 Hey IGDC parents!
Summer 2012 at IGDC was filled with fun, friends and plenty of fantastic memories to last a lifetime…and we’re ready to do it all over again in 2013! We are happy to announce that registration for IGDC summer 2013 is now open on the IGDC website!
It’s never too early to register for the best day camp in the Poconos! There are NINE amazing sessions from which to choose in summer 2013, and early registration comes with great rewards! Enroll for IGDC 2013 by November 3, 2012, and receive $60 off tuition!
Register your camper for IGC 2013 early and receive big rewards:
- Register by November 3, 2012, for a rate of $225 per week ($60 savings)!
- Register by January 12, 2013, for a rate of $240 per week ($45 savings)!
- Register by March 16, 2013, for a rate of $255 per week ($30 savings)!
- Register by May 18, 2013, for a rate of $270 per week ($15 savings)!
- Register after May 18, 2013, for a rate of $285 per week
Parents can also save an additional $20 per week by registering their IGDC camper for eight weeks or more! Check out 2013 session dates on the IGDC website!
For summer 2013, parents will be automatically charged a $50 deposit per session due at the time of registration. The remaining balance of tuition will automatically be charged to the credit card on file in the parent account on May 1, 2013. The full cost of tuition is due with registration at any time after May 1, 2013.
There are plenty of surprises in store for IGDC summer 2013! As always, IGDC offers campers the opportunity to enjoy a ton of awesome activities while meeting new friends and building self-confidence, coordination, body awareness and strength! IGDC summer 2013 will be the experience of a lifetime you don’t want to miss!
Enroll for IGDC 2013 today at www.internationaldaycamp.com to receive early registration rewards!
 “IGC is uniting the gymnastics world in 2013, and ISTC is bringing athletes and adventure enthusiasts together for an all-sport summer camp experience! IGC’s sister camp, International Sports Training Camp, is perfect for the active camper who enjoys playing sports! Just minutes down the road from IGC, ISTC features a similar structure with a fun, family atmosphere.
For 2013 session dates and information, check out the ISTC website at www.international-sports.com, or stop by for a tour! Tours will be held on Saturday, Oct. 20, by appointment. Call the ISTC office to schedule your tour today at 570-620-2267, or by email at office@international-sports.com. See you there!
Stay up-to-date with the latest news from both IGC and ISTC on Facebook and Twitter! Follow us @IntlSportsCamp and @OfficialIGC!
 It’s that time of year again! International Gymnastic Camp’s annual Thanksgiving Clinic will be here before you know it! The Pocono leaves are turning and fall is quickly approaching as IGC prepares for the amazing two-day clinic that will mimic a regular week at camp. The 2012 IGC Thanksgiving Clinic will be held on Friday, Nov. 23 and Saturday, Nov. 25, at the IGC campus in Bartonsville, PA.
The clinic is open to beginner through advanced gymnasts, ages 6 to 17, with several options from which to choose! In addition to IGC’s knowledgeable and fun gym staff, veteran celebrity guests, three-time Olympian, five-time American Cup Champion and five-time National Champion, Blaine Wilson; and three-time Olympian Gold Medalist and seven-time World Champion, Svetlana Boguinskaia will join the IGC team to coach campers in IGC’s world-class facilities!
Last year’s Thanksgiving Clinic was a blast, and we’re hoping to make 2012 the best Thanksgiving Clinic yet! The clinic mimics a regular week at summer camp with gym sessions arranged in day long, 45-minute classes. Campers are encouraged to work on progressions to attain new skills under the guidance of some of the finest gymnastics coaches in the country! All of IGC’s five incredible gyms will be open for use, as well as IGC’s amazing recreation activities! The full event schedules for girls and boys are available for viewing on the International Gymnastics Camp website.
Four options are available for coaches and parents looking to register their athletes in IGC’s annual Thanksgiving Clinic from a full weekend with housing and all meals included to day camp and off-site housing. Athletes who choose to stay on site in IGC’s heated cabins will be housed with our amazing counseling staff! The minimum age for overnight stay at IGC is 7-years-old. To download a coach’s application, visit the International Gymnastics Camp website.
Registration for the 2012 IGC Thanksgiving Clinic is open until Monday, Nov. 12 (late fee of $20 will be applied after Nov. 12).
Join us for IGC’s annual Thanksgiving Clinic, a fun and exciting mini-camp experience you won’t soon forget! For more information and schedules for IGC’s Thanksgiving Clinic check out the Thanksgiving Clinic portion of the IGC website! For photos and video of last year’s awesome IGC Thanksgiving Clinic visit IGC’s Facebook page.
