Next Level Aug 2017

TUMBLING TIMES The

Sept 2017

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. “ Phil 4:13

251.621.5797 | www.nextleveltumbling.com

The Surprise of a Lifetime The Christening of a New Building Turns Into Something Extraordinary

Gymnastics coaches have to do a lot of planning. We’ve got classes going on every day, and it’s important to devote the proper amount of time to each and every tumbler who walks through our doors. There are some events in life, however, that you can’t plan for, and those can provide you with magical moments you’ll never forget. I was lucky enough to experience one such moment recently, and it took me by complete surprise. My boyfriend, Steven, runs a gym just one block away from ours. He happens to also put out a newsletter, which some of you may read. One program at his gym has become so popular that he’s been having trouble making space for other clients. A while back, he realized that he was going to need a new space to accommodate all of the growth. When that project was finally finished, it was time for a grand reopening celebration. Coincidentally, the ceremony was scheduled to happen right after I was finished working out. Covered in sweat, I was happy to stand in the back and support Steven in his massive accomplishment. Little did I know what would happen next. After thanking all the gym members who made the new space possible, Steven began thanking his wonderful team members for making the expansion a success. Then he asked me to come up to the front, which wasn’t surprising. He always makes it a point to thank me publicly and tells me he loves me in front of everyone. But this time, he had other plans.

He began by thanking me for my encouragement, and that’s when it happened: He dropped down to one knee! I was overcome with joy, but I kept my composure long enough for him to formally propose. As you can probably guess from how giddy I am recounting this story, I said yes. After planning the reopening, we’ve moved on to planning a wedding. When you start a life together, it makes you think about the ongoing nature of the family and those who came together before you. Steven and I both lost our fathers to cancer, and none of our wonderful grandparents are with us anymore. It makes me sad that they won’t be in attendance for the ceremony in person, but I know they’ll be there in spirit.

For now, I’m just happy to bask in the elation of being newly engaged. I love you, Steven. Thank you so much for a day I’ll never forget.

– Lori

1

251.621.5797

Published by The Newsletter Pro • www.NewsletterPro.com

Extracurricular Overload Every parent knows that a poorly organized tangle of kids’ activities is a recipe for a migraine. As school starts up again, so does sports season, and your kids’ extracurricular ambitions pile up like the falling autumn leaves. Don’t let yourself get burnt out. Here are some tips to stay sane in the midst of the extracurricular whirlwind. rescheduled 9/21” on the first scrap of paper you come across. That doesn’t mean you have to be hyper-organized, but it does mean that you need to keep your entire calendar in one place, whether that place is Google Calendar, a fridge whiteboard, or the old-fashioned standby: a calendar with a lighthouse on every page. One particularly attractive option is the Cozi app (cozi.com), which not only consolidates an entire family’s calendars, but allows you to include to-do lists, shopping lists, recipes, chore checklists, andmore. Whichever system you choose, keep it updated. Its word is law. Consolidate all your scheduling, jotting, and activity-tracking into one system. Let’s get one thing straight: You can’t afford to be scrawling “Abby piano lesson

How To Demystify Your Kids’ Jampacked Schedules

Formparent alliances. Those soccer practices Jacob’s going to? There are other teammates there, and they have parents shuttling them around, just like you are. Set up carpools —Noah’s momdrives themboth Tuesday while you’ve got Thursdays — tomanage scheduling conflicts between your kids and drastically reduce the time you spend as a chauffeur. To simplify the process andmake sure everyone’s on the same page, check out the Carpool-Kids app at carpool-kids.com. It’ll let you directly invite other parents and set up weekly or one-shot carpool schedules. Maintain balance. You almost certainly will need to say no to additional extracurricular activities every now and then. Sure, simultaneous baseball, football, and soccer seasons might seemhealthy and fun for your kid, but you need to consider your own needs, as well. Many parents give their children free rein over what to choose, but limit activities to one or two per season. Johnny wants to do underwater basket weaving? Strange choice, but sure— though he’ll have to abandon either fencing or ice hockey. Make sure you weigh each child’s needs equally, and keep the rules the same for each of them.

Meet BRICE PAYNE! COACH SPOTLIGHT

As we enter fall, it’s time to say goodbye to our summer camps at Next Level Tumbling. These last sessions were a blast for both coaches and campers alike, though nobody had

the way up in Auburn, Maine. In addition to traveling wherever the wind takes him, Coach Brice enjoys hiking, golf, disc golf, kayaking, and chasing storms. Basically, if it lets himbe up andmoving, you can bet he’ll like to take part. Coach Brice’s energetic personalitymakes himan excellent tumbling coach, but his biggest gift is his passion. He loves this sport, and it shows in every aspect of his coaching. Though Coach Brice doesn’t coach competitively at Next Level Tumbling, cheerleading hasn’t lost its excitement here. “I love the tumbling part,” he’s remarked onmore than one occasion. “It’s great towork with young athletes and teach everything from standing tucks to fulls. Tumbling has always beenmy favorite part of being a coach.”

more fun than Coach Brice Payne! He is awesome at working summer camps, likely because he’s a big kid himself in some regards, which is meant as a compliment. Born and raised in Fairhope, Coach Brice has a great love for the area, especially Fish River andWeeks Bay. During his eight years as a tumbling coach, Coach Brice has workedwith JV and varsity cheerleaders at schools across Fairhope. He’s coached teams at Fairhope Middle School, SummerdaleMiddle School, and

BayMinette High School and has assisted Coach Lori in leading the cheerleaders of Spanish Fort Middle School to a first-place victory at camp in Home PomRoutine. Though Fairhope will always be his home, coach Brice loves to travel. His favorite destinations include California, Maine, and Denver. In fact, his favorite restaurant happens to beMac’s Grill, all

When it comes to tumbling coaches, we’re happy to have one of the most fun-loving, fantastic coaches you could ever hope for. Thanks for everything, Coach Brice! We’re lucky to have you.

