GYMNASTICS GENERAL GUIDELINES Kindergarten to Grade 9
					SUPERVISION
KINDERGARTEN TO GRADE 9
The Basic Movement Pattern (BMP) approach to gymnastics used in the Saskatchewan physical education curriculum is such that safety considerations are built into the program. By teaching landings - one of the basic movement patterns - teachers prevent injuries. Many injuries that occur in a gymnastics context - and in other physical activities - are the result of landing incorrectly. Teach students how to land safely in a variety of situations and have students practice landings regularly so they are learned to the point of becoming reflex reactions. Spotting - manual assistance provided to participants while performing skills on the floor or on equipment - is not appropriate in the elementary gymnastics program. Many gymnastics injuries are the result of attempting skills that students are not ready to perform. If the student needs spotting, this is a good indication that the student lacks the necessary physical or motor skills. Rather than have the student attempt the skill with a "spot", more activities that lead up to the skill can be provided. Not only does this approach prevent the tendency for students to become dependent on a spotter, it reflects the reality that in a large group setting the teacher cannot spot all the students. Don’t force students to perform skills that are beyond their level of ability. When a student displays hesitation verbally or non-verbally, discuss the reason(s) for doubt with the student. After the discussion, if the teacher believes that a potential hesitancy during the performance of the skill could put the student at risk, the student can be directed toward a more basic skill. Mat work comes before use of equipment. A teacher who is unfamiliar with any gymnastics equipment can seek assistance from appropriate support staff and/or refrain from using the equipment until help is received. Skills are best taught in a logical progression from simple to complex. Students who demonstrate control of basic movement patterns are ready to go on to more complicated skills. For example, a landing on the feet should be performed with control on the floor before working on an elevated surface such as a box horse.

			GYMNASTICS BARS, BEAMS AND RINGS Kindergarten to Grade 9
Gymnastics activities on bars, beams and rings are high-risk activities. Schools are encouraged to consider alternative program options to replace high-risk activities. Teachers who wish to instruct high-risk activities like gymnastics activities on bars, beams and rings require written permission from the board of education.
EQUIPMENT	CLOTHING/ FOOTWEAR	FACILITIES	SPECIAL RULES/ INSTRUCTION	SUPERVISION
KINDERGARTEN TO GRADE 9
PARALLEL BARS: (Grades 7-9 only) STILL RINGS: (Grades 7-9 only) BALANCE BEAM: (K-Grade 9) UNEVEN PARALLEL BARS: (Grade 7-9 only) Inspect and test equipment on a regular basis and repair as required. Check all locking mechanisms before use.	Wear close fitting gym clothing. Bare feet are acceptable. Wear running shoes or gymnastics slippers. Remind students to tie their shoelaces securely. No jewelry. Tie back long hair. Secure or remove glasses.	Situate mats around/under apparatus to create a landing area with no open spaces. Attach velcro mats. Properly secure equipment to floor/ceiling. Allow sufficient space between apparatus to allow free movement on the apparatus and space to dismount.	Familiarize students with the concept of spotting. No inversions unless instructed by teacher and a 30.5 cm - 60.9 cm (12" - 24") landing mat is in place. Use balance beams that are appropriate for students’ height. Teach skills in proper progression.	Provide on-site supervision for balance beam, parallel bars and uneven bars. Provide constant visual supervision for inversions. Provide constant visual supervision during initial teaching on still rings. After instruction, and when there are no inversions, provide on-site supervision.

			GYMNASTICS BEAT BOARD Kindergarten to Grade 9
EQUIPMENT	CLOTHING/ FOOTWEAR	FACILITIES	SPECIAL RULES/ INSTRUCTION	SUPERVISION
KINDERGARTEN TO GRADE 9
Use velcro mats.	Wear close fitting gym clothing. Bare feet are acceptable. Wear running shoes or gymnastics slippers. Remind students to tie their shoelaces securely. No jewelry. Tie back long hair. Secure or remove glasses.	Design floor plan to allow enough space around each piece of apparatus for safety of movement. Design floor plan to allow for landing at safe distances away from walls and other equipment. Remove excess furniture and equipment (e.g., tables and chairs) from perimeter of gym.	Introduce beat board activities in a developmental sequence (e.g., take-offs and landing from beat board to mat before beat board to box horse). Teach skills in proper progression.	Provide on-site supervision.

