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PARENT AND ATHLETE HANDBOOK

2016-17

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

WELCOME ............................................................................................................ 3

ONLINE .................................................................................................................... 3

OUR MISSION STATEMENT ............................................................................................ 3

OUR VALUES ............................................................................................................. 3

CLUB STRUCTURE ....................................................................................................... 4

REGISTRATION INFORMATION ............................................................................ 4

PERSONAL INFORMATION ........................................................................................... 4

FEES AND PAYMENT ................................................................................................... 4

AGF FEES .................................................................................................................. 5

PRECOMPETITIVE/COMPETITIVE FEES ............................................................................. 5

WITHDRAWAL ............................................................................................................ 5

NSF/MISSED PAYMENTS ............................................................................................... 5

VOLUNTEER REQUIREMENTS ................................................................................ 6

FUNDRAISING ...................................................................................................... 6

VIEWING .............................................................................................................. 7

CLUB POLICIES ..................................................................................................... 8

POLICY DEVELOPMENT ............................................................................................................................. 8 PENALTIES ................................................................................................................................................. 8 GRIEVANCE ................................................................................................................................................. 9 HARASSMENT ............................................................................................................................................. 9 COMMUNICATION ..................................................................................................................................... 9 EMAIL POLICY ........................................................................................................................................ 10 PARENT CODE OF ETHICS ....................................................................................................................... 10

FACILITY USE ..................................................................................................... 11

HYGIENE ................................................................................................................................................. 11 SEPARATION ANXIETY ........................................................................................................................... 12 BEHAVIORAL CONCERNS ....................................................................................................................... 12

CLASS INFORMATION ....................................................................................... 12

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE .................................................................................................................... 12 CLASS PLACEMENTS .............................................................................................................................. 13 MEETS AND COMPETITIONS .................................................................................................................. 13

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WELCOME TO ARTISTIQUE GYMNASTICS CLUB!

Gymnastics is an excellent sport for enhancing your child's physical and mental development, which

can contribute to greater success in other sports activities and future endeavors. Gymnastics teaches

the ABC's of Athleticism: Agility, Balance, Co-ordination, & Speed, and brightens healthy minds and

bodies for an active lifestyle at any age!

Whether your child is joining us once a week as a recreational participant or on a more regular basis

in the hope to accomplish perfection within the sport, we will provide your child with specialized

instruction from an NCCP certified coach.

Our coaches are required to be certified by the NCCP (National Coaching Certification Program) and

complete a risk management course to enhance their knowledge of injury prevention through gym

layout, procedures, class management and effective supervision. Our Supervising coaches are

required to hold current first aid certificates and certifications.

ONLINE:

Our website is www.artistiquegym.com We can also be found on Facebook as Artistique Gymnastics

or Artistique Playschool. Like our Facebook Pages to keep up to date on all the happenings!!

OUR MISSION STATEMENT

Our mission is to teach gymnastics to children and youth using a progressive and encouraging manner

that recognizes both effort and achievement, to provide a safe and rewarding gymnastics program

with the highest quality of instruction and equipment and to enhance all participants’ mental and

physical development, while promoting self- confidence and a lasting enjoyment of sport that will

benefit the participants throughout their lives.

OUR VALUES

We care greatly about all the children in our community and we aim to provide a positive, healthy

environment in which every child can get fit, have fun and excel at any age and level. We teach each

child with love and passion, in hopes that they will become passionate about Gymnastics and create

positive memories that will last them a lifetime.

We aim to teach children and youth to become more than just gymnasts, but rather to become

confident, honest, and perseverant individuals who are capable of accomplishing their goals.

Whether recreational or competitive, we teach athletes new skills in a safe, clean environment

through positive reinforcement, lots of encouragement and coaches that simply have fun doing what

they love to do. The end result is happy, healthy, self-motivated kids who continually return eager to

challenge themselves to master new skills. They learn discipline, goal setting and the feeling of

accomplishment that builds self confidence in all they do, and it lasts a lifetime. Many of our

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recreational gymnasts go on to higher levels and advanced programs and some will take training to

eventually become coaches themselves.

