Category: Sports

2021 Annual Show!

WGV Gymnastics Annual Show for 2021 #WGVGymnastics #Smiles #Hugs #HighFives #OlympicTheme #Family #Fun #Gymnastics

May 24, 2021

2021 Annual Show!

At our gym (WGV Gymnastics in Florida), we have an annual showcase for our gymnasts in May each year. Last year being what it was, this is the first year we’ve gotten to use our awesome new gymnastics facility for our show! It was amazing!

My gymnasts get super excited at this chance to show off their skills in a mock meet type show complete with awards ceremony and fun! This is our happy place! We had an Olympic theme this year (surprising, right?) and our gym dressed up for the occasion.

  • Balloons in the Olympic Flag Colors bordering the Pro Shop
  • Preschool Show Area
  • Entry to the events!
  • Lucas’ medal had a boy gymnast, Jillian’s had a girl gymnast – Lucas was ecstatic!

From the banner over the entryway to the Preschool Area and everything in between, there were Olympic rings, flaming torches, international flags, and medals.

Jaquline and Jillian showed off with the Preteam Group this year. Lucas sported his “sparkly leo” (he grew out of the begged-for black unitard a few months ago and found a black unitard with a sequined peace sign in his size – this is his “sparkly leo”) because, according to my almost 6-year-old, “boys in the Olympics all wear sparkly leotards.” Kimberly got to volunteer for the Sunday shows! Becky did her routines on Sunday with the intermediate/advanced group.

  • Covering his Leo so “it doesn’t get blue” – the rest of him was covered in raspberry cotton candy!
  • Christina coaching
  • Medals and high fives!

Lucas was super excited that he got to be with his “best friend from preschool program” in the show (he is at the age where everyone is his best friend). The gymnasts got to fill out an “about me” sheet and Lucas thinks the fact that he does gymnastics makes him awesome. (Mom thinks he’s awesome just because.)

  • “Helping” set up – aka eating gummies
  • “Helping” at the front desk – aka napping

Thea thinks the entire gym is hers. She “helped out” setting up the pro shop, the day of she spilt time between the front desk and the concession room – gummy snacks and lots of food probably kept her busier than actually helping though.

  • Becky’s group with their medals, “about me” paper, and gifts! I love the smiles!

Thousands of combined hours prepared for the six two-hour sessions over the weekend where our amazing gymnasts got to show off their skills and family members got to watch. Each session was marked with countless proud smiles, lots of clapping, determination, laughter, hugs, and friendship! (Several showed me their cotton candy faces!) I usually had a clear view of the parallel bars – I loved seeing my gymnasts do their most challenging skills! So many proud coach moments even though I was just watching them in the background! (Yes, I mean those I coach and those I know – I’m super surprised at how many of our gymnasts I actually do know!) I’m pretty sure I recognized every gymnast.

Lucas got up this morning, ready for Gym-N-Learn class, all packed and dressed. In the van he said, “is there another show today?” (He was wearing his medal, which he gently wrapped when we got to gym and had me “carefully put” in my purse.)

“No, next year.”

“Aww… That was so much fun.”

“It was. What was your favorite part?”

*Deep thought and silence from the middle seat for a few long seconds* “All of it. I can’t wait to do it again!”

(And that, friends, was the goal of those putting on the WGV Gymnastics Annual Show – that our participating gymnasts enjoyed every single bit of it!)

Type at you next time!

~Nancy Tart

Our Happy Place

#Thanlful for a #DreamJob and the #Blessings my family has because of it!

May 11, 2021

Our Happy Place

Lucas gets super creative with his “castle” and “armies!” (In afterschool)
Kimmy loves WGV Gymnastics and her confidence has improved!
Anastasia and the Easter Bunny!!
Jaquline helps out with Preschool Class sometimes… And for the Easter party!

August makes three years I have been working for WGV Gymnastics! I am super amazed at how much I absolutely love this family and how my family has grown because of it!

First off, a backstory of how I ended up working here:

Our cab company was faltering due to the changing market dynamics. I could read the writing on the wall and wanted a job where I wouldn’t have to give up being around my children. (Homeschooling, flexibility, etc). I answered a facebook ad that I thought was a desk job. I was excited because I’d done a charity event there a year or so before and loved the owner.

