Gymnastics Australia
Encyclopedia
Gymnastics Australia is the governing body
for the sport
of gymnastics
in Australia
.
is thought to have originated in the early 20th century by eastern European immigrants. It wasn't until after World War I
when Australia was in the Great Depression
that people started turning to organisations like the YWCA
for support. From these community based groups the sport started to flourish. Around the same time, gymnastics was included in the school curriculum at Geelong Grammar, Wesley College
and Carey Grammar. Australians participated in the sport for the first time at an Olympic Games
at the Melbourne Games
in 1956.
. Gymnastics Australia runs coordinates and provides gymnastics for Australians through eight Association Members:
Gymnastics Australia sets the routines and routine guidelines for the National Levels Program which are used by gymnasts around the country.
Sport governing body
A sport governing body is a sports organization that has a regulatory or sanctioning function. Sport governing bodies come in various forms, and have a variety of regulatory functions. Examples of this can include disciplinary action for rule infractions and deciding on rule changes in the sport...
for the sport
Sport
A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
of gymnastics
Gymnastics
Gymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body...
in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
History
Gymnastics in AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
is thought to have originated in the early 20th century by eastern European immigrants. It wasn't until after World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
when Australia was in the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
that people started turning to organisations like the YWCA
YWCA
The YWCA USA is the United States branch of a women's membership movement that strives to create opportunities for women's growth, leadership and power in order to attain a common vision—to eliminate racism and empower women. The YWCA is a non-profit organization, the first of which was founded in...
for support. From these community based groups the sport started to flourish. Around the same time, gymnastics was included in the school curriculum at Geelong Grammar, Wesley College
Wesley College, Melbourne
Wesley College, Melbourne is an independent, co-educational, Christian day school in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Established in 1866, the college is a school of the Uniting Church in Australia. Wesley is the largest school in Australia by enrolment, with 3,511 students and 564 full-time staff...
and Carey Grammar. Australians participated in the sport for the first time at an Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
at the Melbourne Games
1956 Summer Olympics
The 1956 Melbourne Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVI Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in Melbourne, Australia, in 1956, with the exception of the equestrian events, which could not be held in Australia due to quarantine regulations...
in 1956.
Present day
Gymnastics Australia runs a head office in Melbourne, Victoria, and is the representative body to FIGFédération Internationale de Gymnastique
The Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique or International Federation of Gymnastics is the governing body of competitive gymnastics. Its headquarters is in Lausanne, Switzerland. It was founded on July 23, 1881 in Liège, Belgium, making it the oldest international sport organisation...
. Gymnastics Australia runs coordinates and provides gymnastics for Australians through eight Association Members:
- ACT Gymnastics Association Inc.
- NSW Gymnastics Association Inc.
- NT Gymnastics Association Inc.
- Queensland Gymnastics Association Inc.
- Gymnastics South Australian Inc.
- Tasmania Gymnastics Associations Inc.
- Victorian Gymnastics Association Inc.
- Gymnastics Western Australia Inc.
Gymnastics Australia sets the routines and routine guidelines for the National Levels Program which are used by gymnasts around the country.