Siblings Anna and Maddie Jannott are back coaching at their old stomping grounds — or should that be practicing and competing mats — at Kinetic Kids Gymnastics in Oxford.

The Newtown sisters share their knowledge of the vault, bars, balance beam, and floor exercises with younger gymnasts, perhaps some of whom will follow in their footsteps to have successful high school and, eventually, coaching careers.

Both Anna and Maddie started their careers at Kinetic Kids when they were young: Maddie was 4 years old and began competing once in second grade, Anna was in second grade and began competing two years later. Anna, Newtown High School Class of 2015, and Maddie, Class of 2018, were standouts in the Nighthawks gymnastics program. Kinetic Kids was home for the Nighthawks for many years, including when the Jannotts competed there. Both had to overcome injuries and continued their careers at the University of Connecticut.

“It’s incredible to be back as a coach because I get to pass on my knowledge and love of the sport to the gymnasts. It has been amazing learning to coach from my former coach growing up and owner of the gym, Hal Rettstadt. I briefly coached rec classes throughout high school, however Hal contacted Anna and I last summer and asked us to come in to coach the team kids. The three of us ran the gym for the entire summer 2020 after the gymnasts were out of the gym for months due to COVID,” Maddie said.

Anna has been a substitute coach and has coached in the summers since graduating high school. “This past year was the first time that I coached during the school year. Maddie and I had the opportunity to help open the gym back up, last summer after COVID hit, and I’ve been fortunate to be able to work there since my masters program moved entirely online,” Anna said.

Anna and Maddie have coached a variety of levels and ages, including elementary and high school students.

“Our history in the gym and competing in the sport has given us a lot of experience, and we have been able to grow our skills as coaches and leaders this past year,” Anna said.

“The best part about coaching is seeing the girls improve on their skills and confidence. Seeing a kid achieve a goal is very rewarding and shows their hard work paid off. I called Kinetic Kids my second home for my entire childhood, and I am extremely fortunate to continue to call it that after graduating high school and moving forward in life. When I was practicing at Kinetic Kids, I never thought I would be a team coach; however, gymnastics is a huge part of who I am as a person and I am forever grateful I can continue to be involved,” Maddie said.

“I don’t think that I thought about coaching much while I was still a gymnast at Kinetic Kids. I didn’t get interested in coaching until after my senior year, when I was a camp counselor at a two-week sleepaway gymnastics camp. I learned how to spot a lot of skills in a short period of time and was able to learn additional skills from fellow coaches at the camp. Around that time, I also started to be a substitute coach at the gym. I’ve really come to enjoy coaching this past year. My favorite part is being able to help a gymnast through a skill that has been giving them trouble, it’s so rewarding to be able to offer that kind of support,” said Anna.

The Jannotts said there are many benefits in gymnastics, and they strive to get the most out of their students.

“I strongly believe in being tough as well as encouraging at the same time. At a young age, it is important to instill hard work and determination in order for the young gymnasts to succeed in the sport. With young gymnasts, I try to encourage good listening skills as well as sportsmanship toward their other teammates,” Maddie said.

“I would say that I like to focus on the mental aspects of gymnastics a lot when I’m coaching. I like to set up drills and stations to help a gymnast learn something new or push through fear. I also like to encourage an athlete to take the next step when they are having a hard time convincing themselves that they can do it. I do this a lot with the younger gymnastics, but it applies to all levels and ages. Moving beyond the comfort zone can be one of the most difficult things to do in gymnastics and it takes a lot of encouragement and support from a coach to do so,” Anna said.

“There is always safety to consider as well, and that can also look like ‘holding someone back’ from a skill that they feel like they can do. As a coach it is so important to recognize when a gymnast could be taking a skill to far or trying a skill before they are physically or mentally ready. It’s about understanding the kids that you coach and getting to know how they do gymnastics so you can guide them safely through their learning,” Anna added.

Coaching provides a different perspective on gymnastics for Maddie.

“Coaching has made me realize how complex the mental aspect of the sport is. A lot of girls go through mental blocks, when a gymnast is scared of going for a skill, and as a coach it’s crucial to help kids work through these and build confidence to go for new skills,” Maddie said.

