Tryouts 2011

I have to admit, as much as I would like to appear relaxed about tryouts I still get excited. Its the anticipation of who might be coming...or who isn't. This year I seriously thought we would have a bigger group than last year and I was anxious to form this year Gymnics team. God had other plans. This year we were down 20 people as compared to last year, it was a bit surprising. I guess I have formed this habit of drawing a correlation between successful year, like last year was, and more people at tryouts. Trying to predict what is going to happen in a Christ-center program was probably my first mistake, my second was getting trapped into thinking we needed more of the same to be considered as good as last year. So after 4 nights of tryouts in a gym that was smoking hot, the assistant coaches, captains, and myself sat around the table at Steak and Shake to consider who would make up this year's team. Honestly, it was harder than I thought. I don't think that aspect of tryouts will ever change, at least I hope not. I don't want to ever take it for granted that I am telling someone their skills don't match up, no matter how much the love the sport. I didn't make my college team the first time I tried, and it was like being sucker punched. So at 1:30am I logged onto facebook and typed out the team roster, checked it three times to make sure the names were right (sorry Jessica) and posted it. Slow breath out..... It doesn't matter that the team is so young, it doesn't matter 3/4 of the team is the height, it doesn't matter there are 7 fewer of us this year than last year, all that matters is there is a group of kids who are exceptional in their commitment to Christ-center gymnastics and they want to be a part of something bigger than themselves. I could throw out all the traditional sayings like "diamonds in the rough", "they are fast learners", or "the future looks good". The truth is, the present pretty fantastic. You want to know why....read my next post. PRAY. PRACTICE. PERFORM.

The Power of a shirt.

So this last week I was grocery shopping like everyone else on a busy Friday afternoon. While I was selecting my fruit for the coming week someone tapped me on my shoulder and said, "I love the saying on the back of your shirt (Pray, Practice, Perform), what is it that you do." My first though was I though it was great he thought I was a participant, I am pretty sure this impression changed when I told him about Gymnics. I was given the opportunity to describe the concept behind Christ-centered sports acrobatics and how the organization goes beyond the technicalities of the sport and strives for meaningful impact on the audience, the team members, and the community though performance and service. This man actually thanked me for providing another example of how Christ can play a essential role in athletics and asked about the dates of our next local performance.

This experience only reinforces my belief in Seventh-day Adventist sports acrobatics and the importance of the Message behind it. I am also reminded that I have chosen to be a part of something bigger than one gymnast, one coach, or even one team and the information I have to pass on is not just about how to do a round-off. Last week it was only a shirt with the word "Pray" on it this coming year it may be a Bible study with a student, a prayer with a teammate, or a homeshow inspired by a Power greater than any of us. As tryouts approach ask yourself why you want to be a part of a Christ-centered gymnasts team.

Acrofest 2008

Heading down the road going west toward Union College I could not help but think how nice it was not to be as stressed out as my fellow coach Seth Perkins. I was completely at peace not having to host this national event at AU.

The theme for the Acrofest was Rock Solid. What a great theme! What a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the everlasting, never changing, always there presence and influence of our heavenly father. If you have not been to the Acrofest website you should make it one of your stops the next time you surf the web.

We were able to have a meaningful worship with a couple of our fellow schools while staying in the gym on the Union College campus, thus underscoring the true nature of SDA sports acrobatics and the purpose of Christ-centered gymnastics in our schools. One thing every team and every coach has in common, we were blessed with talents and abilities to celebrate the greatness of God, not of ourselves.

We were fortunate to get through Acrofest without serious injury but there were plenty opportunities. The team did a great job in spotting and learning some new skills, pyramids, and hand to foot work. One of the most memorable experiences was when Justin Reece almost tumbled into the pool! And I am not going to lie, seeing some of the Gymnics on the big teeterboard was a little scary but there was experience belt spotter there who did a great job.

Saturday night arrive quickly, it was as if the week sped by more quickly after we arrived at Union College. It never get old seeing the Gymnics decked out in their performance uniforms, they are a great looking group of kids! In order to mix up the routines a little, we planned our routine our differently than the other teams and added some props. It turned out amazing! Go by the Gymnics’ facebook page and check out the video from the routine.

