1. AcroArmy

2. Acrobatic Gymnastics Program
How to start an
Acrobatic Gymnastics Program
Region 5 Congress, Columbus OH
September 12, 2014

3. Welcome to Acro!
A whole new world full of opportunity awaits you!

4. Why we love ACRO!
Nadine D. - Age 5 'Because I like it and my mom made me do it' 
Madison B. - Age 8 'I am challenged and I like moves and trios or pairs and love the coaches and the kids'
Maddie M. - Age 9 'I love acro because it makes you strong and healthy and fun!'
Grace J. - Age 11 'I love acro because all of the people are amazing. I love competing with everybody'
Mariena P. - Age 11 'I do acro because I feel unique compared to other sports and it keeps me healthy'
Danielle B. - Age 12 'It makes me feel like I'm awesome and I am just so addicted to it'
Naomi D. - Age 12 'I love acro because I get to know more people and I get to be apart of a team. My favorite part of acro is the routines! :) :)'
Makayla M. - Age 12 'I love doing acro because... -I'm addicted to it -I'm competitive -It's fun'
Savannah S. - Age 16 'I do acro because I love it so much I'm addicted. I like how it makes me push myself, I like being a part of a team.'

5. Agenda What is Acro? The History of Acro USA Acro History
What do you need to start?
Benefits for your gym
Benefits for your athletes
Benefits for Coaches and Judges
Pair/Group Definitions
Exercise Definitions
Age Groups
Levels
Typical Training Hours
Typical Season
Additional Information

6. What is Acro? Acro is the combination of: Artistic Gymnastics
Pairs Figure Skating
Cirque du Soleil Acrobatics
Acro is:
Exciting
Beautiful
Creative
Graceful
Fun
Developmental
Partnership
Performance
Strength
Flexibility

7. Acro is…
A combination of:
Elements of difficulty
Partner Skills
Gymnastics Skills
… which highlights the athletes’ strength, flexibility, agility and cooperative effort.
Five events:
Women’s Pair
Men’s Pair
Mixed Pair
Women’s Group
Men’s Group
Choreography
Dance
Synchronization
Musical Interpretation
Performance

8. The History of Acro Acro is one of the oldest sports disciplines
Dates back thousands of years
Archaeological evidence in the form of drawings and statues many centuries BC in Egypt and Persia
By the end of the 18th century, Acro was flourishing in Europe
Within the last 80 years…
Formal competitive Acro began in the Soviet Union in the 1930’s
Acro began in the United States in the 1970’s and has grown across the country
Acro can be found in over 30 countries around the world
Until 2002 Acro had it’s own governing body but merged with USA Gymnastics and we are still growing!

9. USA Acro History 2004 World Championships – MPGold Medal
2004 World Age Group Games – WG Silver Medal & MP Silver Medal
2006 World Championships – MP Bronze Medal
2006 World Cup – MP Silver Medal
2006 Int’l Age Group Competition – WG Silver Medal
2007 World Cup Finals – WG Bronze Medal & MP Bronze Medal
2008 World Championships – MP Silver Medal
2008 Int’l Age Group Competition – WP Silver Medal
2008 World Cup – MP Gold Medal
2010 World Championships – MP Gold Medal
2012 World Championships were held in the USA for the 1st time!
2014 World Championships – MP Bronze Medal
2014 AcroArmy takes America’s Got Talent by storm!

10. What do you need to start?

11. Benefits for your gym
Adds an additional program to your gym – quickly and inexpensively!
Provides unique advertising and marketing opportunities
Creates new excitement
Attracts new athletes
Retains your current athletes
Provides more choice for your students
Offers more competitive outlets
Captures additional revenue

12. Benefits for the athletes
Gymnasts can do acro in addition to current disciplines
No weight or size consideration for athletes
All body types are needed
Less risk of injury
Partners assist athletes to safe landings
Fewer age limitations which leads to a wider window of opportunity to accomplish goals
Opportunity to experience high level
International and World competitions
Encourages artistic expression by combining
the love of gymnastics with the love of dance
Helps athletes build life skills –
working in pairs or groups –
and builds lifelong friendships.

