Rebuilding the Community: Brandeis Gymnastics Club Returns

After five months off, just five gymnasts returned to the mats at Waltham’s Massachusetts Gymnastics Center on Monday, Sept. 22, to start a new season of rebuilding the Brandeis Gymnastics Club post-pandemic, The Justice reported. The turnout for the first practice back was unexpectedly low for a club that usually features a dozen regulars.

The club operates without coaches, relying instead on peer mentoring to create a relaxed atmosphere during practices at the center. Transport to the facility is arranged for Brandeis students, with President Summer Holmes ’28 picking up the team in a BranVan at Brandeis’ Gosman Athletic Center for the fifteen-minute drive to the Massachusetts Gymnastics Center.

Rebuilding the Brandeis Gymnastics Club After the Pandemic

We’re building back up, Holmes said in a Sept. 22 interview with The Justice, explaining that club numbers have dwindled post-COVID-19 compared to pre-pandemic figures. Holmes aims to maintain the momentum from the previous year, which saw numerous beginners join the sport for the first time.

It’s cool to see people get into the sport, because that doesn’t usually happen when you’re older in gymnastics, Holmes added in her interview with The Justice. During the Sept. 22 session, Holmes assisted a new member in learning a pullover on the bars, while cheers echoed across the gym whenever a teammate executed a move successfully.

Peer Mentoring and Community Support on the Mats

Returning members credit the club’s supportive community for keeping them engaged in the sport. Being around people who want to see you progress and who you want to see progress, motivates club member Ivana Marinkovic ’29, as she told The Justice on Sept. 22.

Members participate for the love of the sport, citing the United Club Gymnastics motto. While gymnastics typically carries high intensity that prompts most athletes to retire before adulthood, the United Club Gymnastics system provides competitive flexibility for beginners that differs from traditional National Collegiate Athletic Association structures.

Practice Schedule and Growing Turnout for the Season

Practices on Sept. 22 began at about 8:30 p.m. following a warm-up and stretching session led by Holmes, who directed basic floor skills including handstands, turns, and leaps. Members then separated to practice their choice of events, including vault, balance beam, uneven bars, or rings, before concluding with group conditioning and stretches at 9:45 p.m.

The welcoming environment appears to be drawing interest, as the second practice of the season saw a turnout with five additional new members, combining beginners and experienced gymnasts. Interested students can access information through the Brandeis Gymnastics Club page on Campus Groups, find the Instagram account for the Slack group chat link to RSVP for practices, and complete the required athletics waiver before attending.