Insure Gymnastics Guidelines and By-laws
-Gymnastics Definition
One of the world's oldest sports, Gymnastics is an activity that combines strength, flexibility, balance, and coordination to perform a variety of acrobatic and tumbling movements. These movements can be performed on various apparatuses, including the floor, balance beam, uneven bars, and vault. Gymnastics encompasses a range of disciplines, from artistic gymnastics to rhythmic gymnastics, each with its unique skills and techniques.
-Is Gymnastics Dangerous?
Like all physical activities, gymnastics involves some risk. However, when taught and practiced properly in a supportive environment, gymnastics poses no more risks for practitioners than other traditional sports. At Insure Gymnastics, we take the risk of injury and the practice of risk mitigation very seriously. Our rigorous and highly respected teacher certification program ensures that only qualified instructors are covered by our insurance.
-What are the Benefits of Gymnastics?
Gymnastics offers many developmental benefits, including improved coordination, balance, discipline, focus, body awareness, overall self-confidence, and self-esteem. Additionally, gymnastics teaches valuable problem-solving skills, as athletes learn to navigate various routines and apparatuses safely and efficiently. The culture and philosophy of gymnastics, if balanced with a proper sense of fun, along with teamwork and community, which emphasize community and teamwork further enhance a student’s sense of connectedness and social well-being.
-Can Gymnastics be Practiced as a Competitive Sport?
Gymnastics is both an individual and team sport. While it can be practiced for personal development without competition, structured competitions can be beneficial for students eager to measure and share their progress with friends and family. At Insure Gymnastics, however, we believe that competitions should remain collegial in a friendly and encouraging atmosphere, as athletes focus on participation and strive for their personal best.
-Instructor Certification Requirements
Our underwriter requires that all instructors teaching at Insure Gymnastics Member Gyms complete the online certification that corresponds to the skill level at which they are teaching. All member gyms are required to have at least two Level 2 or higher Certified instructors on-staff at all times, with a 1 to 10 Certified Instructor to student ratio.
IMPORTANT: Additionally, all Instructors at Insure Gymnastics Gyms are required to complete the "Safe Sport Trained" section at the bottom of the homepage (https://athletesafety.org/training/index) as a prerequisit for Certification. If you have already completed the Safe Sport Training, please be ready to provide Insure Gymnastics with proof of completion.
-Assistant Certifications
All instructors not certified at Level 1 or 2 and who are involved in any way in the teaching of gymnastics at your club must take the online Assistant Certification. The cost for this test is $50 per individual and may be re-taken up to 3 times for that price.
-Competition Requirements and Coverage
All gyms wishing to hold a competition will be required to obtain a Competition Certificate for each event to qualify for coverage:
1. IN-HOUSE: At an Insure Gymnastics facility, enrolled students only - FREE
2. COMMUNITY OPEN: At an Insure Gymnastics facility, open to participants from your local communities, enrolled or non-enrolled, up to 75 competitors or your peak enrollment, whichever is lower - FREE
3. LEAGUE: Any event organized, licensed, or created by a 3rd Party organization, or involving multiple teams from gyms not covered by Insure Gymnastics, or defined as a “Regional” or “National” event - Participant insurance fees may apply with a max of $5 per competitor or as agreed upon.
4. TOURNAMENT: Any event held at an outside facility or venue not covered by Insure Gymnastics - $500 fee to underwriter.
The Competition Certificate or the Insure Gymnastics logo plus the words “An Insure Gymnastics Recognized Event” must be displayed in online promotional materials.
-EVENT JUDGING AND SAFETY CERTIFICATIONS
1. Any person acting as a judge in a gymnastics competition must complete the appropriate Judging Certification and follow its guidelines.
-Insure Gymnastics Branding
All Insure Gymnastics Certified Member Gyms must display the Insure Gymnastics logo in a prominent place on their website, at their check-in desk (poster provided by Insure Gymnastics), and on all promotional materials to indicate that they are part of the Insure Gymnastics Family.
-Does Insure Gymnastics Recognize Other Gymnastics Teacher Certifications?
While we respect all those whose goal it is to increase awareness of the safe practice of gymnastics, our insurance underwriter recognizes only Insure Gymnastics Teacher Training Certification as valid for coverage.