CLUB STRUCTURE

Our club is a privately owned facility owned and managed by Darlene Boyko with the support of a

great team of coaches. The Playschool portion of our club is a fully licensed facility governed by the

Child Care Licensing Act and Alberta Child and Family Services Authority.

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Personal Information

Please ensure that you have completed every section of the registration form, including waivers. The

information collected is used solely for the purpose of enrolment, communication purposes and for

insuring athletes with Alberta Gymnastics Federation. FOIP rules are in effect for all information

gathered by Artistique Gymnastics Club and Playschool.

Fees and Payment

All recreational registration fees are due at the time of registration. Cash, cheques, e-transfers, and

credit cards are accepted. Please make cheques are payable to Artistique Gymnastics Club and

Playschool.

If you require special arrangements or are applying for Kidsport or Jumpstart programs, please

let us know and we will accommodate the circumstances.

We have 3 options for payment for recreational fees:

1. The full payment can be made at the time of registration.

2. The registration fee can be split into 2 equal payments, the initial payment is made at the

time of registration, and the second cheque is post-dated no later than 60 days later.

3. Monthly payments may be made with post dated cheques or with credit card with no amount

being left outstanding within the last 3 weeks of the end of the program.

To register for the program, the following must be provided :

1. Full payment of all registration fees. (One of the options above) including $45 AGF Insurance

Fee.

2. Volunteer bond cheques or cash deposit. See details under the section "Volunteer Bond ".

3. Completed registration form with all information. NO EXCEPTIONS.

Children will not be permitted to participate in a program if the form is incomplete.

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The registrants must be in good standing in order for the child to attend the program. If you have not

made appropriate payment arrangements, training will be suspended for the athlete until this

situation has been corrected. Please see our administration for assistance.

AGF Registration Fees

Alberta Gymnastics Federation is the governing body for all gymnastics clubs in Alberta. AGF’s

registration and insurance fees will be billed at the beginning of a program are not included in the

program fees. Athletes will be charged the fee only once throughout the year. The AGF fee is subject

to change annually at the discretion of Alberta Gymnastics Federation and Gymnastics Canada.

Precompetitive and Competitive Training Fees

In addition to the above mentioned registration fee, competitive athletes will be charged for extra

training related to competitions, dance training, and any other training related costs. Parents will be

notified of the cost of any additional requirements in advance. Extra training is at a cost of $10.00 per

hour. Dance choreography for competition routines may be subject to additional charges.

Precompetitive and Competitive Fees will have the following payment options:

1. Payment may be remitted in full including AGF insurance fee

2. Payment may be split into 3 equal payments dated Sept 1, Nov 1 and Jan 1

3. Monthly payments may be made with a credit card on file or with post dated cheques. agf

fee must be paid at registration.

Withdrawal

When you register for gymnastics you have made a 12 week commitment for recreational gymnastics

and a season long commitment for precompetitive and competitive programs. Withdrawal from a

program will not result in a refund unless withdrawal is due to a medical condition, injury, or other

medical circumstance. A refund of the balance of fees from the date a Doctor’s confirmation or other

acceptable proof is shown. If a refund is deemed valid, returned fees will be a prorated amount less a

$25 administration fee. Refunds will be issued within 14 days.

NSF or Missed Payments

Any NSF cheque received is subject to a $40 NSF fee. Artistique Gymnastics and Playschool reserves

the right to no longer accept payment in the form of cheques and a cash payment will be required. If

the NSF payment/missed payment is not cleared up within 4 days, the athlete will be suspended until

the payment is cleared.

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VOLUNTEER REQUIREMENTS

Volunteers are critical to the maintenance and operation of all recreational programs. Cleaning bees

are held multiple times during the season and are mandatory for all registered families. A cleaning

bee will have a maximum of 10 people and will take approximately 1 hour. The volunteer bond is an

incentive to participate. Tasks are clearly outlined upon arrival and staff are in attendance to facilitate

the cleaning bees. Our goal is to provide a clean and healthy environment for all members while

keeping fees down. Parental participation is appreciated.