I get to the interview (after several interviews at other management positions where they’d liked me but I’d been turned down because I was pregnant) and she says “I was hoping it was you,” great way to start. Then she says “gymnastics coach” and I’m like, “whoa, no experience here…” She says she can teach me to coach gymnastics. (Oh my goodness!! A dream – I’ve always wanted to do gymnastics! Now I coach it!!) I got the job.

My kiddos got to do classes.

One discovered a fitness in air conditioning that she loves!

One made team and went to State!

Two of them love it and my crazy 7-now-9-year-old is learning to listen and take direction (her coaches are saints), Lucas will “graduate” from WGV Gymnastics’ Preschool Gym-N-Learn in June, and Thea thinks she owns the gym.

Thea helping me do morning paperwork
Thea helped clean and organize… Now a snack!
Coach Kristi gave her 3 bows, this one matched her dress!

I’m so amazed by how God has blessed me and my family by giving me an amazing job and joining us with the WGV Gymnastics family!

So many friendships have been discovered and memories made. I’m so glad I get to do something I love with amazing people to work alongside. From our preschool open gym on Fridays at noon and fun filled rec gymnastics classes to afterschool pickup and summer camps, we have fun all the time! Come visit us!

Always remember to bloom where you are. You never know how long you’ll be there & you are there for a reason! Enjoy it!

Thanks for reading!

Type at you later,

~Nancy Tart

Girls’ Evening Out

February 15, 2021

Girls’ Evening Out

Kimberly has been going through the excitement and fun of gymnastics competitions this year! On Saturday, the 13th, we were super excited because one of her competitions that didn’t have restrictions on number of spectators was at a time we could all go! (YIPPEE!)

Christina was ecstatic because she had not seen any of her competitions and rarely sees her work out at gym as her busy life schedule of college, studying, working, CAP, and babysitting doesn’t often overlap with Kimberly’s practice schedule. Christina was determined to go! (When she is determined, nothing stops her – I love it!)

A night out with her sister-cousins watching gymnasts do their thing in a huge resort in Orlando at an event with “Magical” in the name? Anastasia (and Aunt Becca) were like oh yes, please! Christina picked Becky and Anastasia up to meet us at the house to carpool.

Van repair (Louis got that done in record time), escaped doggo corralled and change of now-muddy outfits, everyone except doggo-chasers fed, and plenty of water and the normal emergency bag (spare diapers, clothes for Thea, Lucas, Anastasia, Jillian, and one adult t-shirt for any of the older ones including Mom) packed and we are off!

Music is a magic mood changer and we went from some upset about doggo escape and chase to everyone dancing and singing along like the normal van dance party! (Thanks to Becky the amazing DJ!)

Two hours and a huge traffic jam later we are sitting in a row and a half (party of 8 now as one of Christina’s friends joined our party at the parking garage) at the section where Kimberly’s team was gathering. And this is how they spent the 45 minutes between “ahh, running late to get Kim to her stretch!” and start of the meet:

  • Started like this… Sweet little girls sitting properly
  • Teenagers…
  • Baby Thea
  • 5 minutes of sitting became this!

We watched the gymnasts behind us (Level 10s!) doing some awesome skills as the open area just behind my girls in the last picture became the 10s vault with the 10s floor just beyond (between Anastasia and Jillian’s heads in the last picture). They were fascinated by the “really big girls” in between watching WGV Gymnastics’ Xcel Silver (Kimberly’s) team. The teens watched the scores and discussed the supposed deductions among themselves. Thea mastered the art of yelling “you got this!” as her big sisters were doing to encourage her teammates (okay, Kimberly’s teammates, but Thea called them “my team” several times). Whenever Anastasia or Jillian (during discussions) said “Coach Kristi,” Thea would correct them with, “no, my Coach Kristi!”

We got some neat pictures at the awards ceremony!

  • Thea cleaned the chair…
  • The back row – thumb wars
  • “Ladies, Salute!”
  • Mask on
  • Mask off
  • 6th AA
  • Our WGV Gymnastics Xcel Silver Team
  • Oops… and this started Anastasia’s desire to photobomb everything…

At the awards ceremony following the event, we almost ended up with a full row (6 chairs, but we were going to sit small ones double) but someone took the two on the end just before we actually sat down so we ended up on two rows again. We waited a little over an hour as Thea cleaned the chair with her babywipe, the girls did clapping games, thumb wars happened in the back row, and I edited a book.