Register online under the 2013 season today at www.internationalgymnastics.com!
 From Olympic All-Around Gold to missing the 2012 Olympic Team and everything in between, the last five years have been a roller coaster for Nastia Liukin, and International Gymnastics Camp has been along for the ride every step of the way! Adored by gymnastics fans everywhere, America’s favorite gymnast has visited IGC every summer since she was 18 years old. Now 23, and officially retired from the podium, Nastia still looks forward to meeting over 400 of her biggest fans in one place. Achieving her ultimate hopes and dreams in Beijing by taking home a stunning five medals, three silvers, a bronze and the All-Around Gold, has prepared her for whatever life has in store. Just off the plane from the London Olympics working beside NBC as a commentator, IGC sits down with Nastia to talk about her time at IGC, her second attempt at Olympic glory and where life will lead her next.
IGC: How many years have you been visiting IGC?
NL: My first year was in 2008, I think it may have been right after Olympic Trials. I came for a day or two, so this would have to be my fifth year at IGC.
IGC: How do you think attending a gymnastics camp like IGC could benefit young athletes?
NL: I think it’s such a good opportunity for kids to get away from home for a week or two weeks, and I really think it makes you grow up a little bit. I started traveling so early in life. My first international competition was when I was 12 so you kind of have to fend for yourself. It’s a good opportunity for these kids to be able to make their own decisions, but still have great counselors to oversee it all.
IGC: You’re very big on visiting camps and meeting as many young gymnasts as possible. Why is that something you enjoy doing so much each year?
NL: I think it’s just fun for me. When I’m training I don’t really get the opportunity to meet many kids. To be able to reach out to fans is great, because they’re the ones that come to our competitions and they’re the ones that cheer for us and scream for us so it’s fun.
IGC: There are plenty of Nastia fans here! What is your favorite part about returning to IGC?
NL: IGC is such a big camp. Seeing like 400 people at one time is really cool, and it’s great to see the love and joy on their faces. I always try to remind myself that this is the day where I get to meet 400 kids at a time, but for everybody else this might be the only time that they get to meet me. It’s really heartwarming to see how excited the kids are.
IGC: That’s so awesome! Do you have a favorite IGC memory?
NL: I think just walking into camp is my favorite. I just flew in from London last night, walked straight to the cafeteria and all of sudden kids were screaming. I thought ‘Oh my gosh, what’s going on?’ I’m looking around and they’re all just pointing at me. The warm welcome is very special.
IGC: You’ve had millions of adoring fans since winning the All-Around Gold medal at the Beijing Olympics in 2008. Does something like that ever get old?
NL: It doesn’t really get old. People ask me that all the time, but for me every time is just like the first time. That’s why I enjoy coming [to IGC]. I enjoy every aspect of it, and just being able to hang out with kids is awesome.
IGC: When you visited IGC last year you weren’t sure if you were going to try for the 2012 Olympics. What made you make the decision to go for London?
NL: It was kind of at the end of summer was when I started really training again. I knew I was going to be in London one way or the other and I didn’t want to have the thought of ‘what if I would have tried?’ Looking back, I have absolutely no regrets. The thought of being in London and having regrets wouldn’t have been enjoyable at all.
IGC: What were some of the differences in training for the 2012 Olympics at 22 years old versus the 2008 Olympics at 18 years old?
NL: It was definitely harder, especially because I had taken a few years off. With trying to get back into the swing of things and my body not feeling like it did when I was 15 or 16, I had little aches and pains every day. I’ve learned a lot about myself in the past few months, but I think it will help me with the rest of my life.
IGC: What was your initial recreation to falling on the uneven bars during Olympic Trials and knowing you may not make the 2012 Olympic team?
NL: I knew at that moment I had no chance of making an Olympics team, but it wasn’t about that anymore. It was about finishing what I started, to try and make a second team, whether it happened or not. I had already achieved my ultimate dreams and goals in Beijing. My parents always taught me that no matter how hard or how painful it is, you always have to finish what you started.
IGC: Was it difficult to finish that bar routine and move onto beam knowing your chances of making the 2012 team were slim?
NL: To finish that [bar] routine and move onto beam wasn’t easy, but I knew I had to do it. Looking back, it was one of those things that ranked really high with winning my All-Around Gold medal and seeing almost 20,000 people on their feet is something that I’ll just remember forever. I kept saying it wasn’t about my performance. It wasn’t about having such an amazing bar routine, because I fell, or even my beam routine. I just got that sense that it was for other reasons and it was just so heartwarming.
IGC: It was a beautiful moment to see thousands of fans supporting you through a difficult time, but even though you missed the 2012 team you were still very much involved with gymnastics during the Olympics.