Young children are not permitted to play in the gym during cleaning bees!! If you must bring your

children, they will be expected to sit or play quietly in the viewing area. The safety of the children is

our priority. Children over 8 years of age may assist with a parent but may not substitute for a

parent/guardian.

If you are unable to meet your commitment it is your responsibility to find someone to take your

shift.

**Parents may opt to pay the volunteer bond in lieu of participating in a cleaning bee.

A $150 volunteer bond is required for ALL programs for which families will be required to sign up for

one scheduled cleaning bee.

A $300 volunteer bond is required for Precompetitive and Competitive families who will have to fulfill

volunteer commitments as laid out in the Competitive athlete’s supplement.

Cleaning Bees Schedules will be posted on the bulletin board in the viewing area. Families are

responsible for signing up and for making arrangements to have a replacement if you cannot make it.

We understand that plans can change, please remove your name from any cleaning bee you are

unable to attend and reschedule promptly to ensure all member families may have fair access to

available dates and times. Volunteer bonds will be cashed at the end of each session. If your

requirements have not been fulfilled, your child will not receive their progress report or badges and

may not be permitted to register into future programs.

FUNDRAISING

Artistique’s Parent Association (APA) is made up of a group of volunteer parents who have a vested

interest in the club. They will offer 2 fundraising events throughout the year.

Fundraising is limited to higher level athletes only.

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The chosen fundraiser for 2016-17 are Little Caesar’s Pizza Kits. Fundraising allows our Parent

Association to provide special events, scholarships and other community and athlete supports.

Fundraising efforts are divided 50/50 with athletes and APA.

Interclub, Precompetitive and Competitive Athletes who participate will have their share of the

fundraising fees applied directly to their account to be used for competition fees, competition

apparel, travel costs related to competition. Fundraising proceeds may not be used to pay fees.

Recreational athletes who are working towards competitive programming may participate to build

their accounts for future competition. These funds become property of the APA should the athlete

not continue with Artistique Gymnastics Club.

For more information about Fundraising please contact our administration.

VIEWING

During viewing, parents, grandparents, other family members, and friends may find a seat in the

viewing area provided to view their child. We encourage pictures but we ask that for the safety of

your child, and other gymnasts, please do not call out to children during classes. Competitive and Pre

Competitive athletes are also training during this time so PLEASE do not cross through the gym or

wander into the gym to take pictures. This could result in the serious injury of you or an athlete!!

Non-compliance will result in you being asked to leave the gym.

We ask that all cell phones be turned to vibrate and that you do not carry on conversations on the

phone in the viewing area. A cell phone alert or ring can also be annoying to parents who are

watching. Be respectful of others!! Please do not use the viewing area as a social gathering spot.

Children who are not registered in the ongoing classes are not permitted on the floor or other

equipment! No Exceptions.

We ask parents respect our viewing policy. It is required to provide:

An atmosphere of training in the gym

Complete focus of the gymnast on the instructions of his or her coach

Enforce the feeling that gym time is the gymnast's very own time and responsibility

The feeling that gymnasts belong to a team

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The intent of the Club's viewing policy is to strike a balance between:

Giving parents an opportunity to see their children's progress

Giving the coaches and gymnasts quality training time together

Minimizing disruptions in the gym thereby promoting safety

With this goal in mind, the following requests are made of all members/parents as to the

interpretation of the Viewing Policy:

While in the gym, do not attract the child's attention

No parents are allowed out on the gym floor area

Make arrangements for discussions with coaches outside of training times, and do not approach

coaches on the floor during training periods

Do not offer food or drinks in the gym training space during class times

DO NOT BE A SIDELINE COACH!! Coaches may focus on different aspects of a skill and return to the

skill to correct technical issues once a child has more confidence. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO ASSIST.

CLUB POLICIES

Policy Development

The policies set forth by Artistique Gymnastics Club and Playschool are in conjunction with the

policies and procedures guidelines set forth by Alberta Gymnastics Federation, Gymnastics Canada

and Alberta Family Services Authority. A copy of the policies and Procedures for Artistique

Playschool is available on our website.