-Instructor Certifications Renewals
It is YOUR responsibility as a gym owner to ensure that all Instructors in your employ are current with their annual online Certification renewal and that all Assistant Trainers have taken and passed the online Assistant Certification.
-Does Insure Gymnastics Member Insurance Cover “Open Gym”?
Yes, provided that it is a structured and well-supervised gymnastics-specific open skills session with competent trainers. It is essential that any and all drop-in students not formally enrolled in your regular classes be required to attend at least one basic safety orientation prior to their first open gym warning of serious consequences for those who do not observe safe practices.
-Activities NOT covered by Insure Gymnastics:
Any and all competitions and/or events sanctioned by USA Gymnastics, aerial dance, aerial acrobatics, bungee jumping, day care operations, swimming pools, water attractions, go-karts or other motorized racing, carnivals/circuses/fairs, laser tag, paintball, color runs, zip lines, trapezes, overnight camps or competitions, martial arts involving weaponry, martial arts involving full-contact (including, but not limited to kickboxing, mixed martial arts, etc.), weight lifting, wrestling, boxing, parkour/free running, transportation of athletes/participants, skateboarding, off-site trampoline park visits, trampolines that don’t meet ASTM standards, any portion of your facility that trampolines are used for free play or sport court purposes.
-Why Does My Insure Gymnastics Member Insurance Always Expire on June 1, No Matter When I Initiate Coverage?
Insure Gymnastics is NOT an insurance underwriter or licensed insurance broker and is NOT permitted to sell individual insurance policies. We are a member organization recognized by a top-rated underwriter as an authority in the safe teaching of gymnastics and granted the right to extend coverage UNDER OUR OWN INSURANCE POLICY to other gyms and participants that share our vision, values, and philosophy of gymnastics. Therefore, your coverage runs concurrently with our own, from June 1 to May 31 of the following year, no matter when you initiate coverage. Those who initiate coverage after June 1 will receive a correspondingly pro-rated quote for their first term of coverage.
-What is the Definition of “Peak Enrollment”?
Peak enrollment is defined as follows: “Premium is determined by applying the appropriate rate for your club/program to the greatest number of registered members that your club/program COULD have ANNUALLY.” Insure Gymnastics expects all member gyms to use their best good faith efforts to correctly estimate what their enrollment COULD be during the coming policy term.
-If My Program Grows During the Coverage Term, Am I Required to Report the Additional Student Numbers in Real Time? Will There Be an Audit?
You will not need to report growth in student numbers until your June 1 renewal. There will be no retroactive audits.
-Is there an age limit for participant coverage?
There is no age limit for participant coverage under the Insure Gymnastics policy. However, we do require that you estimate what percentage of your students will be over 18. This will not affect your quote.
-Can I reach out to Insure Gymnastics for advice or questions as my program grows and develops?
Absolutely! We are a member organization committed to your growth and success. Please come to us with any questions you may have regarding all things gymnastics-related. Someone from our extremely knowledgeable team of advisors and athletes will be happy to help.
-Student Abuse Protocols/Safe Sport Training Requirement
Insure Gymnastics treats the issue of student abuse with the utmost seriousness, whether it involves physical or sexual abuse, bullying, or intimidation of any kind, whether from a fellow student or staff member. We require the same zero-tolerance policy from all of our member gyms. It is imperative that all gyms create a safe environment where students or staff members feel comfortable reporting any act or suspicion of possible abuse towards themselves or others to the gym owner or on-site manager immediately. We understand that this can be a challenging task, as these are difficult topics to discuss for students and staff members alike. To assist in this process, the Safe Sport Training Program has been developed to help guard against and alert individuals to the warning signs of possible abuse occurring in their midst.
Accordingly, all Instructors at Insure Gymnastics Gyms are required to complete the "Safe Sport Trained" section at the bottom of the homepage (https://athletesafety.org/training/index) as a prerequisite for Certification. If you have already completed the Safe Sport Training, please be ready to provide Insure Gymnastics with proof of completion.
In addition, as an added precaution, all prospective employees must be interviewed in person, submit at least two letters of reference, and undergo recognized criminal background and abuse registry checks.
Let's work together to keep our students safe!