Welcome to the Boys' Team Page

Introduction

Welcome to the Midwest Gymnastics boys' team program. Whether you are a brand new level 4 athlete, or an upper level gymnast moving here from another gym, here’s a little overview of what to expect while on team. It is our gym and team philosophy that every child deserves to be successful and it is our goal to find a place in our program where your son will not only excel at gymnastics but also learn valuable life skills such as self-discipline, self-motivation and work ethic. We have found over the years that attitude and attendance are the most important factors for success. The more often the boys are in the gym, the faster they will progress.

Coaches

Coach Dave has been at Midwest since the beginning of the Boys' team. He has 25+ years of coaching experience.

During the day, he is a Physical Education teacher at Webster Elementary in North St. Paul.

When he is not in the gym, Dave loves to be in the outdoors, cooking, grilling or enjoying good friends around a campfire.

Dave Engh

Head Boys Coach

Boys' Level 4-10, Junior Development

Gymnastics shares with other sports the opportunity to learn about teamwork, sportsmanship, fair play, dedication, and so forth. Sometimes these character traits may be considered old-fashioned, but gymnastics does provide a terrific opportunity for teaching these characteristics. Because gymnastics is so very difficult to perform, the learning time is long when compared to most sports (6, 50). The long time required to attain mastery of the fundamental skills requires patience, dedication, perseverance, and planning. Gymnastics helps people learn to work hard for objectives that can take years to achieve. In the modern world of quick-fixes, instant communication, instant hamburgers, and instant entertainment, there still needs to be a place for young people to develop their character. Although it may sound corny, gymnastics is a perfect activity for such development.

Gymnastics provides a unique and valuable social education and experience. The most successful gymnasts pursue success rather than avoid failure, and have the highest self-esteem when compared to other members of the senior national team 20). Although pursuit of success versus avoidance of failure may seem like a subtle difference between groups of gymnasts, pursuit of success indicates a "healthier" outlook on competition. High self esteem indicates that the gymnasts are pleased with themselves, can function independently, and are self-reliant.

~By Wm A. Sands, Ph.D. Motor Behavior Research Laboratory

Department of Exercise and Sport Science University of Utah