13. Benefits for Coaches & Judges
Opportunity to become involved in a new discipline
Learning curve is not a great because of similarities to artistic gymnastics
Educational opportunities to advance quickly and professionally
Opportunity to participate in National Competitions
Opportunity to experience high level International and World Competitions

14. Pair/Group Definitions
Women’s Pair – 2
Men’s Pair – 2
Mixed Pair – 2
Women’s Group – 3
Men’s Group - 4

15. Exercise Definitions Balance Exercise
Static elements, pyramids, and lifts
Showcases strength and flexibility
Individual elements show flexibility, strength, and agility
Dynamic Exercise
Partner throws and pitches
Involves catches, re-catches, and dismounts
Lots of flight and motion
Individual elements show tumbling and leaps
Combined Exercise
Balance elements
Dynamic elements
Demonstrates athletes versatility

16. Age Groups Junior Olympic Program (J.O.) 11 & Under 12 – 13 14 – 15
Junior Elite
Senior Elite
Minimum age is 13
There is a maximum age differential of 15 years

17. Levels - J.O. Program Levels 1 – 4 Pre-competition, learning levels
One combined compulsory routine
Choreography must be attempted – artistry is not scored
Can be mastered by athletes with no previous experience
Level 6
One combined routine with compulsory elements
Choreography is required
Artistry is not scored
Level 7
Artistry is scored

18. Levels - J.O. Program – Con’t
1 Balance Routine with compulsory elements
1 Dynamic Routine with compulsory elements
Level 9
First level for additional optional elements
Level 10
1 Balance Routine
1 Dynamic Routine
First level for which athletes must qualify
First level for complete skill choices
Junior and Senior Elite complete Balance, Dynamic, and Combined routines

19. Typical Training Hours & Staffing
Level 1 – 4 2 – 4 hours per week
Level 5 – 7 4 – 8 hours per week
Level 8 – 9 8 – 12 hours per week
Level – 15 hours per week
Elite ? Hours per week
At our gym we practice 4 hours per week up through levels 7 and Levels 8 & 9 practice 6 – 9 hours per week. Our pre-team practices 2 hours a week.
Coach to Athlete Ratio: 1 coach to pair/groups

20. Typical Season August – Tryouts
Determined by evaluating athletes as to individual ability, sportsmanship, etc.
Pairing and grouping of athletes is based on size, age, sex, ability, level of commitment of the athlete and parents.
Parent, coach and athlete meetings
Proposed level and partnering of athletes is determined by the coaching staff.
September –Music Selection
October – November
Conditioning and individual skill development
Work on basic skills for proposed level
Choreograph routines

21. Season – Con’t December - February
Continue training elements/skills for routine
Refine choreography
Run full routines
February – April
Host mock meet in gym
Compete local meets
Continue to refine choreography
May
Compete in State Championships
Compete in Regional Championships
June – National Championships

22. Getting started
Coaches – you have coaches in your gym who probably want to be a team coach but you don’t need one in your existing programs – use them!
Athletes – Look at your instructional artistic classes - you have kids who would be thrilled to be asked to be on a team but are too old to go to your J.O. artistic program – ask them! Talk to athletes who are stuck in your J.O. artistic program – Acro gives them another option!
Look at your cheer program athletes – their season is winding down as Acro’s is winding up – they can do both!
Start an Instructional Acro Class – ask for a four month commitment – get them a leo – teach them a group routine – look for opportunities for them to perform! Community events like Cheer for a Cure are perfect for this. Get them hooked on acro before you ask them to join the team!
Instead of conditioning at the end of your instructional classes have your coaches teach basic acro moves – kids love this! Make it fun and challenging!

23. Resources
Acro Coach PDFs by level
Acro Coach Video Youtube Search for Acro Coach Video – videos by level can be found
J.O. Program
Code of Points
Rules & Policies
Pre-team Information & Handbook
How to start an Acro Team Booklet – on the USA Gym website go to Member Services, Member Club Only – scroll down towards the bottom of the page
Pair/Group and National Event Registration (Must get pair/group number before you can compete. Register your athletes with USA Gym first.)
Online Tariff Sheet (there are videos here to show you how to enter your skills before a meet)
Regional Judges Clinics – TBA
Acro Blocks
Federation of International Gymnastics

24. Region 5 Meet Schedule Region V Clinic YMCA Invitational
January 3, 2015
Hand 2 Hand Gymnastics
Hand 2 Hand Invitational
February 21, 2015
March Madness
March 8, 2015
SSYMCA, Sidney OH
Master's School of Gymnastics Invitational
March 21, 2015
Galletin, TN
YMCA Invitational
April 19, 2015
Darke County YMCA OR SSYMCA
OHIO State Meet
May 2, 2015
TBA
Region V Championships
May 16, 2015
Hand 2 Hand Gymnastics   
National Championships
June
Location TBA

25. Region 5 Acro Committee
Regional Administrative Chair – Diane Trifiro
Regional Technical Chair – Carisa Laughon
Regional JO Chair – Jessica Taylor
Regional Judges Chair – Angie Layne

26. Mentor Gyms Hand 2 Hand Gymnastics – Springboro OHIO
Diane Trifiro
David Trifiro
Aerial’s Athletics – Wilmington OHIO
Angie Layne