The Annual General Meeting of Sussex Gymnastics was held on Wednesday, 8 May 20:30 at the The Jack & Jill Inn, Clayton, BN6 9PD
Present
Emily Knight
Beth Burchett
Maddie Angell
Tracy Angell
Michelle West
Sarah Dyson-Bottle
Josie O’Connor
Julie Belchamber
Kim Mirceta-Nash
Richard Keasley
Emma Ballancore
Lisa Jestico
Heather Sampford
Apologies for Absence
Southbourne GC
Stars GC
Keith Walter
Sally-Anne Warner
Dawn Hyland
Mike Gevaux
Mark Poore
1. Minutes of the last meeting
The minutes from the last meeting (5th February) were agreed to be correct. There were no questions or matters arising. We also looked back at the 2024 AGM notes and it is good to see things are being implemented.
2. Chair’s Report
New criteria for general has come out this year in 2025 - first used at Sussex Nov and Int in March.
Improve coaching standards - how to make it more inclusive for everyone, regardless of gymnastics background.
How can we get more people involved - more people come to meetings?
Other involvement from people who aren’t necessarily coaching - how can they gain experience?
Identify where we are struggling (coaches etc) - how can we get people to stay and remain involved.
3. Treasurer’s Report
Report attached
Treasurer was not present at the AGM, but good to see that the county are using their money well and creating profit from events.
4. Discipline Reports
General
There is a county floor and vault for advanced and above on 15th June, lots of entries have been submitted so far.
Workshop on 10th May - Judging 2hr recap/workshop at Brighton GC - email Kim if attending
More artistry at top end of criteria - written in rules - ask Kim if any questions
Confirmation of vaults and qualifying scores will be solidified after workshop on Saturday 10th and Kim’s meeting - to be put in place for regional BSG on 18th May
With regards to new criteria:
Movement of needle scale - to be upped in value for general gymnastics
Straight arm rolls - consensus across the board in the region - so is the rule for all rolls
Backwards roll THROUGH handstand - bent arms but every other is straight
Another county workshop for judging to be put in - funding from Sussex gymnastics (to be confirmed at meeting on Sat 10/5)
There were lots of youth leaders at Sussex Nov and Int in March, which made for a successful day!
Regional floor and vault dates 2026:
17th May - Bronze, Silver, Gold
28th June - Intermediate
29th Nov - Advanced
6th Dec - Novice
County floor and vault dates 2026:
22nd Mar - Novice and Intermediate
Still trying to find a venue and date for Advanced, Bronze, Silver and Gold - hopefully K2.
Festival
Some other clubs taking part in festivals - need to communicate with Sarah to be included - to have access to emails about opportunities etc
Festivals etc can be quite costly
Practice days etc - don’t have to be high level - accessible to all levels/numbers
Acrobatics
Trampoline / DMT
3 county comps - Sussex individual and synchro and DMT
Some more comps planned as seen in report.
Successful individuals from 6 clubs will attend a South East Training day
Low comp numbers - half of pre covid - loss of some trampolining clubs may have caused this
Meeting at end of county comps with other clubs to discuss queries/questions etc regarding the event and upcoming events
Judging changes coming up - revalidation
Trying to get volunteers into judging - higher levels (might need to run on less panels as lack of high level judges)
Trampoline judges/tumble don’t always get paid
Tumble
Team-gym
Men's Artistic
Lack of gymnasts and coaches and judges
Only one club in the county - Hawth
Quite a high level at Hawth, may not be so accessible for younger gymnasts
Accessible comps - 2 years out of age
Equipment can be expensive/space consuming - not so accessible to all - not got space in some smaller gyms
Be gymnastics potentially interested - some adults like it so have some equipment, so may decide to begin men’s artistic - enter low level comps to begin with
Women's Artistic
Pre covid numbers if not more
Younger coaches not keeping it as a full time career
8 clubs - various levels
Sussex invitational been put out to clubs in surrounding areas - Berkshire/Hampshire/Kent/Surrey
Not many elite/performance level clubs - Horsham and Uckfield
County/regional training opened up for other clubs/coaches to come along
Large regional entry amounts for grades
WA harder for judges as so many rules/levels in one competition - trying to follow similar pattern for grades and challenge
High performance funding has helped a lot - less pressure on clubs
Try to bring someone in to do different aspects at squads - E.g., Beam Complex
Lisa passed National judging - Sussex helped with funding - very grateful - there for support (new criteria etc)
Increase in ex gymnasts etc coming through as coaches - but struggle to retain after 18 when going to uni/travelling etc
Uni students/language schools - gymnasts etc can train/coaches come to new clubs from universities etc
5. Welfare Report
6. Election of Officers
Chair
Heather Sampford wished to step down from the role of chair, but was willing to be considered for vice chair.
