GYM MOMENTUM CAMP- ITALY!!
This year we are taking GYM MOMENTUM CAMP on the road! We will be hosting a camp in Civitavecchia ITALY!
All Level 8- Elite and NCAA are welcome.
Coaches will be bilingual or have a translator. Current Staff Includes:
- Camilla Ugolini, Italian Olympic Coach.
- Marco Massara, Italian Olympic Coach.
- Ryan Dougherty, Italian National Team Coach
- Ambra Buglioni, Italian National Team Coach
- Tony Retrosi (ME!) Italian National Team Coach, Former Swiss National Team Head Coach.
- Jeremy Mosier, Canadian National Team Coach
- Jacobo Giron, USA National Team Coach
- Terin Humphrey, USA National Staff Member, USA Olympian.
- MORE TO COME!
COST per GYMNAST $270 USD. Includes all training. Pizza on Friday, T-shirt and Leotard.
COST per COACH 110 USD. Includes Pizza on Friday, T-shirt. Question and Answer Session with Staff.
AND FOR PARENTS AND SIBLINGS TRAVELING!
- Friday Night Pizza and Prosecco at the gym.
- Saturday BEACH DAY at Tritone Beach Club in Ladispoli. (A private beach club 20 minutes from gym.) Beach chair and umbrella included. They have a restaurant and bar at the club. Picture yourself sipping an Aperol Spritz at the Beach! Transportation included.
- Sunday OLD TOWN CIVITAVECCHIA TOUR.
COST FOR PARENT PROGRAM $150 USD.
HOUSING information will be out soon. There is an Air BnB 2 blocks from the gym.
E-mail me for more information. tretrosi@gymmomentum.com
Other Important Information for our North American Guests.
Civitavecchia is a 45 minute train ride from Rome’s Termini Station. I would plan on arriving a few days early to see the sites in Rome. I am happy to make my recommendations. Then arrive to Civitavecchia on Friday. I am trying to organize housing in a way where you will not need a car.
Lunch for the gymnasts is NOT provided. There is a restaurant and a grocery store across the street from the gym where everyone ate last year. If you would like your daughter to eat at the gymnastics house with the gymnasts who live and train there I can make those arrangements but at this time I am not sure the fee.
USECA-CON June 21-22, 2025
In conjunction with the United States Elite Coaches Association, Magma Gymnastics in Galloway NJ will be the national host gym of USECA-CON, a two day training clinic for COACHES and GYMNASTS!
Competitive gymnasts of all levels will have 8 hours of training in the gym with world renowned coaches. Coaches have all the hands on training PLUS a convention with activities and special events.
This will be a truly unique experience for coaches and gymnasts alike! Train with some of finest coaches in the world who have had trained World and Olympic Champions.
Gymnasts receive a special apparel gift and chances to win more prizes!
Each 8 hour day includes one full meal and special activities in addition to vault, bars, beam, floor, dance, trampoline, conditioning, and awareness drills.
Join the costume gymnastics contest! Name the skill game! Attend informative panels! Dance challenge and so much more!
The newest Magma facility 20,000 square feet currently undergoing even more renovations. Photos of the gym are COMING SOON! The gym is located at Risley Square Unit 500, 319 E Jimmie Leeds Rd, Galloway, NJ, 18 minutes from Atlantic City and near NJ best beaches.
USECA-CON $399
SATURDAY 12pm Registration & Introduction (schedule is tentative and order/events may change)
12:30-1:00 Warmup Stretch
1:00-1:45, 1:45-2:30, 2:30-3:15pm First 3 events, groups by level/age: Floor/Bars/Beam (Coaches lectures upstairs on various topics)
3:30-4:15, 4:15-5, 5:00-5:45pm Second 3 events, Vault/Dance/Trampoline (Coaches Spotting Clinics)
6:00-7:00 DINNER & Panel Q&A Coaches
7:00-7:45 Open Training
7:45-8:00pm Cooldown Closing Comments
SUNDAY 10am Registration & Introduction
10:30-11:00 Warmup Stretch
11-11:45, 11:45-12:30, 12:30-1:15 First 3 events, groups by level/age: Vault/Trampoline/Bars (Coaches spotting clinics)
1:15-2:15 LUNCH & Panel Q&A Gymnasts
2:15-2:30 Light Warm Up.
