The Club was founded by Head Coach, Terry Sharpington, approximately 25 years ago, operating in a local school with 20 gymnasts and the minimum of apparatus (2 mats, a vaulting horse and a home-made spring board!) A few interested parents volunteered to help and eventually trained to become qualified coaches.

 

Over the years, the Club became more and more successful and fund-raised continually to buy equipment and boost funds. Eventually, in 1982, with some financial help from Huntingdon Town Council and the (then) Sports Council, a purpose-built, permanent facility was built on Council land, with the Club coaches and a band of willing parents carrying out all the interior decorating and fitting etc. Huntingdon Town Council became the owners of the building with the Club taking a thirty year lease.

 

With new premises, the Club was able to increase its membership enormously, offering classes to children of all ages and abilities. The competitive squads progressed from County level to Regional, National and, eventually, International standard. From the start, the Club was totally self-financing, paying all its considerable overheads from membership fees and fund-raising efforts. 

 

Until the late 1980’s, the Club operated totally on a voluntary basis but at this point it became evident that it had, once more, “outgrown” itself. The general classes were full, there was a long waiting list and there existed a group of talented gymnasts working at the very highest level of the sport and who required more training time and attention in order to achieve the results of which they were capable and which they deserved.

 

The problem was solved in two ways – a) Huntingdon Town Council recognised the important role played by the Club and funded an extension to the building in order that more children could be accommodated and b) Terry Sharpington gave up his daytime job to work full time at the gym. He was able to start daytime toddler sessions and increase the number of general classes as well as provide the much-needed extra coaching for the elite girl gymnasts. From the extra classes the Club was able to pay him a retainer to administer the Club completely – from overseeing all coaching programmes and classes to maintaining the building and equipment and cleaning the toilets! All other coaching continued on a voluntary basis.

 

1994 saw another milestone in the Club’s history. The boys section was expanding and improving steadily and was in need of the type of training being offered to the elite girls and both boys and girls were training at a level that required the expertise of a world class choreographer for them to compete on an equal footing with other National and International gymnasts. On this occasion Huntingdon District Council gave support in the form of a grant to provide the wages of a full time boys’ coach and choreographer. After 2 years the boys’ coach grant was reduced with the Foundation for Sport and Art making-up the difference for 3 years. With this support, the elite boys section scaled new heights and a tremendously successful Special Needs section was established.

 

 At the beginning of the new Millennium the Club enjoyed considerable success, providing an invaluable facility for the locality from recreational and Special Needs level up to full International standard. The Head Coach’s retainer and wages for a young recreational coach were still provided from Club funds, the boys/Special Needs coach and choreographer’s wages were being paid by the final year of current grant-aid with all other coaching and administration still being provided on a voluntary basis. The Club was also recognised by the local Huntingdon Freemen’s Charity in the form of grant-aid to completely refurbish the gymnasium with new equipment.

 

 2003 was a difficult year for the Club. Following the death of its founder and driving force, Terry Sharpington, a few months of uncertainty followed until the role of Head Coach and Manager was filled by former National Coach, Paul Hall.   Built on such firm foundations and good practice the Club had no choice but to expand still further, scaling new heights in gymnastics results at all levels. In 2005 a secretary was appointed to relieve the increasing burden of administering a programme that saw up to 1000 people through the doors on a weekly basis. 5 full time coaches were employed alongside a host of part time and hourly paid staff, as well as a dedicated band of volunteers, all committed to continuing a unique programme that provided for gymnastics from special needs through to elite, and at all ages.

 

 In 2006 the Club saw representation at a World Championship from both a male and a female gymnast- an incredible achievement that enhanced its reputation as one of the most successful centres in the Country. With over 10 members of National Squads and medals at European and Commonwealth Level Huntingdon has made quite a name for itself. Success breeds success and plans were submitted for a state of the art Centre in the field adjacent to the existing building, the only way to cope with an incessant demand for the Sport at all levels. Permission to build was granted in October 2006 and the future, not only of the Club, but a vital part of British Gymnastics rests with the dedicated friends of HOGC, who now chase the dream to raise some 3 million pounds and a chance for Olympic representation.

 

 In April 2008 a 500k grant was secured from Cambridgeshire Horizons. This, together with a 10k grant from Waitrose provided the catalyst for moving the new faciltiy forward and the Club is seeking further support to allow the new building to become a reality. Daniel Keatings became the Junior European all around Champion and, together with Louis Smith, will represent GB at the Beijing Olympiad in August.