We went out to eat at almost midnight. The kids all ordered something, we goofed off and discussed the event, the fun of Florida, the level 10s we saw (Jillian wants to be a 10!), and our conversation cycled through everything from burping like Uncle Buddy to gymnastics and everything in between. I’m sure we entertained everyone. Jaquline, Jillian, and Anastasia got giddy after midnight and when our waitress came back at 12:14, they shouted, “Happy Valentine’s Day!” Thea fell asleep just before food came out.

  • Cheese!
  • Almost…
  • Yeah!
  • Becky
  • She photobombed!

On the long drive home, Becky and I talked about lots of stuff (I love deep discussions) as Christina nodded in and out of sleep. The others crashed almost as soon as booties sat on seats after their bellies were full! They were all laying atop each other like knocked down dominoes in the back seat. Thea at least had a comfy babyseat (I guess shoulders and laps are a bit comfy).

With schedules and commitments, this may have been the only one we get to do together this year – but it was so perfect! Wonderful drive, amazing companionship, sister-cousin giggles, and supporting our Kimmy.

Two of them want to do the Magical Classic next year as spectators! (Jillian confidently said, “we’ll I’ll be in it!”)

Fill your days with joy as tomorrow it will be a happy memory!

Thank you for reading!

~Nancy Tart

God! Help!

January 5, 2021

God! Help!

This blog is for those moms, big sisters, teachers, coaches, etc. who have ever raised their hands up in the sky and demanded with tears streaming down their eyes, “God! Help!”

If you’ve never done that, please leave the rest of us in our private knowledge of complete crazy… nothing to see or read here… Thank you.

Now that I’m addressing those of you, who like me, know that they only get through life with God’s routine and very often injections of aid: understand that you are really, really not alone!

There are way more of us out here than you know.

But people don’t always see that. Still. That doesn’t mean we don’t completely loose it and at least internally… SCREAM for HELP!

Ever had a friend compliment you by saying, “wow, you were so calm.”

Your mind goes, “um.. what????” And you realize that only God saw your frantic desperate prayers as you grabbed napkins, wiped up your child’s blood trying not to freak out at her big sister’s just-started party while on your way to meet said child in the bathroom with unknown injury as you realize another daughter is already cleaning more blood (MORE BLOOD?? God, let me not scare her, make me calm.) on a gym mat. You realize that the frantic prayers were interpreted as deep breaths – thank you Jesus for oxygen and working lungs! Said child cries and you are thinking, “God, this injury is serious, help me!” but when you clean it and she whines, “I don’t want to go home! I want to play with my friends!”

Then there’s the serious prayer as you fight the urge of laughter-that-borders-on-insanity, “God, give me patience with this child!”

Bloody head wound clean. Check.

Bleeding stopped. Crisis averted. Check.

10,000+ frantic “God, you better help me” prayers in the span of 45 seconds while dealing with said child who doesn’t see that this is an INJURY and wants to GET BACK UP AND START FLIPPING! Double check.

Super glue, band-aid, and the older kids are like, “do we need to go?” Decision time. (This was supposed to be a food party & dinner & home is 45 minutes away plus party will be over & have to pick up actual party-goer in about 2 hours.) Stay.

Instant heart attack what feels like 5 seconds later when said injured child is about to show off her routine on bars – “DO YOU WANT TO LIVE TO ADULTHOOD??” (No, I didn’t scream that.)

But. I WANTED TO!! Instead it was “GOD HELP ME!” in my frantic brain while I think I may have jumped the knee wall to grab said child and firmly direct her back to my table in a solid seat (DID YOU REALLY JUST LEAN THAT FOLDING CHAIR ON TWO LEGS!!!???) beside me to watch her. Calm. Breathe. “GOD! HELP ME!” (Of course, that was a mental scream again.)

End the frantic night. (Thank you, Jesus!)

