Pete, after reading the blog last night, quite rightly pointed out that I missed some vital information.The equipment issue at the Magnum is temporarily resolved. Our equipment was moved out of the container yesterday and moved back into the cupboard in the hall. Pete put a lot of time in again drawing out a layout for the cupboard.
Today I spent a fair amount of time researching various grants and funding sources. It is very time consuming but I enjoy research most out of everything that I do.
London is now all booked and paid for, no backing out now. Tomorrow I will finish the risk assessments and get the travel permit organised.
Aquarius have invited us to their festival the week before London. Need to get that organised this week.
2 new pieces of equipment arrive this week - a casting bar and a new springboard. That may just tip things over the edge at the Magnum.
So a bits and bobs kind of day. Roll on tomorrow - lesson plans, memberships.........
Monday, September 12, 2011
Sunday, September 11, 2011
THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE CHALLENGING
Well it has been a couple of days since the last blog. I would have thought that the day after Sapphire I would be relaxing with a glass of vimto in hand. But no I am still listening to Kylie and many varied mixes of. Why?
Well Pete has been working on the new mixes of the music for London. I've been doing all the paperwork, which is a bit like trying to take a plough through very wet custard. Anyway, music done! And paperwork almost done bar Katherine's CRB number. Which I would have had to hand but the GymMark folder is still away at SG awaiting assessment! Argh!
Friday night gala is a 4 minute routine incorporating Can't Get You Out Of My Head and Wow! and Saturday is a 6 minute routine which basically dumps Wow and ends with Your Disco - always leave them wanting more I say. So tomorrow, pay the travel and accomodation and that's us - first festival outside Scotland. It was always the ambition of the Display Team to do loads of festivals all over the place and now we are - how exciting. Which has just reminded me to hurry up and finish the blog and get on with the programme entry for London - argh!!
So, took a wee break there to have a look at some photos from yesterday. What a great day! Has to be one of the friendliest festivals EVER! AND CAKE! Brilliant! It felt weird not being in the routine but I quite liked conducting from the front (and I could see the mistakes, there will be repercussions) Catriona and all at Sapphire did a great job. But IBGC were awesome - absolutely on fire. Don't know how they pulled it out of the bag with very little warm up time and virtually no run through. Very proud. And very proud of our supporters. Thanks to all who came, it makes such a difference to know there are people out there who care about you.
I have to say hand on heart I think it's the best one ever and has certainly put the ghosts of the past to rest.
The bus company were good, so glad we're using them again for Perth, saves all that phoning around and organising. There were an enormous amount of props and costumes this time but all worth it.
So anyway, back to this week and what's been happening.
Competition entries have been done for Allander and Dynamite.Trying to sort out Inverclyde training before the end of the year for Development Comp kids.
Got an interesting email on Wednesday from KA that they weren't happy about us using the container for our equipment! Eh? Apparently, it's health and safety?? How does KA health and safety affect OUR equipment, OUR coaches and OUR insurance poilcy? An emergency meeting was called between the faciltiy management and ourselves. NOT HAPPY!!
Next stop, make sure everyone is sorted out for CP training, dates in the diaires, bookings done etc.
Wednesday night training was excellent. Lots more kids for the Wednesday beginners - all classes now have looooonng waiting lists. This is good. Just wish we could do more to accomodate everyone. Teamgym girls just get better and better. Freestyle class continues to impress. It's becoming my favourite night of the week. Thought Amy Mc did an excellent job coaching.
Thursday, more admin, more paperwork - IT'S MY DAY OFF (not!) Gymnasts missing from the CRM system, more paperwork. Committee meeting - some good decisions, some good ideas. Going to try a Teen Beginners Class at Kilwinning on Wednesdays for the new block. Trying to encourage as many people as possible to try gymnastics. "Something for everyone" etc. Also organised for a company in dalry to come along to the club next week and sell sparkly things - leotards, shorts, leggings, t shirts, hoodies. Should be good - we get commission, even better.
Nice pic of us in the paper with our friends from Make A Wish and Scottish Gymnastics.
Organised Katherine's place on the Freestyle course, took delivery of lots of uniforms and costumes.
Friday night went well. We were coaches down and still managed our huge numbers on Friday and our shared facility. I still think the old ice rink would make an excellent temporary home until we move permanently. Anyhoo, last Display practice and the only one with all the props. Looked great. I think the Display Team have progressed so quickly. they are nailing routines so fast. It's fantastic to be involved.
