our philosophy
RCYF: An Extension of the Classroom
While we are a gymnastics facility, we like to consider ourselves a school first. Both the recreational classes and competitive teams operate with structure. The coaches represent teachers who present each class, age group, and skill level with appropriate challenges and obstacles. It is the coaches’ job to cultivate a culture of respect amongst athletes as well as other coaches. We believe the element of respect allows coaches the ability to understand how to motivate each child to go beyond what he or she thought was possible!
Celebrating Hard Work
The coaches will not celebrate a child’s every step or success. Constant celebration, in our opinion, diminishes the pride attained from achieving something. Instead, we look for opportunities to push kids past their perceived limits while celebrating their accomplishments along the way. This concept breeds the merits of hard work.
Perception of “Failure”
The negative connotation associated with a perceived failure over shadows the underlying lessons. Failure is not a finite outcome to a situation. Failure presents an opportunity to learn. All these opportunities to learn set the foundation for which future successes are built upon. We believe that children should experience failure and frustration related to an obstacle, challenge, or a new skill. Learning to deal with set backs, failures, and frustration at a young age sets a child up for success in the gym and in life.
The Concept of “Try”
If you spend enough time at River City, you may hear a coach tell an athlete to “try harder.” The concept of “try” comes from Coach Fletcher’s regimented “Cowboy Ethics.” “Try” represents more than a word. “Try” represents an individual giving every ounce of effort into achieving a goal. If the goal is not achieved, simply giving up is not an option.
Family Environment
Being a family owned business, we understand the importance of the familial unit. We want our customers and staff to feel like a part of our family. Our coaches are required to memorize names of their students and encouraged to introduce themselves to parents and siblings. Our investment into the community is not limited to a single athlete. We want every parent, sibling, or friend to feel welcomed at River City!