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Sudbury Laurels Gymnastics Club
Our Provincial/National Optional, Compulsory, & Xcel Competitive Program
History
The Sudbury Laurels Gymnastics Club is a not-for-profit organization made up of parents and guardians of pre-competitive and competitive gymnasts. Since 1969, they’ve proudly supported families with fundraising efforts to help cover costs related to competitions and capital equipment purchases to keep equipment up to date with FIG standards, safe and to help keep gymnastics as affordable as possible.
GymZone Gymnastics & Athletics is the sport management company that provides the state of the art training facility and coaching expertise for the Sudbury Laurels. Additionally, we have built a superior Recreational Gymnastics Program to prepare and develop athletes to become future members of the Sudbury Laurels Competitive Team. This partnership is necessary for both recreational and competitive streams to thrive which has led to over 57 successful years in our community!
What sets us apart:
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Strong focus on long-term athlete development, both physically and personally
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Culture of excellence, work ethic, time management, discipline, teamwork, fun and a high level of love and respect for the sport of gymnastics
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Track record of excellence and a top-tier reputation in Northern Ontario
- Our Team
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We are proud, registered members of Gymnastics Ontario as are all of our coaches
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Celebrating over 57 years as the Top Gymnastics Club in the North!
OUR PROMISE: We provide a safe, supportive space to grow, fall, rise, and thrive - as gymnasts and as young people.
QUALITY OVER QUANTITY: We focus on doing things right - not just doing more. Every rep has a purpose. Every skill has meaning.
ATHLETE-FIRST APPROACH: The gymnast’s well-being, growth, and voice come first. We act in their best interest.
STRONG FOUNDATION FIRST: We build from the ground up - strong basics, smart progressions, and confidence at every level.
SAFE PROGRESSIONS: No shortcuts. No skipped-steps. No rush. Only technique that’s safe, sound, and age-appropriate for future building and safe development.
SAFETY IS NON-NEGOTIABLE: Physical and emotional safety is our #1 priority - in every training session, every decision, every conversation.
Coaching Expertise:
All of our coaches are certified through the National Coaching Certification Program and are in good standing with Gymnastics Ontario. GymZone-Sudbury Laurels is dedicated to ongoing training and development for our coaching team to ensure we remain current on the latest coaching techniques, skills, equipment, progressions, rules/regulations, injury prevention and trends in the world of gymnastics. We have strong relationships with two highly decorated Olympic Coaches Dave Arnold and Denis Vachon who consult regularly and lead training/mentorship opportunities for our athletes and coaches.
Certifications include: Risk Management in Sport, Making Headway (Concussion Protocol), NCCP Foundations, NCCP Competition 1 WAG, MAG, Trampoline, NCCP Competition 2, Making Ethical Decisions, Safe Sport, First Aid and CPR, High Five - Principles of Healthy Child Development, Keeping Girls in Sport and more.
To request an assessment to join the Sudbury Laurels Gymnastics Club, please contact our Competitive Director at competitive@gymzone.org.
1. Mistakes are part of the process
Every fall, wobble, or missed skill is a learning rep. It’s not failure - it’s feedback. Champions are just beginners who kept going and tried again.
2. You are not your routine, skill or score
Your performance does not define your value. If something goes wrong, it’s just a moment - not a label. Bad routine? That doesn’t mean you’re a bad gymnast or person.
3. Growth Over Perfection
The goal isn’t to be perfect - it’s to keep improving. Celebrate effort. Celebrate progress. Celebrate showing up. Progress, not perfection.
4. Your self-talk matters
Negative: “I always mess this up.”
Positive: “This is a new skill for me. It is normal for it to be challenging. “This isn’t a new skill, but it is complex, and it is normal for it to be challenging ”
Use mental cue words before routines: Tight. Focused. Calm. Strong.
5. Stay in control of what you can control
Don’t spiral after a fall - reset and move on. Trust your process, we are not chasing perfection. Every fall or wobble is data. It tells you what to fix - it’s not who you are, it’s just where you are right now. Just like muscles grow from resistance, your skill grows from mistakes.
Mistakes are not failures - they are feedback. MISTAKES = LEARNING MOMENTS
After a mistake or a fall ask:
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What did I do well?
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What can I improve next time?
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What am I proud of today?
We can ALWAYS learn. We are ALWAYS growing. Think of a GPS on your phone. When you take a wrong turn, it doesn’t give up - it recalculates. That’s what you’re doing every time you learn from a mistake.
6. Lift each other up
We all fall.
We all struggle.
We all rise - together.
Be the kind of teammate who builds others' confidence, not breaks it down.
REMEMBER:
You are not in the gym to prove your worth. You're here to grow in every way possible & build your strength - physically, mentally, and emotionally. That includes learning through the tough days. “Champions are made on the days they don’t feel like training.” YOU ARE: Brave for trying, strong for rising, worthy no matter the outcome!
Women’s Artistic Gymnastics (WAG)
Of all the disciplines, Women’s Artistic Gymnastics is the most well known to the public. It is an extremely challenging sport that demands strength, power, flexibility, agility, courage, and a combination of technical precision and artistic creativity. When these elements are mastered on the 4 apparatus: vault, bars, beam and floor, a gymnast’s performance is effortless and exhilarating to watch.
Our Women’s program consists of approximately 40 – 50 athletes ranging from pre-competitive to Elite, ages 6 and up. Depending on the level, our athletes attend training 2 to 5 days a week totaling anywhere from 6 – 18 hours. Entrance into our women’s competitive program is by invitation only.
