CALGARY, CANADA: Calgary Gymnastics Centre is a non-profit organization dedicated to making a positive impact in the lives of the children and adults who train there. Luke O’Geil, a coordinator and competitive trampoline and tumbling coach, works with young athletes between the ages of 9 and 14 along with Brittney Jewan who is a Coach & National Athlete. After reading The Art of Learning several years ago, O’Geil began incorporating principles such as The Power of Presence and Learning the Macro from the Micro into his coaching, and using techniques such as visualization to enhance performance.
“It is and has always been my aim to leave a life-long positive impact on those I coach,” O’Geil says. “Therefore, learning how to better apply The Art of Learning principles to trampoline and tumbling gymnastics in order to set my athletes up for success in their sport and success in life overall is my mission.”
O’Geil reached out to The Art of Learning Project with an interest in deepening his exploration of the learning principles with his athletes. The coaching team at Calgary Gymnastics Centre has begun to incorporate Listening First and Breaking Down Walls into their coaching to help their athletes begin to identify their learning styles, strengths, and challenges, and to help the coaches best suit their coaching to the children’s needs. They are expanding the journaling routines they already had in place to include reflection, introspection, and a daily MIQ process, which will support the gymnasts in Investment in Loss and Valuing Process Before Results. Additionally, the teenage gymnasts will work on Loving the Game in order to build confidence, an appreciation for challenge, and intrinsic motivation.
Several weeks after beginning this program, O’Geil shared, “The implementation of the resilience principles has been tremendously valuable to our group. After introducing the principles, practicing their essence in training, and reflecting on their impact in journaling I have seen an incredible shift in independence and confidence in the athletes. It is truly amazing to see how their minds are adapting to these protocols, how their mindset is shifting”.