PRESENTS: PARKOUR HOUSe 2.0
Lynnwood
After attending a workshop with Sébastien Foucan in June 2018, we have not only learned a great deal but worked very hard at bringing what we learned back home. Where Cody Blocks, the Academy and Buddie's Bars had initially been separated, they now flow into each other ensuring that movement is now possible around the entire academy.
INTRODUCTION
When you arrive at our gym, you can be assured that our mascots, Cody & Buddy will be greeting you.
Cody has lived in the Academy his entire life and he loves climbing, jumping and running through the obstacles. He has his own box that he sits on te peruse the activity in the road.
Buddy joined the family in early 2021 and has since settled in nicely. He is always friendly and he loves being played with before and after class.
WELCOMING
COACHING PRINCIPLES OF SPRING PARKOUR ACADEMY
The Coaches who enter into the new dynamic of Parkour (which would teach parkour officially) are worth the input and deserve to be treated by these principles and are expected to do the same in return. These principles are there to better the coach/ instructor in their personal growth along with the growth of leadership capacity. The coach should understand that the principles have been created as to better grasp what we are about and what we value within our academy, a coach that can't join in with allowing these principles to guide them through their journey with us, would be missing who we are and what we stand for therefore not bringing the correct perspective of us and will be questioned based on the lack to follow with the principles.
The principles are there to make sure that amongst the coaches, everyone is treated appropriately and are not questioned on their position unless by the senior structure in place. It also allows the coaches to interact in the correct manner with students beneath them. The coaches that follow the principles correctly have better ground to stand on when conflict is stirred and therefore hold the backing of the head of the parkour academy. This is a requirement for all coaches and personnel who operate under this parkour academy.
Principle 1: Servant Leadership
The term "servant leadership" speaks for itself.
To be a servant leader, you need to first know how to serve. Serving implies that you put others before yourself by giving to and helping others. The leadership aspect falls into place once the leader understands the value of serving those they lead. To lead in the fullest of capacity, the leader needs to grasp that leading is taking the first step; take a position of guidance and allow others to follow. A leader does not expect others to do what he has not done. Therefore, as a leader, you need to serve those you are guiding. "Building backwards and leaning forward"
Why servant leadership?
Servant leadership has proven to build great leaders who maintain a healthy lifestyle. Leading is more than just self-gratification. It is the knowledge that you are also serving for the greater good of the community and the building of others. You serve all, not just those beneath you, but those who walk next to you and even those who are ahead of you.
To whom does it apply?
This applies to anyone in a leadership position; whether you are leading a single group level or the whole academy. Servant leadership will look different amongst whom you serve and lead.
It is important to understand that the job of leading and serving work hand in hand. You have the responsibility to serve those whom you lead.
In the Academy
Within this academy, this principle will help you grow. Leading as an instructor/ coach in the gym in this way could look as simple as assisting your students with carrying equipment around or by listening to what they have to say. Servant leadership is not restricted to just the gym, but becomes a characteristic of what we as coaches and leaders strive to and believe in.
As servant leaders, we will try our utmost to help you to become the best leader you can be. We will focus on providing you with the opportunity to grow yourselves and to serve others, whether it's in your parkour or of your character.
Principle 2: Respect / Honour
The need for this principle cannot be explained as the word honour has been lost in our time. This is why the term respect is used as it is the closest to honour.
There is a difference between honour and respect. Honour is the quality of knowing and doing what is morally right. Although this is what honour is defined as, it has a more nuanced definition; “we honour because we realise that the value of that one individual is enough for Jesus to die for them”. Respect falls under honouring a person by being polite to them. To respect a person for just being a person can do much in terms of forming a lasting and mutually satisfying relationship.
Who to honour/ respect?
You should honour everyone around us. For specificity sake, there are five categories of people that you will always work with, either at this academy or in the professional world.
The first category is yourself; you need to honour what you believe and not compromise on your morals and values.
The second category of honour and respect is the people beneath, which would be the students in this case. You owe them enough to respect them as a person and as a fellow Traceur.
The third category is the people above you. This implies understanding and respecting that they are there because they display that they are capable of being a good coach. Respect means not judging based on what you see and not concluding things about others working above you or around you.
The fourth category is to honour the others who work with you on the same level. They are there to support you.
The final category is that of respecting any outsiders who may enter into our academy either for observation or any temporary means and even other staff who may not be directly involved with you.
Why?
If you expect respect, you have got to be willing to give it first. It is important to realise that respect is only giving to a certain extent and then from there, it is earned.
This is relevant to you as a coach as you are in an environment that deals with people. You become a role model that many will look up to, they will be watching if you can respect before they will reciprocate.
How to measure Honour:
1: How is my attendance - is it poor/often/always?
2: How is my punctuality - am I always early/on time/late?
3: How am I speaking about my coach - negative/neutral/positive?
4: How often do I pray for my coach - Seldom/often/always?
5: When my coach is teaching how am I receiving - Am I preoccupied/paying attention/ leaning in and responding?
6: When he needs my help - do I always have excuses/ only help when asked/always finding ways to help?