NL: I had such an amazing time being able to watch the girls, cheer them on, and fulfill many of the roles that I had with the FIG and with NBC. I was also on The Today Show a lot, and the last week I just got to spend some time with friends. There’s nothing like the Olympics so that was really cool for me just to be able to be there. Of course, having tried but not making it, it was still such a great opportunity to be at the Olympics and still be involved.
IGC: Did you receive a lot of support from fans and friends in London?
NL: Yes, I think that was something that was really cool for me too. There were so many people coming up to me during the Olympics that had watched Olympic Trials saying, “We’re so proud of you and we cheered for you. You’re a hero to us and to our children.” That moment really made me realize that it wasn’t about winning another gold medal. It was just about me giving it another shot.
IGC: Do you still hope to stay involved in the sport now that you are officially retired from competition?
NL: Absolutely. I definitely hope to stay involved with gymnastics, both with USA Gymnastics and the FIG, for many years to come. I’m moving to New York in January to go to New York University so that’s kind of what’s on my radar next, but before that I’m on the creative team and will be performing for the Kellog’s Tour starting in September. I start rehearsals in about a week, so that will be 40 cities and that ends in November. Hopefully I’ll be able to take a little break after that and then start school!
IGC: Wow! You are always on the go! Is retiring a bittersweet kind of feeling, or are you ready to just move on?
NL: I feel like a lot of athletes are different, but I totally went out with everything I had ever dreamed about and more. I am completely fine with my gymnastics career so it’s not really bittersweet for me. I’m ready to move on with my life, but gymnastics will always be a part of it forever. As far as training six hours a day, seven days a week…I’m ready to hang that up.
IGC: Moving to New York sounds exciting, what are you planning on studying at NYU?
NL: I’m hoping to study sports management and then a little bit of broadcasting. That’s something I want to do in the future, hopefully with NBC. It’s going to be such a change from Texas to New York, but I’m excited for the challenge. I’m excited for a new chapter. I think the daily challenges are something that I would have missed about gymnastics, but going to New York and going to school will be my next challenge! I just love New York. Everyone is just on a mission. I always wear a lot of bright colors so my mom told me I’m just going to have to bring all my black.
IGC: Do you still hope to return to IGC in the future?
NL: Yes, as of right now I’m not really looking to take summer classes that way I can still do what I do during the summer. I’m just taking it one semester at a time. I want to get in and get out of New York as fast as possible just because I love Dallas. I’ll probably end up living there forever!
IGC: You’ve definitely got a full plate, but with everything you’ve accomplished in the last four years I’m sure you’re going to be fine! We wish you the best of luck in the future!
NL: Thank you! New York is going to be a great opportunity and a great experience!
Look for Nastia in the 2012 Kellog’s Tour of Gymnastics Champions coming to a city near you!
 The countdown to IGC summer 2013 has begun, and what better way to celebrate than to take advantage of IGC’s early registration rewards! Register by November 30, to receive $75 off your 2013 IGC tuition! IGC’s awesome sister camp, International Sports Training Camp, is only minutes away and offers great ways to save too! ISTC is perfect for IGC siblings and friends looking for an all-sport summer camp adventure.
Check out what ISTC staff is all about in this fun YouTube video, and don’t forget to check out the ISTC website at www.international-sports.com!
 As a camper, Justin Spring couldn’t wait to return to International Gymnastics Camp every summer, and 20 years later, nothing has changed. Since he was 9, Justin has carved time out of his busy schedule to visit IGC at least once every year as a camper, an NCAA Champion, a 2008 Olympic Bronze medalist, and as the head coach of the 2012 National Champion Men’s Gymnastics Team at the University of Illinois. Not only does he make time to return to IGC, he looks forward to passing on the knowledge and inspiration he gained at IGC throughout his 20-year run. Although Justin retired from the podium after the 2008 Olympics, he returned to the stage last year as one of the main athletes in IGC’s exciting skill-for-skill gymnastics competition, Evolution. IGC’s camp magic is what keeps Justin coming back to the place where it all started.
IGC: It’s crazy to think that you’ve been to IGC every summer since you were 9-years-old. How many years is that?
JS: I believe 1993 was my first year [at IGC] so that’s pushing about 20 years. The only summer I missed was my freshman year of college. I remember sitting in school and counting down the weeks. It was that big for me, and I still enjoy myself a lot. It’s really fun to come back!
IGC: What kind of changes have been made since you were an IGC camper?
JS: It’s definitely changed a lot, and they’ve made some incredible upgrades. Ultimately, I think the camp experience is the same because they still bring back Olympians that the kids look up to and admire. Being coached by them is fantastic, but even just getting to know them and hang out with them is great.