I’m laying in bed, praying that her head heals well and there’s no infection. Reading Proverbs for whatever chapter the day was (you know, when you can’t think of anything but Proverbs has a chapter for every day in the month?), I came across timeless wisdom that basically said (my brain translated the words to the following, it is NOT a direct quote:), “give everything to God and know that you aren’t perfect without Him.”

Truth.

Give over my worries. Give over my fears. In. Real. Time.

If I just write it on paper (or type it in a blog), that’s just words. What shows that I do trust God is in real time. When my toddlers decides to tilt her head back and scream bloody murder with a huge smirk because I’m on the phone. (PATIENCE, PLEASE!) When my boy is annoying his sisters for the bazillionth time in one minute. (Please, God, don’t let them kill him.) When an attack comes and it feels like the life-breath from my lungs is being sucked out by a giant vacuum. (Calm. Breathe. God. Help. Me.)

This is trusting in real time.

This is choosing to know that I cannot do anything without Jesus.

This is knowing that with Jesus I ca do all things. I can breathe. I can parent. I can mother. I can coach. I can love. Without Him, I can’t do any of those things.

So, yes, I know I’m imperfect. (I’m FAR from perfect!)

But…

I trust in the perfect one. I ask Him for help daily (um… thousands of times a day, in every situation I get stuck in!) and He answers with comfort, ideas, calm, and love.

Take a breath. Breathe in Jesus, breathe out, breathe in love, breathe out; now face your challenge! (As I hear a squeal from the kitchen followed by a crash… doesn’t sound like anything broke… “MOM!”) God, they are your children; HELP ME! I need to parent them to lead them to You, show me how.

Type at you later!

~Nancy Tart

P.S.: Those who were there, yes, I was freaking out inside. Yes, she is okay and nothing left to point at proudly and say “look what happened to me!”

New Year at Gym!

January 3, 2021

New Year At Gym!

Welcome to 2021!!

This is how WGV Gymnastics is welcoming in 2021 our first week of classes! We start back with Recreational Gymnastics Monday, January 4, 2021 and the happy decorations and big smiles help us launch in the New Year!

Come join us!

Check out our website for beginner gymnastics (ages 5 to 17), tumbling (ages 5 to 17), boy’s gymnastics (ages 5 to 17), preschool gymnastics (ages 3 to 5), Parent and Tot (just walking to 3), open gyms, skill clinics, our Gym-N-Learn Preschool Program (potty trained through 5 years), and more!

We offer day camps, summer camp, winter camp (we just finished up 2020’s winter camp), birthday parties, afterschool pickup, our pro shop, private lessons, preteam, competitive team…

Oh, can’t forget the monthly gym parties! We call them “Parent’s Night Out” but the kids call them “Gym Parties” – mark your calendar for every third Saturday in 2021! Tickets for those are already on sale at eventbrite or through the gym’s facebook page.

We are all super excited about our wonderful new year and what amazing things the gym will offer! Our goal is to “provide love and encouragement while inspiring kids to develop self-esteem and confidence through gymnastics.” We have a lot of fun fulfilling that goal!

See you at WGV Gymnastics in 2021! (Oh my, we open tomorrow! Register online for a free trial class!)

Type at you later,

~Nancy Tart

Let Thea Do It!

January 1, 2021

Let Thea Do It!

My almost 2 year old thinks she’s a gymnast and the gym is her second home. She thinks she’s a member of Civil Air Patrol like Christina and Kimberly. She thinks she can ride Lucas’ bike. She thinks she can build shelves like Mom. She also thinks she can hide from everyone in plain sight.

She thinks she can fly. (From any object straight into a big sister’s arms without warning!)

She’s been going to WGV Gymnastics attending the Parent and Tot classes (yes, we have classes for those just walking to 3 years old) for a few months and Lucas (big brother) has been doing the Preschool Program for a few months.

Kimberly is in competitive team and set up a workout area on the wall marked with degrees (set up with sticks, a protractor, and a pencil) and was like “I need to go from here to here.”

“I can do that!” Says Lucas.

Bingo.

“Let Thea do it!” Thea says.

Bingo.

Kimberly tosses her hands in the air playfully, “I give up!”

We laughed and asked, “Why?”

“My baby brother has a bigger split than I do!” Kimberly laughed, “actually,” she tries it, “maybe not.”