Spent 2 days, going through NAC, KA and SportScotland policies to put together various applications and supporting statements. It was actually nice to get to the weekend and go to a festival with the Team and just have fun.
Katherine and I did a L2 Freestyle course today at Zippys. Was very interesting and informative and it was nice to catch up with friends from other clubs.
Seems strange still that 2 years ago we were still talking about starting a club and now we've made friends all over the place, are offering 6 different disciplines and are looking at moving to our own facility. It's amazing what a group of dedicated, passionate individuals can achieve in such a short space of time. I have to admit to being slightly fatigued this week and thinking "is this really worth it?" but the likes of yesterday - being with like-minded, committed people, seeing kids flourish, loving what they are doing, having such an amzing strong bond with each other, being a part of something, just that wee something special you can't quite put your finger on, makes all of the sleeplessness and mind numbing hoop jumping and spanners in the works worth it. Long live fatigue, long live IBGC.
Well Pete has been working on the new mixes of the music for London. I've been doing all the paperwork, which is a bit like trying to take a plough through very wet custard. Anyway, music done! And paperwork almost done bar Katherine's CRB number. Which I would have had to hand but the GymMark folder is still away at SG awaiting assessment! Argh!
Friday night gala is a 4 minute routine incorporating Can't Get You Out Of My Head and Wow! and Saturday is a 6 minute routine which basically dumps Wow and ends with Your Disco - always leave them wanting more I say. So tomorrow, pay the travel and accomodation and that's us - first festival outside Scotland. It was always the ambition of the Display Team to do loads of festivals all over the place and now we are - how exciting. Which has just reminded me to hurry up and finish the blog and get on with the programme entry for London - argh!!
So, took a wee break there to have a look at some photos from yesterday. What a great day! Has to be one of the friendliest festivals EVER! AND CAKE! Brilliant! It felt weird not being in the routine but I quite liked conducting from the front (and I could see the mistakes, there will be repercussions) Catriona and all at Sapphire did a great job. But IBGC were awesome - absolutely on fire. Don't know how they pulled it out of the bag with very little warm up time and virtually no run through. Very proud. And very proud of our supporters. Thanks to all who came, it makes such a difference to know there are people out there who care about you.
I have to say hand on heart I think it's the best one ever and has certainly put the ghosts of the past to rest.
The bus company were good, so glad we're using them again for Perth, saves all that phoning around and organising. There were an enormous amount of props and costumes this time but all worth it.
So anyway, back to this week and what's been happening.
Competition entries have been done for Allander and Dynamite.Trying to sort out Inverclyde training before the end of the year for Development Comp kids.
Got an interesting email on Wednesday from KA that they weren't happy about us using the container for our equipment! Eh? Apparently, it's health and safety?? How does KA health and safety affect OUR equipment, OUR coaches and OUR insurance poilcy? An emergency meeting was called between the faciltiy management and ourselves. NOT HAPPY!!
Next stop, make sure everyone is sorted out for CP training, dates in the diaires, bookings done etc.
Wednesday night training was excellent. Lots more kids for the Wednesday beginners - all classes now have looooonng waiting lists. This is good. Just wish we could do more to accomodate everyone. Teamgym girls just get better and better. Freestyle class continues to impress. It's becoming my favourite night of the week. Thought Amy Mc did an excellent job coaching.
Thursday, more admin, more paperwork - IT'S MY DAY OFF (not!) Gymnasts missing from the CRM system, more paperwork. Committee meeting - some good decisions, some good ideas. Going to try a Teen Beginners Class at Kilwinning on Wednesdays for the new block. Trying to encourage as many people as possible to try gymnastics. "Something for everyone" etc. Also organised for a company in dalry to come along to the club next week and sell sparkly things - leotards, shorts, leggings, t shirts, hoodies. Should be good - we get commission, even better.
Nice pic of us in the paper with our friends from Make A Wish and Scottish Gymnastics.
Organised Katherine's place on the Freestyle course, took delivery of lots of uniforms and costumes.
Friday night went well. We were coaches down and still managed our huge numbers on Friday and our shared facility. I still think the old ice rink would make an excellent temporary home until we move permanently. Anyhoo, last Display practice and the only one with all the props. Looked great. I think the Display Team have progressed so quickly. they are nailing routines so fast. It's fantastic to be involved.
