As we are starting our second month of Viking’s Virtual Gymnastics classes, I was asked to reflect back on what seems to be both a very long and short experience. Creating our Virtual Classes has become my new normal and within a week, I was able to find a routine for the work I need to do.
When the Illinois Stay at Home order was extended, we wanted to offer our students quality gymnastics lessons and a way to stay connected with us. A couple of hours were spent on the phone discussing how to make this happen, then off we went to make a demo class to see if our words could be put into action. Let’s fast-forward through about 10 hours of work, basic iMovie lessons, the necessary and overdue computer updates, and say that our first attempt was not going to be what we offer to our gymnasts. We have the knowledge; but how do we best share it without being in the gym?
Back to the drawing board to create a more detailed, ongoing lesson plan to guide our thought process. Let’s focus on strength and really break down some of the skills our students work on at the gym, without using the equipment. Let’s use props that one would find in their home. They are fun and help keep the kids interested, just as they do in class. Fast forward again through the creation of yet another demo class and…Yes! It’s good! We’ve got this – we’ll soon be Insta-famous, YouTube Sensations, and Hollywood will be knocking on our door! Well, maybe not, but we’ve created something that will give our virtual students an opportunity to participate in gymnastics while at home. Which means we will have accomplished what we set out to do.
If our gymnasts could glimpse behind the scenes, they would be entertained to know what has gone into the creation of the videos. Our camera crews consist of cell phones taped to floor lamps or on top of shoebox lids stacked up on a step ladder. Sometimes one event lesson takes three to five times longer to create than it actually is, as halfway through we misspoke and cannot cover it up, or we fall in a way that should not be put into class! Our hair is a mess, hidden by hats (don’t do gymnastics in a hat!) or thick headbands. We record our lessons at random times of the day, mostly with consideration of sunlight, noise that might upset our neighbors, or the availability of an assistant camera person.
We joke that we are slowly getting into shape with all the conditioning and skill work we’re doing alongside our students, but in truth, we are humbled to be able to do what we can for them. We each work at Viking because of our love for the sport and desire to pass it along to others. In an unprecedented time, we have been met with the challenge of doing this in a new way. 
Sitting in my home, thinking about what my daily work life has become, I ask myself a number of questions – Would I rather be in the gym at Viking? Yes, without a doubt in my mind. Have I been frustrated and stressed numerous times the past few weeks? Yes, yes I have been. Have I been thankful for the listening ears and support of my coworkers? Yes, of course. Have I been impressed with my coaching peers, in their creativity and abilities to teach in a new way? Yes, I most definitely have been. I am grateful we have found a way to offer gymnastics to our students from home. It has been a journey and will continue to be one, but through this, we will become stronger, more versatile individuals – both the coaches and gymnasts.
