Nasser Gymnastics & Cheerleading 3055 Old Shell Road Mobile, AL 36607 251-479-9311 www.nassergymnastics.net Email: nassergym@yahoo.com 2013-2014 Welcome HANDBOOK Here at Nasser’s, our primary goal is to provide your child a safe, fun, and rewarding experience. For this reason, we inform all students and parents of the gym rules and policies and require all to adhere while visiting our facility. We hope you and your child have a pleasant experience with us. If you have any comments, concerns, questions, or suggestions, please let us know so that we can be of better service to you. We’re glad you chose Nasser Gymnastics, and we appreciate your business. Our History We are proud to have had the opportunity to serve the Mobile community for 40 fun & exciting years! Our founder, Mr. Nasser Parvinrouh, grew up in Iran. Like most children, he was constantly running, jumping and flipping around. He began formal gymnastics training at the age of 13. In only 7 short years, Mr. Nasser became an elite gymnast. In 1964, at the age of 20, Mr. Nasser took part in the Olympic games in Japan, and was ranked 16th in the world. In 1969, Mr. Nasser came to the United States to study at UCLA, and in 1971, he moved to Mobile and began teaching gymnastics in schools, churches, and daycares. For many years, Mr. Nasser dreamed of owning a gym of his own, where he could pass on his beloved sport to youngsters. His dream came true in 1982, when he founded Nasser Gymnastics. Over the past 40 years, Nasser Gymnastics has grown and succeeded to become a very well known name for gymnastics and cheerleading, not only in Mobile, but in the whole southeastern region. It has always been our pleasure to serve Mobile, and we look forward to another wonderful 40 years! Benefits of Gymnastics Out of the host of sports and physical activities available to children these days, gymnastics offers the MOST comprehensive skill set and produces the MOST well rounded athletes. Ask any coach and they will agree, coaches love having gymnasts on their teams. This awesome sport offers a multitude of benefits, both physically and mentally, putting gymnasts a step ahead of their peers. Gymnasts demonstrate the strength of a weight lifter, the force of a football player, the coordination of a basketball player, the agility of a soccer player, the rhythm of a dancer, the speed of a baseball player, the endurance of a marathon runner, the balance of a tight rope walker, the grace of a figure skater and the flexibility of a ballerina, all in a single routine, WHEW! Add to this the mental benefits of gymnastics, including dedication, determination, self-confidence, respect and team spirit, and you will agree: gymnastics is the BEST SPORT for any child! 1 Our Mission Here at Nasser’s, our mission is to help children become healthy, happy, goal-oriented athletes. It is our top priority to provide children with a positive outlet in a fun, safe environment in which they can enjoy themselves. Our mission, however, goes a bit further. We believe in the philosophy of goalsetting and we encourage each of our students to set personal goals for themselves, and to work diligently to achieve their goals. Our programs are designed with a progressive nature in order to challenge our students to always strive to reach the next level, with the ultimate goal of producing well-rounded, competitive gymnasts. We believe every student is capable of becoming a winning competitor, as long as they are willing to display dedication, effort, and a good attitude! Beginning in our Rec classes, quarterly progress reports and/or Star Charts are provided in order to keep you informed of your child’s progress, and to allow you the opportunity to take part in the process of goalsetting and encouragement. Class Descriptions To give you an idea of our program’s progressive design, the levels are outlined below, beginning with our Parent/Child and Preschool classes, followed by our recreational program, our “Little Stars” program, our pre-team program, our compulsory competitive team, and our optional competitive team, boys’ classes, tumbling classes, and cheer classes. 