Sparklehaus

Friendly Networking

I have just recently moved to Burbank with my boyfriend Peter. As many of my readers know, I was working at Santa Monica Gymnastics Center until our doors closed March 1st. I have been very busy seeking new work. I have always been lucky with jobs just by networking with friends and family. This is proving to be more of a challenge then I previously thought. I am hoping that some of my friends and family from SMGC might pull through with some leads.

I am open to different work. I would like to find something I could turn into a career. I have been considering returning to school to study Child Development and Early Childhood Education. I am thinking about a focus in Special Needs. I am open to different ideas at this time. My most immediate concern is finding work! I would like a 9is to 5ish job. I would like to learn some new skills and work in an environment that has nice people. Just thought I would put this all out there...you never know who is reading this!

Santa Monica Gymnastics Center Reunion and Celebration Party!

As many of you know Santa Monica Gymnastics Center is closing it's doors after 35 years of business. We invite everyone to save this date: Saturday February 23rd from 3-8 PM! We are having a Reunion and Celebration Party and everyone is invited.  There is nothing special being organized.... it is just a chance for those of you who have spent time at SMGC to come in and play, reconnect, and catch up with others from years past. It is a great chance to come in and say good bye to some of your child's current coaches. If you are a current student you can find out where your child's teacher is going to be teaching.

It will be a pot luck-low key kind of event. We are going out of business so we can't spring for a fully catered affair :)  Please feel free to bring a dish, food or beverage donation! The more the merrier!

Feel free to bring friends and family! Our coaches are all looking forward to celebrating SMGC!

I do have another update:

My dad, AL Luber, will be joining the coaching team at Los Angeles School of Gymnastics. Heather Bryson has also been hired on at LASG. A few of our other coaches are helping with the transition of our students over at LASG. However, whether they are kept on beyond the initial transition phase really depends on the loyalty of our current clients. Many of our classes are transferring over to LASG in the same time slots. However, any classes with less then 3 students will not continue. If you wish to continue on at LASG please talk with your teacher to arrange a class at a different time or find friends to bring to your child's class. Many of our wonderful coaches will only have jobs as long as the classes remain full. Please support your teachers!

Many people have been asking me what I am going to be doing. I am not transferring over to LASG. My decision was very difficult. I love the staff I work with. Working for my family has been the best job I have ever had. It has not been without it's difficulties but it has been the most rewarding and fun job I have ever had. I joined up with SMGC about 5 years ago when I was in an unemployment slump. I was not thrilled about the opportunity but I was desperate for a job! I had been working a retail job for 3 years after college that stripped me of all confidence. It was a mind numbing existence. People treated me horribly and I really began to feel that I would never escape the world of corporate retail. I was interested in fashion design and art but went to college and graduated with a degree in Sociology. To this day I still do not know what I want to do with my life and I am okay with that.

Anyhow, this job teaching at SMGC evolved into a wonderful experience. The staff I have worked with for the last couple of years has been amazing. I have never worked with such a cohesive group of people who support each other and are teaching these kids because they love it. They are fun, nurturing, responsible, and most of all respectful towards each other and everyone around them. I am really going to miss working with all of them. My coworkers are my friends and it will be near impossible to find a great group like this again. I also love watching my dad coach. You know that feeling when you really see someone for who they are when they are in their element?  When I see my dad coach I see so much passion and knowledge flow out of him. I think that it the thing I will miss the most.

I chose not to try to get a job at LASG because I need to figure some things out for myself. I will be unemployed but hopefully not for long. I am open to suggestions! I have not decided whether I am going to go back to school to study Child Development or whether I will delve into the design/art/craft world.  It is hard because I am the person who works... so I can craft and sew.  I do not care much about money. I just want to be comfortable enough to pay the bills, eat, craft and spend time with friends and family. It is not that I am not ambitious. I am very ambitious. My ambitions lie more towards enjoying and appreciating every moment in life. I want to plant seeds of gratitude in moment and in every breath of my existence. If I have to work a less then glamorous job to cultivate the quality of life I enjoy then that is what I will do. I really believe in the idea of joyful effort. I do not have a life plan and probably never will. I found love when I wasn't looking and will probably find a job when I walk to the corner store to buy half and half and I am wearing pajamas and have sleepy crust in my eye! That is just the way my life works. My future remains unknown and my heart remains wide open and that is all I know for now.

