 With the AAAsports Championships quickly approaching, we thought this would be the perfect time to tell you all about the history of the AAAsports Championships, our highlights and what you can expect from this years Event. For many of our Members, this will be their first (and the best) Competition, and it can be a little nerve wracking- especially for all the Mam's and Dad's! Hopefully, we can put your mind at ease by letting you know the ins and outs, including what the Judges look for and everyone's most important question, what to wear!! This is the 10th year we have ran the AAAsports Championships and it's by far the best Event of the Year! It started out in a little Church Hall with about 50 Members and it's amazing to see how much it has grown. In the 2nd year, we had too many members for the Church Hall so we held the Competition and Presentation Ceremony at Sandhill, which used to be one of our main centres. We had to hire a van and borrow chairs and tables from different venues. A rally of parents and members would join us late Friday Evening to help unload the Van, move Trampolines into the bigger hall, arrange the chairs and organise the Tombola. We had to race against the clock as we only had 2 hours to set everything up, including: podiums, judging equipment, the lighting system, the back drops, Market Stall, posters- the list was never ending! It was a great Team effort and we really couldn't have done it without the help from our Coaches and Members volunteering their time! However, we soon got too big for that Hall and we just couldn't find enough chairs for everyone to sit on- so we had to relocate...to Rainton Meadows Arena! Andi used to always say he would love to hold the Presentation in a big Arena but the prospect of it happening scared us all!! Thankfully, it worked really well!!  Last year was the first time we held the AAAsports Championships in our dedicated centre. For those Coaches who have been apart of it from the start, it was emotional to see how far we have come. From that Church Hall with 50 Members to our own centre and an Arena with over 500 Members...crazy!! However, the reason behind the AAAsports Championships hasn't been forgotten. We wanted to ensure that all our Members, regardless of age or ability were given the opportunity to demonstrate what they have been learning and were rewarded for working hard and taking part. We used to even have an Adults Fancy Dress Event where parents and Coaches would take part, and were judged by our younger Members. The adult who made them laugh the most used to win!! The Cheerleaders always provide us with Entertainment on the Evening, showcasing their latest routines! Last year, we had an amazing, breathtaking routine dedicated to baby Ava, a special little Cheerleader in the Sky. There was silence in the room as they performed their memorising routine. We have already had a sneak peak of this year's routine, and it's filled with lots of stunts, dance and more advanced tumbles!! We can't wait to see it!!! During the Presentation Ceremony, Andi will call out Categories to go back stage. These are the Categories that you were entered in during the Event. Once backstage, our Coaches will put you in an order and hand you your Certificate. Members will then walk out onto the stage where you will be awarded with a Medal and parent's can come and take a photo. We always save the best Award till last, the AAASports Star Award! This Award recognises the most dedicated, hard working Male and Female in the Club. It is the only Award that is chosen by the Coaches and they take into account the whole year. It could be anything from achieving great results at a competition, to always working hard, to helping out at Events or pushing through fears. The 2 Members who receive this Award are allowed to keep the Trophy which is engraved with their name for a year, before its passed onto the next winners! After everyone has been presented with a Medal/Trophy and Certificate, we always finish the night with lots of games and a disco! Some of our best games include: Shelia's Wheel- where the winning Member can win a AAAsports Party, Adult Musical Chairs- where the Adults get VERY competitive, and Finders Keepers! In the past year's, we have had a Photo Booth, Photographer and even a Trampoline at the Event! However, one of the highlights of the Presentation Ceremony is always seeing the final video which showcases our best moments from the year. Often filled with embarrassing photos, it reminds everyone of all the great things that our Members have achieved and how far everyone has come!  So, what can you expect from this years AAAsports Championships? Before the Event, there will be an online Timetable available. This will have all the information you will need for the day, including the time you will be participating, what time you should arrive and what to wear. But just in case you wanted to be prepared - you can wear anything that you would wear to your normal class! This could be shorts and a t-shirt, leggings, leotard, AAAsports Clothing, tracksuit bottoms...anything you feel comfortable in! For anyone taking part in the Elite Events, where our Members battle it our to be crowned AAAsports Champion- you will need a AAAsports Leotard (no shorts!) and white socks or Trampoline Shoes (if you are in the Trampoline Event). You can bring anyone along to watch you and cheer you on during the day, but anyone who would like to attend the Presentation Ceremony will need a ticket. You can collect your tickets on the day of the Event, along with your AAAsports Championships Programme. The Morning will start with the Pre-School Display, followed by their Presentation. During the day time Event, we will have our AAAsports Shop open and our Market Stall for refreshments, along with a Tombola and a Raffle! It is also a great time to see what some of our top competitors have been working hard on. If you are taking part in the Gymnastics Event, you will perform 1 Vault and 1 Floor Routine. In the Trampoline Event, you will perform 1 Set Routine and 1 Voluntary Routine, and in the Cheerleading Event, you will perform 1 Set Routine. Your Coach can provide more information on what Routines you will be performing, but don't worry if you can't do the Set Routine, speak with your Coach and they can adapt it for you! The Judges love nice straight arms, straight legs and pointy toes, but most importantly, they love to see you enjoy it and have fun!! We can't wait for this years AAAsports Championships. Every year it gets bigger and better and is always filled with lots of surprises. So now you know a little more about the AAAsports Championships, we hope you be there to help us celebrate your hard work this year!! Want to join us in making more memories? Visit here to sign up today! 
