Preschool gymnastics: You're never too young to hit the balance beam

Ormond Beach Observer
Neighbors

Coach George Postell's preschool gymnastics offers local kids fun, fitness.

BY MATT MENCARINI | STAFF WRITER

The Ormond Beach gymnastics program is not only for high school-age competitive gymnasts. Even diaper-clad future tumblers are chalking up their hands and hitting the mats for a first glimpse at the sport.

Coach George Postell runs a Mommy and Me class, for athletes 18 months to 2 years old, a Tumbling Tots class for 3-year-olds and a preschool class for 4-year-olds. The classes are part of the program's recreational gymnastics side.

Postell said a lot of his younger gymnasts saw the sport on TV, liked it and told their parents they wanted to try. However, once they get to the gym and mount the equipment, many get timid. Conquering that is one of Postell's focuses with the younger groups.

“With these guys, it’s just getting them confident with the equipment,” he said, while helping a mini-gymnast along the bars. “It gets them familiar with it.”

Once they move on to the more advanced levels, he focuses on strength and agility, which he believes will give them a leg up on gymnasts who are only trying the sport for the first time.

Preschool gymnasts work on all the same skills as their older counterparts, just at a lower level and with Postell helping them along, spotting or holding them so they don’t fall.

“I like having the male coach,” said Stacey Boice, whose son Dalton in is the class and has mostly female teaches. “He’s is a great role model.”

But for the four participants in the preschool class, it seems a lot more like fun than training. They get to climb, and run and jump on the spring floor. And then, if they still have energy, it's outside they go, to the Magic Forest Rainbow Park.