There is a thrill and excitement when one goes up and down, higher and higher, as if touching the heavens; knowing that below you there are mats to keep you safe so the fear vanishes and with each jump a different routine is executed. This is the art of acrobatic and trampoline gymnastics.
The 24 Seven Gymnastics and Trampoline Club has been hard at work this season. They are preparing to excel at upcoming regional competitions that will propel the club into the national competitions. Head coach Luitha Roux is determined to achieve even more success and has roped in parents who have undergone trampoline and acrobatic gymnastic adjudicator training. This is to assist the young gymnasts preparing for competitions – they will be judged in a strict manner and have a more structured training routine.
“The parents volunteered and attended these training courses which qualify them to be judges. As we are training using new routines, we had to take a different approach as to maximise our gymnasts’ abilities,” said Luitha.
Front: JC, JT and JP Roux.
With the first regional competition being held in Pretoria during the first week of May, Luitha is confident her gymnasts are more than ready to meet their challenges. Before the regional competition, Luitha will lead her charges to the Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic where a variety of sports codes will be showcased.
“We are aiming to qualify for a few club competitions, then go on to regionals, and then provincials. The goal is to be in the South African national team,” said Luitha.
The club’s gymnasts excelled on the provincial stage last season, competing and winning gold in Cape Town and various other competitions.
“Preparations throughout the year have gone well although there is always room for improvement. We are aiming to get as many of our gymnasts into the national team as possible, and to perform to the best of our abilities,” said Luitha.
The head coach’s next goal is to find or create a specialised programme for the most talented of the gymnasts under her wing. They will be nurtured and developed further to become national representatives on international stages such as the Olympics and the Commonwealth Games.
To get her gymnasts on their way to that goal, Luitha will also be coaching double-mini trampoline this season. She is currently awaiting landing mats and springs.
With the success of her acro-gymnasts Nicole Swanepoel, Huibrecht Groenewald and Caela Truter and that of her model sons JC, JT and JP, Luitha is looking to create a wing where she can nurture talent for such competitions. This will look to performance and modelling for young boys
For more information, contact Luitha on 072 011 1011.
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