1. Open Gym Class Length: 45 minutes Frequency: once or more a week Ages: Birth- 5 years Description: Our “open gym” playtime allows parents an opportunity to bring their younger children into the gym for indoor playtime. This is not a gymnastics class, but an instructor is present for assistance. A parent must accompany children throughout each open gym. 2. Parent/Child Program Class Length: 45 minutes Frequency: once a week minimum Ages: 16 mos- 3 yrs Description: This class requires active buddy (parent, grandparent, caregiver, etc.) participation. The Parent and Child class allows children to feel secure and relaxed, as the parent is present, which helps maintain their interest as they look, listen, and learn. Class activities involve basic development of body awareness and muscle, as well as teaching beginner gymnastics skills. This class focuses on learning social skills through interaction with other children, as well as development of basic motor skills, coordination, balance, and strength, giving your child a leg-up in those important formative years. Children are introduced to basic gymnastics as they rotate between activities on the bars, balance beam, floor, and trampoline with their parent and coach. Lesson plans are designed to allow the children to enjoy soft, fun, interesting and colorful adventures throughout the gym. Come jump, play, sing, and laugh along with your child, and watch them grow before your eyes! 2 3. Preschool Program Class Length: 45-60 minutes Frequency: once a week minimum Ages: 3-5 yrs Description: It’s time to say goodbye to Mommy and Daddy in our Preschool classes. These classes are full of fun, gymnastics, music, games, and especially learning! Children will receive an introduction to basic gymnastics, motor skills and creative movement skills in a FUN, playful environment that blends physical, cognitive and daily living skills. This class helps develop social interaction skills with other children, and teaches the tots how to follow directions, as they are introduced to fundamental body positions and various gymnastics equipment. Children will be allowed to explore all the fun gymnastics has to offer, rotating through events such as the beam, bars, floor, trampoline, obstacle course and more! Emphasis is placed on gymnastics skills, coordination, strength, and fun. Proper progression activities are used to help each student develop and practice gymnastics skills in a safe, effective manner. 4. Rec Class Length: 60 minutes Frequency: once a week minimum Ages: 6+ yrs Description: This class focuses on learning and perfecting the fundamentals, preparing the gymnasts to begin learning more complex gymnastics skills. As the children grow, they become more aware of their bodies, learning strength and control. The Rec 1 program begins to focus more on this body awareness and developing good form, such as straight legs, pointed toes, and tight body positions. This introductory class exposes students to foundational gymnastics skills, body form & positions, strength, and flexibility. Students progress at their own pace on all four Olympic apparatus (Vault, Bars, Beam, and Floor) and well as TumblTrak. 5. Little Stars Class Length: 90 minutes Frequency: once a week minimum Description: This class is designed to slightly increase training intensity placed on students and teach them endurance, while allowing them to continue to progress at their own pace. New skills are introduced, in proper progression, and skills previously learned are polished and perfected, focusing on good form and presentation. 6. Level 1 Class Length: 2 hours per lesson Frequency: once a week minimum Description: In this class, students begin working toward mastery of skill sets that make up the routines of competitive gymnastics. Proper progression techniques are used to ensure these skills are learned safely and efficiently, and with correct form. Increasing emphasis is placed on presentation, as well as the strength and flexibility required to execute skills of increasing difficulty. 3 7. Level 2: Pre-team Class Length: 90 minutes per lesson Frequency: twice a week Description: Level 2 is designed as a transition from recreational to competitive team gymnastics. In this class, students continue working on skills used in competitive gymnastics routines, with increased emphasis on clean, tight execution, and good form. Students also begin learning how to connect skills in series, moving smoothly from one skill to the next. A part of each practice is dedicated solely to strength and flexibility training, as these are required for proper progression. Presentation techniques are polished, and students are encouraged to “show it off” in preparation to become competitive gymnasts. 8. Level 2-6: Compulsory Team Class Length: 2 ½ hours-3 ½ hours per lesson Frequency: two-four times a week Description: Students begin learning routines on all four apparatus (vault, bars, beam & floor) and perfecting presentation techniques which will be used as competitive team gymnasts. It is at this level our coaches begin to emphasize key elements of competitive gymnastics such as dedication, selfdiscipline, consistency and determination, as well as good sportsmanship and team spirit. Members of these competitive teams take part in several competitions each season, performing routines designed by USA Gymnastics. Skill set and series difficulty increases with each progressive level. Gymnasts in these levels are encouraged to demonstrate dedication, self-discipline, consistency, determination, good sportsmanship and team spirit at competitions as well as each and every practice. 