2:30-3:15, 3:15-4, 4-4:45pm Second 3 events, Floor/Bars Shaping/Beam (Coaches lectures)
4:45-5:15 Costume Games & Challenges (wear costumes that allow you do to gymnastics)
5:15-5:45 Brain or Brawn Conditioning Contests (Prizes)
5:45-6pm Closing Comments Thank You
Staff Includes
Tony Retrosi
John Wojtczuk
John Min
Ashlie Grimes
Craig Tetreault
Brian Sateriale
Dr. Ali Arnold
Nicole Langevin
AND MORE!
On Coaching and My Career
Coaching has been my life for 35+ years. Even before I formally began coaching and was still an athlete, I tried to think like a coach and learn the why I was doing what I was doing. I had a lot of fears and my coaches were pretty busy so I forced myself to understand WHY I was doing something and what needed to be done to change it.
Coaching is a profession that puts an emphasis on relationships and teaching. As I reflect on my career and what I have seen of others I believe that coaching is more than a profession, IT IS A CALLING. A calling with great responsibility and equally great rewards. For me it has been a privilege to coach for as long I have and be associated with the athletes, I have been fortunate to work with.
Today I am concerned about the state of coaching. For many younger coaches coaching has shifted from being transformational to being transactional. The outcome has taken precedence over the process. There too much emphasis on the sizzle, not enough on the substance of sport performance. There are some great young coaches out there who certainly understand this. A few come to mind who are understand the process and continue learning.( Ryan, Andrew, Josh, to name a few). They understand that just because they see it on YouTube it doesn’t necessarily make it correct. They look deeper into the issue to get to the root of the problem.
Look for differences not similarities. Strip away all things that don’t matter and get down to the core issues. What you don’t see may be as important as what you do see!
For me coaching is process. It is a process with strong foundation in pedagogy, after all coaching is teaching. It is supported by science not driven by science. It is forged in experience that is proven and tested in the competitive arena. It is managing complexity and harnessing chaos. The BEST coaches are great teachers. The sport is just the subject.
The coach’s classroom is the field, the track, or in our case the gym. Great coaches are not “know it all” complexifiers, rather they are “learn it all” simplifiers. They understand it is not about marginal gains, it is staying grounded and never straying far from fundamentals. Great coaching is repeating the basics brilliantly each day. It may not be exciting and make a highlight reel, but it will produce results.
Finally, here are some thoughts that will make you a better coach:
- Stay Basic
- Stay Hungry
- Stay Focused
- Focus on the “Can Do”
- Stay Uncomfortable
- Stay You
- Stay Passionate
- Maintain a Child’s Curiosity
Finally take some time to smell the roses (or have a gelato) and appreciate the great calling you have chosen!
Alberta Gymnastics Federation High Performance Camp.
Alberta Gymnastics Federation High Performance Camp. November 2024
In order to get the most out of our time together I wanted to give my plan for the weekend and my expectations.
UNEVEN BARS PLAN, EXPECTATIONS, and RESOURCES.
EXPECTATIONS for Training Camp:
I would like All levels to be able to show me at least 1/2 routine (1st 1/2, 2nd 1/2). It is OK if parts are spotted. Please be ready to AT LEAST show me combinations. We have a lot of ground to cover.
For example: The following are IN ROUTINE not individual skills.
Level 8/9 show an upgraded dismount. Can be spotted or into pit.
Level 9 show an upgraded release move. Can (should) be spotted. For example- 1st 1/2 routine with shoot over or Pak (spotted ). 2nd 1/2 with upgraded dismount (spotted or pit)
Level 10 same as level 9
Example Routine: these are JUST examples.
Example: Level 8.
- Kip cast 1/2 pirouette.
- Clear hip handstand.
- Kip cast toe circle around bar. Jump down.
Go over pit
- Kip Cast Hand
- Giant, Giant
- Double tuck. (upgraded dismount)
Example: Level 9
From outside bar-
- Jump to high bar
- Kip Cast handstand
- Clear hip Handstand
- Pak (spotted)
- Kip cast Handstand.
Middle section
- Kip Cast handstand (from inside bar)
- Toe handstand 1/2 pirouette
- Toe shoot to high bar.
Go over pit
- Kip cast Hand
- Giant 1/2
- Front giant 1/2
- Open double tuck. Etc.
What has made me successful at the National and International level is having a plan. Both LONG and SHORT term planning as well as designing a practice schedule to be efficient and have the gymnasts prepared for competition.
LONG TERM PLAN, 4+ years. What skills will a gymnast need to be able to compete at the next Olympic Games.
SHORT TERM PLAN, What skills will a gymnast need to be able to compete this season.
PRACTICE PLAN, This is more specific to your gym as well as individual gymnasts. How many hours do you have to train a day? A week? How much or a work load can your gymnast handle physically? Mentally and emotionally?