I will really miss my students. I recommend that my students transfer to a different time or day and go with teachers Teri, Robyn, or Heather. Most of my students have had one or all of these teachers before. If they haven't, don't fret, they are great teachers! Each one of them is warm, compassionate, nurturing, and passionate about teaching your kids! Before you decide to try another gym besides LASG, I encourage you to try a class with one of these teachers first!

I will miss everyone! If any of my students or parents would like to remain in contact you can email me at carol.luber@gmail.com!

Santa Monica Gymnastics Center: Closing the Doors on a Dream

After 35 years of dedication to the sport of gymnastics, Santa Monica Gymnastics Center will be closing it doors. The culmination of years of hard work, blood, sweat and tears is not strong enough to take on the new breed of gymnastics schools that are opening everywhere. Mega-schools that run as many diverse programs as YMCA's are popping up everywhere. My family did not want to change with the times. Al Luber wanted to coach gymnastics. He could of chosen an easier road. If it was about money he could of stayed on his old career as an engineer. He opened the gym with my mom Linda in 1973 to follow his dreams of bringing gymnastics to everyone. His coaching roots sprouted at Venice High School back in the 1960's. As a gymnast who looked up to more senior gymnasts, he learned how important  having mentors was in this sport. He absorbed the history of gymnastics, the technical side of gymnastics and everything else that comes with it. He would bring people under his wing the same way older gymnasts guided him. When it comes to gymnastics he is all knowing.

Growing up, SMGC is all I knew. I spent all my time in the gym.Thirty years later there are days where I still feel like that little girl practicing her splits and cartwheels. The hardest part of the gym closing is having to tell our clients. They are with us because we give them something that other gyms can't provide. I have seen some parents in tears because they had to break it to their kids and their kids started crying. We had one parent tell us how her daughter cried all night because she realized her dream of earning a spot on the competitive dream will never come true. Many of these kids I have taught for 5 years. I have watched them go from barely walking to confident 6 year olds. I have taught some of these kids every week for the last 4-5 years. The hardest part is not being able to see some of my students fulfill their gymnastics dreams.

We are having a Reunion and Celebration Party on Saturday, February 23 from 3-8 PM. We invite all friends and family of SMGC to reminisce and celebrate the long life we had bringing  gymnastics to so many lives. For those of you who want to know about referrals we will know more in a few weeks. Al wants to continue to coach... after he makes a decision we may know more about where some of our other coaches are going. Gyms are very different and not every style or method of coaching suits every child. We will have more info on referrals in in a few weeks. Until then, we are still running our classes this session...so if you are not signed up come and find your favorite teacher and take few more classes with them while you can!

Gymnastics Photos from Old World Championships and 1984 Olympics

My dad, Al Luber, coached Austrian gymnast Birgit Schier (I probably spelled last name wrong...sorry) at the World Championships in Montreal and in Rotterdam. These took place in the 87 & the early 90's. When he was there he was able to take lots of pictures. I am going to post all the World Championship Photos together then I will post the 1984 Olympic photos. Sorry, I do not have many captions for the photos. My memory of gymnast names has completely faded!

The next photos are from the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.

Mary Lou Retton!

Santa Monica Gymnastics Center Photos: Mixed Bunch

I found some more photos that fall into all the previous post sections for the SMGC photo blog. I am just going to post them all together.

This had to be a holiday party photo from the early to mid 90's.

Linda and Al Luber when we first moved to Culver City.

Yuri working hard during an Overnight making Team charts.

My old friend Karrie was a Summer Camp counselor for a few years.

Moving into Culver City on Warner Dr.

It takes a lot of work to prep a gym for business!

Santa Monica Gymnastics Center: Culver City Years

This next section in the Santa Monica Gymnastics Center Photo Blog covers our Culver City location. I am going to limit my posts here since Coach Michael has really covered this location. You may visit his blog if you are interested in watching great videos of our loyal patrons. He also has lots of photos that cover the more recent years.

