Gymnastics Ireland proudly launches JumpSTART - a new recreation level competitive events programme!

Gymnastics Ireland is proud to announce the launch of ‘JumpSTART’ a new discipline-focused event’s programme that will provide recreational members with the opportunity to compete in more than one discipline.

JumpSTART will act as the bridge between our GymSTART and the National Series events programmes whereby club recreational level gymnasts can try one, some and/or all of the disciplines as an individual gymnast, as part of a discipline team and part of an overall club team.

The first JumpSTART competition event will be launched in May 2023 hosted along side the National Series. It will provide our club level recreational gymnasts with more events opportunities to take part and compete in addition to our other event programmes targeted at club recreational level such as GymSTART & the Floor. JumpSTART will also provide a key pathway into the National Series discipline specific events & promote the growth/development in our various gymnastics disciplines.

Commenting about the launch Gymnastics Ireland Performance and Technical Manager Sally Johnson said: “I am very excited to see this event pilot this year and see the further development of clubs and GymSTART gymnasts trying something new. The program is designed to provide fundamental insight into specific disciplines providing them with routine content, advisory guided videos and criteria for scoring. This is a new opportunity for Rhythmic, Trampoline, Acrobatics and Tumbling disciplines where a club may try a new discipline and gymnasts may progress onto the National Series or this program will provide gymnasts with a pathway to simply progress within JumpSTART as it is both level and age specific. There will be further plans for more development in JumpSTART for 2024 such as Teams, Individual and multi discipline all around opportunities… A workshop and online Q&A will be available to clubs in April…”

Gymnastics Ireland Participation Manager Aimi Baker added: “This event will serve as the missing link in the journey from the joy of a gymnast’s first gymnastics class to the thrill and excitement of competition in whatever discipline they chose. It will give gymnasts the chance to show off, in a fun atmosphere, what they have been working on at their weekly classes.''

Gymnastics Ireland CEO Ciaran Gallagher added: “We are super excited to launch JumpSTART. This innovative new events programme is part of our continued commitment to ensuring we develop a suite of events programmes targeted at our overwhelmingly recreational club membership base. As the bridge between GymSTART & the National Series this event programme will build on the ethos of GymSTART & 'The Floor' in providing our participation/recreational gymnasts a further series of enjoyable, exciting and dynamic events where personal achievement is just as important as competition - but above all else always fun! It will break down the barriers between our various gymnastics disciplines enabling gymnasts to compete on events and apparatus that they have accessible to in their club while also acting as a perfect pathway programme into the National Series discipline specific events programme. I’m really looking forward to seeing the first event roll out in May!''

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