“I would say that I have learned more about gymnastics through coaching, so in that sense I have gained new perspective on ways to help teach kids skills. I’ve also learned how to tailor my coaching to the individual athlete to best help them learn. But I would also say that I use my old perspective as a gymnast to aid in my coaching as well. I use my own experience with mental blocks and fears to help kids through theirs and I can use myself as a teaching example on how to approach certain tricks. I think being so close to competition myself allows me to use that experience in my teaching,” Anna added.

At Newtown High, Maddie was an all around gymnast, competing in all four events, vault, bars, beam and floor. In her sophomore year, she qualified for the state open for beam, meaning she was in the top 40 in the state. She was First Team All SWC her sophomore and junior years, and was injured her senior year of 2018. As a team, NHS claimed runner-up status at SWCs in Maddie’s junior and senior years.

At UConn, Maddie practiced bars freshman year and continued until the coronavirus hit in the middle of her sophomore year. Maddie is an allied health sciences major at UConn. She is looking into the possibility of a masters program studying prosthetics and orthotics after her undergrad.

“The UConn team is a club gymnastics team, so it is overall pretty similar to how high school gymnastics was run. It has been very fun to meet new people through the sport who share a similar interest. It has been helpful with coaching, because I stay present in the sport, finding new drills and ways to approach skills and help the kids improve,” Maddie said.

Anna was part of Newtown’s 2013 SWC champion and 2014 runner-up squads. She was First Team All SWC her junior and senior years. Anna placed first on beam in the Class L state championship her senior year and placed third in the state overall with that routine. Anna participated in UConn club gymnastics team all four years of undergrad and was the president of the team her senior year. Anna mostly competed on beam and vault at UConn.

Anna got her undergraduate degree in digital media and design with a concentration in 3D animation and is working toward her masters degree in visual effects at the Savannah College of Art and Design.

Like her sister, Anna sustained an injury in her senior year of high school. Having the opportunity to bounce back and compete in college was a thrill.

“I had a major injury at the end of my senior year of high school, so it was amazing to have a second shot at competing and being able to finish out my gymnastics career on a much higher note. I was able to train and compete a new and harder vault in college, which I never imagined I would have been able to do. Being a part of the team was a great opportunity to meet new people and travel to schools to compete. We also were able to travel to compete in a national competition every spring that brought me to places like Sacramento, Calif., Fort Worth, Texas, and Daytona Beach, Fla.,” Anna said.

The college experience helps with coaching for the siblings.

“Being the president and helping to run the team my senior year gave me a lot of leadership and communication skills that have helped me to become a better coach. I think also being able to continue competing after injury has also made me a better coach, one that can be more understanding of fears and mental blocks with the ability to help kids push through those obstacles,” Anna said.

“Coaching to this capacity has opened my eyes to other career options and has me considering teaching to some degree in the future. I never really saw myself as a teacher/instructor before this year and it had opened my eyes to that possibility. I like connecting with people and I like being able to help someone learn,” Anna said.

Maddie added. “I see myself coming back [to Kinetic Kids] whenever I can, even if it’s just to visit. I don’t see myself ever being completely done. I love working there and being a part of the gym in general.”

Gymnastics offers a competitive and physical outlet and so much more.

“Gymnastics is definitely a great way to stay in shape and build muscle. However what a lot of people don’t realize is that gymnastics teaches an incredible amount of discipline. Holding yourself accountable for working hard is what will make you successful in the sport. You get out of it what you put into it,” Maddie said.

“There are a number of benefits. Kids can stay active and engaged, meet friends, and have a place outside of school to focus their extra energy. It also helps them build both physical and mental strength as they go through training. As much as gymnastics is a physical sport that demands strength, endurance, and flexibility, more often than not it is a mental sport. You must learn how to connect your mind and body while also pushing through fears to learn new skills. Learning how to do that can be so valuable in life. Not to mention building relationships with teammates and coaches helps in the long run too,” Anna said. “I know that both Maddie and I have friends for life because of the sport, and we have a support system at Kinetic Kids that we can always turn to. I will always be grateful for that and all that the sport has given me over the years.”

Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at andyh@thebee.com.