Team Privileges and Responsibilities

Dear Parents,
The purpose of this letter is to inform you of some privileges and requirements that you and your daughter should be aware of while participating in the Ricochets Team Program.  Please make sure you review them thoroughly.  

(1)  Gymnasts are permitted to be barefoot in the gym.  If there are any medical conditions (i.e. athlete's foot or planter's warts), please cover feet with cotton socks or gym shoes and promptly inform her coach.
(2)  Hair should be NEAT and tied up in a safe and secure manner to ensure that it does not fall out during practice.  For safety reasons, if your daughter's ponytail reaches a length where it can touch her face/eyes, please put it in a braid and tuck it under.  NO bobby pins (if they fall out, they can be a safety hazard) and please NO WET PONYTAILS.
(3)  Only leotards should be worn (no skirts, bikers, etc). For safety reasons, please do not send your daughter into practice in an open back leotard or swimsuit. During the summer, a T-shirt and shorts will be required during warm-ups and conditioning.  For safety reasons, please do not send your daughter to practice with wet hair or in wet leotards or swimsuits.  During the school year, plain and matching, gray, black, blue or white sweats will be worn for warm-ups and conditioning.  All clothing should be gymnastics related or plain.  Clothing with zippers or hoods are not permitted.  Sports sneakers are required, we will occasionally use them as part of our warm-up and conditioning.
(4)  No make-up.  Jewelry must be limited to one set of stud earrings (traditional 1st hole only). 
(5) If your daughter is going to be late or miss practice due to illness, please call us at 215-328-0900 providing as much notice as possible.  Gymnasts are expected to be ready to warm-up at the appropriate report time, so every effort should be made to arrive on time or early for practice. 
(6)  Attendance is of the utmost importance.  Absences become a safety issue when it reduces the fitness or performance level of competitive gymnasts.  Excessive absence may result in acute or chronic injuries, and is detrimental to maintaining a gymnast's position on the team.  If your daughter needs to miss practice for any reason other than illness or unforeseen emergency, you must provide her coach with written notice at least one week in advance of the absence.  Please consider these absences carefully, as they will directly affect your daughter's progress, and potentially, even her status on the team.  Team members are not permitted make-ups. 
(7) Vacation is limited to 1 week (2 non-consecutive weeks for the Xcel Program) during the summer and 1 week during the school year. *The best time slot for this vacation would be after their last competition and before the start of the summer session. During competitive season (December-May), athletes may not miss practice during the week prior to a competition or it could effect their eligibility to participate in that competition. 
(8) Your daughter is permitted to bring water or juice and keep it in the gym refrigerator for use during and after practice (please put your daughter's name on the bottle).  Try to avoid sugary drinks.  Keep in mind that gymnastics is not a high aerobic activity, so water or a light juice, is best for optimum performance.   
(9) If needed, your daughter will be responsible for providing her own athletic tape for use during practice.  We sell this at the front desk for a discounted price of $3.00 per roll for tape and $2.00 per roll for pre-wrap.
(10) If your daughter should encounter any injuries, or complains of discomfort at home for any reason, please contact her coach directly so that we can advise you on the best way to treat/handle each situation. 
(11) We will be in communication with the parents when it is time for your daughter to purchase grips for the bars, or any other necessary equipment as they progress through the sport.  
(12)  School is number one, and in an attempt to support the girls in their studies, we require that your daughter bring in a copy of her report card each marking period.  If your child's grade in any particular class should fall below a "B" average, we will require her to take on less of a work load in the gym.  This will give her time to focus on her schooling and bring her grades up.  If this situation should present itself, we will be in contact with you in order to set up a program that will best suit your daughter and her school requirements.  
(13) Open gyms: your daughter may attend open gym at a discounted rate of $5 (instead of $10). 

We are looking forward to working with your daughter.  If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your daughter's coach at 215-328-0900.  

Thank you for your cooperation. 

Sincerely,

Ricochets Coaching Staff