9. Level 6-10: Optional Team Class Length: 3-4 hours per lesson Frequency: 4 times a week Description: Members of this team are part of the top tier of competitive gymnastics. All of our students look up to members of this team, and we expect them to be good role models. Our optional team members take part in several competitions throughout the southeastern region, with the goal of reaching the Regional and National Championships. As with our compulsory program, each level demands an increasingly difficult skill set. Dedication, self-discipline, consistency, determination, good sportsmanship and team spirit are a must at competitions as well as each and every practice. 10. Boys 1 Class Length: 60 minutes Frequency: once a week minimum Description: This class is the first in a two class series, designed as an introduction to men’s gymnastics. This all boys class allows our boys to break away from the girls, and explore the specifics of men’s gymnastics on all 6 men’s gymnastics events: high bar, parallel bars, rings, vault, floor and pommel horse. The beginning of each class is spent stretching and warming-up, with an emphasis on strength training and flexibility. The boy’s then rotate through a series of events, learning introductory skills on the 6 men’s events, as well as trampoline and TumblTrak. 4 11. Boys 2 Class Length: 90 minutes – 2 hours Frequency: once to twice a week Description: This class is the second in the two class series of our introductory boys program, and is designed for boys who have achieved proficiency in the Boys 1 class. Training intensity is increased, with a longer class time. Intermediate skills are taught, in proper progression, on trampoline, floor, pommel horse, rings, vault, high bar, and parallel bars. Students continue to progress at their own pace, learning more difficult men’s gymnastics skills. As the more difficult skills require more strength and flexibility, greater emphasis is placed on these components and a part of each class is dedicated solely to total body strength and flexibility training. 12. Tumbling 1 Class Length: 60 minutes Frequency: once a week minimum Description: This is the first class in a two class series, designed for those who wish to learn tumbling skills. In this class, students are taught introductory tumbling skills such as handstands, cartwheels, round-offs, limbers, and walkovers. Students also begin learning the body positions and components of a back handspring. Skills are taught on TumblTrak, rod floor, and the gym floor, using proper progression technique and various spotting methods and drill stations. 13. Tumbling 2 Class Length: 60 minutes Frequency: once a week minimum Description: This is the second class in the two class tumbling series, designed for students who have mastered the skills taught in our Tumbling 1 class. In this class, students work on standing back handsprings, standing tucks, and tumbling series. As with our Tumbling 1 class, skills are taught on TumblTrak, rod floor, and the gym floor, using proper progressions, spotting, and drill stations. 14. Cheer Class Class Length: 30 minutes Frequency: once a week minimum Description: This class is specifically for our cheerleaders who would like to perfect their jumps and motions, and is designed be an add-on to our tumbling classes. A part of each class is dedicated to arm motions, polishing them for sharpness and correct positions. The rest of the class is spent learning and perfecting jumps, using trampoline, rod floor, and gym floor, with a particular emphasis on clean, sharp execution. 15. All Star Cheerleading Class Length: Frequency: 60-90 minutes twice to three times a week 5 Description: Our All Star Cheerleading squad, the Bay Blast All Stars, was developed for those girls who wish to take their cheerleading to the next level, by becoming a member of a competitive cheer squad. No prior cheer experience or specific skills are required to become part of this team. Our only requirements are dedication, a positive attitude, and team spirit! 