This week I am thrilled to introduce you to Southeastern Gymnastics, my daughter has been taking gymnastics there for several months and I have been so happy I couldn’t wait to tell you about them! Many of you know Southeastern because of their stellar reputation; their gymnastics team is one of the best not only in the area but the nation. Each year gymnast from Southeastern are awarded scholarships to schools across the United States including UCLA, University of Maryland, NC State and others.
The coaches at Southeastern are “committed to enhancing children's lives through fitness, self confidence and discipline. Programs for preschoolers has been designed to promote greater strength, flexibility and coordination, develop spatial awareness and perceptual awareness, along with increasing confidence.”
The coaches at Southeastern are skilled in training elite gymnasts. Four of them, including director Ludmilla Shobe, have coached on national levels in Eastern Europe. It's rare for a NC gym to have such a coaching pedigree. Ludmilla Shobe was a former Soviet National Team coach. She was the coach of 3 time Olympian Svetlana Bogiunskaia. Under Ludmilla's coaching Southeastern Gymnastics competitive team has won numerous State, Regional and National Championships. In 2008 the NC association of Women's gymnastics named Ludmilla the NC coach of the year in 2008. In 2010 she was named region 8 coach of the year, putting her in the running for USAG National Coach of the year.
In addition to classes for school age children, Southeastern offers a great selection of classes for the beginning gymnast, the selection of preschool classes ensure that your beginning gymnast is offered a safe setting to explore and develop.
Tot Class are offered for 1 ½ - 2 year olds, these classes introduce flexibility, coordination, and muscle memory while introducing children to gymnastics equipment
Tykes Class for ages 2-3 is filled with games, conditioning exercises, and the introduction of age appropriate skills.
Cubs Class for ages 3-4 moves your tyke into instruction on all apparatuses including vault, bars, beam and floor
Tiger Class for ages 4-5 includes instruction on all of the apparatuses, obstacle courses, the rope climb, block jumps, trampoline and more.
Each of the preschool classes are designed to develop a love of exercise and gymnastics. I have seen first hand the love and dedication the coaches have for their gymnasts. When my daughter is in her classes, I watch the older girls (because they are AMAZING) and I am always blown away by the interaction between the coaches and the girls, they are firm, loving and committed to their success.
One of the other things that has impressed me about Southeastern is the amount of conditioning that even the youngest gymnast do, the commitment to protect their developing bodies is amazing. There is a deep understanding that these are still little kids, that their bodies need to be cared for and trained. What’s even more amazing is that they are having so much fun they don’t even know they are working out!
Southeastern offers rolling admission on all classes, you can enroll at anytime and trial classes are offered for a small fee.
In addition to classes, Southeastern has a great line up of summer camps (that fill up so don’t wait) and birthday parties!
Don’t just take my word for it! Here is what other local moms and kids have to say about classes at Southeastern:
“I like that I get to bounce and flip!” Mia age 5
“I love the awesome coaches. They give me an opportunity to be more confident about myself and be the best person and gymnast I can be. Southeastern is a place I can be with great friends doing something I love” Joanna age 11, Team Gymnast
“Both of my daughters have taken classes at Southeastern and one is on the team. The staff is amazing, their ability to differentiate their style for each child makes it truly a special place. Their concern is always for the safety of the kids as a mom I am grateful for that. My oldest has learned discipline that continues on to her school work and into everything she does” Elaine Gym Mom
"Z and K are both there and they love it. They are serious but understand how to balance discipline with nurturing young girls and pushing them to be their best. They are very experienced and knowledgeable in what they do" Beverly Gym Mom of 2
"I like jumping in their cheese pit" and "I like Miss Gina" Emie age 4
"I love the parallel bars at Gym and the coaches are nice" Emmerson age 5