IGC: You lead a busy life as head coach of the Illinois Men’s Gymnastics Team and you’re a new dad! How do you carve time out of your schedule for a week at IGC every summer?
JS: IGC was like Disneyland when I was a kid. I made some incredible friendships, most of which are still intact today. I think the energy and the people were a big part of it. It really felt magical.
IGC: Do you have a favorite IGC memory that sticks out in your mind?
JS: I remember a conversation that I had with John Macready about if I had what it took to be an Olympian. I think I was like 14, but I still remember it very vividly. He told me I had what it took, but I had a lot of work to do. It was an eye-opener and I didn’t act on it for years, but it was cool. I was so crazy and out there [as a kid], loaded with talent, but needed a lot of focus and direction. I got that at IGC.
IGC: As a former camper, do you think attending gymnastics camp benefits athletes?
JS: Yes, I know it does. For me, camp is about having fun and getting away from the monotony of working with your coach. You have to keep the fun involved in the sport. IGC does a great job of incorporating fun, excitement and all of the different coaches bring different ways of teaching.
IGC: Do you see IGC with a different perspective now that you’re a full-time coach?
JS: It’s a very different kind of coaching. A lot of what I do is upper-level technical work, but also building a sense of team and togetherness for a common goal. We just won the NCAA Championship, and I can proudly say I’m the youngest coach who’s ever won it.
IGC: What’s it like to lead a freshly crowned NCAA Championship Team?
JS: The Illinois team has been a great team for over 100 years and I came in at a great time. I just came off being an athlete, but I just love the life coaching aspect of it. I really try to inspire and pull out the passion from them. If I can tap into the passion that really drives you, you can get a person that’s not going to stop at anything to accomplish a goal.
IGC: Why do you think you chose to stick with gymnastics for as long as you have? What made you want to be a part of the sport for the long haul?
JS: I think I was drawn to it. I was just really good so the talent level kept me interested. I think a certain type of problem-solving personality is drawn to this sport, and I’m really big into that. It’s never been more evident than now because I have a five-week-old baby at home. I’m having a very in-depth lesson on patience right now, but it’s good because I’m going to need it.
IGC: Coming from the underdog Olympic Team that took the Bronze medal in 2008, what do you think went through the minds of the 2012 Men’s Olympic Team during their fifth place finish?
JS: I think that this team had all of the expectation on their shoulders whereas we were the group of nobodies. We had lost the golden boys, Paul and Morgan Hamm, who really put men’s gymnastics on the map. The 2012 team placed at World Championships the year before, the scores they were putting up were huge and the talent and potential was very, very big. I think it was just a lot of pressure.
IGC: You’re an excellent motivator. Maybe they should have put you on the floor to lift their spirits!
JS: Maybe I would’ve been able to slap Horton out of it because we’ve been through so much, but I’ve never competed with Orozco or Danell. You really have to get a read for people. One of the hardest things to do is come back when you’re supposed to be this amazing, indestructible team and you make big mistakes. How do you fight the pressure and the expectation of NBC and billions of viewers? Competing at the Olympic Games is not fun. It’s tough.
IGC: You’ve done so much with gymnastics over the years. What have been your biggest accomplishments within the sport so far?
JS: I can’t really answer what my greatest accomplishment is because I feel like they’re yet to come. I’ve never been one to hang diplomas on my wall because I feel like putting something on the wall is like saying that’s as good as it gets. I’m still looking for the next big thing. I’m very proud of our accomplishment in the National Championship, but I want Illinois to be known as one of the best programs in NCAA history.
IGC: So what’s next for head coach Justin Spring?
JS: Gymnastics has really given me the opportunity to be in a position like this, but my passion is inspiring and motivating people to be the best they can be. It just so happens that I run a gymnastics team. I never presume to be an expert on anything in this sport. I would say I’m a good leader, but I have so much more to learn as a head coach. For now, I want to win more national championships and keep helping kids in gymnastics.
Posted in Evolution, IGC 2012, Week Eight, Week Nine
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Tagged 2008 Olympic Bronze medalist, 2012 Men's Olympic Gymnastics Team, 2012 NCAA Champion, Evolution, Illinois Men's Gymnastics Team, International Gymnastics Camp, Justin Spring, University of Illinois
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 After 10 amazing weeks of fun, friends and incredible gymnastics training, it’s time to say goodbye to 2012 and start the countdown for another unforgettable summer at IGC in 2013!
From the awesome celebrity guests each week to the crazy cabin challenges and evening activities, IGC 2012 was truly the experience of a lifetime! It was a summer filled with magic and excitement, but we could not have done it without those who make IGC so special. Thank you to our dedicated campers and staff who make IGC the best gymnastics camp in the world!