Tony’s 10 commandments for Bars.
- NEVER be out of Routine shape.
- Have your dismount FIRST. Maybe a year before the routine.
- Master the Basics then hit them every day.
- Strap Bar is an event.
- Pick the right skill for the right kid. (a gymnast who has fear of back tumbling on floor is probably NOT going to be a Tkatchev kid)
- HANDSTANDS- everywhere, every day.
- Don’t paint yourself in to a corner. (ie. you do not teach a back flyaway, you teach a front and double front- if the double front gets devalued or a gymnast has a growth spurt and now has trouble with the front swing- what do you do?)
- Introduce them to every skill they may need by 13 years old.
- Have a plan and a back up plan
- Let them play.
Every skill of value starts with a great basic circling element. In a race to put together a routine we have a tendency to chase the skill before we have established a truly great base element.
- Clear hip.
- Toe handstand. (front and back)
- Stalder. (Legs together and straddle) (front and back)
- Giants Back and Front.
What ever the base skill is for your goal element you MUST be able to do 4-5 in a row consistently. Do it first on STRAP BAR
I will continue to add to this until the day of the clinic so you may want to check back for additional resources.
Some thoughts from my plane ride in. Updated November 6. 2024
My plan for uneven bars is that the gymnast needs to be 1+ season ahead for their dismount. Because it comes at the end of their routine there is a certain amount of endurance they need. They will already be fatigued from their routine, they should just be able to let muscle memory takeover.
You must have a truly great base if you are going to build on it. All circles start on strap bar. Progress to 3-5 in a row.
Then they must be able to do 3-5 in a row on the bar before you add to it (adding a pirouette or a release).
While they are perfecting circles we are doing tramp/ TT drills for releases and pirouettes.
Things to remember-
Teach them to throw and catch.
Teach the body shape early. Continue to reinforce them. Teach them how to use them.
1. Hect action skills
- Tkatchev (giant)
- Ray (toe hand)
- Hindorf (clear hip)
- Ricna (stalder)
Shaposhnikova
Maloney
2. Jaeger
3. Gienger
I tend to teach 1 and 2 at the same time because they share some actions. #1 has so many uses and can be done either way. The Jaeger is great because it covers the requirement for undergrip skill and can be taught in either under or “L” grip.
Prerequisite will always be a GREAT base skill. 3-5 x in a row.
OPEN skills teach from a swing. It forces the correct tap and then when you want to use it in combination it is already there.
Group 1 (Hect)
Stage 1
- Back extension roll hop.
- TT Bar Hop
- Straddle roll grab
Stage 2
- Back Extension Roll off mat kick back (almost a bridge)
- Back drop to stomach drop (straight)
Stage 3
- Base skill to hop
- TT bar flight to back
- Back drop to stomach drop (Straight) catch noodle
- Jump Back off bar catch
Stage 4
- With flight over bar no catch
Group 2 (Jaeger)
Stage 1
- Forward roll to handstand undergrip
- Stomach drop with TT bar
- Pike or straddle roll grab
Stage 2
- Forward roll to HS in undergrip Hop change
- Sushinova off beam or mat to floor
- Front layout sit up on bounce handstand
- Stomach drop on TT bar hop off.
Stage 3
- Gainer front off TT into pit
- Front kaboom on tramp (3/4 layout. Sit up)
- Back drop front pike tramp
- Jump Back off bar catch
Stage 4
- Spotted Front giant with release to straight. Eyes on bar
- Front Kaboom sit up and catch noodle
- Front layout sit up catch noodle on Bounce HS
- Front 1.25 on tramp
Stage 5
- Spotted jaeger from swing. (Grip doesn’t matter)
Group 3
Stage 1
- Layout flyaway from swing
- Leaf drop
Stage 2
- Layout flyaway to back from swing
- Leaf drop 1/4
- Layout on tramp jump 1/4
- Cruise on Tramp
Stage 3
- Continue with layout flyaway from swing
- Leaf drop 1/4 catch noodle
- Gainer off tramp or TT
- Cruise on tramp catch noodle
- Back kaboom
Stage 4
- If you have a trench bar- Layout flyaway to stand on side of pit
- Gainer w/ 1/4 twist off tramp or TT reach back
- Kaboom layout 1.25 to stomach. Catch noodle.
Thanking Those Who Took The Time To Teach Me.
Education and knowledge are not things to hold on to. They are meant to be shared like a good book. I have never kept any secrets about technique or drills. I am confident enough to believe that coaching gymnastics is like cooking. Everyone starts with certain ingredients (the gymnasts). Everyone has the same basic appliances (the equipment and mats). Everyone has access to technique. It all comes down to your spices (communication skills) and dedication.