Weekly Gymnics Verse

This year I have started posting a verse on the bulletin board in the Gymnics practice gym and every week I change the verse. I don't know if it make much of an impact but I do know that due to the fact I am searching for a verse to post I am spending more time studying my Bible. Anyway, here is the new verse.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27

Performing at the Palace

The last Thursday night was the Detroit Pistons halftime show and it went GREAT!!! God was with us on the mats in such a big way and helped us perform a fantastic show.

The day was not without challenges. We were late getting to the Palace, we were there before the game but way past the time we were expecting to arrive. Between traffic jams and accidents we got there a half hour before the game. Then we were unable to do a proper warm up due the fact we had to use a loading dock to warm up on and change uniforms in a space about as big as an average livingroom. It was humorous to observe the gymnasts keeping an eye out for a basketball superstar, Tiffany McKinzie was pretty excited just to wave at one.

So when James did our music I had him add one minute of non routine music for us to use during set up, then our routine music, and then one minute of music for take running off the court. We start running out of the tunnel and I didn't hear our music, they played a minute of their own music and then started ours! This is were the team was just simply spectacular. They started the tumbling part of our routine and when it came time for our stunting moves I started our 8 count and they kept going without missing beat. It was one of the greatest adjustments I have seen a team make during a performance.

The team did an incredible job, only missed one routine, and had a ton of fun during the whole experience. We have already been asked back for a return performance later this year with a possible appearance during the post season. Thanks for all of your support and prayers! Remember, be infectious Christians.

So Good, So Far

Eight weeks of practices have come and gone already. It is hard to believe the year is passing so quickly, I guess everyone says that but it doesn't make it any less true. I didn't think we would be as far as we are so early in the year. On a weekly basis something or someone continues to surprise me and encourage me about the potential contained within this year's team.

I guess the biggest news is the Detroit Pistons halftime show tomorrow. It is a HUGE deal for each of the gymnasts on the team and the Gymnics program as a whole. Two nights ago we had our first practice with carrying the mats in and setting them up...not an event to remember. We were bumping into each other, going the wrong way, tripping over mats and velcro and running to the wrong spot. But the last night the team stepped up and performed better than any previous practice. They set up the mats quickly and orderly and started to look like a professional sports acrobatic team. Within seven minutes we have to set up the mats, perform the routine, and tear down the mats. Last night we did it in 7:10! I know we will only get faster as we practice but to be so close so early in our practices sessions is exciting. I think it is safe to say we are all a little nervous...even me.

It has amazed me how fast the team has bonded together and and developed a work ethic that promises to yield a dramatic show for the tour season next semester. There is no way we could have produced a performance quality show unless every gymnast worked to master the skills they were responsible for in the routine. Granted, the routine is not finished and in Detroit we are going to perform the first draft of the routine but what a first draft! Even off the mat the team is developing friendships and bonds that continue to make us a stronger team. A couple of weeks ago many of us went paintballing in Niles and had a great time. Big props to the girls who show up and shot it out with the guys on the team. I am always going to remember the belly button bruise on Drama, Paul playing in a tank top and coming away looking like he had the chicken pox, the suicide round where everyone shot until they were out of paint and getting shot in the head three times. I counted 15 bruises on me and those were just the ones I saw, I think I was targeted a few times.

The new uniforms have all come in and the team looks fantastic! We have new performance uniforms for both the men and women on the team and they match perfect. On the back of our sweatshirts is the biohazard logo of the team. It is important me as the coach to keep the team Christ-centered in all that we do, wear, perform, and witness. The biohazard logo with the crown of thorns in the middle helps remind us we should be infectious Christians, having a life saving influence through Jesus Christ on those around us. Hopefully the uniforms we wear will not only help the Gymnics present a professional image but also be a constant witness.

Please keep us in your prayers as we continue to prepare for the Pistons and the rest of the semester. He has work great things already and I pray we will continue to allow Him to have a guiding influence on our team.

Coach

Tryouts + 2 weeks

TRYOUTS

Who knew what to expect when tryouts started this year. The last two years I overestimated how many would show up so this year I kept my expectations a bit more realistic, I was hoping for 32 gymnasts.

I was expecting to see about the same amount as were on the team last year with just a few more that show up for the first couple of nights. It was 7:50 and tryouts started at 8:00 but there were eight people in the gym besides my captains….EIGHT. Numbers had been something I had been taking to God in prayer just about every single day leading up to tryouts. I didn’t know how many were going to show up or even how big He thought the team was supposed to be. I just left everything in His hands and had faith the outcome had a purpose. Jessie Helm turned to me and said, “Not many girls to choose from this year.” In fact there were only three in the gym at the time. I replied, “I am not worried, I have been praying about this and I know we will get who we are supposed to have.” As soon as those words were out of my mouth people started streaming through the door! We ended up with 18 more people trying out this year than last!

