Procedures

What to do on your first day at Seattle Gymnastics Academy

On your first day, it's wise to come fifteen minutes early, both to handle the paperwork and also to let your child look around this fun, colorful place.

When you come in, talk to the Registrar at the front desk. He or she will handle the paperwork and direct you to the changing room. Leave extra clothes, socks and shoes in the cubbies. Then walk out into the bleacher area and wait either on the bleachers (best viewing here!) or by the entrance to the floor (very crowded here, no view at all from child height). At precisely the time class starts, an instructor will call all the school-age children for pad drill. At the same time, all the pre-school children will be assembled at the entrance to the floor. There, their instructor will meet and greet them before taking them to their pad drill and first event.

We ask that parents do not go out on the floor because they tend to get hurt out there. It is full of uneven, padded surfaces and steel equipment. We adults should recall that we are no longer flexible, strong for our size and fully alert to our surroundings! However, in the extreme case that a preschool child is frightened and will not go with his or her group, the child's parent may walk along behind the group with the child in tow. Sit beside the group's activities until the child is ready to participate. When that happens, excuse yourself quietly and return to the parent area - carefully!  If your child has difficulty going without you for more than one class, please talk to your coach and the front desk about things we a can do to help make your child more comfortable.

What to wear to class

Dress is informal. For girls, the best dress from the standpoint of instruction is a leotard or biketard. A leo allows us to see exactly what position a child's body is in, the better to make corrections. Cotton is cool and it also gives the instructor a good grip if the need to spot (take hold of the child) should arise.

That said, if a leo is not available (we have an emergency supply behind the Registrar's desk), a T-shirt and shorts will do, but no belt (scratches the equipment). No jewelry may be worn and any removable dental appliance must be taken out. Hair must be pulled back behind the ears (to prevent pulling it out by the roots when doing skills - very painful) and secured with a scrunchy or a hair tie  (An emergency supply of these is also at the front desk.).

For boys, a tightly fitting t-shirt and short (not too long or baggy) shorts will do, again to be able to see the body well. Loose clothing gets in the way of skills and hinders spotting. If the boy's hair is long enough, it should be secured in a pony-tail to prevent painful pulling out.

Make-ups

-We allow a maximum of 2 make-ups per session and we ask that they be made up within the session of the missed classes.
-We cannot guarantee make-ups but we will do our very best to accommodate everyone who needs a make-up.  
-Gymnasts 6 and up may come to Open Gym, for free, every Saturday that we are open at 12:30 for a coach lead, station-oriented make-up.
-Gymnasts 5 and under may come to one of our pre-determined make-up classes.  If you are planning on coming to one of our make-up classes please call and schedule your make-up at least the day before so that we have time to let our instructors know that you will be there.
-If your child is 5 and under but the pre-determined make-up classes don’t work in your schedule then you may come to any of our Indoor Playgrounds for free at your convenience.
-Please note, you may not drop in on another class. It degrades the instruction for the children in that class.
-Please call your Registrar at 206-362-7447 to schedule.  
 

Snow days

* Believe it or not, SGA has never closed for snow. You can call or check our front page but we'll be here to teach and give our road condition reports! "Snow days" are not an issue for SGA.