Safety is crucial for gymnastics gyms and gymnasts, especially during parties or open gyms. This past weekend, a 10 year old girl landed in the hospital after a bad jump on the trampoline sent her flying through a glass window. The young girl was attending a Halloween Party at a local gym when this accident happened and she left the hospital with over 100 stitches, but luckily no broken bones. Read the entire story on ABC 7 here.

 

This freak accident highlights the dangers of not only the skills in gymnastics, but also equipment. In this particular gym, large trampolines were positioned just a few feet away from large glass windows. While this may not seem like a problem, one off jump could send even the most experienced gymnast to the hospital.

 

While there is no way to completely eliminate accidents, especially in a sport like gymnastics, there are things you can do to reduce the likelihood of one.

 

As a gymnast:

- Listen to your coaches and follow safety rules

- If you see something out of place like a piece of equipment, tell your coach

- Don’t be afraid to ask for extra clarification or instruction on a skill or drill

 

As a parent:

- Make sure the coaches have safety rules and procedures in place

- Make sure your child follows the rules

- Meet the coaches and make sure you are comfortable with them and feel they are trustworthy

 

As a coach:

- Go over safety rules and make sure to enforce them

- Check that equipment is set properly 

- Make sure gymnasts are comfortable with what they are doing

- Don’t let gymnasts attempt a skill they are not ready for