Emma Ballancore and Sarah Dyson-Bottle both wished to be considered for the position of chair for this upcoming year.
There was a vote by the clubs present (each club having one vote). The majority of clubs present voted for Emma Ballancore.
Vice Chair
Following the vote for chair, Sarah Dyson-Bottle and Heather Sampford wished to stand for the role of vice chair.
There was a vote by the clubs present (each club having one vote). The majority of clubs present voted for Heather Sampford.
| Position | Candidate |
Proposed |
Seconded |
| Chair | Emma Ballancore | [voted] | |
| Vice-chair | Heather Sampford | [voted] | |
| Treasurer | Keith Walter | Kim Mirceta-Nash | Heather Sampford |
| Secretary | Emily Knight | Lisa Jestico | Kim Mirceta-Nash |
With regards to the treasurer role, the secretary is to put out an email - ask for anyone with bookkeeping/accountancy/bursary etc over 18 and ask whether they would like to shadow the role of the treasurer for this upcoming year - potential paid role?
7. Discipline representatives
Most discipline representatives were willing to stand again. They were agreed on block. Those that were not in attendance were agreed by the committee before the secretary emailed them to confirm they were willing to stand for another year.
| Position | Candidate |
| General |
Kim Mirceta-Nash |
| Festival | Sarah Dyson-Bottle |
| Acrobatic | Charlotte Wynne-Pennels |
| Rhythmic | |
| Trampoline / DMT | Julie Belchamber |
| Tumble | Nikki Huggins Mark Poore |
| Team-gym | Sally-Anne Warner |
| Men's Artistic | Richard Keasley |
| Women's Artistic | Lisa Jestico |
8. Other roles
The welfare officers were agreed by the committee, before the secretary emailed to check they were willing to stand again for 2025/2026
| Position | Candidate |
| Welfare officer | Mike Gevaux Dawn Hyland |
9. Any other business
9.1 Judging
Higher level judges needed - in all disciplines
In WA only one National and no regional judges in the county
More judge workshops within county (for getting people started and building up to higher levels) - nice to have the knowledge in advanced - higher level judges to run these
Judging potentially going to self learning then an assessment online - falls a lot onto the clubs - daunting when young etc - some judging courses are too hard - more experience prior needed
9.2 Coaching involvement
More youth leaders/volunteers/coaches at competitions (county etc) - learning valuable experience - could then follow up with development workshop
Younger judges/future judges to shadow more at competitions - could be funded
County training - WA artistry talk at beginning - tries to do a different subject at beginning each time to build on knowledge and help coaches learn new things
Workshops got to be within your club - needs to have follow up workshops (credentials - support judging/coaching throughout the club) - voucher/funding/rewards - more likely to go on to do the higher levels
Not same support level at regional level (particularly in general)
Can have shadow judges at regional events etc - youth leader/volunteer - could this help have more judges etc within the county (contact reps/organisers)?
Consistent with communication and timings of the workshops etc - website/email
Level 1s shadowed/mentored on comp floor
Give support of these opportunities from committee - discipline reps
Contribution of £5/10 per club/person when running workshops - confirmed attendance etc.
9.3 Funding Proposal
More information can be found here: Expansion of Funding
Proposal - double expenditure that Sussex gave last year for education and high performance
£20,000 spent on that subject - clubs to be aware that there is that cap
High performance funding is done individually - passing through Lisa to Keith - set aside budget
Ensure caps for each area are clear to applicants
Wording on policy/proposal needs to be more than one person accepting offers - treasurer and another committee member? - to be bought up at next committee meeting to speak to Keith
Happy for £20,000 to be spent in those areas - agreed by committee - capped per club - review this every year at the AGM
County workshops take priority - judging/coaching
9.4 Communication
Speak to people to improve communication and knowledge e.g., at competitions - give contact details - contact through website - stick to emails (doesn’t always go to correct person - send to discipline rep)
A discussion of a closed Facebook page was had - potentially too open to parents?
Emails for reps - specific to county
9.5 Meetings
Happy with daytime (11am starts approximately) and travelling around for meetings.
Likely to be between K2 in Crawley and John Selden Pub in Durrington - Emily to book and communicate.
The dates are:
16th July 2025
15th October 2025
4th February 2026
6th May 2026 - AGM
9.6 Vision
Vision for county - proposals for agenda at next committee meeting - how are we going to achieve the diversity etc and keep up the rate of judges and coaches.
The meeting ended at 22:26.