I am Sharon Benham the Head Coach and Founder of Splitz Gymnastics Club and this is how it all began.
I was a competitive Gymnast myself for many years, a Pair Base and a Trio Middle also a Tumbler, I trained with Broadoak Sports Acrobatics Club. I always wanted to give back the enjoyment and passion I got from Gymnastics & competing, by one day running my own club.
1985 – 1986
W.F.L.C Gymnastics Club (as it used to be called back then) started out from one class held at Worle Fitness & Leisure Centre.
We also started Gym Tots for younger members.
On the centre’s open day the gym club performed for the first time, the classes increased by popular demand and coached classes nearly every day.
We also formed an advanced team of 7 Gymnasts.
The Advanced team moved to larger premises at St.Martins School Worle so they could compete in Floor work as well as tumbling, the only problem was the club didn't have enough mats to make a full floor area, so we used to spread the mats on the floor where the balances went.
1988
The classes were now sorted out into age groups and the advanced team competed at their first Tumbling Competition Carita House Sports Acrobatic Championships at King Alfred Sports Centre.
The club also held its first Annual Awards Evening & has done ever since, trophies went to Most Improved, Attendance, Best Newcomer, Services to the Club and not forgetting Gymnast of the Year.
In this year I decided the club should have its own name and colours so I drew the new logo from a photo ( below) and SPLITZ
GYMNASTIC & SPORTS ACROBATIC CLUB was our new name.
1989 - 1993
The club extended more and classes were now starting up at different venues around Weston, and The Advanced
Team was training hard for forthcoming competitions.
1994 - 1995
Splitz gym clubs success excelled and in the following two years the medal results of the club are as follows:
SOUTH WEST SCHOOLS COMP 1994
MENS PAIRS – ROSS BRAITHWAITE & CRAIG GRANTHAM
GOLD MEDALISTS
MIXED PAIRS – CLAIRE DENSLEY & WILLIAM ARMSRONG
GOLD MEDALISTS
MENS TUMBLING – CRAIG GRANTHAM
SILVER MEDALIST
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N.D.P PRELIMINARIES 1995
MENS PAIRS – ROSS BRAITHWAITE & CRAIG GRANTHAM
GOLD MEDALISTS
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SOUTH WEST SCHOOLS COMP 1995
MENS PAIRS UNDER 13’s ROSS BRAITHWAITE & CRAIG GRANTHAM
GOLD MEDALIST
MENS TUMBLING UNDER 13’S CRAIG GRANTHAM
BRONZE MEDLIST
WOMENS TUMBLING UNDER 11’S STACEY LEEROTH
BEST SCORE OF THE DAY 9.03
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Pics from the above Medal winners
1996 - 2007
The Club progressed and we moved to Uphill School where for over 13yrs we successfully coached many Gymnasts to an advanced level.
Pic below the Advanced Squad 2006.
Presentation of Awards 2006
2006 – 2010
2006 saw a major change in the club and we moved from Uphill School Hall which had been condemned and it was to be a long wait till a new hall was built so we looked into bigger premises which was to be our home for the next 10yrs “The Campus”.We were lucky enough to borrow judo mats which made a competition size floor, it wasn’t long before we were competing in all the major South West competitions and Nationals.
By 2008 we managed to fund raise for a 10x10 Tribond floor square which proved valuable for completing Competition Routines.
Blast from the past pics:
We are very proud of each and every Gymnast who has trained at Splitz; we have many Gymnasts now bringing their children to the club.