Spent 2 days, going through NAC, KA and SportScotland policies to put together various applications and supporting statements. It was actually nice to get to the weekend and go to a festival with the Team and just have fun.
Katherine and I did a L2 Freestyle course today at Zippys. Was very interesting and informative and it was nice to catch up with friends from other clubs.
Seems strange still that 2 years ago we were still talking about starting a club and now we've made friends all over the place, are offering 6 different disciplines and are looking at moving to our own facility. It's amazing what a group of dedicated, passionate individuals can achieve in such a short space of time. I have to admit to being slightly fatigued this week and thinking "is this really worth it?" but the likes of yesterday - being with like-minded, committed people, seeing kids flourish, loving what they are doing, having such an amzing strong bond with each other, being a part of something, just that wee something special you can't quite put your finger on, makes all of the sleeplessness and mind numbing hoop jumping and spanners in the works worth it. Long live fatigue, long live IBGC.
Monday, September 5, 2011
A Quiet Day
It's been a quiet sort of day today.
Did the banking in the morning, then went to the container to get out all the rag bags. The Magnum refused to continue to house our equipment in their store cupboard but very kindly provided us with a shipping container, which we (by we I mean Pete) cleaned out and now stores all of our kit. Luckily, it gives us storage space for other things too - our noticeboard and perhaps a new rail for the second hand uniforms and leotards. Anyway, the rag bags took up all of my boot space and back seat, and I have a BIG car. So with the ever present threat of being knocked unconscious by a flying rag bag, Katherine and I made it to Kilmarnock. We weighed in the bags at a whopping 137kilos and made £68!! Only then did we discover we could have dropped them off in Irvine just across from the bank! Argh!
Spent the rest of the afternoon sorting out appropriate classes for appropriate gymnasts, purchasing uniforms and leotards and costumes.
First night of Monday training went well. Bit of a nightmare trying to get into St Matthews, have to use main door of the school and walk all the way through the school to the PE Dept. Never mind. 1 kid for Active Schools but the word only went out on Friday. I'm sure it will build from there.
Home to sort out the ongoing saga of GymMark. Just some CP training to go and then all the boxes are ticked - AT LAST!!! And then to have a look at some planning issues for the new facility. It seems to get harder every day, that one.
Still all in all a quiet day. Looking forward to tomorrow.
Did the banking in the morning, then went to the container to get out all the rag bags. The Magnum refused to continue to house our equipment in their store cupboard but very kindly provided us with a shipping container, which we (by we I mean Pete) cleaned out and now stores all of our kit. Luckily, it gives us storage space for other things too - our noticeboard and perhaps a new rail for the second hand uniforms and leotards. Anyway, the rag bags took up all of my boot space and back seat, and I have a BIG car. So with the ever present threat of being knocked unconscious by a flying rag bag, Katherine and I made it to Kilmarnock. We weighed in the bags at a whopping 137kilos and made £68!! Only then did we discover we could have dropped them off in Irvine just across from the bank! Argh!
Spent the rest of the afternoon sorting out appropriate classes for appropriate gymnasts, purchasing uniforms and leotards and costumes.
First night of Monday training went well. Bit of a nightmare trying to get into St Matthews, have to use main door of the school and walk all the way through the school to the PE Dept. Never mind. 1 kid for Active Schools but the word only went out on Friday. I'm sure it will build from there.
Home to sort out the ongoing saga of GymMark. Just some CP training to go and then all the boxes are ticked - AT LAST!!! And then to have a look at some planning issues for the new facility. It seems to get harder every day, that one.
Still all in all a quiet day. Looking forward to tomorrow.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
WORK WORK WORK
Trying to order costumes for the Display Team with the world's tiniest budget!!! Argh, no fun. Tried to have a gymnastics free Saturday, but it just doesn't work that way, does it. Middlesborough GC are now friends of Irvine Bay and we hope to attend TVL in July 2012. Amy, Amiee and Thomas started their Level 1 Women's Artistic coaching course today, good luck to them. A course at this level costs £350. I managed to secure £150 per candidate from Sport Scotland and a further £350 from Torch Trophy Trust. Cost to the club was £250. The deal with Level 1 coaches is that they can train for free provided they coach at least 1 class per week for 2 years, if they stop coaching or leave the club in that time they must pay back the investment. Thomas will be taking Tuesday beginners, Amy will be taking Wednesday beginners and Amiee will be heloing out with Friday beginners and also possibly Monday Active Schools.