Penalties for Violation of Policy

Any staff, parent, athlete, or volunteer deemed to be in violation of policies may be subject to one or

more of the following penalties:

Verbal reprimand (will include a written record)

Written reprimand

Suspension of training or employment

Termination of membership/or employment

Legal action

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Grievance

Grievance is defined as "conflict between two or more parties concerning interpretation, application,

administration, or alleged violation of policies governing programs of Artistique Gymnastics Club and

Playschool. The grievance may only be addressed with to the person the grievance applies to.

Dissatisfaction with the response, or failure to respond, is cause for the grievance to be addressed

with the administration. The Club owner will be the final authority on all grievances. A 24 hour

waiting period is mandatory for all grievances. No grievance shall be heard before this amount of

time has lapsed.

Harassment

Harassment is defined as any behavior such as:

“Comments, gestures, or contact which causes offence or humiliation, or any conduct which is not

welcomed and unsolicited’ or “Psychological harm to an individual, which causes fear or mistrust or

devalues the individual abuse of authority or position.”

Acts of harassment towards any staff member, coach, athlete, or volunteer will not be tolerated. All

athletes, staff, and coaches are required to treat each other with respect at all times. This includes

while in our facility and while representing Artistique outside the facility.

Formal harassment complaints must be put in writing and submitted to the appropriate authority

identified in our grievance policy. Harassment can occur at anytime, anyplace, and under a wide

variety of circumstances.

Harassment as defined above may occur:

In the change rooms

Gymnastics competitions

During training

Traveling to and from competitions

Between athletes away from the gym, i.e. at school

Communication

Communication will be primarily through the use of email. This includes newsletters, class schedule

changes, precompetitive and competitive related information and the issuing of monthly statements

and invoices for precompetitive and competitive athletes.

It is the parent’s responsibility to ensure administration has your current and correct email address.

A change to your email can be sent to artistiquegym@gmail.com. Electronic communication will

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ensure we are sending the same message out to all and maintain efficiency. All class cancellations will

be posted on our website and Facebook immediately! Please consult those sources if you are in

doubt of cancellations due to weather.

IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PARENTS AND ATHLETES TO KEEP THEMSELVES INFORMED!!!

Email Policy

The following rules are required by law and are to be strictly adhered to:

It is strictly prohibited to send or forward emails containing libelous, defamatory, offensive, racist or

obscene remarks. If you receive an e-mail of this nature, you must promptly notify the Head Coach or

President. Do not forward a message without acquiring permission from the sender first.

Do not send unsolicited email messages.

Do not forge or attempt to forge email messages.

Do not send email messages using another person’s email account.

Do not copy a message or attachment belonging to another user without permission of the

originator.

Do not disguise or attempt to disguise your identity when sending mail.

Do not use email to discuss confidential information, complaints, or grievances.

Do not send or replay viruses or spam

All Club emails will be sent using a private mailing system to guarantee privacy and personal

information is protected.

Parent Code of Ethics

Do not force an unwilling child to participate in sports.

Remember, children are involved in organized sports for their enjoyment, not yours.

Teach your child that honest effort is as important as awards so that the result of each competition

is accepted without undue disappointment.

Turn defeat to victory by helping your child work toward skill improvement and good

sportsmanship. Never ridicule or yell at your child for making a mistake or losing a competition.

Remember that children learn best by example. Applaud good performance for your own club

teams and for members of other teams.

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Do not publicly question the officials' judgement and never their honesty.

Support all efforts to remove verbal and physical abuse from children's sporting activities.

No smoking or alcohol is allowed on the premises. Penalties as stated in the

"Penalties for Violation of Policy" will apply.

FACILITY USE

Use of the gym during class times is restricted to registered athletes. All safety rules MUST be

followed. Any activity taking place in the gym that compromises safety will not be tolerated!

Common sense, respect for one's own limitations, and for other participants around must be applied

at all times. SAFETY IS OUR MAIN CONCERN!

No one trains alone. Participants must use the facility in their scheduled program time, with a

certified coach present.

All accidents/incidents must be documented and reported to the head coach. An incident

report must be filled out and signed.