We all laugh because the littles are so enthusiastic about everything. They love anything and everything big siblings or friends are doing. Thea consistently tries to do everything her big brother and big sisters do. She walked into the front room last night and turned on the game computer, “play a game with Becky!” and the mouse pointer went straight to the correct icon for Becky’s game.

Thea loves to do it! Thea loves to do everything!

“Mom!” (I’m washing dishes, Thea is dragging the stool over to the sink…) “Thea can wash dishes, please?”

How do I say no? I hope she always keeps the can-do will-try attitude she currently possesses.

Type at you next time!

~Nancy Tart

Rejoice 2020 – Becky

November 18, 2020

Rejoice 2020 – Becky

Towards the end of the year, I always begin to reflect on the changes that have occurred in the year. Overall, they end up being positive – and those are my highlights. As it is close to Thanksgiving, I thought I’d brag a bit as I ponder on the changes I’ve seen in Becky this year.

Becky started 2020 discovering that she enjoyed the sport of gymnastics! I loved that because since I work at WGV Gymnastics, we get to drive together and she is the default DJ in our car because she picks up on the moods and knows how to use music to make everyone dance. I love spending extra time with my children!

She overcame a lot of obstacles that this unusual (if I hear the other word again – and you know which one – I will shriek!) year has thrown at her. Like our family has done, she pulled herself up, found either another way or something else, and managed to rise out with a smile!

Smile! Oh yes, one of Becky’s highlights of the year were her braces! She finally overcame a bad habit that kept her from getting braces (power of determination) and can now accurately be called “metal-mouth” until near the end of next year. She’s doing a great job of keeping them maintained and cleaned. She has been dreaming of braces and straight, beautiful teeth forever… but then, she still wants to major in orthodontics or some branch of dentistry.

Becky also managed to embark on two new ventures right as she turned fifteen:

First, she started a job. I never would have guessed that between “afternoon two shifts” and “morning three shifts” she would take “Preschool Program Coach” in the mornings. Becky is totally my night owl, so this did surprise me. She does this well.

Second – watch out world – she got her learner’s permit for driving.

And a phone. She pays for her own phone now.

I’m totally amazed and very proud of my little lady (okay, tall young lady who has been taller than me for a while) and her accomplishments this year. Becky has been working on herself. She is learning to understand herself and others around her. I see more empathy from her.

I pray for her daily as she begins to try her young adult wings in the world of “adulting” – as my teenagers call working, classes, activities, volunteering, and paying bills.

She dreams of building an aviary for her little feathered loves (parakeets now) that will allow her to add finches, lovebirds, and even more avian pets. I see that being accomplished soon because she is smashing through everything and accomplishing what she wants. Her determination is a very strong thing. Her ability to work through challenges and keep her word makes me proud. I know God has wonderful plans for her now and in her future.

Thank you, Jesus, for allowing me to have your beautiful daughter to raise! She is learning to lean on You and trust You in everything. She is loved so much by her family and even more by You – I pray You protect her, guard her heart, build her self-esteem, show her Your love and bring those You want guiding her into her life.

I hope this total Mom-blog piece today encourages you to find the positives and look at the accomplishments of your little blessings through this tough year. What did you see that made you smile? What challenge did your child find a creative solution too? Rejoice in the positives!

Thank you for reading!

~Nancy Tart

Itty Bitty Fun!

Fun for preschool kiddos on Fridays! (bring big siblings and baby siblings too)

September 25, 2020

Itty Bitty Fun!

Theadora loves gymnastics. Actually, she loves running, jumping, climbing, rolling, flipping, balancing, and being crazy. What little one doesn’t? Who am I kidding? What energetic adult doesn’t want to be out doing crazy stuff with the energy of an 18-month-old who is a half-hour before bedtime loaded up on red dye and sugar?

Thea loves Fridays at WGV Gymnastics because we get to have Preschool Open Gym from noon to 1pm. You only have to be able to toddle around to join in! Many friends from our Gym-N-Learn program come for more gymnastics fun.

This is an hour of supervised fun where young monkeys get to try out all of the cool gymnastics equipment (Thea’s favorites are bars and bouncy floor!), roll around on mats, bounce on tumble track, jump in and climb out of pit, and try their hand at anything that their adult doesn’t think is too scary. Yes, children, an adult like your parent or grandparent is required during this gym visit as they have to supervise. (Actually, Thea can tell you, Preschool Open Gym is a great place to have a grandma date!)