16. Teenage & Adult Class Length: 60 minutes Frequency: once a week Description: This class is designed with the older gymnast in mind. All events, strength, & flexibility are taught. Nasser Gymnastics Academy Policy Overview I. REGISTRATION - There is an annual registration fee of $35 per student, per year. A registration form and waiver must be filled out for each student prior to participation in their first class. II. SAFETY POLICY- Gym rules are for the safety of you and your child. This policy reduces the risk of injury and helps our gym run smoothly, ensuring a pleasant experience for all of our guests. III. TUITION PAYMENTS – TUITION IS DUE ON THE 15th OF THE PREVIOUS MONTH. Payments received on or after the 1st will be charged a $10 late fee. For example, October tuition is due September 15th and is late on October 1st. IV. MAKE-UPS – We allow each child one make-up class per month. Make-ups are scheduled through the office and are held the last Saturday of the month. Please do not bring your child to class if he or she is ill. V. WITHDRAWALS – We do not require a contract. However, a two week, written notice is required on the 15th of the previous month in order to withdraw your child from the program. For example to withdraw for the month of October, notice must be given by September 15th. VI. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Dress Code, Playroom, Exhibition Dates, Gym Jams, Birthdays, and Privates VII. CLOSINGS – See the 2013-2014 Gym Calendar for closings, holidays and make ups. WE DO NOT CLOSE FOR SPRING BREAK. OUR STUDENTS ATTEND MANY DIFFERENT SCHOOLS WITH DIFFERENT SPRING BREAKS, & THE GYM DOES NOT CLOSE THE WHOLE MONTH OF APRIL. I. CLASS REGISTRATION: Beginner students are registered for classes according to their current age group. Tuition is prorated for NEW students registering in the middle of a month; we do not prorate otherwise. In the case of low enrollment, we may shorten or close a class. If a class is closed, we will enroll your child in 6 another class or issue a refund. We offer a discount for siblings or immediate family members (discount applied to the LOWER tuition rate). Please notify office staff if you must withdraw your child from a class for any reason. We require a TWO WEEK, WRITTEN NOTIFICATION prior to withdrawal. If payment is not received by the end of the month, and the office has not been notified, the student will be withdrawn from class, but the student’s account will still be charged for the last month’s tuition. Our $35 annual registration fee is honored for 12 months from the date of registration. A separate registration fee is required for each child. Registration fees are non-refundable. II. SAFETY POLICY: Parents/Guardians are responsible for their children before and after each class. Please accompany your child on the bleachers until they are called to the floor, and pick them up promptly at the end of class. Our instructors are safety conscious; skills and activities are taught carefully and in a progressive manner, to aid in injury prevention. Instructors are trained to follow appropriate spotting techniques, skill progressions and safety procedures. All persons using the gym facility must have a registration form on file. The consent and release agreement MUST be signed by a parent/guardian prior to participation. Participants must carry their own health insurance, and are responsible for any medical bills resulting from illness or injury. Parents/Guardians, siblings, and any other person not registered are not permitted in the gated gym area. This is a requirement of our insurance, and is for safety reasons. Siblings are more than welcome to use our complimentary play room, located upstairs. III. TUITION: 1. Monthly newsletters are emailed; we do not send out bills or invoices. Tuition is on the 15th of the previous month. A $10 late fee will be assessed for any payments received on or after the 1st of the month. If tuition is not received by the third class of the month, a $20 late fee will be assessed, and the student will not be allowed to participate until the account is paid in full. 2. Monthly tuition is applied to four weeks of lessons within a calendar month. We have a make-up schedule to accommodate gym closings and holidays. Please see “Closings” for the complete list. Holidays are taken into account when establishing pricing and scheduling. Therefore, your child’s tuition will be the same each month. Missed classes cannot be used in lieu of tuition. We do not prorate for missed classes. 3. Tuition is non-refundable and will only be prorated for NEW students who enroll in the middle of a month. When a child is enrolled in a class, his/her place is reserved. Therefore, tuition must be paid regardless of attendance. We allow one make-up class per student, per month, as explained under “Make-Up Classes”. 4. We accept cash, check, money order, or debit/credit card payments. There is an additional 2.75% convenience fee on all credit/debit card payments. Checks may be dropped in the payment box by the office. Please include the child’s name with payment. Please obtain a receipt for cash payments. 