The Collegiate Gymnastics Growth Initiative (CGGI) has been on the fringe of gymnastics news lately, as part of the stories around adding gymnastics at the University of Houston as well as the efforts to save gymnastics at UIC. CGGI is behind efforts nationwide to support and add gymnastics programs.
CGGI is a subset of the Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association (the former NACGC/W), the collegiate gymnastics coaches’ association for women. The committee provides information and financial assistance to athletic departments wherever there is interest in adding collegiate gymnastics programs.
Randy Lane, UCLA associate head coach, chairs the committee. He is supported by Minnesota’s Jenny Hansen—the growth chair—and Michigan State’s Mike Rowe, who is the financial chair. Lindenwood’s Jen Llewellyn and Eastern Michigan’s Danielle Guider also sit on the committee.
In order to continue to grow gymnastics, CGGI relies on donations. The So Cal Women’s Gymnastics Coaches Association committed to a 35 thousand dollar annual donation starting this year. Mike Hunger, owner and head team coach of the Twin City Twisters club, is also a longtime supporter.
Lane says CGGI’s financial goal is to use donations to build an endowment. “Ultimately it would be nice to have millions of dollars.” Lane hopes that, supported by such a large endowment, CGGI can walk into an athletic department in any collegiate division and offer whatever financial support it takes to start a program.
CGGI is asking all J.O. programs to consider adding one dollar to every meet registration or annual club registration fee, and to donate each additional dollar raised to the initiative. The committee is also asking all collegiate programs to add one dollar to camp registration fees and to donate the difference.
To learn more and make a donation, visit the initiative’s website and be sure to follow along on Twitter. If your college or university is interested in adding gymnastics, you can get in touch with Lane through the website.
We will continue to follow and report on CGGI’s work.
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Article by Emily Minehart
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