Category: News

Get Fired Up!

We are always looking at the best training opportunities for you and our coaches. And here is your chance to learn from one of the best! Daniel McCarty from Gym Progressions will be here the last week in October. Want to work on specific bar elements? How about double salto connections and floor tumbling passes?

We have three clinics offered:

Upper Level Floor Clinic    Date/Time: Wednesday 10/28 4:00-5:30pm

For: Xcel Platinum-JO Optionals/High School

Description: Hour and a half tumbling clinic that will focus on the basics and mechanics needed for double flipping, twisting, and double salto connections. Using progressive techniques to teach air awareness and body control while tumbling.

Cost: $55

Upper Level Bar Clinic      Date/Time: Saturday 10/31 1:00-3:00pm

For: Optional Levels 6-10

Description: 2 hour bar clinic to focus on progressions and drills for specific optional bar elements. We will be focusing on developing single bar release moves, bar transitions, double salto dismounts and more!

Cost: $55

Advanced Floor Clinic        Date/Time: Saturday 10/31 3:30-5:00pm

For: Advanced Rec- Xcel Gold

Description: Hour and a half tumbling clinic that will teach the importance of basics with floor tumbling. Using progressive techniques to enforce body awareness and control in tumbling. We will focus mainly on round offs, handsprings, tumbling connections, and saltos.

Cost: $45

A little more about Daniel McCarty and why he is one of the best. He is a two-time member of Junior National Development Team, qualifying to twice train at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO.  He has been instrumental in the development of teams that have accumulated dozens of State Championship titles, and competed against the best in the country at all levels.  And above all, he has so much love and a heart of GOLD for the sport. Some of our coaches and gymnasts have already had the chance to work with Daniel this summer and once they did, we could not wait to bring him here.

Register online to reserve your spot;

http://r75.be0.mywebsitetransfer.com/calendar/

Daniel McCarty

Daniel has been involved in gymnastics most his life.  As an athlete he was a two-time member of Junior National Development Team, qualifying to twice train at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO.

His coaching career began on accident in 1996.  As a young coach he was tasked with the duties of coaching pre-school, recreational, birthday parties, open gym, field trips, pre-team, team, and spotter for optional levels.  Since that time, he has maintained his belief in the importance of coaching all levels.  That belief has been driven by the importance of perfect basics and body shaping, flawless form, and extensive general and event specific conditioning.  Building blocks that need to be established long before the athlete begins training optional level gymnastics.

Daniel’s resume speaks for itself.  He has been instrumental in the development of teams that have accumulated dozens of State Championship titles, and competed against the best in the country at all levels; produced countless individual State, Regional, and National Champions; developed numerous athletes that have received Division 1 scholarships; presented at State, Regional, and National level conferences; and has been the honored recipient of literally thousands of hugs an high fives.

Daniel spends his time now in a consultation role, of sorts.  He travels to gyms working with the athletes and the coaches, in an attempt to help each achieve and be their best.

City of Sioux Falls SOAR Team gives the thumbs up!

Wings opened in 2011 with a vision; “teach gymnastics in a fun and safe environment, where every child can feel successful, build self-esteem and gain confidence while learning through progressions in a non-competitive way”. No where does this state only when there isn’t a pandemic happening. Fast forward to the year 2020 and our vision literally could not be more fitting to the world we are living in. With safety being our number one concern then and now, we have done everything these last couple of months from temporarily closing the gym to building a whole new program over night. Wings Online, a place that specifically contains the best content that can be done safely at home.

And now today, here we are, eggar to finally get our gymnasts back inside the gym. A slow and steady phased approach is methodically planned out with safety always in the forefront as our number one concern. Following the CDC recommendations and incorporating our own procedures and protocols we invited the the City of Sioux Falls SOAR Team to tour Wings and review our comprehensive plan. We are pleased with their findings. The SOAR Team offered not only their “stamp of approval” on our procedures, protocols, and comprehensive plan but in turn asked permission as they would like to share our plan with other businesses in Sioux Falls as they begin to roll out a plan and the reopening process.

Whether your child is attending classes, summer camp or you are a parent wondering what, when and how, we have identified it. Should things change, CDC recommendations change etc., we will update accordingly.

Thank you all for your patience, love and support during these last few weeks.

Wings Management

The month of November brings big smiles around the gym.

We are coming hot off the heels of Halloween and straight into what I see as the perfect balance between fall and winter. November had us walking around with a big grin on our face.  Here are just a few of the ways.

“No-shave November”

A tradition known in the United States and Canada as a way to raise cancer awareness. We had a full understanding of how far our devoted dads would take this ritual.  Some were sporting an extra 5 o’clock shadow, while others a mere stubble.  Then walked in our no turning back, all-in loggers and lumberjacks with goatee’s and full-fledged beards. Well done!  Your significant other may not have appreciated the new you, but I guarantee the attention for the cause was commended.  I somehow missed the mutton chops and the Fu Manchu but I am hopeful next year a few of our true yellow & blue gym dads (you rock our world) are up for a challenge.

November 23rd, National “Expresso Day”.

Around the gym it is National “Express Yourself Day”.  As our first year of recognizing this particular day, we saw it as an extra opportunity to capture the kids with some of the unique and daily expressions we see. However, let’s face it, for the real deal nothing beats seeing all of this action in person. We may not have captured all of these expressions in just one day but here are a few that are common throughout the gym:

OMG

what the

hey man

are you serious- are you serious

send me a snap

GOAT

visco gurl

In the gym I am proud to say you can spot kids laughing and having a good time while also seeing first-hand just how strong and courageous our athletes are; boys & girls.  The energy each one brings, and how they convey it is invigorating.  Work hard play hard, leave the gym sweating and smiling.

I am thankful for my dog.

Our tree of gratitude not only had all fur babies listed but all walks of life. Parents, this is where you pat yourselves on the back for raising amazing and grateful kids, even when you don’t feel like you are.  In a world of everything alexa, electronic and convenience items it is hard to believe that God, dogs, my brother, mom & dad rounded out the top five. If you saw how dormant the tree started out, bare branches and no color in sight. Then you can appreciate by the end of the month, the efforts involved removing the gloom and doom.  Kids didn’t write down their favorite toy, the best birthday gift ever or what they really would like for Christmas.  Branches were filled with colorful leaves, hundreds of thought out blessing, messages, names, and pictures.  So, I thank you all for your role in helping our tree flourish.  iPhone and iPad aside, what might start out as no end in sight may just surprise you and put a smile on your face.

It was evident that a smile was present in every corner of Wings all month-long. November’s vibe in and outside the gym largely impacted others.  A smile is known to be contagious. I wonder how many miles our smiles traveled in those 30 days.

We may not be the biggest, just the best!