2

www.nextleveltumbling.com

When the Going Gets Tough Challenges in Parenting an Athlete

they struggle with a certain technique. Because of this, they get frustrated and want to quit. By letting themquit immediately, however, you’re teaching them that frustration is always bad, rather than a motivator to improve. Inmy eyes, parents should encourage their child to confront frustration head-on. When the child succeeds, they’ll feel somuch better precisely because they toughed it out. For Children 11 and Older: At this age, comparisons to peers becomes an especially thorny issue. Rather than trying to be the best they can, kids want to be on the level of their friends and fellow gymnasts —not tomention the fact that other interests start cropping up, ranging from cheerleading to dances. Quitting an activity is always the easy way out. If you teach your children that perseverance and practice will help them achieve their goals, it will benefit them not just in sports, but in every aspect of life.

Parenting an athlete can be challenging and stressful. You want to do what’s best for your child, but how do you knowwhat that is? Here are a few tips to guide you along the way, depending on the age of your child. For 4- to 5-Year-Olds: Typically, children of this age are fickle. When they start a new activity, they will almost always be excited. For a lot of young kids, though, that excitement will fade, and they’ll find an excuse to stop showing up. Usually, that excuse is pain. Kids are clever, and they know that saying their back hurts will trigger alarmbells for a parent. My advice to parents dealing with these or other objections is to encourage your child to stick it out for a season. If your child tried to find a way to get out of school, you wouldn’t allow it. You should apply the same approach to extracurricular activities.

For 5- to 10-Year-Olds: At this stage, the most common issue is a child encountering difficulty in their sport. They now know a few tricks, but maybe

2 Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

Meme Corner

APPLE CRISP Winning

Ingredients

(Recipe courtesy of tasteofhome.com.)

•

1 cup all-purpose flour

•

1/2 cup butter, softened

•

1 cup water

•

3/4 cup rolled oats

•

4 cups chopped, peeled apples

•

1 teaspoon vanilla extract Vanilla ice cream, optional

•

1 cup packed brown sugar

•

1 cup sugar

•

•

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

•

2 tablespoons cornstarch

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 350 F. In a large bowl, combine the first four ingredients. Cut in butter until crumbly. Press half of mixture into a greased 2½ quart baking dish or a 9-inch square baking pan. Cover with apples. 2. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, water, and vanilla. Bring to a boil; cook and stir 2 minutes or until thick and clear. Pour over apples. Sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture. 3. Bake 60–65 minutes or until apples are tender. Serve warm, with ice cream if desired.

3

251.621.5797

PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

INSIDE 26090 Equity Drive, Daphne, AL 36526 251.621.5797 | www.nextleveltumbling.com

page 1

The Surprise of a Lifetime

page 2

Extracurricular Overload

page 2

Coach Spotlight

page 3

When the Going Gets Tough

page 3

Winning Apple Crisp

page 4

The Museum of What?

The Museum of What? nex t

The World’s Strangest Museums

Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum Osaka, Japan | It’s not just college students and video gamers who love ramen. Since the invention of the instant noodles by Momofuku Ando in 1958, ramen has evolved into a beloved dietary staple from Japan to Jamaica. The museum named after its creator offers you the chance to look at some of the strangest versions from around the world. As an added bonus, you can even design your own packaging. Bring along some chopsticks, as there are plenty of samples to slurp up.

Museums are a staple of vacations no matter where you travel. Everyone has heard of the Louvre and the Smithsonian, but you might be surprised to learn about some of the stranger museums around the world. For nearly every passion, there is a building somewhere dedicated to it. Take a look at some of the weirdest. Sulabh International Museum of Toilets Delhi, India A functioning toilet is something everyone takes for granted until they don’t have access to one. In India’s capital, you can explore the fascinating history of commodes. From primitive examples you would never use today to gold- plated bathroom thrones from palaces across the world, the variety of toilets on display is staggering. Divided into three sections — ancient, medieval, and modern — you’ll be shocked at how much you can learn about history and culture through an examination of the ways a society flushes (or doesn’t). The Museum of Bad Art Dedham, Massachusetts There are plenty of museums dedicated to exceptional artwork from history, but only one dedicated to less-than-successful artistic endeavors. The Museum of Bad Art, or MOBA, promotes itself as the home of “art too bad to be ignored.” A trip to MOBA will leave you smiling, laughing, and feeling a little better about the fact that you’re not Picasso.

The Kansas Barbed Wire Museum Rush County, Kansas

Plenty of museums are hands-off, but that’s usually to protect the precious objects held within. At the Kansas Barbed Wire Museum, not touching the exhibits is just sound advice. The development of barbed wire was instrumental in settling the American West, and this museum pays tribute to the ingenuity of those farmers who wanted to make sure their cattle stayed on their property and thieves stayed out.

4 www.nextleveltumbling.com

Published by The Newsletter Pro • www.NewsletterPro.com