We’ve been Accredited!

No post last week – apologies. But it was worth the wait because we have been granted GymMark – whoopee!

GymMark is the only national cross sports quality accreditation scheme for clubs and is fully supported by British Gymnastics and English Gymnastics for trampoline and gymnastics clubs, as well as all other sports clubs. It is built around a set of core criteria which ensure that accredited clubs operate to a set of consistent, accepted and adopted minimum operating standards. Sport England recognises and values the commitment made by sports clubs to develop high quality, welcoming environments for young participants. GymMark clubs encourage young people to take-up sport, improve their talents and give them the option to initiate and maintain life-long participation in sport. We are so proud to be awarded this prestigious accreditation. All the hard work has been worth it! I take this opportunity to thank the support from Chanelle, Chloe and Magdalene, who have all helped us achieve this. Thanks ladies!

For techie details about GymMark check out this link: http://www.clubmark.org.uk/

It was the last week for our Bounce programmes – new sessions start from Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. Interest in the programme is growing and we are having such a great time delivering the course. We had another visitor this week, an old friend of mine, Kay her husband and daughter. Kay and I worked together previously and she and her husband are joining us for the Saturday bounce programme.

We have finalised our London Youth Games squad and they are all working very hard on their routines. As the time grows nearer, we are getting very excited! More next week….

Get Fit, Have Fun!

Anne-Sonia & Chanelle
www.greenwichbouncers.co.uk

Run, Run, Run

Sorry that I posted late this week – I’ve had a hectic weekend and have only just got around to putting pen to paper.  So, it will be a quick one today.

We have spent a busy week working towards the London Youth Games.  We have, more-or-less, picked our squad and they are all working very hard on their routines.  We have had some trampolinists with potential that have joined us recently who we are able to put in the squad.

We are also involved in 2 Schools competitions, one locally and one in East London.  Both occur next month and I am coaching one school team and Chanelle and I are judging at the other one, as well as helping to organise it.

Monday was the last week of the Bounce programme – everyone was pleased with the results.  I am finding the running easier than I did a few weeks ago, although I am still reluctant to run at first – but once I get going, am pleased with my progress.  We did skipping and hula hooping outside as it was sunny – prior to the downfall that occurred about half hour after we went in!   We start a new one on 11th May.

More next week…. Gotta run!

Get Fit, Have Fun!

Anne-Sonia & Chanelle

www.greenwichbouncers.co.uk

  

Easter Break, first week

I am feeling much better this week – I am such an impatient patient – hate being sick!

I spent the week coaching at George Green School for East London Summer University and had a great time.  It was nice seeing some kids that I have coached before, and meeting new kids.  I particularly enjoyed meeting and helping an A’Level student who was trying to improve her grade for her forthcoming moderation.  She worked really hard, and we were pleased with the end result!  I wish her good luck – she knows who she is!

We had a good week of ‘Bounce your way to fitness’ programmes this week.  Because of the holidays, we had some mixing and matching of the sessions, as some couldn’t make their usual session so attended on a different day.  So for them it was an opportunity for them the meet some others on the same programme, meet new friends and compare notes.

On Wednesday we ran a session for a youth group from the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham.  Unfortunately, there was a major accident in the Elephant and Castle area and it took them over 2 hours to get to us.  Although they had a shorter session they really enjoyed themselves.  I spotted some prospective talent!

We also had some interesting visitors – an agent and a photographer who are interested in putting on a team building day that involves taking some action shots of their team jumping on the trampoline to promote their client’s new uniform.  Will keep you informed on how that works out.

Enjoy your week,

Anne-Sonia & Chanelle

www.greenwichbouncers.co.uk

Happy Easter!

This was the last week before the Easter break for schools.  I was running a schools funded project that gave Plumstead Manor, Blackheath & Bluecoats, Thomas Tallis and Eltham Hill schools a after-school club trampolining coaching session per week.  The programme was due to finish at Easter, but has now been extended for a few more weeks into the summer term.  Great news for the schools – and for me.

I’ve been feeling poorly this week – a head cold which has left me feeling rather run-down all week. Despite that, we have had quite a hectic week.  Mondays Bounce session went well – I am still trying to do the bridge, but need to build up my upper body strength, Chanelle is helping me and I am improving, but still a way to go.  On Wednesday we welcomed a new volunteer, Demar, who has just started his Level 1 coaching award and requested that I become his Mentor for his course.  He will be joining us on our Wednesday sessions.

We started two new Bounce Programmes on Wednesday and Saturday, which perked me up a bit even though I was reluctant to participate, but once I got started, felt OK. 

I shall have a busy Easter, delivering some coaching sessions for schools holiday programmes at George Green School this week and Bishops Challenor next week.  Chanelle too will be busy, coaching at Danson Youth Centre, during the holidays.

