Start the New Year Organized: A Coach’s Guide to Your Best Gymnastics Season Yet
- raisethebargymnast
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
The new year is one of my favorite times in the gym. It’s a reset button, a chance to reflect, refocus, and get intentional before competition season is fully underway. Gymnastics coach organization isn’t just about being tidy. It’s about creating clarity, reducing stress, and setting your program up for success long before your athletes salute the judge.
Start the Year With Clear Goals
Before we talk about meets or routines. I always start by looking at the big picture. I created the Reflections & New Year Intentions PDF around the exact questions I ask myself at the beginning of every season. This goal-setting sheet helps me slow down and think intentionally about where my program is heading.
I use this sheet to: Reflect on what worked last season and what didn’t. Identify patterns within the program and create intention behind training instead of reacting to the schedule. Along with review the culture and philosophy of the program.
When I take the time to truly reflect on the past year, I always uncover things I would have missed just moving through the day-to-day. Having clear goals and a defined mission allows me to make better decisions as a coach. Whenever things get busy, I can come back to that foundation and ask, "Does this align with our program philosophy?"
Mapping It Out With the Team Coach Planner
Once goals are set, the Team Coach Planner is where everything comes together. This planner is my go to for the season. It allows me to organize training blocks, track progress, and plan ahead so nothing feels rushed or last-minute.
Using the planner at the start of the year helps me: Lay out lesson plans, set clear expectations around meet schedules, track attendance and stay proactive instead of scrambling week to week.
When coaches are organized, athletes and parents feel it. Practices run smoother, expectations are clearer, and there’s more mental space to actually coach.
Getting Meet-Ready With Vault & Bar Setting Sheets
Meet prep is where organization truly pays off. One of the most stressful parts of competition season can be equipment setup, especially when you’re juggling multiple athletes and sometimes multiple levels in one session.
That’s why I rely on my meet-day systems. One part of that is my Vault and Bar Setting Sheets. These take the guesswork out of competition day by allowing coaches to: Record each athlete’s exact vault height and springboard settings. Keep all bar and vault settings in one place for quick reference, which is one piece of reducing meet-day chaos and unnecessary stress.
I typically keep a meet-day binder with all athlete settings organized and ready to go. Having everything in one spot allows me to focus on what actually matters, preparing athletes to feel confident and ready to compete.
Organization Is a Competitive Advantage for Gymnastics Coaches
None of these tools are about doing more. They’re about doing things better. Organization behind the scenes directly impacts athlete confidence on the floor. When coaches are prepared, athletes trust the process.
The new year isn’t about reinventing everything. It’s about refining systems, raising standards, and setting the tone for a confident, organized season.
At Raise the Bar Gymnastics, we believe preparation matters, and we’re here to provide you with the tools to help you have your best year yet!
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