Over the 40+ years of Sudbury Laurels existence, we have had wonderful stories of success. Many of our athletes have brought home event and all-around medals at Provincial and National Championships. We have also had athletes travel nationally and internationally to represent Team Ontario, some returning with championship medals that we are all very proud of.
Our Competitive Streams
Competitive stream placement is not about choosing which pathway is “higher” or “better.” It is about choosing the pathway that best supports each athlete’s growth, confidence, long-term success, and enjoyment of gymnastics.
Both Xcel and the Development Program are highly respected competitive pathways. They simply offer different structures, expectations, and opportunities. Our coaching team carefully considers each athlete’s skills, strengths, confidence, learning style, training habits, parent/athlete personal goals/aspirations and overall readiness when recommending the stream that will help them thrive.
Stream placement is reviewed each season by our Team. Gymnasts may stay in the same group or move laterally between pathways from year to year. This allows us to meet each athlete where they are, set them up for success, and place them where they are best supported, challenged, and able to thrive.
Minis - 4 HRS/WK *PRECOMP
This group bridges the gap between recreational and competitive gymnastics. Young gymnasts are given the opportunity to build strength, flexibility, coordination, confidence, and foundational gymnastics skills in a more focused training environment. With an emphasis on fun, skill progression, and strong fundamentals, Minis helps gymnasts prepare for the increased structure, commitment, and expectations of the competitive pathway while still keeping the experience positive, age-appropriate, and exciting. Gymnasts will attend GymZone's in-house Showcase in June.
Laurelettes - 6 HRS/WK *DEVELOPMENT
This group is for gymnasts who are continuing to build the foundation needed for future competitive gymnastics. Training remains development-focused, with an emphasis on skill building, body shapes, strength, flexibility, technique, and confidence. Gymnasts will participate in 1 end-of-season competition experience to help prepare them for the next step of competing in multiple meets as well as GymZone's in-house Showcase in June.
Development Program
Compulsory Levels 1-5 (9 HRS/WK - 12 HRS/WK) These groups focus on strong fundamentals, skill development, quality training and building a consistent foundation for future progression. Gymnasts learn set routines comprised of required elements and clearly defined technical expectations. This stream emphasizes technique, form, execution, confidence, and readiness for continued growth within the competitive pathway. Annual Competition Commitment:
Optional Levels 6-10 16 HRS/WK s group focuses on advanced development, high-intensity training, and individualized progress within the competitive pathway. Athletes train with increased hours, intensity, and expectations while continuing to refine technique, performance quality, strength, confidence, and consistency. As routines become more individualized, athletes have the opportunity to showcase their strengths while working toward elite, higher-level competitive goals at the Provincial level and beyond. Annual Competition Commitment: 4-5 competitions + Provincials |
Xcel Program
These groups focus on strong fundamentals, skill development quality training, and building upon a more individualized foundation for future progression. Gymnasts have more flexibility in routine construction, allowing choreography and skill selection to highlight their personality, strengths, confidence, and current stage of development. This stream emphasizes technique, performance quality, confidence, and continued growth while giving athletes the opportunity to showcase what they do best. Annual Competition Commitment:
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Trampoline and Tumbling (T&T) Not currently running.
Power Tumbling
Power Tumbling is one of the most high-energy disciplines in the world of gymnastics. It combines the exciting floor skills of Artistic Gymnastics and the dynamic skills from Trampoline.
Passes are performed on an elevated floor with fibreglass rods topped with a carpeted layer of foam. The floor is 26 metres long and 1.5 meters wide.
Our Power tumbling is one of the newest programs offered by the Sudbury Laurels and consists of 18 athletes at the Provincial level. The majority of our athletes train 6 hours per week which offers the flexibility to take part in other programs at the club. Our Trampoline program is a natural complement to our tumbling program and often athletes participate and compete in both. Entrance into our competitive program is by invitation only.
Our tumblers take full advantage of our four in ground trampolines, in ground fast track, foam pit and full length rod floor to promote consistent skill development.
Trampoline
Trampoline is a unique component of gymnastics that demands spatial awareness and bravery. Our competitive team at the Sudbury Laurels provides athletes with the opportunity to develop and explore aerial acrobatics. It is both a physically and mentally challenging sport and when mastered, is exciting to watch!
Our trampoline program consists of 11 athletes and is offered at three different levels: interclub, provincial and national. The Sudbury Laurels athletes train between 4hrs per week at the introductory interclub level up to 8hrs per week at the national level. Entrance into our competitive program is by invitation only.
The Sudbury Laurels’ facility houses four in ground trampolines and a foam pit to facilitate advanced skill development.
We are proud to be the home of two Canadian national trampoline champions from 2009 and 2012. We have also had the opportunity to have our staff attend Canadian National Championships as a coach for team Ontario because of the success of our competitive program.
Laurels athletes working with 3-time Olympic Coach Dave Arnold!
Avery Roy after winning 2nd AA out of 77 athletes earning a spot on Team Ontario and competing in Arizona finishing 2nd all around personally, and Team Ontario Winning 1st all around!
2023 National Power Tumbling Champion, 15 year old, Hector Loiselle qualified and competed at World Age Groups in Bulgaria for Team Canada, followed by another WAGCS qualification competing again for Team Canada in Birmingham.
Provincial Trampolinist Jacob Costello qualified for Eastern Canadian Championships representing Team Ontario and mobilized to National in 2024.