7 5. There is a $35.00 handling charge for all returned checks. IV. MAKE-UP CLASSES: 1. If class is missed for any reason, a make-up class may be scheduled by office staff within one month of the missed class. Make-up classes are held the last Saturday of the month. Make-ups not scheduled within one month are forfeited. Due to limited availability of class space, only one class may be made-up per month, regardless of the number of classes missed during that month. Check with the office staff, after the absence, to see if you qualify for a make-up class. Make-ups are granted in circumstances such as illness, death in the family, etc. If a scheduled make-up class is missed, the make-up class is forfeited. 2. Please do not bring sick children to the gym. Any child showing signs of illness will be asked to leave the facility. In case of illness, please schedule a make-up class. There will be no exceptions to this policy. 3. Because we provide discounted rates for our Pre-Team and Team gymnasts, we DO NOT provide make-ups for missed practices. V. WITHDRAWAL POLICY: We do not require a contract for enrollment; therefore, there is no penalty for withdrawal. However, a 2 week, written notice is required prior to withdrawal. This notice should be given directly to the office staff, NOT to the instructors. For example, to withdraw for the month of October, notice must be given by September 15th. Until this notice is on file, you will be responsible for tuition payment in full. If tuition is not received by the last day of the month and the office has not been notified, the student will automatically be withdrawn from class, but you will still be responsible for the last month’s tuition. VI: ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: A. Dress Code: Students should wear comfortable clothing that allows for freedom of movement. NO zippers, buttons, belts, shoes, socks, jewelry, or watches should be worn to class. Students with hair long enough to get into their eyes must have it tied back. No gum is permitted within the gated gym area. Girls: Leotards are recommended. Gym shorts and a tucked in t-shirt are also permitted. Boys: Sport shorts and a tucked in t-shirt. Please no buttons or zippers on shorts. Cheerleaders: Sport shorts and a tucked in t-shirt. Cheer shoes are not necessary. Valuables should not be brought to the gym and we are NOT responsible for items lost or stolen on the premises. B. Playroom: We are happy to provide a complimentary kid’s playroom, located on our second level. Feel free to take younger children upstairs to play, while you enjoy a bird’s eye view of your child’s class. All 8 children under the age of 5 must be accompanied by a parent in the play room. Children over the age of 5 must have a parent upstairs while in the play room. Please ensure that children do not drop toys from the balcony. No food or drinks are allowed in the play area. Please help put toys away after use. C. Spring Festival Exhibition: Friends and family are encouraged to attend our annual Spring Festival exhibition to watch gymnasts & Cheerleaders demonstrate the skills they have learned in class. Trophies are awarded and photo opportunities are provided to each participant at the end of their performance night! You are welcome to attend on your child’s exhibition date, as well as other exhibitions during Spring Fest week. Don’t miss out on a guaranteed great time at Spring Fest, held the week of March 17th, 2014. D. Gym-Jam: All children ages 3-14 are invited to Gym-Jams, regardless of membership or experience. A waiver must be signed in order to participate. Please join us for a Friday night of fun from 6-9:30 P.M. Gym Jam is great for both parents and children. It provides parents an opportunity to enjoy some free time, while children have a blast playing awesome games, showing off in relay races and talent shows, taking turns on fun equipment, and chowing down on pizza for dinner. This is a great opportunity for children to explore the gym, jump on the trampolines, swing into the foam pit and meet new friends. Best of all, everyone is invited, including non-members! If you are looking for an exciting weekend activity or reward for your children and their friends, Nasser’s Friday night Gym Jams are ideal! The cost is only $20 dollars per child, and includes pizza and soda for dinner. 