Valleys Gymnastics Academy (VGA) recently won two awards at the British Gymnastics’ National Awards Ceremony. Elizabeth Birt spoke to managing director Melissa Anderson about her passion for gymnastics and how VGA became such an influential figure in the local community.

MELISSA Anderson has always had a passion for gymnastics. She began training at the age of four and by the age of ten, she was involved in Wales Schools.

“I was always leaping around the house and my mum needed something to do for me to use up all the energy I had, and gymnastics seemed like the right fit," she said.

“I absolutely loved it.”

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South Wales Argus:

Valleys Gymnastics Academy's Aled Jones (director), Liz Lewis (director), Sam Elliott (admin manager), Melissa Anderson (managing director), Kathryn Cope (coach), Tara Edwards (coach).

After beginning her training in Abertillery, she did her coaching qualifications at the age of 16 and then set up a small gymnastics club in Ebbw Vale.

“Where we were in Ebbw Vale was demolished and so we decided to merge the two clubs under the Valleys Gymnastics Academy and found their home in the industrial unit in Croespenmaen in 2011," she said. “Originally, we had no intention of creating what we are today, we just wanted to be able to survive.

“It seemed to be a natural transition to take on the legacy of the coaches in Abertillery for me.”

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Melissa Anderson helping Darcy Simmons in training

At first, coaching wasn’t the route that Ms Anderson wanted to go down - but after suffering injury, she fell more in love with the coaching side and it, along with helping the community, became her life.

She said: “I stopped performing at around 16 or 17 but when I went to university, I studied sports development and there is that element of performing. So, I gave it another go but in my second year in uni, I gave it up and focused on coaching.

South Wales Argus:

Melissa Anderson winner of the Outstanding Services to Sport in Gwent receives her award from Jonathan Davies and Stuart Hammond from St Joseph's Hospital at the 2019 South Wales Argus sports awards in Chepstow Racecourse ..www.christinsleyphotography.co.uk.

“It was a difficult transition at first, but I wouldn’t change anything.”

She went on to teach at Cardiff Metropolitan University and, four years ago, left her job and went full-time with VGA.

But Ms Anderson is keen to stress that, although she runs the academy as managing director, she couldn’t do it without any of the people involved in the club.

South Wales Argus:

The South Wales Argus Sports Awards 2018. Winners of community club of the year Valleys gymnastics academy presented by James Tovey (Tovey Bros) and Linford Christie OBE. .www.christinsleyphotography.co.uk.

“The team we have at VGA are really outstanding and I’m really proud to be the leader of them," she said. "It isn’t about me, it’s about them because they are so dedicated and enthusiastic. Everyone goes above and beyond.”

Valleys Gymnastics Association are a member of the Welsh Gymnastics and British Gymnastics organisations and currently have 2,900 members who attend weekly sessions.

But one thing that Ms Anderson always wanted was to make gymnastics accessible to the community.

She said: “We realised that there was a demand for gymnastics and wanted to create a place where anyone could come and train.

“There was a snowball effect as we grew. We ran sessions in Blaenau Gwent after the council’s sports department contacted us and soon afterwards, Torfaen Play Services got in touch and we branched out into Torfaen.

“We grew really quickly. I never foresaw it.

“Personally, my dream has always been to work in and run a gymnastics club, but I never thought it would actually happen.”

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In 2017, the academy branched further out after being approached by clubs in Merthyr Tydfil and Cwm – where the academy took over and helped to modernise the way they run and bring their successful system to the clubs.

“It’s lovely that we have been approached by the local authorities and can engage with different communities.”

As part of the work that Ms Anderson and her team are doing to improve access to gymnastics, they are hosting various types of clubs and sessions.

“We run after school clubs and do weekly sessions for children who are home schooled as well.

“We exist for the benefit of the community. If the community wants gymnastics, that’s great but if not, then that’s fine too – we’ll do what we can to help them.”

Ms Anderson explained how her passion for playing a role in the community has grown since the start of VGA. She said that it has led to her thinking more broadly about physical activity in general and about inclusion.

“We tailor our sessions to the community. We have sessions that combine gymnastic elements with parkour which attracts the teenage boys. They learn how to do flips and other gymnastic elements, but related to parkour.

“We also run family engagement projects and asked the community what they wanted. In this case, the community wanted a walking group – so that’s what we set up.

“I know that not everybody wants to do gymnastics but I want them to know that it is there if they want it, but if not, as a team, we’ll do what we can to provide what they want.”