When I first got serious about coaching I am sure I was a pain in the ass to so many people. asking countless questions, asking to watch their training sessions. This was back before the age of YouTube and Instagram or e-mail. You had to actually CALL people on the phone. You had to physically go to their gym. The benefit of going to their gym was you got to see ALL their gymnasts. You got to see them in action. Not just a 30 second drill with their talented athlete. (BEWARE THE YOUTUBE COACH). When I received my membership to the US Elite Coaches Association I went through each article, each drill, each hand drawn technique.
There are many famous (and some infamous) people who I learned from. This is THE OTHER list. The people I learned from along the way who deserve recognition.
Charolette Snyder. My 8th grade math teacher. She believed in me, pushed me, and encouraged me. This is what every teacher should do. After all, aren’t we just teachers?
Manny Acosta. He taught me how to spot. The basics of spotting. What to look for and what to “see” with your hands to give a correction.
Jose Molina. He taught me to be passionate.
Don Tonry. He taught me the science behind the art of gymnastics.
Ray Johnson. He taught me how to talk to a gymnast at their level. To believe in a progression.
Stephanie William (now Retrosi). She taught me balance. I could be enthusiastic and calm.
My first group of gymnasts I bought up to level 10 and Elite. Beth, Molly, Shannon, Kelly, Lexa. You made me push myself. To stay one day ahead of you.
Frank DeFrancesco. You were always available to me and never made me feel bad when I had painted myself into a corner.
Cori Cunningham. I learned patience from you. I cannot want it more than the gymnast does.
Rich Lines. Coaching with you, Everyday was a lesson in Physics and Mechanics.
Denise Edmonds- Thanks for the first job and teaching me to work hard.
and lately Ryan Doherty. I learned that gymnastics can still be fun.
Gym Momentum Camp Awards 2023
The last time we had Gym Momentum Camp on Long Island there was a hurricane and we had to stop camp a day early! This year- torrential rains and some minor flooding on Long Island kept things interesting! The gymnasts coming in from Vermont, which had just survived some terrible storms and floods, thought the weather was “OK”.
Gymnasts from New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont as well as Italy and Switzerland were in attendance.
Our camp coaches were:
VAULTING: Jacobo Giron and Vasko Vetzev
UNEVEN BARS: Amanda DePaolo, Rob Wing
BEAM: Elene Pankratova, Cori Cunningham, Camila Ugolini
TUMBLING: John Lavallee, Tony Retrosi
DANCE: Heather McGeehan
80 optional level Gymnasts, level 5-elite, attended from Throughout the North East as well as a team from Italy.
At the end of the camp Excellence Awards were given out at Each Event.
VAULTING:
UNEVEN BARS:
OUR BEAM QUEENS!
DANCE:
TUMBLING:
From Practice to the Podium
From Practice to The Podium. Long term gymnastics success.
When I first started coaching gymnastics I wanted to be a GREAT coach (what ever that meant). Now looking back at what I feel was a reasonably successful career I feel I accomplished many of my goals. More importantly I helped many gymnasts reach their goal. I have seen coaches is small gyms with barely enough equipment have great results and I have seen coaches in gyms so big they almost need their own zip code really do nothing. Where I have seen most coaches fall short is with lack of a plan and failure to follow though.
Even the best plan is going to have mistakes. Whether that plan is for an individual athlete, a group or a team. There also needs to be a set of checks and balances. You are not going to have all the answers or even know what some of the questions are or will be. Here are just a few.
- Who is going to check you?
- Is it the right skill for the right athlete?
- Is it too many or too few competitions?
- When do you need the athletes to peak? When to recover?
- Can the athlete or team handle the training load?
Luckily- not much of what we have done is truly innovative. It’s all been done, Others have paved the path. Written down the basic recipe- all you need to do is add your own spice.
- Where to start your plan?
- What are YOUR goals?
- Do your co-coaches have similar goals?
- What are the goals of the athletes (individually and as a team)?
- Do your athletes buy into your program? Do the parents?
A question NOT often asked is: What is your story? What makes you special? In todays society gymnasts and their families will have many choices they could make. A different gym? A different sport? USAG, NGA, USAIGC, AAU, X-cel, D.O. WHY SHOULD A GYMNAST AND THEIR FAMILY PICK YOU AND YOUR SYSTEM?
There are countless questions you need to ask and answer on your path to success. Here is where to start:
WHY CAN’T YOU DO IT?