On a personal note… Chanelle and I went to the Ideal Home Show on Friday and had great time.  It is our annual family outing – a tradition that started when I was young when went with my parents, which I have continued most years, taking my children when they were young too.

More next week, when I hope I shall be feeling better.

Anne-Sonia & Chanelle
www.greenwichbouncers.co.uk

 

Happy Mother’s Day

I hope you had a happy Mother’s Day, whether you are a Mother yourself, or you made your Mother’s day for her.   My daughter made me dinner and gave me a beautiful ‘special Mum’ pendant, so I had a great day!  I also made contact with other Mothers in my life – my friends!

Monday was the last week of our February ‘Bounce’ programme.  It ended with a very intense session.  At the end we took measurements and revealed that everyone who participated lost at least an inch around their bust, waist and hips!  A very satisfying result!  This means that we have proven results that the ‘Bounce Your Way to Fitness!’ 6-week programme really works! 

Our Wednesday session was brightened up by a visit from my other daughter, Natalie, who is also a trampoline coach.  She breezed in, performed a few somersaults and had a fun bounce, and then left – all within about 15 minutes!  We are still working hard towards preparations for the London Youth Games, practicing routines and improving performance of the squad.

Saturday saw the launch of our children’s Trampoline Birthday party events with our very first party.  The birthday boy and his friends had a great time and his family had very positive things to say about the party.  I have coached many birthday party events for other organisations, especially at Leisure Centres, but this is the first (of many, we hope) that we have hosted as Greenwich Bouncers.

Have a great week,

Anne-Sonia & Chanelle  

www.greenwichbouncers.co.uk

 

Is it March already?

It is the third week for the Monday Bounce programme.  Chanelle introduced three new moves for the participants:  seat bounces tucked and piked as well as tucked back bounces.  This group are mostly quite fit already.  We had fun doing the crab, everyone seems comfortable with this, but not me!  I have poor upper body strength, and it shows!

For the Saturday Bounce programme, we have two ladies that were with us from the pilot and for them it is week 14.  We completed 3 sets of tucked and piked seat bounces as well as some pilates-inspired upper body exercises.  These consisted of swinging and balance moves on the trampoline, and are designed to improve pike shapes as well as creating an intense stretch.  As our 11am class was very small, consisting of only three participants, we decided to join them on their run after a short somersault workshop.  We also did this because the Centre was preparing for a boxing tournament that was held in the afternoon.

We now have three volunteers that are going to be helping out at our club and we were visited by two on Wednesday, Lorraine and Magdalene, and Chloe on Saturday.

I am now in the 5^th/6^th week of the Schools Sports partnership funded programme for Blackheath Bluecoat, Thomas Tallis, Plumstead Manor and Eltham Hill Schools.  Most of these schools are preparing for inter-form competitions in their respective schools and I spent most of the week helping the students with their routines – writing and developing as well as tariffing them.    Good luck with your competitions.

Talking about competitions, we are still on the look-out for talent to participate in the London Youth Games on 20^th June at Redbridge Sports Centre.  We are holding try-outs throughout the month of March.  If you can front and back somersault and are interested in taking part in this prestigious event, get in touch with us at the club.

Don’t forget International Women’s Day next week, on Sunday 8^th March.  Samuel Montagu is hosting a variety of exciting events for women and girls of all ages, including trampolining.  Best of all, it’s all FREE!  Check out the website for more details.

Have a great week,

 

Anne-Sonia & Chanelle

www.greenwichbouncers.co.uk

Snow slowed us, did not stop us

Hi! What a week!  It was a slow start, with a flourish of a finish -  a real Dundee spirit.  Snow stopped ourBounce Your Way to Fitness programme on Monday.  There were no buses and reduced trains  and the roads were impassable in some areas.  We were worried about cancelling Monday because it was our first Monday session, and the last time we tried we didnt have enough people to run the session.  However, we postponed it til tomorrow – I shall update you as to how it goes!

Our Saturday ‘Bounce…’ programme went well.  We worked on core strength, an intensive session – it is the 5th week of 6 and we are coming to the end and uping the intensity of the sessions.

Despite the weather, we had a good turnout on Wednesday. Mostly regulars, but some new people too.  We are preparing some members for the London Youth Games in the summer and we are making good progress.  Saturday was quite quiet, but one of our members had a birthday – she was 4.  We gave her the bumps and she really enjoyed herself.

We have had some enquiries about younger children – the under 3′s.  If we get a big enough response, we are considering a mother/toddler session which would be in the morning – a half hour session.  If you are interested, drop us an email and we are thinking about starting in March/April

Great week all told.  Will keep you updated.

Good health

Anne-Sonia King
www.greenwichbouncers.co.uk