The Lahja Sport gymnastics club has structured its activities to address the challenges posed by children’s lack of physical activity. The Gymnast’s Path takes into account both the athlete’s skill level and the opportunity to participate in other sports as well. Although the club aims for the highest level of gymnastics, it wants to offer a variety of recreational opportunities alongside competitive sports. 

Kerttu Kankaanpää, 11, had tried several sports before taking up gymnastics. She says she was hooked from the very first time. 

– With gymnastics, something just felt right. The best thing about the sport is definitely my teammates. We train a lot and are very close-knit. We’ve become a tight-knit group, and I’ve made a lot of friends through the sport, says Kankaanpää. 

Lahja Sport’s gymnastics program is strongly based on an age-group system. Each age group covers two different age years. 

– Within each age group, it’s possible to train with a specific goal in mind, with slightly less focus on goals, or just for fun. We want to offer gymnasts and their families the opportunity to choose the level of commitment and the amount of training they want. This also allows for flexibility in costs. You can structure your participation based on, for example, how often your child wants to train each week, says Karita Aalto, Head Coach at Lahja Sport. 

– The Gymnast’s Path program was designed to address the societal challenges posed by children’s limited and one-sided physical inactivity. We set out to diversify the opportunities for physical activity for this particular age group. At the same time, we have communicated to parents that, as a club, we also want to support participation in other sports. We believe it is important not to choose a sport too early, she adds. 

Gymnasts’ voices are heard in everyday life

Lahja Sport has given the club’s gymnasts the opportunity to contribute to the development of the gymnast’s pathway. Feedback has been collected by age group from the very beginning. According to Kankaanpää, providing feedback has been easy. 

– We can request different stretches as well as warm-up and cool-down exercises during practice. At the end of the season, we always receive a feedback survey asking for our suggestions for the next season. We can share our thoughts on topics such as team rosters and the number of practices. There are also a couple of feedback surveys during the season that ask about training-related matters. 

According to Kristiina Viikari, the club’s executive director, efforts have been made to lower the threshold for giving feedback. The goal is to foster an open culture of dialogue within the club, where members can voice their wishes throughout the season. 

– Gymnasts get to fill out a motivation letter early on, at the end of the season. Of course, this is primarily sent to parents of first- and second-graders, for example, but we encourage families to fill out the letter together with their child. We want children to learn to voice their hopes and dreams. For older children, we send out a monthly MiKu survey (Mitä Kuuluu/How Are You? survey), which the child answers themselves. If there are any concerns or worries, we encourage our gymnasts to share them. 

– Staying in touch is really important. We send quick updates via voice messages, which helps us foster a culture of open communication from the very beginning. The lines of communication are always open. We tell both the players and their families that no one has to be left to worry alone if something is on their mind, Viikari sums up. 

Kankaanpää has also shared his wishes in his feedback. 

– Our coaches are really great. They know how to encourage us while also pushing us to do our best. In the feedback surveys, I’ve asked for feedback on areas where I need to improve. It’s been nice to see that my requests have been heard and that I’ve received the feedback I wanted during practice. 

The club wants to support and listen to every gymnast

Although Lahja Sport aims to reach the pinnacle of international gymnastics, the club recognizes that striving for the top is not necessarily for everyone. 

– We don’t expect everyone to be at the top of their game. We want to support children and young people at whatever level they choose to participate. We want to be adults who listen and offer options. 

Lahja Sport also utilizes the “Aseman Lapsien Friends” mentoring program launched by the Finnish Gymnastics Federation, which helps strengthen children’s emotional skills and self-image. According to Viikari and Aalto, this is a natural path toward mental coaching that begins in adolescence.  

– The program has been a great help in fostering a culture of open dialogue. Children learn to manage their emotions and express their thoughts to adults. This is the cornerstone of our work, and naturally we want to support it in the best way possible. An open culture of discussion builds an even better gymnastics program, Viikari sums up.