No shoes are allowed past the front doors. Please place shoes/boots on boot racks in our

entrance area.

No food, gum, beverages (except water bottles) allowed in the gym area. NO EXCEPTIONS.

No electronic devices to be stored/carried in the gym (cell phones, I-pods, etc.). They are to

be kept in gym bags or lockers and secured. Artistique will allow athletes to use devices to

record their own accomplishments for personal use only. These recordings may not be used

on social media to protect the identity of other participants.

Athletes must be appropriately dressed for participation (i.e. bodysuits). Please avoid loose

fitting or baggy clothing. No jewelry is allowed (medical bracelets should be taped). All ear

piercing and facial piercings MUST be removed or taped.

Glasses should have secure restraints and long hair must be tied back.

Birthday parties, private lessons and private bookings may be scheduled with our front desk

staff or through online requests.

All outdoor footwear must be removed in the entrance area.

Hygiene

Please keep warts covered at ALL times with tape or appropriate slippers or socks.

Hair must be tied back at all times in the class. Hair elastics are available at the front desk.

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Separation Anxiety

At times children are anxious about being separated from a parent. We understand this and will work with all of our families to ensure that your child has the best experience possible. Children under the age of 4 years must have a parent present in the facility at all times. Children who experience severe anxiety may be asked to participate in classes offered outside of peak times.

Behavioral Concerns

If your child has a behavioral condition and is not complying with coach requests, you may be asked

to consider an alternative program. The safety of the children is our priority and coaching staff is

unable to leave a class to deal with ongoing behaviors.

CLASS INFORMATION

Each recreational gymnastics session is planned for a 12 week program as laid out by the Cangym

Program. All classes run once a week. Sessions will be offered in Sept, Jan and May.

Parent/Tot and Preschool classes are offered in as Fall, Winter and Spring sessions and are 8 weeks in

length.

Interclub, Pre competitive and Competitive programs are 28 weeks in length with additional training

time scheduled during competition season.

Please see our website for a detailed list of all classes offered and the suitability for each age group.

Arrival and Departure

Please wait patiently in the viewing area for your child’s class to begin. In order to keep classes

running smoothly and reduce the risk of injury of children running through the facility, coaches will

gather up their classes at the viewing area.

If you are running late, please ask our front desk staff to assist younger children get to their class and

coach to ensure they do not become injured.

Pick up your child on time. Children left waiting for rides while the next class is in session are not

being supervised and are left alone. If you are going to be late, please make arrangements with

another person to pick up your child.

COACHES ARE BUSY WITH CLASSES AND CAN NOT KEEP AN EYE ON CHILDREN. DO NOT LEAVE

CHILDREN UNATTENDED.

PRESCHOOL ATHLETES MUST HAVE AN ADULT PRESENT IN THE FACILITY AT ALL TIMES!!

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Appropriate Class Placement

The coaches may suggest a change in classes if they find that your child may require a higher or lower

level of skill instruction. Do not be offended. Your time and money is very valuable and we would like

to see you get satisfaction for both.

Children will be placed in classes according to their skill level & previous experience. Preschool

programming is limited to 6 children per coach. Recreational programs are limited to 8 children in

younger levels. Higher levels may have slightly larger class sizes.

All requests will be taken into consideration for placement, although, due to the criteria determining

placement and levels, this is not always possible. If you have any specific requests for placement

please contact Dar, at 403-358-8498.

Meets and Competition

Parents are responsible for all fees related to competition and meets. The Competitive coaches will

ensure parents are informed of meets available to each athlete’s level. Once all the dates for

competitions from other clubs have been received, a list will be compiled and presented to parents.

It is the parent’s responsibility to ensure all registration deadlines are met. Payment must accompany

the registration for each meet, if fees are not paid, the athlete will not be registered for the meet and

will not be allowed to compete.

It is the responsibility of the head coach to register all athletes for competition. An athlete registered

for a competition will be refunded with a Dr’s note or visible injury by the hosting club. Athletes and

parents are responsible for making transportation arrangements or transporting their athletes.

Please see the Competitive Athlete’s Handbook for more information pertaining to these programs.