Frequently Asked Questions!

• "What should my child wear for class?"

Appropriate attire includes:

• Hair tied back – out of face (and preferably hair is not below the nape of their neck)
• Jewellery, watches and fitbits left at home, so equipment is not damaged and to ensure gymnast/coach safety
• Clothing should be stretch fabric or loose fitting enough to allow movement but not baggy
• Female gymnasts are encouraged to wear a full-piece leotard. (underwear is not recommended under a leotard)
• Male gymnasts should wear a tight-fitting t-shirt or singlet, shorts cut above knee height (e.g. Rugby style shorts) with no pockets.  Underwear (briefs) must be worn at all times under shorts (boxer shorts are not acceptable)

•  "What should my child bring to class?"

A small carry bag (i.e. sports drawstring bag/library bag) for:

• Water Bottle - Please ensure your child brings along a FULL water bottle to take into class with them. This MUST contain water only.
• Belongings - i.e. shoes
• Equipment - Competitive Squad gymnasts may have equipment that is needed at all training sessions and events (refer to our parent handbook or your resources in your login tabs)
• Medical Equipment (if required) - inhalers! If your child has severe allergies and is attending training or an event, please leave their Epi-Pen with their coach or our club manager Karen!

• "My child cannot attend training... how do I let the club/coaches know?"

Letting coaches know that your child will not be attending is very helpful. It assists with planning during the immediate session, and if it is due to injury/sickness, it also helps prepare for your child's return to training (what content was missed, etc.).

We have an email address just for parents reporting absences, an effortless way for our coaches to be informed ASAP.

Please save this to your contacts list in case it is needed at some stage:    absences@darwingym.com

• "How can I communicate with my child's coach?"

If you want a quick overall update on your child's training, you may try to catch them at the end of your gymnast's session. Please remember our coaches often go straight from one session to the next, so there is not much time for large debriefs, as they will not let their following class miss out on their training time.

If you have issues or concerns or wish to talk pathways, please read below:

To ensure clear and consistent communication between Management, Coaches, Parents and volunteers, all communication is requested via the Club email or the Club Manager, if in person. This includes ensuring that coaches are not contacted directly via text, messenger or email for any reason.

To protect the Club, coaches and gymnasts, any discussions regarding performance, ongoing injuries, behavioural matters, or other general concerns should be discussed with a Senior Coach with the Club Manager in attendance via appointment. If you wish to book an appointment, please email              admin@darwingym.com

• "What are my child's coaches' training experiences and accreditations?"

DGC is affiliated with Gymnastics NT (GNT) and Gymnastics Australia (GA), and as such, our staff, organisational processes, and venue have standards and regulations to adhere to. Our team maintains their annual technical membership with GA and working with children clearance (WWCC). There is a coach pathways framework, with our coaches having accreditations ranging from beginners to Advanced Silver (FIG 2) across gym sports.

These are achieved through face-to-face courses, assessments, additional certificates, first-aid, and key competencies requiring signing off (spotting logbooks and hours). The more experienced a coach is the more workshops and annual training they must complete for updating points. Many of our coaches also have degrees in exercise and sport science, or strength and conditioning qualifications. Check out our staff profiles to see what accreditations our coaches hold.

• "When do I have a chance to spectate my child's gymnastics?"

We understand that it would be ideal to have an open spectating area, however with our training hall's current format, there is insufficient space to allow for this. Throughout the year we do run events where we hire spectator space from the other hall users (table tennis).

Parents do watch from the front and back doors, and there is plenty of parklands around our hall if you wish to hang around. If you choose to 'Drop & Go', we recommend walking your child to the patio area before leaving.

The same applies to picking up your child after their training. Please walk up to the hall and collect your child.

• "What do the term fees go toward?"

- Please refer to our Parent Handbook in your resources tab for more information -

Recreational Classes:

In general, when registering for term recreational classes, this includes 10x weekly classes. Sometimes, we offer shorter blocks for certain programs. For example, Adult classes are offered in 5-week blocks. I.e. Term 2 block A, Term 2 block B.

During certain times of the year, public holidays are more frequent. We understand families use public holidays as opportunities for camping and trips away, but when you are still in town, still come to class. We run our classes on all public holidays except for Easter Friday!

Squad Classes:

The term fees for our Squads are calculated yearly, taking into account sessions missed due to planned events (competitions, PAD tests, fundraiser fun days), and squad training sessions offered over the holidays. The yearly fee is then divided into 4 lots of term fees. Holiday training is offered over 6-8 of the 12 annual school holiday weeks, with training hours dependent on the squad your gymnast is in. These sessions are used to help gymnasts maintain their physical preparation - strength, flexibility, and injury prevention. We cross-train groups, so gymnasts have the chance to work with their own team members, as well as those from other levels and squads. There is also more opportunities for fun team building, as merged squads often have the whole gym to themselves!

• "Why do I have to pay an annual registration?"

Gymnasts are charged annual registration fees to cover registration with Gymnastics Australia, Gymnastics Northern Territory (GNT), club membership and personal accident insurance. Registration is a National requirement and is paid yearly before a gymnast commences training. An annual equipment levy is also included in the DGC Registration fee. 

Darwin Gymnastic Club is a not-for-profit organisation. It has a firm commitment to the registration of all members in compliance with the National Codes of Practice. DGC will take reasonable steps to ensure that all required information collected, used or disclosed is accurate, complete, up-to-date and stored in a secure environment accessed only by authorised persons.