There are coaches on hand to help said adult spot (help out with gym skill), give out solicited advice, talk about gym safety, observe (watch everything like a spy!), and enjoy the fun! You can ask said coaches about learning new things, fun games to try, how to use mats, what drills or skills help lead to what new skill, and other educational things. Coaches can also help spot skills and show fun new tricks!

Come join Thea doing crazy fun stuff every Friday (check the website at www.wgvgymnastics.com/preschool-open-gym or call for more information!) at WGV Gymnastics! An adult has to come with you, wear tight fitting clothes that don’t fall off when you flip around or make big jumps, and make sure you have lots of energy!

Oh, that’s right, big sisters and brothers over 5 can come, (even though they are not in preschool anymore) just call our office as the prices for older kids may not be on the website!

~Thank you and Thea will see you soon!

~Nancy Tart

Gym-N-Learn 2020-21!

Fun Stuff! https://wgvgymnastics.com/gym-n-learn-preschool-program/

September 8, 2020

Gym-N-Learn 2020-21!

Our gym has a wonderful program for little learners! We have a gym-n-learn program (info here) where preschool gymnasts 3 to 5 get to learn school readiness skills along with gymnastic instruction!

Lucas loves what he calls “gym-school” because they have “so much fun learning stuff.”

That’s about as descriptive as Lucas gets – unless he’s running the entire replay of the three-hour “Gym-N-Learn” day in the car ride home, for the next couple hours, and in bits as his sisters ask about his day. He almost doesn’t stop talking about a new skill learned, a new letter, the magic number for the week, or about a cool craft they did.

Our little learners also get to learn about order, safety, how to eat snack in a specific amount of time, how to stand in their line properly, how to turn on listening elephant ears, how to interact safely together during free time, how to treat their classmates with respect and friendship, and so many school readiness skills to help them have a great future experience in VPK or Kindergarten.

Lucas’ favorites are gym skills and craft skills (he gets to practice using glue, scissors, markers, crayons, and googgly eyes without making a mess) – Mom is really excited about the “we aren’t supposed to make messes but have to clean them up” part.

Come join us! If you know a potty-trained 3-5 year old who loves gymnastics (or needs to release overactive energy and express their equally active imagination) – send them our way! More littles equals more imagination, more learning, more smiles, and more fun!

~Thank you for reading!

~Nancy Tart (Coach Alice, to my little gymnasts!)

Support Me!

Please help me (Kimberly) with my gymnastics fund-raiser!

August 1, 2020

Support Me!

Hello, I’m Kimberly Tart. My mom runs this blog site but I get to write about this (with a little, okay, maybe a lot of grammar and editing help). I’ve never done a fund-raising thing – volunteered at a lot of stuff, but not tried to fund raise myself. 

Here goes…

I have been learning the sport of gymnastics at WGV Gymnastics and recently made the Xcel team! (My name is on the official roster here!)  My goal is to go all out – I love gymnastics! I plan on competing as high as I can possibly go and when I get to college to study veterinary medicine, I hope to be on a college gymnastics team!

Right now I’m doing some fundraising to help offset my costs and provide businesses with an outstanding advertising and charitable donation opportunity!  (Regular people still get the donation benefits!)

Our gym has a 501c3 Booster Club for our athletes to raise funds to help offset our competition costs.  This is WGVABC (WGV Athletic Booster Club).  Information on their sponsorship packages can be found at https://www.wgvabc.com/become-team-sponsor.  A portion of your sponsorship funds go directly into my booster club account (if there is no name attached, it goes to the general team fund).  Plus your business receives a powerful advertisement package that begins the day your banner is hung (click <- link to see an example of displayed banners) – so you get 365 full days of advertisement!  We have thousands of athletes and family members coming through our gym weekly and all see our sponsors’ bright banners. 

I totally appreciate your time reading this and any sponsorship level you choose! 

  • (Pictures added by mom)

Please choose a sponsorship level or donate and mention my name, Kimberly Tart, when you do! 

Thank you!!

🙂 Kimmy Tart

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