When I opened up my gym I had a great coaching staff and I decided that we were going to have a top level program. We were going to have continued success at Level 10 and have some elite gymnasts as well.
We laid out the plan. Hours per week, how long each event, what conditioning needed to get done. We all contributed.
We thought about the competition schedule. When would our first meet be, when would we want the girls to hit their physical peak.
We thought about when we wanted each gymnast to have their highest skill level. When would we start taking skills out of routines and training programs.
For a few decades we stuck with that plan, of course making small adjustments along the way.
How did we end up with a good program. It’s simple. We decided to.
You can too.
If you want to be with a group of people who can answer your questions and probably ask some more- check out GYM MOMENTUM CAMP this summer.
Gym Momentum Camp July 14-16 Long Island, NY
You may call it tempting fate because the last time we hosted a camp there we had a hurricane that forced us to cut camp short by one day. Why are we going back? The organization, energy and enthusiasm of the host club, APEX ATHLETICS, as well as their amazing facility made it an easy decision.
It was impossible for me to do a camp last summer. I had too many international commitments. I am looking forward to going back to Long Island for this camp. I am still working on some of the details but I already have commitments from some great staff. Jacobo Giron, Camila Ugolini, Rob Wing, Amanda DePaola, Vasko Vetzev and of course myself. This is a world class staff in a world class facility. You do NOT want to miss out!
HOW DO GYMNASTS QUALIFY FOR PARIS OLYMPICS
From INSIDE GYMNASTICS
How Do Athletes Qualify for Paris 2024?
By Anna Rose Johnson for Inside Gymnastics
The Olympic qualification procedures for artistic gymnastics are always evolving to fit the sport’s current needs, but it can make things confusing for fans who aren’t quite sure what is required of their favorite teams and athletes in order to qualify for the next Olympic Games. So today, let’s break down the paths to qualification ahead of Paris 2024—which start in Liverpool at the 2022 World Championships!
- There are 96 slots available for the men and 96 available for the women.
- Each country who qualifies to the Olympics will be comprised of five athletes. Countries that fail to qualify a full team will be able to send up to three individual athletes to Paris via the methods that will be outlined here.
- Six countries will qualify to the 2024 Olympics at the 2022 World Championships—three men’s teams and three women’s teams. Twenty-four teams will compete in World qualifications, and the top three in the team final are the ones who will qualify full teams to Paris.
- Next year, at the 2023 World Championships in Antwerp, the same thing will occur: twenty-four teams will be able to compete in qualifications in hopes of advancing a full team to Paris, but only the top nine will qualify.
- The three top-ranking countries at 2023 Worlds who do not qualify via the first two criteria will obtain one individual slot for their nation.
- There will also be opportunities to qualify to Paris via 2023 Worlds by order of ranking in the all-around qualifications. The top eight men and fourteen women will advance to the Olympics based on their standings. (These are non-nominative slots, which means the berths belong to the athletes instead of being potentially open to other athletes from their country.) Athletes who previously qualified to the Olympics with their teams will be ineligible to receive one of these slots.
- Six men and four women have a chance to qualify via apparatus finals at 2023 Worlds. Excluding athletes who already previously qualified via other paths, the highest-finishing athletes on each apparatus (in the finals, or if necessary, qualifications) will receive a berth for Paris.
- There are also opportunities for specialists to qualify via the 2024 Apparatus World Cup series—twelve men and eight women. Each country can send up to two athletes per apparatus to compete in these World Cups, and the highest-ranking two athletes on each event are guaranteed a slot to Paris. Again, only those who have not previously qualified are eligible for these slots. As usual, World Cup points—built up over the series—count toward securing those berths. To sum up, the “maximum three best competitions out of four will be considered,” according to the FIG. Those athletes with the highest point totals will qualify via this path.
- There will also be ways to qualify via the 2024 Continental Championships (such as the European Championships)—five men and five women. The highest-ranked athletes in either the all-around qualifications or finals have the chance to obtain a berth, provided that they or their country haven’t already qualified slots by other methods.
- The Olympic host country (France) is guaranteed two athletes (one man and one woman) via any of these methods if they do not qualify a full team or any individuals. If they do, the slot will be reallocated to eligible All-Arounders at 2023 Worlds.
- There will also be one Universality Place quota for both men and women, to be selected by the Tripartite Commission of the IOC.
Wow, that’s a lot! It will be fascinating to see how the qualifications begin to unfold at this year’s Worlds. It’s hard to believe that we’re already moving onto the first installment of Olympic qualification. What are you most excited for as we launch into all the action in Liverpool?