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ABOUT GLEASON'S GYMNASTICS
Gleason’s Gymnastic School has a long history. Owner Larry Gleason has over 55 years of experience as a gymnast, competitor, teacher, coach and judge. As captain of the University of Minnesota men’s gymnastics team, Gleason was an all-around champion and went on to become a national competitor in both gymnastics and trampoline.
Gleason’s Gymnastics has been providing the benefits of gymnastics training to girls and boys in a safe and positive learning atmosphere since 1966. It is the goal of Gleason’s to offer a gymnastic program that ensures the development of confidence and a positive self-image through successful experiences for every student. They teach body awareness and fitness skills basic to all sports and encourage a positive attitude toward active participation, health and physical fitness. Through teaching of body awareness and problem solving, Gleason’s strives to engage the mind as well as the body in the learning process.
Although Gleason’s Competitive Team Programs have produced many national and international level competitors, Gleason’s Gymnastics is founded on the belief that gymnastics training has unique benefits for ALL children – not only the highly talented who may go on to become advanced competitors.
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Gleason's Gymnastic School
Founding Philosophy
It is the goal of Gleason's Gymnastic School to offer a gymnastic program that:
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Ensures the development of confidence and a positive self-image through successful experiences for every student. -
Teaches body awareness and fitness skills basic to all sports. -
Encourages a positive attitude towards active participation, health and physical fitness. Through the teaching of body awareness and problem solving. -
Engaging the mind as well as the body in the learning process. -
Is fun and playful in a cooperative and friendly environment.
Why Gymnastics?
Owner/Director Gleason's Gymnastics School
Why Gleason's Gymnastics?
Since 1966 families have been coming to Gleason's Gymnastic School. The school was founded in 1966 by Larry Gleason, a former competitive gymnast for the University of Minnesota gymnastic team. Gleason started the school to offer a recreational program for children who wanted to do gymnastics for fun. He believed that gymnastics was a discipline that could help children develop good listening habits, could help improve their attention span, and could have positive effects on their self-esteem. With this in mind, Gleason structured the curriculum at GGS to maximize these benefits. He also realized that the sport had to be taught in such a manner that the majority, if not all, the children saw their experience in gymnastics as a successful one. Gleason believes that teachers have to challenge the children both mentally and physically in the learning process.
Today, these ideas are central to the program at Gleason's Gymnastic School. Although the school now has many successful competitive programs, the recreational programs and the average boy or girl in it, receive serious attention from the school's instructors.
Instructors are selected by Larry Gleason on the basis of their personality and their ability and desire to work with children in a positive way. Each instructor is trained through the schools' apprenticeship program. In addition, they receive safety training from US Gymnastics Federation along with Red Cross First Aid and CPR .
Gleason realized that while only a few may pursue a competitive gymnastic career, the sport offers many unique benefits to all children who participate. Hence, our philosophy at Gleason’s is to strengthen children in mind and body through successful gymnastics experiences.
Check out all our programs to see which one suits you and your child best.
Our Teachers
Most gymnastic programs hire teachers solely on the basis of their gymnastic experience with little regard for teaching ability. At Gleason’s, all new teachers serve in our apprentice program before they are allowed to have their own class. First, they observe another instructor, and then they assist the class. Next, they teach under the supervision of another instructor, and finally, they teach their own class. In addition, our instructors are safety certified by the United States Gymnastics Association and all of our staff attends regular staff meetings and training sessions in teacher effectiveness and safety. Each year, many of our teachers attend one or more national seminars on gymnastics. With our apprentice program and continued teacher training we hope to achieve continuity and quality in our gymnastics program.

Third generation at Gleason's Gymnastic School. Love how my great-grandson snaps to attention to do a forward roll!! Life is a community of goodness, support and love for parents, Grandparents, and, alas, G'grandparents!! Thank you Larry and your staff!! - Mary R.