Upgrades improve gymnastics space

An insulated wall will give the gymnastics club a space to call its own this year.

The culture and recreation department is planning to install an insulated wall dividing the rink at the Activity Centre so curlers and tumblers can share the space. The wall is expected to be erected by the end of October.  

Gymnastics club head coach Nadia Wassef can’t say enough about getting a dedicated place for the gymnasts. “It’s so exciting for the wall to be going up,” she said. 

The gymnastics club has moved from its previous home in the multi-purpose hall at the Activity Centre, where participants were required to set up pieces of equipment at the beginning of classes and store them at the end. 

“The motivation is a lot different now that they don’t have to set up and take down equipment every time,” Wassef said. “It was not ideal, definitely.”

The purchase of new equipment, including a spring floor, has also made this a big year for the club. “This year, as far as the competition level, they’re going to go a lot further, just because of the proper facilities,” Wassef said. “The floor was a huge roadblock, but they did pretty well considering.”

Last year, the gymnasts nine and older – the minimum age to compete – traveled throughout the province, including to one competition against clubs from across Canada. “They’ve had some exposure,” Wassef said. The highlight of this year, she added, will be an international competition in Edmonton in April.

Before getting the spring floor, the competitors would piece together a routine, then run through it for the first time when they arrived at the competition venue. “The floor is a huge improvement, especially for the competitive group,” Wassef said.

Now, not only will the new purchases mean the gymnasts will be better able to train, but it may also bring outside clubs to Jasper. “Now we have everything to be able to host a competition,” Wassef said. “And who wouldn’t want to come to Jasper?” She said she will look at hosting a competition in the spring, to avoid winter driving problems, and would invite clubs from both Alberta and British Columbia to attend.

Starting this year, the gymnastics club will also offer a recreational program called Can-Gym, designed by the Canadian Gymnastics Federation, in which participants work towards achieving different levels of badges. Wassef has also resurrected Baby-nastics, a mom and tot program for babies from crawling to 18 months, something she’s done before but not for a few years.