Went through all the registers with Pete, checked all the waiting lists and did some projected financial figures. We have taken 37 new members in the last 2 weeks. A phenomenal result!! But lots of paperwork to complete, boo! It means the finances can look a wee bit healthier. It's nice to be able to keep the wolves from the door.
Had a letter from 2014 Communities refusing our grant request. My fault entirely, didn't word it correctly. Back to the drawing board and ask again. If it first you don't succeed, I like to take inspiration from Robert The Bruce's spider friend.
Pete is currently working on the planning application for the new facility - cue much swearing from the corner. The costs for applying for planning are escalating as NAC keep shifting the goalposts. It's coming down to decisions like leotards for display team or planning application costs. The here and now or the future??
The website is more or less complete now and paypal buttons are being added for online fee payment and payment into the savings scheme.
And lastly, working on competition entries for Allander on the 2nd October, City Of Glasgow on the 9th October and Dynamite F&V on the 1st October.
Busy busy busy.......
Went through all the registers with Pete, checked all the waiting lists and did some projected financial figures. We have taken 37 new members in the last 2 weeks. A phenomenal result!! But lots of paperwork to complete, boo! It means the finances can look a wee bit healthier. It's nice to be able to keep the wolves from the door.
Had a letter from 2014 Communities refusing our grant request. My fault entirely, didn't word it correctly. Back to the drawing board and ask again. If it first you don't succeed, I like to take inspiration from Robert The Bruce's spider friend.
Pete is currently working on the planning application for the new facility - cue much swearing from the corner. The costs for applying for planning are escalating as NAC keep shifting the goalposts. It's coming down to decisions like leotards for display team or planning application costs. The here and now or the future??
The website is more or less complete now and paypal buttons are being added for online fee payment and payment into the savings scheme.
And lastly, working on competition entries for Allander on the 2nd October, City Of Glasgow on the 9th October and Dynamite F&V on the 1st October.
Busy busy busy.......
Thursday, September 1, 2011
A Manic 2 Days
It has been a very busy couple of days here at Irvine Bay GC. I spent yesterday sorting out some admin-y type stuff and writing lesson plans for Wednesday night classes. I had a meeting to attend at 3pm so had a lot to sort out before getting to Kilwinning Academy. As I left the meeting at 4pm, the phone went and there was Pete's smiling face flashing up at me. News not so good however. 4pm, Pete stuck at East Midlands airport, next flight at 7.55pm and his freestyle class starting at 8pm. Argh........
So a quick sort out of babysitting and re-arranging of coaches and we're off. 5pm class - wow! 14 new starts in 1 class. 5 new boys and some girls who had previously gone to Heather's club. A really nice mix of kids. The last 10 minutes was gymnastics musical statues - BRILLIANT!!!! A wee bit of Bruno Mars and some basic shapes, kids loved it. 6pm - Teamgym - those girls are soooo impressive. They work hard, they listen and they obviously enjoy it. The notion of streaming seemed to work well until we tried to go backwards. Lol, good fun though trying to work out whether it was nodding, clicking, counting, great fun. However, I love this class and the girls just really fit together, their sync work is fabby.
So about halfway Katherine arrives and I drive (fast) to the Magnum for the Ayrshire Development Forum meeting. These are really good meetings facilitated by Sarah from Scottish Gymnastics and bringing to the fore any issues we face in Ayrshire that either SG can help with or new policies, opportunities available etc.. As usual we agreed on most things and hopefully new and exciting things will continue. High on the agenda was schools - links, floor and vault, gymfest - it's something we're quite passionate about so watch this space for more IBGC involvement in schools in future.
Back to Kilwinning Academy and time for Freestyle. Discussed with the boys the possibility of them being in involved in a Freestyle workshop as part of the schools workshop at Gymfest. Think they might have been quite up for it. The chance to "perform" in front of a large audience - oh yes!! Freestyle class is a lot of fun, the boys (and girls!) work hard and enjoy what they do. An absolute pleasure to work with. The janitor standing over us as we move equipment back into the cupboard not so much fun and then shouting at us to leave the car park immediately. Yeah, cos we're going to leave a gymnast out in the street by themselves - Numbnut! Home before 10.30pm bonus!!!
