Staff at PCYC Hornsby Kuring- Gai have been nominated for three upcoming Gymnastics NSW state awards.
Renee Gibbs was nominated for the Kindergym Coach of the Year Award and Gym Co-ordinator Michaela Pendleton was nominated for a Recognition of Service Award.
The Club was also nominated for the Medium Club of the Year Award. (300-1000 members)
Mrs Pendleton began coaching when her children began gymnastics from a young age, and has coached gymnasts from beginners through to Senior International levels, and has travelled to competitions internationally both as a coach and a judge. She said she was very proud to hear that her dedication to the sport had been recognised by the State governing body. “I love the sport, it’s so diverse and the childrens’ determination and resilience grows as they improve,” she said. “You have to pay close attention to the children, something as simple what they eat determines how well they perform. What the children get out of the sport is that it gives them fundamental control over their body movements and hand-eye coordination, something that sets them up for life and any future sports.”
Mrs Gibbs is the Kindergym coach at the club, and coordinates a program where parents are involved with the physical exercises the preschool aged kids do when they learn gymnastics. She, like Mrs Pendleton, said she was very proud when she heard of her nomination.
“It’s a bonding experience for the children and their parents,” she said. “A good coach is defined as someone who is empathetic to the children and encourages them to constantly do their very best. It helps them realise their potential when the parents give their children positive feedback.”
PCYC club manager Daniel Anderson said it’s never too late to get involved in gymnastics, and there is a demand for gymnastics coaches. He also added he believes the membership numbers are a good indication of why the club and coaches were nominated for the award.
“It’s good to see where we started with the gymnastics program and where we are now, not just in terms of members but the retention of members. There’s a large percentage of members that keep coming back. The membership has grown from 249 to 750 over the past 18 months.”
The awards will be announced on Sunday, March 1, 2020.