			GYMNASTICS BOX HORSE Kindergarten to Grade 9
EQUIPMENT	CLOTHING/ FOOTWEAR	FACILITIES	SPECIAL RULES/ INSTRUCTION	SUPERVISION
KINDERGARTEN TO GRADE 9
Don’t use the beat board with the box horse at the primary level. Use velcro mats to designate the landing area.	Wear close fitting gym clothing. Bare feet are acceptable. Wear running shoes or gymnastics slippers. Remind students to tie their shoelaces securely. No jewelry. Tie back long hair. Secure or remove glasses.	Design floor plan to allow enough space around each piece of apparatus for safety of movement. Design floor plan to allow for landings at safe distances away from walls and other equipment. Remove excess furniture and equipment (e.g., tables and chairs) from perimeter of gym.	No aerial somersaults off the box horse. Use a box horse that is a suitable height for students (e.g., below shoulder height) and appropriate to the activity. Teach skills in proper progression.	Provide on-site supervision.

			GYMNASTICS CLIMBER Kindergarten to Grade 9
EQUIPMENT	CLOTHING/ FOOTWEAR	FACILITIES	SPECIAL RULES/ INSTRUCTION	SUPERVISION
KINDERGARTEN TO GRADE 9
Use trestles or wall climber. Do equipment set up and adjustment under teacher direction. Check clamps and feet of trestles, wall lever and floor pins of wall climber to ensure climber is secure. Check equipment daily for defective parts. Place mats on landing areas.	Wear close-fitting gym clothing. Bare feet are acceptable. Wear running shoes or gymnastics slippers. Remind students to tie their shoelaces securely. No jewelry.	Design the floor plan to allow enough space around each piece of apparatus for safety of movement. Design the floor plan to allow for landings at safe distances away from walls and other equipment. Remove excess equipment (e.g., tables and chairs) from perimeter of gym.	Place mats on all designated landing areas. Hanging inversions require direct instruction of teacher and placement of a 30.5 cm - 60.9 cm (12" - 24") landing mat. No inversions in which student is more than 1.5 m above the floor. Avoid overcrowding by students. Adjust equipment so it is appropriate to height of students and activity being performed. A child may climb on top of a horizontal ladder or bars that are at chest height. No hanging and traveling when the horizontal ladder or bars are above the chest height of the student (stretch height). No traveling on top of horizontal ladders or bars. No jumping from anything higher than the jumper’s own shoulder height. No approaching horizontal ladders and bars of trestles from the side as trestles could slide sideways. Teach skills in proper progression.	Provide constant visual supervision.

			GYMNASTICS CLIMBING ROPES Kindergarten to Grade 9
EQUIPMENT	CLOTHING/ FOOTWEAR	FACILITIES	SPECIAL RULES/ INSTRUCTION	SUPERVISION
KINDERGARTEN TO GRADE 9
Place mats under ropes (velcro mats together). Check ropes regularly for fraying. Don’t use severely frayed ropes, as students get slivers. For inversion activities use a 30.5 cm - 60.9 cm (12" - 24") landing mat.	Wear close fitting gym clothing. Bare feet are acceptable. Wear running shoes or gymnastics slippers. Remind students to tie their shoelaces securely. No jewelry. Tie back long hair. Secure or remove glasses.	Design floor plan to allow enough space around each piece of apparatus for safety of movement. Design floor plan to allow for landings at safe distances away from walls and other equipment. Remove excess furniture and equipment (e.g., tables and chairs) from perimeter of gym.	No inversions in which the student hangs more than 1.5 m above the floor. Introduce rope activities in a developmental sequence. Teach skills in proper progression.	Provide on-site supervision. Provide constant visual supervision for inversions.

			GYMNASTICS LANDING MAT Kindergarten to Grade 9
EQUIPMENT	CLOTHING/ FOOTWEAR	FACILITIES	SPECIAL RULES/ INSTRUCTION	SUPERVISION
KINDERGARTEN TO GRADE 9
Use a landing mat that is 30.5 cm - 60.9 cm (12" - 24") thick.	Wear close fitting gym clothing. Bare feet are acceptable. Wear running shoes or gymnastics slippers. Remind students to tie shoelaces securely. No jewelry. Tie back long hair. Secure or remove glasses.	Design floor plan to allow enough space around each piece of apparatus for safety of movement. Design floor plan to allow for landings at safe distances away from walls and other equipment. Remove excess furniture and equipment (e.g., tables and chairs) from perimeter of gym.	Use mats under elevated inverted body positions. Place landing mats to minimize movement of mat on impact. Teach skills in proper progression.	Provide on-site supervision. Provide constant visual supervision for inversions.