Tryouts went smoothly and we ended up with 28 on the team which is 1 more than was on the team at the end of last year. There is a great amount of potential on this year, and the team seems like they will work hard. Many freshman made the cut this year but overall we have a ideal mix of athletes that will help ensure a consistent talent pool for the future. I am excited and encourage by the gymnasts God has blessed me with, I can’t wait to get started on this year’s program.

+2 Weeks

So we are two weeks into the practice year and things have been moving along at a steady pace. I must admit, the rookies are catching on much faster that I thought they were capable of. Most of our pyramids are hitting already, butterflies have all hit, tossing groups are all hitting back tucks and flairs, 2-1 stunting is well ahead of last year, and the tumbling sequence has a great start. I am extremely pleased with the progress so far.

On October 23 we have booked a performance with the Detroit Pistons! This is very exciting new for us and our program. Again, this is an answer to prayer. The night before we got the go ahead from the Pistons we prayed about it in captain’s meeting before practice. It is no small thing to be a part of a program that is growing and showing so much potential like the Gymnics. We several more dates up in the air right now so keep praying for us that God will use us the most effective way possible.

Catching Up Part I - Lose some….gain some.

Some time has passed since my last posting and so much has happened since Acrofest. And despite the incredible experience of Acrofest, the school year continued to produce blessing after blessing.

I was so looking forward to Christmas break. Fall semester had been a rewarding semester for the Gymnics but a tough one considering the long hours required by the team to host Acrofest 2007. I don’t think myself or the team was prepared for the unpleasant surprise that greeted us when we got back from the break. The Gymnics lost five of our team, some to school, some to injury, and some to jobs. Normally when you lose five athletes you absorb the positions and try to fill in with other people but we were only 26 strong to begin with and some of the talent Gymnics lost would take months to train someone else to perform. Very discouraging. Hand in hand with this situation was second semester tryouts which had the possibility of provide some solutions. After praying about the situation as a team and with my captains I held tryouts. Once again God showed His hand in the redevelop of the Gymnics program and gave us EXACTLY who we needed.

Second semester tryouts produced six new additions to the Gymnics. Lorren Hickman, Joe Brown, Tiffany Mckinze, Keven Burdorf, Stephanie Wilson, and Tito Sanchez. To the person we gained an athlete comparable to the athlete we lost. The six new Gymnics were quickly adopted by the rest of the team and continued to enhance our program throughout the semester. Truly, are we not stronger when we are on our knees giving up all our worries to Christ?

Yes.

The Power of One - Acrofest 2007

Even though Acrofest has come and gone, the positive impact from the experience is still being felt on the campus of Andrews University and within the Gymnics team itself. It was a memorable experience to have the opportunity to plan an event that made such a dramatic impression on everyone involved. Teams from all over the United States and Puerto Rico attended Acrofest this year. With registration numbers hovering close to 1000, the Power of One Acrofest was the largest clinic held on the campus of AU.

The theme for Acrofest was The Power of One. We highlighted the power one team member has to influence an attitude on the mat, the power one team has in a community or on a campus, and the power Jesus Christ has to change a life. The theme was chosen to reinforce the concept that SDA sports acrobatics is not just about looking good but even more important, being a witness for Christ. If one person has the power of witness, just think of the potential of a dedicated and motivated team reflecting the influence of Christ to the audience! The spiritual foundation for the even was reinforced with the outstanding worships with Tim Gillespie. Tim's ability to connect with the young and the old, new Christian or renewed Christian, brought into focus the desire of Christ to be powerful in every person's life. Much thanks to Tim for his contribution to Acrofest and for allowing the Spirit to communicate through him.

Teams came to Acrofest to learn a variety of skills to take back to their schools to improve their progams. The clinicians that taught at the stations included Pat Wedge and his crew, Julie and Bobby Miller, Jesse Leone and his crew, Daren Caviness, Ill. State University Gamma Phi circus, Sheri Reiakvam and Olivia Solo. The stations being taught were single and double base stunting, basket tossing, pyramids, pairs, trio, tumbling, as well as a circus station in Beaty Gym.

