Gyms as Community Centers 0
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Historically, gymnastics has been the hub of community centers. Of course, what has been called “gymnastics” has changed throughout history. But going as far back as the Greek Empire, the gymnasium was the academic meeting ground for the philosophers, Socrates, Aristotle and Plato. They believed in a “sound mind in a sound body” and would debate academic subjects between exercise games.
Modern gymnastics retained its historical roots in the Greek Empire. Frederick Jahn, called Turnvereinsather of gymnastics” was a German who was dismayed at the weakness of the German citizens during the 19th century. He drew upon the ancient activities of tumbling, acrobatics and the pommel horse of the cavalry, and added the new inventions of his such as the rings and the high bar.
Jahn set a foundation for the community centers that spread throughout Europe and came to the United States, called the Turnvereins. Likewise in Sweden a doctor, Per Ling, who wanted new ways to increase physical therapy adopted and added equipment to gymnastics, such as the parallel bars, as a way of bringing health and strength to invalids. His followers took his program and founded the community centers of the Sokols. In England, George Williams, saw these community centers and decided that Christianity should have the same, so he founded the YMCA which spread around the world, as well.
These organizations spread because gymnastics was the nucleus of physical health, but their founders sought a total health harking back to the time of the Greek Empire.
Modern gymnastics clubs left the community orientation in their pursuit of competitive gymnastics. Before Olga Korbut showed up at the 1972 Olympics in Munich, Germany gymnastics was still within the community organizations (and NCAA) and there were no clubs to speak of. After Olga dazzled the world, suddenly millions of little girls wanted to be gymnasts which opened the market for the private club industry.
These competitive clubs had only one goal in mind: train high level athletes to enter the Olympic competition. The reality of running a business with astronomical overhead forced them to expand their horizons by building recreational class programs to glean their future athletes, to run birthday parties, invite field trips into the gym, setting up mobile gymnastics programs, building preschool programs and even subletting their facility for karate, yoga, and other kinds of programs.
In the last Artistic Gymnastics club that I worked for, the owner planned to open up a soccer program within his business. Likewise other clubs include horse back riding (if they are in the country) or swimming. Some of these expansions are the result of the many successful gymnastics summer camp businesses that built high level training facilities, brought in famous high level athletes to coach, and added all the amenities of a usual summer camp: dorms for sleeping, rec centers, canteens, canoeing, horseback riding and so many other things depending upon the camp you are talking about.
The modern club industry has been moving towards community centers in a reverse order. Of necessity they are reaching out to the communities to supplement their Olympic ambitions. I believe the time has come for the gymnastics industry to take a renewed look at becoming community centers again on purpose, and not because of financial necessity.
The gymnastics industry, for some in the industry not all, has been very selfish in their interest. I have coached for 30 years and I am an eyewitness to the changes in the industry. In my opinion, I believe the 1980′s was the most abusive time in the industry. The focus on training high level athletes was so intense, verbal and physical abuse occurred way too often on the little girls blinded by this dream. The 1990′s brought some arrest to this behavior, partly because of lawsuits, but also because of a conviction of conscience. But the focus in the industry still remains the same: Olympic champions.
I am no longer coaching Artistic Gymnastics. I have my own school that I am building in Stunt Gymnastics. I do not call it an Acrobatic Gymnastics school, which is the USAG competitive version, but Stunt because I am building a community center around stunts and health. I may not go back into competition again, since that is not my goal. I am using the Stunt Gymnastics as a focal point to bring families together. I am encouraging them in diet and exercise, especially since Americans are far too obese for good health. And as a Christian, I am creating a Christ centered community to encourage spiritual and mental health as well.
Please hear my call, all who own gymnastics clubs. Be intentional in building your business as a community oriented business, not just a athlete training center. I am not advocating going the route of the Turners, Sokols or the YMCAs which went way beyond gymnastics in becoming Recreation Centers. Almost every local government has a Rec Center, and their service goes outside the realm of gymnastics.
What I am asking everyone to consider is to make gymnastics a focal point in training the community to live in good health, to regain the Greek view of a “sound mind in a sound body.” Fitness, nutrition, and for those of faith, spiritual soundness. Gymnastics as an industry is anemic and incestuous. It needs to expand its own health as an industry and bring health to the community.