				GYMNASTICS MATS Kindergarten to Grade 9
EQUIPMENT	CLOTHING/ FOOTWEAR	FACILITIES	SPECIAL RULES/ INSTRUCTION		SUPERVISION
KINDERGARTEN TO GRADE 9
Place mats on all designated landing areas under and around equipment. Where mats are side by side, velcro them together. Do not overlap mats. Check mats regularly for wear and tears. Appropriate sizes for utility mats are: ensolite 3.8 cm (1½") trocellen 5.1 cm (2") ethefoam 3.8 cm (1½") sarneige 3.8 cm (1½") mats of equivalent compaction rating Use a 30.5 cm - 60.9 cm (12" - 24") landing mat when a student is in an elevated inverted body position.	Bare feet are acceptable. Wear running shoes or gymnastics slippers. No sock feet. Wear gym clothing that allows unrestricted movement. No jewelry. Tie back long hair and remove barrettes. Secure or remove glasses.	Design floor plan so that there is enough space around each piece of apparatus for safe movement. Design floor plan so that landings take place at a safe distance from walls and other equipment. Remove excess equipment (e.g., tables and chairs) from perimeter of gym.	Be aware of the physical limitations of students (e.g., strength, flexibility, weak wrists, epilepsy). Discourage students from attempting to perform front and back walkovers and backward rolls (directly over the head). Backward shoulder rolls can be performed instead. Teach skills in proper progression.		Provide on-site supervision for mats and utility boxes. Provide constant visual supervision if students are doing inversions on this equipment.

			GYMNASTICS MINI-TRAMP Kindergarten to Grade 9
EQUIPMENT	CLOTHING/ FOOTWEAR	FACILITIES	SPECIAL RULES/ INSTRUCTION	SUPERVISION
KINDERGARTEN TO GRADE 9
Cover frame and springs with secure protective padding. Place velcro mats to designate landing area. Allow no gaps between mini-tramp and landing surface.	Wear close fitting gym clothing. Bare feet are acceptable. Wear running shoes or gymnastics slippers. Remind students to tie shoelaces securely. No jewelry. Tie back long hair. Remove or secure glasses.	Design floor plan to allow enough space around each piece of apparatus for safety of movement. Design floor plan to allow for dismounts at safe distances away from walls and other equipment. Remove excess furniture and equipment (e.g., tables and chairs) from perimeter of gym.	No aerial somersaults off the mini-tramp. Teach skills in proper progression.	Provide constant visual supervision.

			GYMNASTICS SPRINGBOARD Kindergarten to Grade 9
Gymnastics activities on springboards are high-risk activities. Schools are encouraged to consider alternative program options to replace high-risk activities. Teachers who wish to instruct high-risk activities like gymnastics activities involving springboards require written permission from the board of education.
EQUIPMENT	CLOTHING/ FOOTWEAR	FACILITIES	SPECIAL RULES/ INSTRUCTION	SUPERVISION
KINDERGARTEN TO GRADE 9
Use velcro mats to designate landing area with no gaps between springboard and mats.	Wear close fitting gym clothing. Bare feet are acceptable. Wear running shoes or gymnastics slippers. Remind students to tie their shoelaces securely. No jewelry. Tie back long hair. Secure or remove glasses.	Design floor plan to allow enough space around each piece of apparatus for safety of movement. Design floor plan to allow for landing at safe distances away from walls and other equipment. Remove excess furniture and equipment (e.g., tables and chairs) around perimeter of gym.	Avoid aerial somersaults off the springboard. Teach skills in proper progression.	Provide constant supervision.

			GYMNASTICS TRAMPOLINE Kindergarten to Grade 9
Gymnastics activities on trampolines are high-risk activities. Schools are encouraged to consider alternative program options to replace high-risk activities. Teachers who wish to instruct high-risk activities like gymnastics activities involving a trampoline require written permission from the board of education.
EQUIPMENT	CLOTHING/ FOOTWEAR	FACILITIES	SPECIAL RULES/ INSTRUCTION	SUPERVISION
KINDERGARTEN TO GRADE 9
Inspect trampoline on a regular basis and repair as necessary. Instructor’s responsibilities include setting up and inspecting the trampoline before use. Use a trampoline with secure frame padding that covers frame and springs.	Wear close fitting gym clothing. Bare feet are acceptable. Wear running shoes or gymnastics slippers. Remind students to tie their shoelaces securely. No jewelry. Tie back long hair back. Secure or remove glasses.	Design floor plan to allow enough space around apparatus for safe use. Minimum ceiling height: 7 m.	Teacher familiarity with the contents of Gymnastics Canada’s Level One Trampoline coaching certification manual is desired. It is preferred that teachers become certified by attending the one-day trampoline course offered through the National Coaching Certification Program. Teach skills in proper progression.	Position trained student and/or teacher spotters around the trampoline when it is being used. Minimum one spotter per side. Use spotters who are tall enough so that the trampoline frame is at chest level. This may require the assistance of older students. Provide constant visual supervision during initial instruction. Provide on-site supervision following initial instruction.