On Thursday night after all the rotations, the clinicians put on the show for the gymnasts. We saw the Gamma Phi circus group flying off a russian swing, Russell doing the double cupie, Brooke doing fantastic basket tossing tricks, and 6 routines by gymnasts from the Hand 2 Hand Sports Acrobatic gym. The show was a great showcase of the level of performance excellence many of the kids in the audience would like to acheieve.

This whole weekend was capped off with the Saturday night show. 23 teams took the performance floor to exhibit the skills and talents each team has been blessed with. The audience of 1200 was exposed to the diverse and exciting styles that each team displayed. Five highs, double back basket tossing, single base stunting, and advanced tumbling were just some of the skills the gymnasts and coaches had been working hard accomplish. Each routine performed at the Saturday night show can be downloaded at the Gymnics website. Take some time and visit the photo gallery and the videos section.

A big thanks to all the coaches and teams who came and supported the Acrofest this year. This event would not happen without your support and attendance. Thanks to all the staff, faculty and friends of Andrews University who helped serve meals in the refrigerator tent. Thanks to marketing and enrollment for your help with graphics, water tables, first aid (Graves and Payne), and for crowd control. Thanks to plant services and for setting everything up in the parking lot and helping me take it down. Thanks to grounds for letting us burn your grass for smores. So many people helped make this a success and Acrofest would not have happened without your support. It is amazing to see how the power of one purpose can bring so many people together.

See you next year at Union College.

Wrapped up in silk

Early in August I took Kelly Streelman and Jackie Shotwell down SAU for a clinic. Christian Van Loo flew out from LA to provide Kelly, Jackie and three Gym-Master girls with an opportunity to learn aerial acrobatics using silk fabric. This is not a new art form but it is one not done by a lot of people . Christine Van Loo has done the aerial silk act at many high profile events and is known world wide for her abilities in gymnastics, sports acrobatics, and circus arts. We were very fortunate to have this level of expertise at our disposal.

To say the training started out with the girls looking awkward would be an understatement. Learning the different wraps of the silk, the most effective way to climb, and trusting the knots created for support was an exercise in trust. Learning skills like the hip key, big knot, foot wrap, and various other wraps tested the girls' ability to learn but also their endurance. This can be a very tiring skill to learn, until you learn to climb and wrap the silk efficiantly a athlete tends to use much more upper body strength than lower body, the result is fatigue. By the end of two days the girls had learned much and had started learning a routine with the silk.

The nice aspect about the aerial silk is many of the skills can be learned just a few feet off the ground and when perfected, the skills can be performed many feet off the mat. Christine has done this skill 9 stories off the edge of a building. I can, with much conviction, say the Gymnics will never attempt this!

Looking to the past and planning for the future

I can hardly believe the first year is over! An incredible amount of blessings were showered on the Gymnics this year. From the commitment from the administration to the passion of the team members, this year saw a renewed spark within the Gymnics program fueling plans for future growth.

The year ended with a fantastic homeshow. With the help of Larry Dolson, the team was able to raise the mats four feet off the ground on temporary staging, this added dimension really enhanced the atmosphere of the performance. In addition to the staging we utilized special effects lighting we purchased and loaned from CYE to highlight some of the stunting on the mats and create a more intimate setting. We incorporated a new skill set at AU with the introduction of the Russian Pole. We only started practicing this skill after Christmas but some real progress was made and established a great foundation of skills for us to build on next year. Mixing in group routines with lots of action and small group routines like the teeter board, and mini tramp, the homeshow was a great example of God given talents the Gymnics has been blessed with. You can see some of the pictures at our web site, http://www.andrews.edu/gymnics.

The Gymnics has big plans for the future. Next year will start off with intense tryouts for a new team in a continued effort to expand the size of the program and the quality of talent. Already in the works are plans for Acrofest 2007 - The Power of One. This national even with host as many as 1000 athletes and coaches and is a great opportunity of SDA teams to come together to worship, learn, and perform with each other. Keep checking back here at the the Gymnics web site for updates on Acrofest.

Are we there yet....tales of touring

Finally the weekend! It seems like this time of year all the appointments, shows, and whatever else start to snowball that threatens to run me over. It is hard to believe Homeshow is only 6 weeks away, and one of those weeks is spring break. This year is racing right past us!