IGC is uniting the gymnastics world once again in 2013, and we hope to see you there! IGC gives campers the opportunity to train in world-class facilities with many of the best gymnasts in the world from this summer’s Olympic Games! We will also be bringing our camper’s favorite Olympians, World and National Champion gymnasts back to IGC.
We are happy to announce that registration for IGC summer 2013 is now open on the IGC website! There are 11 amazing sessions from which to choose in 2013, and early registration comes with big rewards! Enroll for IGC 2013 by August 31, 2012, and receive $100 off tuition!
The earlier you register, the greater the reward:
- Register by August 31, 2012, for a rate of $995 per session ($100 savings)!
- Register by November 30, 2012, for a rate of $1020 per session ($75 savings)!
- Register by January 31, 2013, for a rate of $1045 per session ($50 savings)!
- Register by February 28, 2013, for a rate of $1070 per session ($25 savings)!
- Register after February 28, 2013, for a rate of $1095 per session
Don’t know which session to choose? Register for IGC 2013 early and choose a week later! Parents may register early to receive the discounted rate by selecting the “Choose a Week Later” option available through January 1, 2013. Session choice can be made up until January 31, 2013 (space providing).
IGC is the place to be for summer 2013! Check out the IGC website to view sessions available for IGC 2013! Enroll today to receive awesome early registration rewards!
 After eight wonderful weeks of Friday night IGC Staff Exhibition’s we have reached the grand finale! It’s the final Staff Exhibition of summer 2012, but it was also the best! Every year, the final staff ex of the year is a time of celebration and cheer for both the dedicated campers and hard working staff! There were also a few surprises in store!
Every Friday the IGC Staff Exhibition kicks off with a bang! This week some of our week 9 girls danced to an awesome mix of space tunes including a camper favorite, Katy Perry’s E.T. Each dance is choreographed by IGC’s amazing and talented dance instructors, Jo and Barbara, and they were busy this week!
The IGC staff steals the dance floor during the last staff ex of the year…and they really showed off their best moves tonight! The gym staff girls were hyped to show the crowd what they could do dancing to Jason Derulo! The crowd cheered as the rec staff got down! We thought it was an awesome way to wrap up the summer…but it gets better!
After the traditional staff dances it was time to get down to business! As always, IGC’s gym staff flipped, twisted and soared through the air with amazing tumbling skills! Each week campers love to watch what their teachers are made of. IGC owner, Bruno Klaus is the toughest of all! He showed off another set of awesome giants on the high bar, and he’s done them every since IGC opened its doors in 1971! Absolutely amazing!
The rec boys closed tonight’s action-packed staff ex with a traditional New Zealand dance! The staff ex was over, but the celebration had just begun! It was time to announce the final cabin of the week for 2012! All of our campers worked hard to earn that pizza and soda party! Our week 9 cabin of the week winner is…cabin 6 with 188 points! Congratulations girls!
 Our coaches work hard every day inside and outside the gym to learn how to be effective gym coaches. Those who graduated from the Professional Coaches Diploma Program have spent countless hours in the gym, training, listing to important lectures and making lesson plans. They have put in a lot of time into being the best gym coaches they can be and were recognized for all of their commitment and hard work by earning a diploma given to them by CEO, Brent Klaus; Safety Coordinator, Phil Frank; and Gym Director, Constantin Petrescu!
The PCD program ranges from levels one through five. Tonight we had coaches graduate from levels one, two, three and four. Congratulations to those coaches who have shown dedication throughout the years and throughout summer 2012.
Congratulations to all of our graduates!
 Announcing the Most Dedicated Camper Awards and the Five-Year Returners is a Staff Exhibition tradition! The Most Dedicated Campers receive plaques for their hard work, enthusiasm and commitment. Instructors vote each week on the gymnast in their group they feel has worked the hardest to achieve their weekly goals.
IGC is also happy to announce the loyal campers and staff that have been returning to IGC for five years or more. Each year IGC’s devoted returners receive a different custom-made sweatshirt.
Finally, a very special camper was recognized for the 9 amazing weeks she’s spent at IGC this summer. Traveling all the way from Russia, Uliana arrived at IGC with no gymnastics experience, but leaves with talent, skills and most of all, the best experience of her life! To show our appreciation, Uliana was presented with a special poster signed by the entire IGC staff!
IGC could not be the magical place that it is without all of the campers who make it so very special year after year. Thank you for another wonderful year of amazing friends, great gymnastics and special memories that no one can forget! We’ll see you in 2013!
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