			GYMNASTICS BARS, BEAMS, RINGS AND ROPES Grades 10-12
Gymnastics activities on bars, beams, rings and ropes are high-risk activities. Schools are encouraged to consider alternative program options to replace high-risk activities. Teachers who wish to instruct high-risk activities like gymnastics activities on bars, beams and rings require written permission from the board of education.
EQUIPMENT	CLOTHING/ FOOTWEAR	FACILITIES	SPECIAL RULES/ INSTRUCTION	SUPERVISION
GRADES 10 TO 12
PARALLEL BARS, HIGH BAR, STILL RINGS, UNEVEN PARALLEL BARS, FLOOR, BALANCE BEAM, POMMEL HORSE, VAULTING HORSE, ROPES Inspect equipment on a regular basis and repair as necessary. No springboards. Teacher’s responsibilities include a safety check for proper set-up and to ensure all locking mechanisms are locked prior to use. Use general utility mats: ensolite 3.8 cm (1½") trocellen 5.1 cm (2") ethefoam 3.8 cm (1½") sarneige 3.8 cm (1½") mats of equivalent compaction rating Don’t use 30.5 cm - 60.9 cm (12" - 24") thick mats as a landing surface for vaulting or for controlled landings (e.g., landing on feet) off any piece of equipment. Use landing mats that are 10 cm (4") or greater when the student is in an elevated, inverted body position. For initial attempts of inversion-type moves on any apparatus use a 30.5 cm - 60.9 cm (12" - 24") mat.	Bare feet are acceptable. Wear socks or gymnastics slippers except on the balance beam and when vaulting. Wear close fitting gym clothing. No jewelry. Tie back long hair. Secure or remove glasses.	Situate mats around/under apparatus as a landing area so that there is no overlap or open space. Take precautions to minimize the movement of mats on impact. Attach velcro mats. Provide sufficient space between apparatus to allow free movement and space to dismount.	Instruct students on safety related to gymnastics and all associated apparatus prior to using any equipment. Be aware of the physical limitations and initial skill levels of students. Do not encourage students to perform skills beyond their physical and psychological capabilities. Teach skills in proper progression.	Provide on-site supervision. Provide constant visual supervision when students are attempting difficult moves for the first time on an apparatus. Train students to spot each other appropriately.

			GYMNASTICS MINI-TRAMP Grades 10-12
EQUIPMENT	CLOTHING/ FOOTWEAR	FACILITIES	SPECIAL RULES/ INSTRUCTION	SUPERVISION
GRADES 10 TO 12
Cover frame and springs by secure protective padding. Use general utility mats or 10 cm (4") landing mat for landings, not thick landing mats. Set up equipment so there are no gaps between the mini-tramp and the landing surface.	Bare feet are acceptable. Wear running shoes or gymnastics slippers. Remind students to tie their shoelaces securely. No jewelry. Tie back long hair. Secure or remove glasses.	Design floor plan to allow enough space around apparatus for safety of movement. Design floor plan to allow for dismounts at safe distances away from walls and other equipment.	No inversions (e.g., dive rolls, somersaults). Teach skills in proper progression.	Provide constant visual supervision during initial instruction. Provide on-site supervision following initial instruction.

			GYMNASTICS TRAMPOLINE Grades 10-12
Gymnastics activities on trampolines are high-risk activities. Schools are encouraged to consider alternative program options to replace high-risk activities. Teachers who wish to instruct high-risk activities like gymnastics activities on trampolines require written permission from the board of education.
EQUIPMENT	CLOTHING/ FOOTWEAR	FACILITIES	SPECIAL RULES/ INSTRUCTION	SUPERVISION
GRADES 10 TO 12
Inspect trampoline on a regular basis and repair as necessary. Instructor responsibilities include properly setting up and checking the trampoline prior to use. Check that frame padding is secure and covers frame and springs.	Wear close fitting gym clothing. Bare feet are acceptable. Wear running shoes or gymnastics slippers. Remind students to tie their shoelaces securely. No jewelry. Tie back long hair. Secure or remove glasses.	Design floor plan to allow enough space around apparatus for safe use. Minimum ceiling height: 7 m.	Instruct students on trampoline safety. Only one student on the trampoline at one time. Instruct students landing outside the safety zone on the bed of the trampoline to stop bouncing and return to the centre of the trampoline. Teach students the concept of spotting. When students have mastered the "STOP BOUNCE" they are ready for other skills. Discourage students from attempting moves other than those allowed by the teacher. Avoid somersaults and knee drops. Do not ask students to do tasks they feel unprepared to attempt. Teach skills in the proper progression.	Locate trained student/teacher spotters around the trampoline when it is being used. Minimum 1 spotter per side. Provide constant visual supervision during initial instruction. Provide on-site supervision following initial instruction. Trampoline can be set up and taken down by trained students under constant visual supervision of the teacher.