Principle 3: Authority
The term authority is widely misinterpreted. As human beings, we are equal, but our positions within the academy are not equal. Decisions and actions need to be made and that may require you to comply with them whether you agree with it or not.
Authority can be defined as the right to make decisions, give commands and determine factors. It is also about making decisions, giving commands and determining what is best for the group. Authority is a responsibility which allows you to make good decisions, but also the reprimanding of bad ones. Authority can be abused either by not understanding your authority or thinking you have more than what you do. Both can cause problems for yourself and others around you. The second abuse of authority is being aware of your authority but choosing to operate outside of that.
Authority is divided into three sectors:
Section one is about yourself. You need to realise your authority and be willing to take up your position of authority over your own life, be it in your training, your home life or work scenario.
The next section is understanding the authority above you and accepting it, whether you have an opinion about it or not.
The final section of authority is understanding where your authority lies and what your authority entails altogether.
You exercise authority all the time, from the moment you enter the gym to when you are at jams. It is important for you to know the extent of your authority in different situations and also to realise when it is time just to be a friend versus a coach.
Principle 4: Integrity
Integrity is the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles. It is also the state of being whole and undivided. Integrity involves honesty and standing on strong core morals and values. It also implies that your "yes" be your "yes" and your "no" be your "no". Stay true to your word; do not make promises you cannot keep. Rather say nothing if you are not sure it is something you can uphold. Integrity is a constant component.
How?
An example of this would be adhering to what you have agreed to at the gym. If you agree with the shifts you have to be at, then you need to keep to your verbal word that you will be there unless you state otherwise.
Why?
This will set you above most leaders as it is honesty and true strength displayed in its all. Integrity's opposite is a sense of corruption, which is about shortcuts and taking the easy way out without dealing with the consequences. Integrity is about doing the right thing and taking the hard walk which brings you to a place of a strong foundation and concrete life that does not alter.
Principle 5: Unity
Unity plays a major role in keeping us all on the same page. Unity helps us grow. As coaches, we need to work together to make it easier for us to operate in and outside of the gym. We are there to support one another. Remember that you are never alone in what you do. Know that the coaches have got your back and you have got theirs.
Unity implies that we do not gossip about one another and neither do we stay in the presence of others that may speak badly of our fellow coaches or any other member of the Academy. Part of this unity is also knowing when to speak to a coach about something serious so that they may intervene on your behalf. We never speak badly about one another, but rather speak of things to better the person and to grow them. Positive speech to one another goes a long way.
When the coaches are united, students will consistently hear and see the same thing no matter what coach they ask. This will not only play out in situations where a student is trying to take a chance in asking another coach after the one he/ she had asked first turned them down but also in the skills and progressions of how they are taught. Eg. One coach will be teaching the theoretical side of a specific movement and another can come in, demonstrate it down to the word and move away again.
Principle 6: Humility
Humility is defined as expressing humbleness. This implies simply that you are willing to place others above yourself and choose not to be boastful of your capabilities. We want to demonstrate humility in all that we do at the Academy. We are not here to prove ourselves to people and we are not here to worry about what others may think of us. It does not matter what others do, but rather how you behave in a situation. Humility has been very much mistaken as a weakness, but is completely the opposite. The humble are willing to see the mistakes and therefore will grow stronger. The humble are in a position to be less distracted by petty actions around them.
Another essential part of humility is to have the ability to admit when you are wrong without taking up a silly stance or putting up a blustery show.
Principle 7: UPOD
The meaning UPOD is "under-promise, over-deliver". Do not mistake this for being an attempt to shock people with your amazing capabilities because you promised them so little or even nothing and gave everything. No, this implies that you never promise things that you are not 100% sure about and rather give yourself the flexibility to move in your promise. When over-delivering, you should not just do what is expected, but rather learn to push for that extra mile.
Principle 8: Lion / Lamb Leadership
The lamb of leadership knows how to care and treat those they lead correctly. This does not require you to shout or have to lead by fear, it is about leading by connecting to the people and by serving them. The lion understands that, as a leader, they are required to be stern at times. They are required to make sure that those who push the boundaries are aware that it will not be tolerated and that kindness and caring is not a weakness, but rather a pattern of correct leadership and a privilege for those who follow.
We do not want to cultivate an environment where one coach is the good cop and another is always the bad cop. Rather, we should build both these abilities into a single person.
OUR TEAM
At SPRING Parkour Academy, we are all about pushing ourselves to new heights and mastering this incredible sport. Our team is made up of avid parkour enthusiasts, dedicated to helping our students achieve their parkour goals. We believe that parkour is about more than just physical ability; it's about developing the mental and emotional strength to take on any challenge that comes your way.
Theo van Eeden
FOUNDER & MANAGING DIRECTOR
Senior Coach
Level 0 - 4
Andrew van der Waals
Media Director
Senior Coach
Level 0-4
Rhona Geldenhuys
Client Relations Director
Coach Level 0 - 2
Bernard Rademeyer
Junior Coach
level 0-1