The Lord has been so good to the team this semester. Last weekend we had a show at MVA on friday morning and then Sabbath School and a show at SVA Saturday night. We logged way too many hours on the bus for a single weekend! The show at MVA was good in that Lana Lucht was able to return from an injury and perform with the team, and there are a couple of MVA alumni who were able to perform in front of the home crowd. Big thanks to the Bellchambers for openning up their home for the whole team to sack out for the night. Britt, nice blanket with your face all over the front! And thanks to the cafe, the meals were great! After the Sabbath School at SVA, the Gymnics got on the bus and drove up to DC for the afternoon. We were blessed with a fantastic day and were able to stay outside in the National Mall and see all the sights. The show at SVA was incredible and we had one of the most responsive crowds this year. The Gymnics are looking forward to getting back for an entire weekend sometime in the near future. Next weekend we head to Spring Valley and the last weekend of March we go to Boyne City, MI, and finish off with Great Lakes Adventist Academy.

In case you have not heard, AU has purchased a new bus and the Gymnics are now riding in style! It has a smoother ride, its not as noisy as the old bus, and the drivers say it has more power. Hopfully the additional power will help us get to where we are going in a more timely manner. Reguardless of which bus we take, Bryan's sea shanty songs or Richard's laugh make Gymnics' bus tours...unique.

The opportunities are increasing for us to reach out and represent not only Andrews University but also our Savior. In April we have a show scheduled for the Madison Center in South Bend where we will be performing for at risk children. Christ really is leading this team and will continue to be the core and foundation found at the heart of the Gymncis. Pleae pray for our continuing success in being trophies for Christ.

Braving the snow and gearing up for tour

This next week the Gymnics are diving into the busy part of the semester. In the next two weeks we are going to hit four schools from Hinsdale Adventist Academy all the way back east to SVA in Virgina. The team has pulled together a great show to take on the road and willthey will do a great job in representing the Gymnics tradition at Andrews University. The last couple of weeks we have gotten a HUGE amount of snow, AU even shut down for a whole day! I have been told AU has only cancelled school twice in seven years. However, the Gymnics never stopped practicing. They braved the insane tempratures and blowing snow the make their nightly practices to get ready for the upcoming tours. This last week resulted in some inpressive improvement in our teeter board routine with several fantastic new stunts and sequences involving 8 of our guys on one board. The five girls working the russian pole are learning a sense of balance, which is hard when your pole is 6 inches wide and you are flying 15 feet in the air and landing back on the pole. The mini-tramp squad has combined several different types of stunts off the mini-tramp to develop a exciting and fast-paced routine involving 3 mini-tramps. There is no doubt about it, the Lord has been good to us in many ways. Keep coming back to the web site and the blog to let us know what you think about our shows, our team or just to drop us a note of support. Keep the Gymnics in your prayers.

We all made it back from break! No broken bones from ski trip, everyone had safe travels to their destination and back. This is always a good thing. Our first week back started off with only three practices instead of four but they were all good. We started doing our new routine at almost real speed and its coming together nicely but we still have a lot of cleaning up to do on it before it is ready for a performance. Three new students have been added to the team and we are glad that Brittany, Adam, and Troy have come out and joined the Gymnics family. Their impact has already been felt and I believe they will only help us as we continue to build but the Gymnics program. It has been amazing to observe the transformation of the Gymnics from 27 individual people back in September to a family that is 30 members strong. How lucky am I to be the coach?! Fundraising has started off slow but I know the Lord is going to bless us and give us just what we need to be an effective witness and provide a safe environment for the athletes to practice. Keep the Gymnics is your prayers everyone...miracles happen.

NEW FACE AND A FRESH START

Hello friends, famly and alumni of the Andrews University Gymnics. My name is Christian Lighthall and I am the new coach but I am only one of many changes to the Gymnics program from last year. I don't know if you have surfed through our new website yet but I hope you take the time and get to know the new team. We have a great mix of new and old team members, a fantastic new logo, pictures of the past and the present, and a chance to reflect where the Andrews University Gymnics tradition started. We invite you to come back to the site often, there will be additional content added in the coming weeks. I am excited to be a part of the long tradition of Christ-centered gymnastics at Andrews University and am looking forward to combining efforts with my team in taking this program to the next level of acrosports excellence. This blog will be updated throughout the weeks so come back often and I can't wait to hear from you.

Coach Lighthall