52 Dec. 19, 2009 - Jan. 8, 2010
Youth
www.SanTanSun.com
Arizona Olympian springs kids into healthy lifestyles
by Joan Westlake
In a world with growing concern over childhood
obesity, getting kids on a healthy path seems a diffi cult
but vital goal. Arizona Olympian Gymnastics in Chandler
has offered structured yet fun classes since 1986, guiding
youth toward athletic goals and active lifestyles.
Since 1979, Lyle Guthrie, executive program director
and head of the men’s elite team, has been training and
developing many state, regional and nationally ranked
gymnasts. For the past 20 years, he has trained gymnasts
on the state and regional Boys All-Star Teams for Levels
5 through 10. This past season, he was an assistant coach
for Arizona State University’s men’s gymnastic team.
According to Guthrie, physical education class in
the 1960s was ranked in the top three of importance STSN photo by Gordon Murray STSN photo by Gordon Murray
for subjects taught in public school. Now, it isn’t even GOOD FORM: Coach Sterling Guthrie spots Tanner Day while he GET HEALTHY: McKenzie Walsh gets some pointers from Coach
in the top 10. In addition to weight gain and loss of
practices the rings. Natalie Broekman at Arizona Olympian Gymnastics.
coordination, some point to the lack of PE time to run off
energy as contributing to the increase in kids diagnosed
we have one of the most competitive boys and girls gymnastics, when he is 15, every coach in the high school
with hyperactivity.
programs in the country, which is unusual because the wants him from football to basketball to baseball. The
“At Arizona Olympian, we have a recreational program,
norm is that it is set up to be a very competitive girls’ gym, two attributes that gymnastics creates is strength and
a tumbling program and a cheer program,” explains
and they don’t care about the boys because there is more fl exibility. Coordination and endurance develop from
Guthrie. “The recreational is for kids as young as 2 all the
money in girls’ gymnastics. But here, both the girls and those traits.”
way up to 18 to come in and enjoy doing gymnastics. The
boys compete at a high level.” Guthrie asserts that while the program is competitive,
difference between our tumbling and cheer program is
Guthrie himself was a specialist on the rings. He said the kids have a great time and take pride in what they
that the girls who come in and do tumbling are usually
his plan was to get his teaching degree and come back accomplish.
10 and older with the goal to become a cheerleader in
and be a gymnastic coach at a high school. As part of the “Before they consider signing up, I want people to
junior high and high school. To become a cheerleader,
downward slide of youth health in the early ‘80s, high send their kids to a trial class,” Guthrie explains. “Right
you have to know how to tumble. Then, we have a cheer
schools dropped their gymnastic programs. after the class, you talk to your children and fi nd out if
program with all ages, as young as 5. The girls wear the
“When I was in college, I was coaching a bunch of they enjoyed the class. If they say they want to do this 25
cheer outfi ts and go out and compete.”
little 4- and 5-year-olds,” he says. “I realized when you times a week, it is your clue that they are serious.”
Guthrie says Arizona Olympian Gymnastics is the
worked with these kids when they are that young, they Arizona Olympian Gymnastics is located at
place for boys and girls whose parents recognize they
can be 10 times better than when you start working with 22606 S. Gilbert Rd. in Southern Chandler. Visit
have children who are very coordinated with possible
them in high school. I’ve shown over and over again
www.AZOlympianGymnastics.com or call 480-802-8559
Olympic potential.
that when you take a 5-year-old boy and put him in for program and activity details.
“The reason why we are the gym for them is because
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76