Davis’ Diamonds open gym provides an accessible introduction to gymnastics
By EMME DUNNING — features@theaggie.org
As the Summer Olympics graced the televisions of homes across the world, viewers marveled at the immense strength and talent of the top athletes. Gymnastics proved itself to be particularly interesting to watch, as competitors defied physics through jumps, flips, swings and more.
Although many enjoy watching, gymnastics is a sport that many consider to be unattainable for the average person. Davis Diamonds Gymnastics, a local gymnastics gym, is hoping to change this perception. The gym, which opened in 2002, helps budding gymnasts from preschoolers to adults develop strength, control and confidence in the gym.
In addition to formal classes and coaching, Davis Diamonds offers an adult open gym twice a week for $15 a session. Taking place on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7:30 to 9 p.m., the open gym gives adults at all skill levels the opportunity to try gymnastics in a safe and welcoming way.
Jaye Duckhart, a fourth-year neurobiology, physiology and behavior major, has a special connection to gymnastics. Beginning when she was six years old, Duckhart started developing her skills in the sport from very young and went on to compete into her teenage years.
Duckhart began working and coaching at Davis Diamonds in October of her first year at UC Davis and just celebrated her three-year anniversary at the gym. Duckhart enjoys the mental benefits of gymnastics in addition to the physical strength and flexibility it provides — a major reason she’s such a proponent of the sport.
“When I was really young, it was just a good way to get my energy out,” Duckhart said. “It’s a good way to build strength in a fun, sustainable way — and be mindful at the same time.”
Duckhart believes that Davis Diamonds offers a great setting for beginners to learn the sport and have fun along the way.
“Davis Diamonds especially is such a comforting environment, and the coaches who coach open gyms are trained and have so much experience working with adults [who are] starting gymnastics for the first time,” Duckhart said. “All the coaches have such a wide knowledge base, and we have a huge variety of equipment. There are so many different things to try.”
Duckhart also coaches a weekly adult gymnastics class that provides more structure than an open gym, but is still a low-commitment way to learn the basics of the sport. The class takes place on Wednesdays from 6:45 to 8 p.m. and can be signed up for on a week-to-week basis.
Another coach involved in open gym is Jonathan Bryant, a UC Davis alum with a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering. Bryant has been coaching at Davis Diamonds since 2017 and started gymnastics when he was eight years old. He believes that open gyms can be a great introduction to the sport with little risk and no long-term commitment.
“Don’t be afraid to ask questions,” Bryant said. “Be prepared to fall down, laugh it off and try again.”
He also asserted that although gymnastics is an individual sport, it does not lack support and connection with other athletes.
“Nobody is perfect, and effort is what matters most,” Bryant said. “This is a sport that offers a ton of fun, social interaction, strength and flexibility along the way. Everyone in any gym I’ve ever been in has always shared the mutual understanding that no matter the skill level, each person is on their own journey of self improvement and that this is a trial-and-error sport.”
In addition to providing a fun way to try out gymnastics for the first time, open gyms can also help athletes improve their skills in other sports. Alex Kunz, a fourth-year human development major, has taken advantage of the Davis Diamonds open gym as part of his conditioning for ski season.
“I heard about Davis Diamonds through some friends on my ski team,” Kunz said. “I went there with the same goals of being able to use the trampolines for training but also because it’s a ton of fun to jump around with my friends as we pretended to do those same tricks on skis.”
Connor Lewis, a fourth-year biological technology major, has also seen the benefits of gymnastics to his success in competitive snowboarding.
“We were looking for dry land ski and snowboard freestyle training,” Lewis said. “Gymnastics builds a lot of air awareness, which is super useful. Knowing where you’re at during a rotation or a flip and being able to have that feeling of when to look for a landing can really be strengthened by gymnastics just because you’re doing so many more flips and spins.”
This dry land training has proven instrumental for Lewis and Kunz, who both compete at a high level in their respective sports.
Lewis, like others, also emphasized the welcoming environment at Davis Diamonds and encouraged beginners to give it a try.
“There are tons of coaches and instructors [with] tons of experience that are happy to answer any questions for you,” Lewis said. “Start small, start slow and build up as you build confidence. Take it easy at first so you don’t get injured and just have fun. It’s really just a good time.”
Written by: Emme Dunning — features@theaggie.org
