The Polarettes welcomed Antoine Vallières and Josée Galinas, two coaches from Quebec to come and train and further certify the club’s gymnastic coaches.

Kimberly Jones, the Polarettes head coach, said bringing in outside coaches is an important step for the club’s development.

“It really means a lot, it goes hand in hand with what we have been talking about the last few times that we are trying to change the direction of the club,” said Jones. “(We want) to just show the kids they can have the same opportunities as kids in the south.”

Vallières and Galinas are both level four certified coaches in Canada, the highest such certification. To be a level four gymnastics coach you have to be invited by Gymnastics Canada.

Jones said the club wants to continue to educate the club’s coaches to continue to match the growing level of gymnastics in the territory.

“Withholding education from people is just not something we are interested in doing,” said Jones. “We are giving them as many opportunities as possible to learn from other people and certifying themselves higher to me is worthwhile.

“I had a conversation with someone along the way that said ‘why be a level four coach in the Yukon and why have a bunch of level three coaches when the level isn’t that high yet?’ I said because it’s not yet. The coaches need the education before they can build gymnastics that is at that level and the kids have those goals.”

Gymnastics has taken Vallières around the world to coach mainly trampoline. Quebec, where he is based, is considered a powerhouse in the sport but he says the smaller provinces and territories are catching up.

“Those little provinces are hungry to get better,” said Vallières. “It’s a very good thing for the sport and the country to get those smaller territories and provinces better. Now we see lots of little girls very hungry to be good and little talents growing here.”

Vallières said growing the gymnastics in the smaller delegations will create healthy competition in Canada but as well be beneficial for the networking opportunities.

“Especially if we have good relations with those places, like us coming here, it’s helping each other,” said Vallières. “I saw lots of things in their rec classes and I took pictures and thought this should be done in my gym too. We share a lot.”

Vallières and Galinas came to certify the coaches in competition one and trampoline two. Vallières said the coaches have been eager to learn.

“We were amazed by the talent here and the passion,” said Vallières. “Gymnastics is all about fun and passion both on the athletes’ side and coaches side and it showed. It’s nine days in a row of courses. They are learning so much, it’s lots of stuff.”

Vallières gave the Polarettes coaches trampoline training and hopes to see the Yukon competing in the discipline at future events.

“I’d really like them to be there at future Canada Games,” said Vallières. “We’ve really missed them at the Games. Trampoline is a new sport at the Games but maybe 2023 we will have someone from the Yukon. They could definitely do it. We were watching a few athletes and coaches and there could be something.”

As well as the coaches training from Vallières and Galinas the coaches also received judges training. Vallières said it will help the coaches when it comes to building routines.

“This judging perspective is just a plus to know how to prepare the girls for deductions and right positions,” said Vallières. “It could be like technical preference but the judges are judges, so you should go that way.”

Jones said since the coaches got judging certification the club can now host sanctioned meets.

“So now we can sanction meets and actually have certified judges,” said Jones. “In the past, it was pretty local. We would still judge but we weren’t trained so it was more of a fun meet. Now we will have real judges out on the floor when we host larger scale events.”

Having the coaches trained in their competition levels as well as the judging certification is part of Jones’ plan to put Yukon gymnastics on the map.

“That’s my goal to put Yukon gymnastics on the map,” said Jones. “I don’t know if stigma is the right word but there is a cultural thing in our sport where Yukon shows up to a competition … I’ve had people say ‘We weren’t expecting much.’ That’s something I want to change, we have a great gym, great resources, great athletes and great coaches. There is no reason we should not be showing up and doing great gymnastics.”