THE DULUTH YMCA AERIALS
This is a year-round program for individuals interested in developing quality gymnastics skills while instilling the YMCA core values of caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility. Our competitive program is governed by the USA Gymnastics Xcel Program; which provides gymnasts with a more adaptive experience in a competitive realm, and an opportunity for a rewarding ongoing gymnastics experience.
Our competitive program has five levels: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, and Saphire. In that order, each level increases in difficulty and time commitment. It is our current process that students participate in at least one session of Prep Team before joining our Aerials team. If you are interested, please talk to your coach about your students' goals, and email hschulte@duluthymca.org
JOINING THE TEAM
We welcome all athletes ages 6 and older with at least one session of Prep Team gymnastics experience to our team who wish to compete in women's artistic gymnastics. At this time, we are not able to offer a men's artistic gymnastics competitive program.
Any athletes who may be a good fit for team but did not participate in prep team will be contacted upon coach's recommendation.
Team is open to new members to join during the non-competitive season, April-June. After the beginning of summer team practices, you will need to wait until the 2025-2026 season to join.
When you join the team, you are committing to the full year-long season. Please contact Hayden Schulte, hschulte@duluthymca.org, for more information on joining our team!
REGISTRATION IS CURRENTLY OPEN FOR NEW COMPETITION ATHLETES TO JOIN THE TEAM.
Interested in joining this season? Contact director Hayden Schulte for more information. Prices listed below are beginning in June 2024.
Bronze | 4 hrs/week | Ages 6+
Our Bronze level team skills are most comparable to our Y recreational gymnastics Advanced Gym Kids level skills. We require team athletes to have completed at least one Ad. Gym Kids rec class or have equivalent gymnastics skills from an outside program. Participants transferring from a JO program must be in current level 1 or 2.
YMCA FAMILY MEMBER: $105/month
COMMUNITY: $140/month
Silver | 5 hrs/week | Ages 6+
Our Silver level team skills are most comparable to our Y recreational gymnastics Gym Stars level skills. Participants transferring from a JO program must be in current level 2, or 3.
YMCA FAMILY MEMBER: $132/month
COMMUNITY: $167/month
Gold | 8 hrs/week | Ages 7+
Gymnast must receive a 31.00 All Around score in Silver Division or be at level 3 or 4 if transferring from a JO program.
YMCA FAMILY MEMBER: $210/month
COMMUNITY: $245/month
Platinum | 9 hrs/week | Ages 8+
Gymnast must receive a 31.00 All Around score in Gold Division or be at level 5 or 6 if transferring from a JO program.
YMCA FAMILY MEMBER: $227/month
COMMUNITY: $262/month
Diamond | 9 hrs/week | Ages 9+
31.00 All Around score in Platinum Division or be at level 7-10 if transferring from a JO program.
YMCA FAMILY MEMBER: YMCA FAMILY MEMBER: $227/month
COMMUNITY: $262/month
REGISTRATION IS CLOSE FOR 2024-2025 COMPETITION SEASON. IT WILL OPEN AGAIN BEGINNING APRIL 2025. TO JOIN THE TEAM: PLEASE CONTACT HAYDEN SCHULTE, HSCHULTE@DULUTHYMCA.ORG 218.464-5172 IF YOUR GYMNAST IS INTERESTED IN JOINING ONE OF THESE LEVELS.
Aerials Gymnastics Summer Camp
A full week of Team Camp will be coming back to you in 2025!
Team Camp 2024 was a success!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
USA Gymnastics Membership ($65.00) Due July 31st
This membership is required for all gymnasts competing in our Xcel Program. USA Gymnastics is the entity that governs competitions and competitors in the sport. Athletes must be a USAG member to compete in sanctioned events.
MN State Head Tax ($15.00) Due with State Meet Payment
This fee is assessed to all gymnasts in order to keep our state’s gymnastics program running.
Competition Attire Due August 31st
All levels ($130): leotards may be purchased in full for $130 or paid as a rental fee of $70 for each season. The leotard will need to be returned at the end of the season if it is rented. If there is damage, the family will be charged the price to replace the leotard. We will try to purchase new leotards every 2 years, and have a leotard swap the year in between. Leotards are the only required piece of attire for competitions.
Warm up jackets ($90) Order forms will go out in September. These are optional.
Meet Fees ($60 - $150) Competition fees are due as requested by the Host Team
These registration-type fees are collected by the host team to help cover the cost of judges, awards, etc. A $25-35 “coaches fee” will be automatically added to each meet fee for team/coach expenses.
Travel (expenses vary)
As with most sports, gymnastics requires some traveling. You can expect to travel several times per season. Since each family is responsible for making their own travel arrangements, it is impossible to estimate the cost of travel. The amount depends on each family’s needs, just please be aware some traveling expenses may be incurred. Typically, meets will not require lodging.