Thursday
Spent the morning working on the registers and ever-growing waiting lists. Then phoned around for bus prices for Sapphire and Perth. Done, jobs a good 'un. Pleased with the results, and hopefully everyone else should be pleased with the results too. Made some good progress in getting a Freestyle class into Greenwood, world domination blah blah blah..... The only fly in the ointment at the moment is the fact that there is not enough money available to buy new costumes for the display team. We will have some money come Perth but not in time for Sapphire. The rat race money will go towards costumes but its amazing how not very far the money goes when you have to multiply everything by 40!!! Will take the rag bags to Kilmarnock tomorrow and hopefully secure another £100 from that. Until fees start coming in, money is tight. Had to pay the deposit on May Gymfest upfront!! 8 months in advance!!! At the moment lots of money going out and not as much coming in.
Start of term has actually been a bit of a mare, administratively. We have gone absolutely stellar, membership wise. This is brilliant but there is just so much to do in such a short space of time.
Anyway, enough blogging for now, there's lesson plans to write for tomorrow night and a whole lot more paperwork. Was at a very interesting funding workshop tonight though, lots of good ideas.
Sorry, no honestly that's it I've finished, goodnight, a bientot xxx
So a quick sort out of babysitting and re-arranging of coaches and we're off. 5pm class - wow! 14 new starts in 1 class. 5 new boys and some girls who had previously gone to Heather's club. A really nice mix of kids. The last 10 minutes was gymnastics musical statues - BRILLIANT!!!! A wee bit of Bruno Mars and some basic shapes, kids loved it. 6pm - Teamgym - those girls are soooo impressive. They work hard, they listen and they obviously enjoy it. The notion of streaming seemed to work well until we tried to go backwards. Lol, good fun though trying to work out whether it was nodding, clicking, counting, great fun. However, I love this class and the girls just really fit together, their sync work is fabby.
So about halfway Katherine arrives and I drive (fast) to the Magnum for the Ayrshire Development Forum meeting. These are really good meetings facilitated by Sarah from Scottish Gymnastics and bringing to the fore any issues we face in Ayrshire that either SG can help with or new policies, opportunities available etc.. As usual we agreed on most things and hopefully new and exciting things will continue. High on the agenda was schools - links, floor and vault, gymfest - it's something we're quite passionate about so watch this space for more IBGC involvement in schools in future.
Back to Kilwinning Academy and time for Freestyle. Discussed with the boys the possibility of them being in involved in a Freestyle workshop as part of the schools workshop at Gymfest. Think they might have been quite up for it. The chance to "perform" in front of a large audience - oh yes!! Freestyle class is a lot of fun, the boys (and girls!) work hard and enjoy what they do. An absolute pleasure to work with. The janitor standing over us as we move equipment back into the cupboard not so much fun and then shouting at us to leave the car park immediately. Yeah, cos we're going to leave a gymnast out in the street by themselves - Numbnut! Home before 10.30pm bonus!!!
Thursday
Spent the morning working on the registers and ever-growing waiting lists. Then phoned around for bus prices for Sapphire and Perth. Done, jobs a good 'un. Pleased with the results, and hopefully everyone else should be pleased with the results too. Made some good progress in getting a Freestyle class into Greenwood, world domination blah blah blah..... The only fly in the ointment at the moment is the fact that there is not enough money available to buy new costumes for the display team. We will have some money come Perth but not in time for Sapphire. The rat race money will go towards costumes but its amazing how not very far the money goes when you have to multiply everything by 40!!! Will take the rag bags to Kilmarnock tomorrow and hopefully secure another £100 from that. Until fees start coming in, money is tight. Had to pay the deposit on May Gymfest upfront!! 8 months in advance!!! At the moment lots of money going out and not as much coming in.
Start of term has actually been a bit of a mare, administratively. We have gone absolutely stellar, membership wise. This is brilliant but there is just so much to do in such a short space of time.
Anyway, enough blogging for now, there's lesson plans to write for tomorrow night and a whole lot more paperwork. Was at a very interesting funding workshop tonight though, lots of good ideas.
Sorry, no honestly that's it I've finished, goodnight, a bientot xxx
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Welcome
This is the new blog for Irvine Bay GC. It will give everyone a bit of an insight into how the club runs and how much effort goes in, on a daily basis to make this THE BEST GYMNASTICS CLUB IN THE WORLD. I welcome any comments, feedback or contributions. Enjoy!!
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