Crete Gymnastics Club

Six things I learned as a first-time competitive gymnastics parent this year:

1.) I'm not sure what sends my heart rate higher: a 30-minute workout or watching my gymnast perform on beam.

2.) The number of hours trained compared to the number of minutes actually competing is .... wild. I have incredible respect for these athletes who put so much time, effort and heart into their skills behind the scenes year-round, only to perform them a couple times in front of people other than their teammates and coaches.

3.) In a world where we're telling girls that all body shapes are welcome and perfection is never the goal -- gymnastics is a sport where perfection gets the highest score ... and how they shape their body in the skills is part of scoring higher. I find it that much more important to help my daughter know the difference between how we talk about that in gymnastics life ... and real life.

4.) The pressure to go from training in the comfort of your home gym, to competing on a new apparatus in a new space with all the judges and spectators eyes on you ... is big. So is their bravery to put themselves out there to try it.

5.) If you want to know inspiration, watch an athlete fall off the beam, get back up and complete the performance without skipping a beat. Look up stone-cold competitor in the dictionary?This is what you'd find.

6.) But really... who invented beam?

To all the gymnasts who go out there and bravely compete - I hope you know you are winners before you even do your first salute.

We see you.
We love you.
And we are inspired by you.

—

The Top Bleacher

Crete’s multitalented Nadine Jaeger 🥳 Proud to have you in our “tribe” ❤️

Namibia Heads to the African Championships!
Our Trampoline Gymnastics team has officially departed for the African Championships in Tshwane, South Africa! ✈️

The team, led by Nadine Jaeger (Team Manager & Judge), alongside coaches Immanuel Kooper (Junior) and Vesselin Kostin (Senior), includes athletes:

✨ Isanrie Dreyer
✨ Victoria Jansen
✨ Jessica Schlabitz
✨ Noa Lofty-Eaton

After podium training on 4 May, the team is ready to compete on 5 May, with finals taking place on 6 May for those who qualify.

This is a young team with incredible potential, and we are so proud of their hard work, dedication, and commitment 💪

👏 Join us in wishing them the best of luck as they represent Namibia on the African stage!

🇳🇦

Most parents think kids quit sports because they get “lazy” or “lose interest.” 😔

But the truth is much deeper.

Sometimes kids quit because the pressure becomes too much. Too much pressure from coaches. Too much pressure from parents. Too much pressure from themselves. Sport stops being fun… and starts feeling like a job. When a child feels scared to fail every day, quitting can feel like the only escape.

Sometimes kids quit because they stop believing in themselves. One bad competition. One mistake. One embarrassing moment in front of others. Confidence is fragile, especially when they’re young. In gymnastics, I’ve seen talented kids quit—not because they weren’t good enough… but because mentally, they felt broken.

As parents, your words matter more than you think. Kids don’t always remember the score… but they remember how you made them feel after practice and competition. Build confidence. Build joy. Build love for the sport first. Because when kids love the process… they stay in the game longer. ❤️🏆

Well done to the Juniors 🥳🥳