, gym owners, or competitors. The session also examined how traits like perfectionism in coaching technique can be a double-edged sword, leading to burnout and rigidity. The core of the lecture centered on providing concrete tools to shift from debilitating self-judgment to a growth-oriented mindset. Ultimately, the session demonstrated a powerful connection: effective management of a coach’s own inner critic directly improves the overall performance and psychological safety of their athletes.
If you want the “X” factor knowledge to take your compulsory athletes to strong optionals- this lecture is for you! Here we dive into the details past the compulsory routines that actually create an optional athlete!
Get ready to peek into the future of preschool gymnastics—where tiny tumblers meet big industry shifts! We’ll explore the trends quietly shaping 2026–28 (and loudly shaping your business). We’ll dig into enrollment patterns, retention strategies, explore what’s creating demand in your local market, and reveal how understanding families (and their diaper bags) can transform your program.
Nerves don’t have to sabotage performance. This session gives coaches practical ways to help athletes regulate their stress, build meet-day routines, reduce overthinking, and increase consistency. Includes warm-up scripts, mental reset cues, confidence triggers, and how to coach effectively during stressful meet moments.
Even strong, established gyms often overlook simple marketing opportunities that can increase enrollment, make better use of off-peak hours, and expand their reach without adding major expenses. This session highlights practical, underused strategies that help clubs connect with new families and stand out in their communities. You’ll leave with clear insights on where untapped potential exists—and how to capture it with straightforward, low-cost approaches.
Calling all vault coaches! Do your athletes stutter step? Do their steps feel “off”? Do many of your athletes lean forward on the board and have a poor body shape in their vault? There is a simple way to help alleviate all of this, and it’s all in their approach.
The Pyramid of Vault is a great visual tool for coaches and athletes to use to simplify their vaults into pieces they can truly master. Many observed mistakes are caused by improper running mechanics and technique in their approach. Fix those and you’ll have vaulters extremely confident running full speed at the table!
This lecture will focus on breaking down each phase of the vault listed here, with a strong emphasis on their approach:
A dynamic, hands-on session featuring practical drills and clear teaching progressions for key optional-level beam elements: the back handspring, front handspring, and the back tuck. Coaches will gain effective strategies to build confidence, and safe skill development from start to finish.
It’s challenging to teach groups of young children who are easily distracted, excited and sometimes out of control. In this talk we will cover the following topics that will help you maintain safety, control, and provide success experiences to your students:
Guided hands-on spotting practice. Gain practical experience in safely and effectively spotting key skills under the guidance of an experienced spotter. Ideal for coaches working with optional level gymnasts.
Vault: Yurchenkos
Uneven Bars: Overshoots
Beam: Dismounts
Space in this session is limited! Reserve your spot by signing up at the Congress registration desk beginning Thursday at 11:00 a.m.
Session attendees aged 18+ must be U110 SafeSport Trained to participate in hands-on spotting activities.
This engaging session explores creative ways to build handstand strength in young athletes through fun drills, props, and themed activities that keep them motivated. Attendees will learn how to use a variety of apparatuses to safely prepare preschool and developmental athletes for handstand success. Designed to be flexible, the presentation can be delivered as either a live demonstration or in a classroom setting, offering practical ideas coaches can easily implement.
In this lecture, you will learn essential tips for fostering a positive and collaborative work environment in your gym. This session is designed for anyone seeking to improve their workplace dynamics and the relationships they have with Managers, Directors, and Team Members.
Key elements include Effective Communication, Team Leadership, the Development of your People, Positive Reinforcement ideas, quality Organizational Practices and processes, and an Overview of an EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System).
Most importantly, it is essential to promote a fun and engaging workplace environment for everyone.
Use rhythmic apparatus to spice up your rec program and add another level to your gym show. A great introduction to competitive rhythmic gymnastics.
Learn how to recognize early signs of Gymnast’s Wrist, Severs (heel pain) and Osgood Schlatter’s (knee pain) in your growing gymnast. Learn when to modify training, understand when to refer for medical care, and help gymnasts safely continue to train. Plus, get practical tips on taping and bracing from a physical therapist who specializes in gymnastics.
Discover Nick’s Octimisation Model—an 8-point visual framework that identifies the essential movement patterns and physical competencies required for long-term technical mastery. Coaches will learn how to assess these foundations, integrate them into daily training, and use the Octagon to guide smarter progressions and athlete development.
Drills and stations for your “new to team” athletes to shape their future success on Bars.
Tumbling is the basis for all events and developing great basics from the very beginning is extremely important! This lecture will cover key shaping and prerequisites to develop technically correct round offs, back handsprings, and basic saltos.
This session dives into the psychology behind our expectations, frustrations, and helps coaches shift from “Why aren’t they…?” to “Here’s how I can help them grow.” With real-world strategy, coaches will learn how to adapt, communicate, and bring out the best in the athletes they actually have on the floor.
Line drills are essential for building strong floor basics. This lecture will give you clear, practical ideas for creating effective line drills that reinforce shapes, technique, and progression in your program.
This fun, interactive session focuses on the philosophy behind creating a great dance culture in your program, and putting together beautiful routines that stand out!
This lecture topic will focus on tips and strategies coaches can implement to keep their preschool athletes engaged from start to finish, and how to utilize every second of class for something productive and beneficial to the students. It will provide ways to help turn even a good preschool class into a GREAT one, giving our students the best experience possible!
Get prepared for HUGS competition with a comprehensive overview of rules across ALL disciplines. This session will break down key expectations, helping coaches and participants feel confident, informed, and ready for a successful event.
Strength training has the power to elevate every gymnast’s performance, yet it remains one of the most underutilized tools in our sport. This session breaks down the why and how of integrating structured, progressive strength training—including weightlifting—into gymnastics programs of all levels. Attendees will learn how improved strength directly translates to better skill development, more powerful tumbling and vaulting, enhanced control on beam and bars, and significantly reduced injury risk.
We’ll explore practical, evidence-supported strategies for implementing strength training safely and effectively, discuss common misconceptions that hold programs back, and outline key progressions that build durable, high-performing athletes. Coaches will leave with actionable ideas they can apply immediately—no matter their facility setup—to help their gymnasts gain a true competitive edge.
Appropriate and equivalent application of general overall deductions can be challenging across the Xcel levels. For instance, evaluating overall rhythm throughout a routine 30 seconds long versus one that is 90 seconds may lead to inconsistency. Here we will explore how to appropriately apply general deductions across the levels to ensure fair application and separation of athletes from level to level.
Human Resources (HR) is can be intimidating and at times, difficult to understand. Learn about the top 10 lessons that will benefit your business and yourself when it comes to our industry.
No sessions match the selected Tracks for this day.
