How I Survived Coaching 15 Pre-Team Gymnasts (And Why Our New Pre-Team Planner Exists)

Okay, let me start by saying… if you ever get the chance to take on 15 pre-team kids at once, don’t.

But seriously—when the first group of athletes I coached reached Level 8–10, it was time to start fresh with a new group. We had moved gyms and finally had the staff and space to build something from the ground up. My first thought? The more, the merrier! So, we held a big team tryout and selected 15 little gymnasts who were eager to join our newest pre-team group.

Looking back… I probably wouldn’t recommend starting with that many at once. But somehow, we made it work. It definitely wasn’t luck—it was structure.

I knew that if I didn’t get organized, chaos would take over. This became obvious after the very first practice. So, I built systems: rotation schedules, lesson plans, progress-tracking sheets, reward systems, behavior charts, and clear expectations for both athletes and parents. The gym stayed structured, the kids stayed engaged, and—most importantly—they progressed.

Fast forward, those same athletes are now moving into Level 3. Watching them step confidently into their second year of competitive gymnastics made all those long nights of planning worth it.

But here’s the truth: I also know exactly how much time it took me to build everything from scratch. Most coaches are perfectionists by nature, and we don’t have hours to sit down and design an entire planner—complete with tracking sheets, goal pages, rotation plans, parent communication forms, and all the other moving pieces.

That’s why I created the Raise the Bar Pre-Team Gymnastics Planner.

Honestly, it’s everything I wish I had when I started—organized, customizable, and ready to go—so you can spend more time coaching and less time buried in paperwork.

Inside, you’ll find:

• Structured blank lesson plan templates

• Athlete skill progress tracking sheets

• Parent communication tools

• Fun pages (birthday sheets and reward charts)

• and more!

  
  

If you’re coaching pre-team (or even thinking about starting one), this planner will save you hours of prep and give your athletes the structured foundation they need to thrive.

Available Now!

Pre-Team Planner

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