2013-2014 Gym Jam Dates: September 13 & 27, 2013 October 11 & 25, 2013 *Oct. 25 Gym Jam is a “dress up in costume” Gym Jam! November 15, 2013 December 6 & 13, 2013 (perfect for holiday shopping) January 17 & 31, 2014 February 7 & 21, 2014 March 14 & 28, 2014 April 11, 2014 May 2 & 16, 2014 E. Birthday Parties: Every weekend, Nasser Gymnastics hosts birthday parties for children ages 2 and up. Children under the age of 3 must be accompanied by an adult throughout the party. Birthday parties at Nasser’s are lots of fun for everyone! Each party includes a full hour of gymnastics fun with trained and energetic staff members, followed by a half hour for refreshments in our private party room. We are dedicated to providing a fun, exciting atmosphere for your child to celebrate his/her birthday with friends and family. Also, we never book more than one party at a time, so our birthday parties are always private. For each party, we provide: 9 Paper products (plates, napkins, forks and spoons, tablecloths, and trash bags) Tables and chairs Set up and clean up Completely private party room Parents are welcome to bring any party accessories they choose. Don’t forget to bring candles, refreshments, and a cake knife. Decorations and goodie bags are also great ideas. No mess to clean up, no weather worries; just bring the refreshments, sit back and watch the fun! We love birthdays, and look forward to celebrating with you! PRICING: Our birthday parties start at $150, providing lots of fun and excitement for up to 10 children (including the birthday child). There is a $10 fee for each additional child, to be paid at the end of the party. A $50, non-refundable deposit is due at the time of booking. This deposit will be deducted from the total party cost. *Staff members serving as exceptional hostesses are allowed to accept gratuities.* F. Private Lessons: Private lessons provide one-on-one time for students to work on their individual needs. Private lessons are recommended if a student wants personalized instruction in the development or correction of a particular skill or skill set. Membership is not required for participation in private lessons. Payment and completion of our waiver form is required prior to the lesson(s). Privates must be scheduled and paid in advance and require a 24 hour cancellation for refund or rescheduling. PRICING: 30 Minutes 45 Minutes 60 Minutes 1 Student $30 $40 $50 2 Students $40 ($20 per student) $52 ($26 per student) $64 ($32 per student) VII. GYM CLOSINGS: A. INCLIMENT WEATHER POLICY: In the case of inclement weather, please call the office or check our Facebook page to find out if classes have been cancelled. If we must close due to the weather, we will leave a message on our voice mail and update our status on Facebook to notify you. When you call please wait for your call to be forwarded to voicemail. If you cannot reach our voicemail, we have lost power, and classes are cancelled. Once again, we will keep updates on our Facebook page. Have you ever noticed our logo? Can you see the two gymnasts? There is a girl doing a leap and a boy doing a cartwheel! 10 B. GYM CALENDAR: September 2013 Su M Tu W Th F October 2013 S Su M Tu W Th F S 1 2 3 4 5 November 2013 Su M Tu W Th F S 2 2 3 4 5 6 7 6 7 8 9 10 11 1 1 12 4 5 6 7 8 9 8 9 10 11 12 13 3 14 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 11 12 13 14 17 18 19 20 21 20 21 22 23 24 26 15 16 16 25 10 15 18 19 20 21 22 23 23 24 25 26 27 17 22 28 27 28 29 30 31 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 29 30 F S December 2013 Su M Tu W Th F 1 2 3 4 5 6 8 9 10 11 12 15 16 17 18 19 22 23 24 25 26 29 30 31 Su M January 2014 S Su M W Th February 2014 W Th F S 1 2 3 4 Su M Tu W Th 1 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 2 3 4 5 6 8 13 14 12 13 14 15 16 17 7 18 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 20 21 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 16 17 18 19 20 28 26 27 28 29 30 31 21 22 27 23 24 25 26 27 28 F S Su M Tu W Th 1 2 3 4 5 7 April 2014 March 2014 Tu Tu 1 May 2014 F S Su M Tu W F S 1 Th 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 14 15 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 11 12 13 14 15 21 22 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 16 17 20 28 29 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 27 27 28 29 30 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 2 3 4 5 6 7 9 10 11 12 13 16 17 18 19 23 24 25 26 30 31 8 GYM CLOSINGS MAKE UP DAY September 2 (Mon): Labor Day November 28-30 (Thur- Sat): Thanksgiving Monday, September 30 Nov. 28: Thur, October 31 Nov. 29 & 30: extra days; No Make-Up December 23-31 Christmas Dec. 23: makeup Wed, April 23 Dec. 24 & 25: makeup Tues & Wed, Oct. 29 & 30 Dec. 26 & 27: makeup Thur & Fri, Jan. 30 & 31 Dec. 28: makeup Sat, March 29 Dec. 30 & 31: extra days, No makeup January 1(Wed): New Year’s January 29 (Wed) March 3-5 (Mon-Wed): Mardi Gras March 3: extra day; No Make-Up March 4 & 5: makeup Tues & Wed, April 1& 2 May 26 (Mon): Memorial Day May 29-31 (Thurs-Sat) May 29 (Thursday) for Monday classes only May 29-31: extra days; No make-Up Dates in Gray: Gym Closed Dates in Bold: Gym Jams 11