The pupils train twice a week, but you are also welcome to come once a week. That is perfectly fine in athletics. In principle, training sessions always take place; however, when the weather is so bad (code yellow/orange/red) that responsible training is not possible, a training session is cancelled. We will announce this via the WhatsApp group for pupils. Training can still take place in light rain.

What do the pupils train?

Pupils train in all kinds of different running, throwing, and jumping events. We do this based on the events featured in the Athletic Champs. The Athletic Champs events are used in most pupil competitions. During the winter forest training, endurance running is the focus, and this is offered in various game formats.

• U8: you will turn 7 next calendar year (mini-pupil)
• U9: you will turn 8 next calendar year (C-pupil)
• U10: you will turn 9 next calendar year (B-pupil)
• U12: you will turn 10 or 11 next calendar year (A-pupil)

Communication

We use a WhatsApp group for virtually all communication regarding training sessions and matches. Please contact one of the trainers to sign up for this app group. If you have questions about training, trial periods, or other matters, please let us know. For questions regarding the U8/U9/U10 categories (BC-Mini pupils), you can contact karlijn.gvac@gmail.com. For questions regarding U12 (A-pupils), please contact sjoerd.rikkers@gvac.nl.

Expectations of you as a parent

We expect a number of things from parents when your child comes to play sports at GVAC:

• Encouraging the children, though if they don’t feel like it for once, that is of course fine.
• Helping out where necessary; at many matches and training sessions, all help is welcome and often necessary.
• Keeping the trainers informed of what is going on and what we can or must take into account.
• Watching the TRACK training is allowed along the side of the court, behind the fence. It is not intended for you as a parent to walk across the field. Keep any other children who are not participating with you and do not let them play with the equipment, for example.
• Unfortunately, watching the INDOOR training is not allowed. This is only permitted on the sidelines during the last 5 minutes of the training. (There is an exception for the first 2 training sessions for new children; then a parent is allowed to watch in the hall).
• The trainers are responsible for your child during training. It helps best if you also let your child listen to the trainer and do not give instructions yourself as a parent. (After the training, there is an opportunity to ask the trainers questions about the approach or procedures.)
• Therefore, always follow the instructions of the trainer(s).
• See above on this page for the registration procedure for trial training sessions. This also applies to brothers, sisters, friends, and girlfriends. Bringing others along (even just once) must always be done in consultation with the trainers. Under the heading ‘Communication’, you can see who is responsible for this for each category.
• During training sessions, it is not permitted to take photos or videos of the training, the trainers, or children other than your own.
• If your child is bothered by something or is in pain before the training, it is often better to skip a training session than to only be able to participate partially.