How to Make the Team for Gymnastics

Last Updated: November 8, 2021

Joining a gymnastics team is a wonderful thing. You get to go to meets and learn routines. You get to hang out with your friends and practice more often. Some gymnasts are confused what you have to do to get on a team, so this article is aimed to help you!

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Entry requirements

1
Find out what the entry requirements are for your gyms team. Some teams require you to pass a test or get an invite. Practice for any tests, and do you best in class and ask the coach if you can get an invite. Most teams have age requirements, so join the team with the appropriate age requirements for you.
- Some gyms don't have a pre-team program, so you might have to complete level 5 before being able to join a team.
2
Find out how your gym selects team members. Some gyms only hold trials, some go by invite, and some go by level. Some gyms only select team members at certain times of the year so make sure to be ready.

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3
Be ready to practice more. Make sure you get your homework done and organize your activities. Make sure to get enough sleep and eat healthy food. More practices might cost more money, so make sure your parents are aware.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Preparation

1
Tell your coach you want to join a team. Your coach can help you achieve your goals. You can also tell your coach about other goals, like about skills you want to learn. Some teams might not put kids on the team because they are not aware that they want to be there, so it's good to be vocal. Talk to your parents too. They can also help you, and support you.
2
Be respectful, do your best at practice, be open to learning, and practice often. Doing so will help prepare you for being on team. Your coach might also notice, making them want to invite you, or making them notice that you might be the kind of person who wants to be on a team.
3
Try to train more than once a week. Doing so will help you learn skills and progress faster, as well as show people your dedicated. Train as often as you can!
4
Condition at home. Stretching and doing strength exercises can help your gymnastics, and some teams require you to do some conditioning at home too.
5
Listen to what your coaches say when they correct you. Your coach isn't trying to insult you. They are giving you tips to make your skills better and help you. Once you make the correction you might get your skill or find it better and easier to do.
6
Listen to the corrections your coach makes for others as well. Check whether they apply to you. The more tips you can pick up, the better.
7
Try to be in the gym as much as possible. And learn as much as you can. Maybe do some research at home.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Improving your gymnastics skills

1
Find out what level your team starts at in your gym. This way you know what skills you need to be ready.
2
Be prepared for level 3 requirements if that's your gym's starter level. If your team starts at level 3, you will need to know how to dive roll vault.
- On bars, you will need a pullover, back hip circle, stride circle and round-off.
- On beam, you will need side handstands and 3/4 handstands.
- On floor, you will need handstand forward rolls, round offs and bridge kick overs.
3
Be prepared for level 4 requirements if that's your gym's starter level. If your team starts at level 4, you will need your round off back handspring and tic toc on floor.
- Your handstand twist dismount and full handstand on beam.
- On bars, you will need glide swing, pullover, back hip circle, front hip circle, stride circle and underswing and a handstand to flat back vault.
4
Be prepared for level 5 requirements if that's your gym's starter level. If your team starts at level 5 you will need your front handspring vault.
- On bars, you will need your glide kip, long kip and squat on a jump to high bar.
- On beam, you will need handstands and cartwheels.
- On floor, you will need dive roll, round off followed by two back handsprings, back walkover, front handspring and backward roll to handstand.
5
Keep working at it. It takes a while to develop your gymnastics skills to team level. Keep at it and you will get there.

Community Q&A

Question

How do I get more flexible?

Community Answer

Practice your splits and back-bridges every day, holding for at least 30 seconds each time. Try an over-split and a bridge with straight legs if you want to get flexible fast. Remember to hold for at least 30 seconds, or even better, for a minute!
Question

What should I do if one of my coaches says I am good enough for the team, but another one says I am not?

Community Answer

Listen to both coaches. Let the first couch give you the support you need to stay motivated. Let the other coach give you tips and advice on how you can improve and become a better gymnast. Don't let the other coach discourage you, however; keep practicing and don't stop trying.
Question

How can I get into tryouts and get the coach to accept me on the team?

Community Answer

Do your best, be positive and have a good attitude. If you don't make one yea,r come back the next to show the coach that you are not going to give up. Stand up straight, put your chin up high and put a confident look on your face. Your determination to keep trying will do a lot for you.