Summer Practice Schedule (June 10th - August 23rd, 2024)
- Bronze
- Monday 4:30-7:00 p.m.
- Thursday Split Practice- Either 4:00-6:00 p.m. or 6:00-8:00 p.m.
- Silver
- Monday or Tuesday Split Practice- 4:30-7:30 p.m.
- Thursday 4:30-7:00 p.m.
- Gold
- Monday 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
- Wednesday Choice of 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. or 4:30-7:30 p.m.
- Thursday 4:30-7:00 p.m.
- Platinum/Diamond
- Monday 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
- Wednesday Choice of 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. or 4:30-7:30 p.m.
- Thursday 4:30-8:00 p.m.
- Team Make-up/Open Gym
- Fridays 3:00-5:00 P.M.
- Free to athletes that missed at least one practice that week, $10 to athletes that would like to attend. Must sign up by 12 p.m. that Friday or the coach may cancel practice!
School-Year Practice Schedule (September 9th, 2024- May 31st, 2025)
- Bronze
- Tuesday and Thursday 4:00-6:00 or 6:00-8:00 PM.
- Silver
- Monday 4:00-6:00 or 6:00-8:00 P.M.
- Split practice days Wednesday or Thursday 4:30-7:30.
- Gold
- Monday 4:30-7:30 P.M.
- Wednesday 4:30-7:30 P.M.
- Friday 4:30-6:30 P.M.
- Platinum/Diamond
- Monday 4:30-7:30 P.M.
- Wednesday 4:30-7:30 P.M.
- Friday 4:00-7:00 P.M.
- Team Make-up/Open Gym
- Saturdays 9:00-11:00 a.m.
- Free to athletes that missed at least one practice that week, $10 to athletes that would like to attend. Must sign up by 10 p.m. that Friday or the coach may cancel practice!
2024-2025 Meet Schedule:
August 18th: "Mock Meet" Duluth, MN: Bronze & Silver
September 14th-15th "Pink the Rink", Grand Rapids, MN: Bronze & Silver
September 28th-29th: "Go for Gold" White Bear Lake, MN: Bronze & Silver
October 12th-13th: "Ghost and Goblin" Forest Lake, MN: Bronze & Silver
November 2nd-3rd: "Cooler by the Lake" Superior, WI: Bronze & Silver
November 23rd-24th: "Chalk it Up" Roseville, MN: Bronze &Silver
December 13th-15th "Bronze and Silver State Meet" Falcon Heights, MN: Bronze & Silver
December 20th: "Mock Meet" Duluth, MN: Gold, Platinum and Diamond
January 18th-19th: "Blugold Invite" Eau Claire, WI: Gold, Platinum & Diamond
January 24th-25th "Winter Classic Spectacular" St. Paul, MN: Gold, Platinum & Diamond
February 15th-16th: "Tropical Twist" St. Cloud, MN: All Levels
February 28th-March 2nd: "Northern Lights" Minneapolis, MN: Gold, Platinum, and Diamond
March 8th-9th: "Northern Lights" Minneapolis, MN: Gold, Platinum, and Diamond
March 21st-23rd: "Minnesota State Gymnastics Gold-Sapphire" Minneapolis, MN, Gold, Platinum and Diamond
April 26th-28th: "Region 4 Xcel Championships" Madison, WI: Silver, Gold, Platinum and Diamond
USA Gymnastics Membership ($65.00) Due: July 31st
This membership is required for all gymnasts competing in our Xcel Program. USA Gymnastics is the entity that governs competitions and competitors in the sport. Athletes must be a USAG member to compete in sanctioned events.
MN State Head Tax ($15.00)
This fee is assessed to all gymnasts in order to keep our state’s gymnastics program running.
Competition Attire Orders
All levels ($130): If a family chooses to rent, a rental fee of $70 will be collected for each leotard per season. The leotard will need to be returned at the end of the season. If there is damage, the family will be charged the price to replace the leotard. We will try to purchase new leotards every 2 years.
Warm up jackets ($90)
Optional purchase.
Meet Fees ($55 - $150) Competition fees are due as requested by the Host Team
These registration-type fees are collected by the host team to help cover the cost of judges, awards, etc. A $25 “coaches fee” will be automatically added to each meet fee for team/coach expenses for regular season meets within a 90-minute drive. A $35 coaches fee will be applied to all regular season competitions further than 90 minutes away.
Qualification only meets like State and Regionals will have coaches fee calculated based on the number of qualifiers.
Travel (expenses vary)
As with most sports, gymnastics requires some traveling. You can expect to travel several times per season. Since each family is responsible for making their own travel arrangements, it is impossible to estimate the cost of travel. The amount depends on each family’s needs, just please be aware some traveling expenses may be incurred. Typically, meets will not require lodging.