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Hope everyone has had a great Easter break! School might have been out for some, but the fun doesn't stop for us at AAAsports!! This half term, we had 4 AAAdays running, plus a Squad Training Day for our Gymnasts and Cheerleaders! For those members who don't know, our AAAdays run from 9am - 4pm. They are filled with a taster of all our activities that we offer, along with games, challenges and team building activities.  In February, we had the Spaghetti and Marshmallow Challenge, where Members were racing against the clock to build the biggest tower! But this week seems to be the week of Hide and Seek- even the Squad Members wanted to play! With the lights turned down, and the Disco Lights turned up, the detective hats went on whilst members explored the Gym to find their Team Mates! The AAAdays are the perfect opportunity for our Members to try out all our activities! They are open to any Member who is in School and parents can leave them for the day with a Packed Lunch, meaning they are also great if you have to dash off to work!! The Squad Training Day was also a huge success, with lots of parents commenting on how much improvement their child had made in just one day! These are perfect for working on the trickier skills or practising routines for upcoming Competitions. We had Riley who learnt how not only to do a Round Off, Flick, but also connect two! Margita started working on some tricky Vaults and the Cheerleaders worked hard all day practising their Routine for their next Competition! It's great to see how many dedicated, hard-working members we have, but also, how much fun everyone was having!! But we don't want you to miss out on the fun! So, we have a quiz for you! If you would like to enter, email [email protected] with your answers! Those who get the answers correct will go into a prize draw with the chance to win a AAAsports Bag and Water Bottle!!! 1. What year did AAAsports open? 2. Who has just made history in the European Gymnastics Championships? Extra point if you know how! 3. How often does AAAsports run an Award/Badge Week? 4. How many Coaches work at AAAsports? 5. What famous Gymnast was recently apart of Strictly Come Dancing? 6. Who was the first AAAsports Member to complete the highest Tariff in a routine at AAAsports? - An extra point if you know what the Tariff was! 7. In Trampolining, what Badge is Front Landings on? 8. What date is the 2017 AAAsports Championships on? 9. Where does AAAsports take its Members in August? 10. Who is our Governing Body? 11. What Award did AAAsports Win in September 2015? 12. What is the correct/full name for the Bars in Gymnastics? 13. How many Adult Classes does AAAsports run a week? 14. What Radio Station do AAAsports Advertise on? 15. Complete this sentence: Cheerleading is an _________ and _____ _____ that combines music, dance, stunting and tumbling to create team routines that mesmerise audiences and judges around the world! Hint- Most of the answers can found on the AAAsports Website and/or Facebook Page!! Good Luck!!
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Look out for Bradley competing at the AAAsports Championships where he will be performing his hardest routine yet!
Good luck Bradley and all our members taking part!!
For the past 4 years, AAAsports have been working closely with many organisations to increase the participation of Members with a Disability and ensure everyone receives a high quality experience of the sport. In 2016, AAAsports signed up to the Autism Charter and through intensive training and our experience in working with Members with Autism, we believe we can offer Inclusive Classes for everyone.
Many of our members have a diagnosis of Autism, which is a communication and developmental disorder. The spectrum of Autism is so great, one Member might struggle to use words whilst another Member's diagnosis may be unrecognisable at times. Here at AAAsports, we recognise each Member as an Individual and find ways to adapt the Class to allow everyone to learn and have fun in a calm, safe environment.
For Autism Awareness Week, we spoke with a parent who brings their child with an ASD Diagnosis to AAAsports.
What sport does J take part in:
J takes part in Recreational Trampoline once a week.
How has attending AAAsports helped J?
J gets so much both physically and socially from coming to his Trampoline Class. He has made lots of new friends and will now initiate interactions and conversations with both the other Members and the AAAsports Coaches. This is something J struggled massively with before, so it is great from a parent perspective to see how much he has developmentally progressed.
What has AAAsports done to ensure the Classes are Inclusive?
The AAAsports Coaches have all gone above and beyond to ensure J is having fun and progressing. Every class he attends he is engaged with the activity. He has built up a good rapport with his Coaches and they understand what works well, and not so well for J. The Coaches created Glitter Shakers to keep J occupied when waiting for his turn and use crazy vocabulary when Coaching him. This works really well for J and has helped him break down communication barriers within the Class.
The Coaches are always on hand to provide additional support to J in the Warm-Up’s and Cool Down’s and use different techniques to ensure he understands all the instructions.
How has attending AAAsports classes helped J?
J gets so much out of attending his Class. Bouncing on the Trampoline is a great way to regulate his emotions and allows him the freedom to express himself physically. From learning skills to making friends, the Class is focused around having fun and it is lovely to see how happy and confident J now is in an environment other than home.
What does the future hold for J at AAAsports?
We know that J will continue to progress and most importantly, have fun in the Classes which is the driving factor in bringing him. He has already achieved Awards and we are looking forward to seeing J compete in this year’s AAAsports Championships in July. Last year, J had a great time and with the help of his Coach, he came 1st and managed to go up on stage to receive his Trophy. We’re hoping he can replicate it again this year, but as long as he is enjoying himself, that’s all that matters!
What would you say to other parents thinking about bringing their child with ASD to AAAsports?
J always has an amazing time and looks forward to his Class every week! Through attending Trampoline Classes at AAAsports, J has overcome many social/emotional and physical development difficulties. He once struggled to take part in any group activity but with the patience and expertise of the Coaches, J will now happily take part. We have also seen a massive improvement in both J’s physical and mental health. He is now able to make new friends, whilst improving his fitness and just be himself!
If you would like your child to get involved in one of our Classes, please visit www.AAAsports.co.ul/disability or email [email protected] for more information.
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