Free FUSD summer camp teaches students gymnastics skill, self-confidence and life lessons

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Exposing students to new sports.

A free Fresno Unified summer camp is building confidence in young gymnasts.

The little ones have no fear of balancing, swinging on the bars or bouncing on the trampoline.

Fresno Gymnastics Center is hosting a summer camp through Fresno Unified, allowing TK through 6th-grade students to unleash their inner champion.

"They do eight different events, or groups stations, experiencing all four events -- vault, bars, beam, floor," Recreational Department Lead Nicole Regalado said.

She says students are given the chance to work on their balance on the beam, their flips and rolls on the floor, launching onto the vault and how to hold themselves up on the bar.

"Gymnastics has a lot of benefits of just balance coordination, motor control," Regalado said.

Soon-to-be third-grader Ava Lake had already made it through several stations and skills when we stopped by.

"We get to learn how to do a cartwheel, handstand and a full rollover. The second one, we played a game. The third one, we did trampoline," Ava said.

She says there was one particular thing that drew her into gymnastics.

"I like the uniforms when they go into the Olympics," Ava said.

Regalado says most of the skills they work on are basic because many students have no prior experience, but she says kids take away a lot more than technical skills.

"I definitely see a lot of growth in my friendships, but definitely a lot of growth in confidence. Like, the beam is really scary and just standing up there. Kids from Monday to Friday, by Friday, they're pretty good at walking across the beam," Regalado said.

At the end of each day, coaches work to instill the importance of growth, intention, and believing in yourself.

"I hope that they mainly had fun with something that they did this week," Regalado said.

During the two weeks of camp, a total of about 120 students took part.

For news updates, follow Jessica Harrington on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.