Competitive Teams

Our Team Program is for young girls between the ages of 6 and 18 years old with a high level of dedication to the sport, positive attitude, exceptional athletic ability, and demonstrated desire to learn and succeed in gymnastics. While a majority of our team members come from our Pre-Team Program,The Mights, we also extend a hand to any gymnast to try out our program. We hope our talented young ladies enjoy the years of rigorous training, and feel a great pride for Mini-Hops each time they compete with us.

The Mini-Hops Team Program is dedicated to providing the coaching excellence required to develop an array of individual and group characteristics among its team gymnasts. In teaching and conditioning our young people to execute great athletic skills, we strive also to:

• Create a powerful sense of pride and self-confidence
• Develop a strong sense of team and a genuine, open support for others to do well
• Develop the ability to challenge one’s self and focus on achieving one’s personal best
• Develop happy, healthy, athletes with strong gymnastics technique and skill
• Cultivate a good-sport attitude including personal grace in the face of disappointment and gratitude when accepting awards for great success
• Recognize, enjoy and celebrate successes big and small
• Respect organized gymnastics and the traditions of the institution
• Teach respect for teammates, coaches, Mini-Hops staff and families
• Build life-long friendships and family connections
• Learn life skills such as time management, self discipline, and healthy living
• Create mentally and physically well prepared gymnasts that compete well, as well as being good people.

If you would like more information regarding our Girl’s Junior Olympic Team Program, please contact David Ward at: David.Ward@Mini-Hops.com or call Mini-Hops at (952) 933-2452.

The Mini-Hops Boys Competitive Program is for boys between the ages of 6 and 18 years old with a high level of dedication to the sport of gymnastics their team. The majority of the Boys Competitive Team comes from the Mini-Hops Pre-Team Program, but we also welcome any gymnast to try out for our program.

The Mini-Hops Boys Team staff is dedicated to teaching safe, progression-based gymnastics where a Boy’s Team member can:

• • Develop strong gymnastic technique and skill
  • Develop dedication to not only a sport, but to a team
  • Strives for mastery and understand progression in skills
  • Recognize challenges and work towards overcoming them, whether it is fear based or achieving a hard to reach skill.
  • Develop life skills such as time management, work ethic, healthy eating, self-discipline, and teamwork.
  • Build life long friendships with teammates and coaches
  • Create a sense of self worth and self-confidence
  • Create a sense of pride of a team and support for team members
  • Teach respect for the sport, teammates, and coaches
  • Encourage a graceful reaction to disappointment and humble acceptance of success
  • Create mentally and physically well prepared gymnasts that compete well

If you have any questions, please contact Kostya Kolesnikov, Boys Team Head Coach at 952-933-2452 or at kostya.kolesnikov@mini-hops.com.

The Xcel program is a year-round, invitational-only competitive team that follows USA Gymnastics rules. This program is geared towards athletes who participate in other sports/activities and also want to be competitive gymnasts, as the training hours are less than that of the JO team and offer more individual flexibility to its athletes. The Xcel program is mostly comprised of athletes from the MHG recreational program, but also open to those coming from pre-team or JO. In addition, the Xcel team can be a stepping stone into the JO program for those who want to dedicate more time to the sport. There are five different levels of Xcel: Bronze being the novice, then progressing upward in skill level to Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond.

If you would like more information regarding our Xcel Program, please contact Keyla Kraus at: keyla.kraus@mini-hops.com or call Mini-Hops at (952) 933-2452.

Participation in this team is open to every person with intellectual disabilities who is at least eight years of age and who registers to participate in Special Olympics as required by the Special Olympics General Rules and is working to participate in the two or more competitions we have each year.  There is no maximum age limitation for participation. SOMN has other age appropriate programs for children who are under 8 years of age or you can participate in the MHG Adaptive recreational program.

Female athletes participate in either Rhythmic or Artistic Gymnastics or both, while men participate in Artistic Gymnastics only.

Participation in the MHG Special Olympics Competitive Team Program is open to all persons with intellectual disabilities regardless of the level or degree of that person’s disability, and whether or not that person also has other mental or physical disabilities.  See the SOMN website for more information on eligibility requirements https://specialolympicsminnesota.org/

Our SOMN Team Program is for athletes with a high level of dedication to the sport, positive attitude, and demonstrate desire to learn and succeed in gymnastics. Our talented athletes enjoy  years of training, feel pride for Mini-Hops and create great relationships with their team mates and their coaches.

Our coaching team is entirely made up of volunteers from the community.  They are dedicated to providing the coaching excellence required to develop an array of individual and group characteristics among its team. In teaching and conditioning our athletes to execute great athletic skills, we strive also to:

• Create a powerful sense of pride and self-confidence
• Develop a strong sense of team and a genuine, open support for others to do well
• Develop the ability to challenge one’s self and focus on achieving one’s personal best
• Develop happy, healthy, athletes
• Cultivate a good-sport attitude including personal grace in the face of disappointment and gratitude when accepting awards for great success
• Recognize, enjoy and celebrate successes big and small
• Teach respect for teammates, coaches, Mini-Hops staff and families
• Build life-long friendships and family connections
• Learn life skills such as time management, self discipline, and healthy living.

If you would like more information regarding participation or volunteering for our Special Olympics Team Program, please contact Michaela Chelberg at: Michaela.chelberg@mini-hops.com or call Mini-Hops at (952) 933-2452.

The Performance Team is a co-ed group of athletes who perform exciting and dazzling routines at local and private events.  The goal of this team is to develop and progress skills in dance and rhythm, acrobatic/tumbling, theater and various stage performances while learning life lessons along the way.  We will use these skills to learn routines to perform for different occasions throughout the year.  This may include recitals, sporting events, community gatherings, and other fun and exciting venues.  The doors and windows of opportunity are wide open due to the eclectic genres we explore.  It is a great opportunity to gain experience in performance, team bonding/building, gain confidence and strength inside and outside of oneself.

If you would like more information regarding our Performance Team auditions, please contact Raye Kennedy at: raye.kennedy@mini-hops.com or call Mini-Hops at (952) 933-2452.

There are two levels of participation in the Pre-Team program. Athletes starting in the program will practice twice per week for two hours each practice (4 hours per week) then move to three times per week for two hours each practice (6 hours per week) as they progress through the program.

If you would like more information regarding our Girl’s Pre-Team Program, please contact Kelly Blake at: kelly.blake@mini-hops.com or call Mini-Hops at (952) 933-2452.

This is a two-level program for young boys with a higher level of athletic ability, concentration, dedication, and a fearless personality. These young boys want to learn gymnastics at a fast pace while starting to condition their bodies with strength and flexibility training. The two levels are Boys Elite (Ages 4-5) and Boys Training Team (Ages 5-7). These boys are chosen from either Mini-Hops pre-school programs or recreational programs with the expectation to compete for the Mini-Hops Boys Team after training appropriately.

For more information please contact Kostya Kolesnikov, Boys Team Head Coach at 952-933-2452 or at kostya.kolesnikov@mini-hops.com.