Happy Holidays and my best wishes for a great 2010! I hope everyone had a safe and productive Fall and are gearing up for a great optional season!
The Region 8 Board recently met in Atlanta and there a few changes to the JO landscape.
For specifics, please see the minutes in this newsletter. One highlight however, is that the Tim Rand “TR” Memorial Fund will once again be paying for 100% of the Level 10 entries into Nationals in the Dallas area. Thanks to Toni Rand and all of the supporters of this fund for keeping the memory of one of Region 8’s greats alive and really making a difference in the lives of our athletes and families.
Training Camp Changes and Announcements:
# 1 = “Regional Team” Training Camp – July 23-25, 2010 at Tampa Bay Turners - FL
Qualifiers:
ALL Level 7 & 8 Regional Qualifiers.
TOP’s National Qualifiers that competed L 7 and above in the previous year.
# 2 = “R 8 Nationals Team” Training Camp – September 10-12, 2010 at GAA in Atlanta - GA
Qualifiers:
ALL 2010 NIT Qualifiers
All 2010 L 9 and 10 athletes that qualified to the L 9 Eastern or L 10 National Meet
All active elite and “pre”- elite athletes
This camp will serve as host for NAWGJ Symposium
# 3 = “L 8, 9, 10 Regional Training Camp” - October 8-10, 2010 - ACE – Orlando Area - FL
Qualifiers:
All L 8, 9 and 10 athletes that qualified to the previous year’s Regional Championship meet or above.
I am confident that our camp system will continue to provide great training and learning opportunities for our athletes, coaches and judges alike to help Region 8 continue on its path to National prominence. With that said however, supporting our training camps will continue to be of the utmost importance. The Regional Board unanimously decided to continue our requirement stating that a club must be in “good standing” in regard to training camps to be eligible for the ALL-STAR Trip. In “Good standing” means that each club must do one or more of the following:
Host a R 8 Training Camp within the last 2 years
Send a volunteer coach or coaches to a Camp to actively work with gymnasts
Send an athlete or athletes to a Camp
Make a $1,000 donation to the Regional Apparel Fund
Clubs failing to meet these criteria are making the decision to be ineligible for funding of the “All-Star” Trip if one or more of your athletes qualify. An athlete from a club that is deemed NOT in “Good Standing” may only attend the trip at her own expense. Additionally – if the coach or coaches wanted to accompany their athlete they would have to pay for 100% of the trip. Please do not put yourself in this position.
The Board stuck with this criteria with the knowledge that the training camps cannot be a success without the support of ALL of our clubs. The funds created by the camps are the funds that are the life blood our athletes and coaches for apparel and our “All-Star” trip. Please do your part with the understanding that when you support the training camps you are ultimately supporting yourself!
The “All-Star” trip will once again be in July/August on the 29th – 1st weekend. We are currently in communication with the gymnastics staff at Chelsea Piers in NYC. We feel like New York will be a great training and cultural experience for everyone involved. The team will once again be made up of the level 9 & 10 athletes that best represent Region 8 at 2010 Easterns and Nationals. The team and attending coaches will be housed in a local hotel and be transported via bus while in NYC.It is our hope that this trip has been and will continue to be a great source of motivation within the Region. The Region will furnish the funds for the athletes and the head staff (minus meals and excursion fees). Coaches that qualify athletes that are not on the staff may also attend but at their own expense. The qualification system is as follows:
The top six – L 9’s (plus ties) and the top six – L 10’s (plus ties) from Eastern/National Championships will make up the team. The team is chosen as follows:
Any athlete(s) that place first in the AA get first priority.
Any athlete(s) that place second in the AA fill any remaining spots.
Any athlete(s) that place third in the AA fill any remaining spots.
If there are still spots available the athlete(s) with the highest AA score regardless of Age Group will make up the remainder of the team. Graduating Seniors are ineligible for the trip.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR COACHES OF REGIONAL QUALIFIERS
Posted: 01.21.2010
REGIONAL MEET ENTRY:
Please be sure that you have ALL necessary information at your State Meet to enter your gymnasts in the Regional Meets -- USAG athlete number, birthdate, etc. - and one club check per Regional Meet for entry fees. No checks from parents are allowed.
Regional Meet entry fees and forms MUST be turned in to your State Chairman (or designated official) at your State Meet -- within the specified time.
If a gymnast's Regional Meet entry is NOT turned in at the State Meet; in order to enter the gymnast(s) in the Regional Meet the following penalty will apply to the coach:
- a $25.00 late fee per gymnast (in addition to the regular entry fee) must be paid to the Regional Meet Director
PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOUR GYMNAST HAS QUALIFIED (according to the official announcement of qualifiers) -- AND ENTER HER PROPERLY WITHIN THE SPECIFIED TIME.
PETITIONS: (No petitions for PREP, Level 7 or 8 Regionals)
1. Any petitions should be mailed to the RTC, Marian Dykes -- it is YOUR responsibility to get all information needed for petitions.
2. Marian must RECEIVE petition NO LATER THAN WEDNESDAY following State Meet.
3. You should call, FAX or E-mail Marian to notify her that a petition is coming. (770-451-6910 Ph, 770-457-0943 Fax or mariandykes@aol.com )
4.List all petitioning gymnasts on bottom of entry form under petition section.
5. Complete Petition Form from Region 8 Winter Newsletter. Fax a copy of Petition Form to Debby Kornegay 205-951-0184
6. A photocopy of one pre-state, sanctioned meet results from the current season (at the level to which they are petitioning) showing a score at least one (1.00) point greater than the regional qualifying score.
7. A club check for entry fee MUST accompany petition to Marian. She will forward check to Meet Director if petition is accepted. (Check will be returned if not accepted.)
AT REGIONALS:
To be allowed onto the floor of competition, all coaches MUST show their current USA Gymnastics pro membership card with Safety Certification and Background Check expiration dates at Coaches sign in.
Level 9 & 10 coaches - you need to have with you ALL necessary information to enter your gymnasts in the National meets - including club checks for entry fees, extra T-shirt purchases, and any JO National apparel that you wish to purchase.
CHECK REGION 8 WEB PAGE FOR REGIONAL MEET SCHEDULES!
Region 8 spent more than $43,000.00 on athletes and coaches in 2009.How does Region 8 get the money to do this?!?Training Camps!Region 8 has 3 Training Camps for you and your athletes to take advantage of.When you bring your athletes, volunteer to coach and/or hosting a training camp you help Region 8 USA Gymnastics provide for our athletes and coaches.Tim Rand Memorial Fund paid for Level 10 National entry fees and is included in total.
SUPPORT THE SYSTEM THAT SUPPORTS YOU!Read new training camp system in JO News and register soon!
