Week after week almost 100 children flock to the TET Stadium for their regular gymnastic sessions. Classes offered vary from preschool play gymnastics to highly skilled competition gymnastics producing some of the Taranaki regions finest gymnasts. Every week the regulars return, and almost daily new enquiries are taken for newgymnasts to begin. The children come thick and fast ... unfortunately the coaches are a little more difficult to find. In fact, coaches are so difficult to find that of our five current coaches, two are hoping to retire as soon as possible, and so far, no replacements have been found. Head coach for the competitive gymnasts, Bronwyn Cleland had officially resigned from her position at the end of last season, but like so many dedicated volunteers in our sport, has returned to keep the competitive club alive - bringing with her, reinforcements in her daughter Kerri, an ex dancer and gymnast. Recreational coach Nicole Oliver travels 50km a trip with her six children in tow to coach weekly classes, despite the fact that none of her own children actually participate in the class. She started coaching six years ago when the previous coach retired and nobody else was keen to pick it up. Since then she's had time off due to a car accident, and resigned after the birth of her sixth child, but again returned when the club was faltering due to a lack of recreational classes. Our two preschool coaches Mel Ratu and Lisa Richards, both mothers of two, attend courses and training regularly to inspire themselves with new information, in their newly acquired positions as gymnastic coaches. Lisa timed the birth of her second child perfectly and returned to classes soon after so as to not interrupt the flow of her preschool sessions. How blessed we are as a community to have such dedicated volunteers in our presence. Due to such limited personnel, we have had to close rolls on most of our classes until new coaches can be found and trained. However, the ones already in the classes, the gymnastics will continue; teaching body awareness, fitness and safe movement skills. As they say, gymnastics is the sport to prepare for all sports.
