Every four years, athletes from around the world gather for the Summer Olympic Games, and one of the favorite sports for spectators is gymnastics. As we cheer on the U.S. gymnastics teams when they compete in Beijing next month, the YMCA is proud of its connection to the sport.
While the roots of gymnastics date back more than 2,000 years, modern times saw the inclusion of the sport in the 1896 Olympic Games. At the time, YMCAs across the North Shore were just putting down roots in the community after the Civil War. They taught fitness and "body building" classes back then, but this form of exercise more closely resembled what we consider today as gymnastics.
"Gymnasiums" were built to house climbing equipment, tumbling mats and barrels to vault over. The founding members of the YMCA believed that "a man's well-being depended on an essential unity of spirit, mind and body." This concept was used in creating the YMCA's signature triangle logo and mission statement.
The Salem YMCA held gymnasium classes as far back as 1895. Men and boys learned the parallel and horizontal bars, "German horse," mat exercises, juggling, and weight lifting. The instructors planned gym exhibitions where the boys would perform their skills for an audience.
At the turn of the century, men at the YMCA grew tired of the style of gymnastics they were being taught. They loved the outdoor activities of football and rugby, but didn't care for indoor fitness activities. Over the next few years, those involved with the International YMCA Training School in Springfield invented basketball, volleyball and racquetball. They moved toward team games and away from gymnastics.
The rest of the world continued to participate in the sport. Formal lessons resumed at the local Y's in the late 1960s and early '70s.
The Marblehead/Swampscott YMCA began to offer the "gymnastics" we know today. Early sessions were held in the gym, which is also the basketball court. Equipment had to be broken down and set up for each practice. There was no specific space dedicated to the sport. Their program moved to Salem State College in 1990.
"When Salem State dropped their gymnastics team, I went to the youth director to see if I could expand the program by renting out their space," said Danielle Walker, who has been teaching and coaching gymnastics at Marblehead/Swampscott for 22 years. In 1997, the program moved to Mason Street in Salem and in 2003, the Warwick Cinema on Pleasant Street in Marblehead was renovated into the current gymnastics facility.
When the new facility on Leggs Hill Road opens later this year, it will be the first time the program has been housed in its own dedicated space within the Marblehead/Swampscott YMCA facility. Walker hopes to expand boys gymnastics, among other offerings, with the increased space.
In Beverly, gymnastics lessons were held in the Cabot YMCA gymnasium. When the Sterling YMCA gymnasium was built in 1985, the program moved there. Like Marblehead, the program didn't have an area specifically for gymnastics, so the equipment had to be broken down and moved daily.
In 1997, they moved to a rented space on Brimbal Avenue. When the renovation of the Sterling Center was complete in 2003, they moved back and now have their own space with tumble pits, trampolines and multiple sets of apparatus.
The YMCAs now offer camps, lessons and teams in gymnastics and cheerleading.
YMCA teams and gymnasts have been very successful over the years. Two Marblehead/Swampscott gymnasts have been named all-American and placed in the top five at the National Championships. The team has also placed in the top 10 at several National Championships.
The Beverly Y team has had similar successes winning the Level 4 Regional Championships this year and sending several gymnasts to championship meets.
While the Greater Beverly YMCA and Marblehead/Swampscott YMCAs are best known for their gymnastics programs, all the North Shore YMCAs offer some form of the sport, including preschool instruction at the Ipswich and Salem YMCAs.
Since the Y was founded, gymnastics, in its many forms, has been a big part of the YMCA. From fitness to fun, the girls and boys who participate in the programs learn skills, flexibility and goal setting through personal achievement and team accomplishments. The Y is committed to nurturing children and teens who participate in this historic sport. Whether kids aspire to be Olympians or just enjoy the physical fun, the Y is proud to have had such an impact on the sport over the last 150 years.
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Stephanie Lyons works for the YMCA of the North Shore, which celebrates its 150th anniversary this year. In honor of the milestone, The Salem News will run a monthly story on the history of the Y and its accomplishments. For more information on the YMCA of the North Shore, call 978-922-0900 or visit www.northshoreymca.org.