This photo collage is of Amanda Hunter at Level 8 Regional in 2003:

This photo collage is of Cara Bickers, also from 2003 Level 8 Regionals.

These are team photos from competitions from our earlier years in Culver City:

Santa Monica Beach Gymfest Photos: 1970's-1980's

The next group of photos is golden. These are the from the Santa Monica Beach Gymfest. This was a great gymnastics competition that was held every  Labor Day Weekend. Anyone could compete as long as you had a routine. It was quite a big deal! People traveled  pretty far to come to this event every year. Santa Monica Gymnastics Center was always very involved in this event.  My dad competed in this in his youth and then passed the tradition onto his team. I will try to do this as orderly as possible. I will start with some magazine articles...I am not sure if they will be clear enough to read....but I will give it a go.

I think that is Laurie Donaldson? I am not sure. That style of leotard was super famous at the time. All the team moms would embroider them. I wish we could bring that back.

You can see coach Al Luber in third place in the center of the page.

Can you see my mom Linda Luber? She is in the front row with short hair and without the hat. I do believe  my aunt liz is on the other end...I think  Al is next to Liz.

There is Al Luber in the UCLA shirt in the middle of the page.

This was a poster in one of the gymnastic publications at the time. Maybe IG or Gymnast Magazine?  Not sure. It was a famous fold out poster that everyone wanted. The world famous embroidered leotards of the seventies.  Al Luber is pulling the springboard away while she does her mount for her bar routine. This really captures the gymfest feel of the 70's.

Raquel Zamora on the beam.

Jill Lucky on the balance beam!

Robin Stone performing a floor routine!

Yuri Hinson flying through the air!

I love this picture of my mom.

My sister, Karen Luber, being a spectator!

That is me on the balance beam.

I think if my parents could have a gymnastics school on the beach they would be living a dream...as long as beach volleyball courts were nearby!

Santa Monica Gymnastics Center: Alohafest and West LA Gym

These are some photos from when we moved from Santa Monica to West LA. We never changed our name because we had a strong reputation under this name. When we moved to Culver City we still kept this name. It can be confusing to those who do not know our history.

I am also posting photos of the Alohafest. This is the first one we went to.... I think. I think it was around 1978? I look about 2 yrs old so that is my estimate.

Recreational Gymnastics Class Photos:

Coach Al Luber hard at work.

Here is my mom Linda Luber teaching a kindergym class. These are the classes I teach know....talk about turning into you mother!

I am pretty sure this is me. It could be my sister Karen... but I think it is me. Also... how cute is the little outfit. I think this is when we moved into the Purdue location.

The Purdue gym started out half this size. We grew and knocked down the wall and doubled in size! It was pretty awesome when we knocked the wall out. I wish we had photos of that.

These are from the Sleepover.  We have been hosting the Sleepover for years! A reward for those who raised  money to support the gym! We used to have foam pits....this is the kind of foam that was used before pits got fancy. It would cover you in foam bits. People ask us why we don't have foam pits. I guess the answer is been there-done that. We have porta pits now that serve the same purpose...without the mess.

 

This next set of photos is from the Alohafest in Hawaii. I believe they are from around 1978. These photos are pretty awesome. They really capture gymnastics in the 1970's. Note the wooden balance beams, Uneven Bars very close together, and the folding panel mat floor they used as a floor!

A little cliff jumping and flipping during down time!

I was always well taken care of!

Coach Al Luber demonstrating a nice handstand!

Santa Monica Gymnastics Center: Photo Blog

Here are some more photos of the West Los Angeles Gym. The dates the 1970's and  1980's. Some of these may be from the first gym in Santa Monica. These are all team photos.

 

Pogo balls! I remember this day. We did  demonstration back in the 80's and Pogo Balls were there being promoted. I thought that was so cool! Ahh...the things we did before the internet.

 

Some names I recall in the photos from above. Sorry if anyone has changed their name...I am just listing as I remember: Maya Kato, Robin Stone, Yuri Hinson, Danielle Lonky, Sabrina Bassett, Jill Lucky, Jessica Hochberg, Lauren Eckert, Anne Kitabayashi (not sure how to spell or if the last name is correct), Leslie Goldberg, Raquel Zamora, Dena Lemul (may have gotten last name wrong...sorry), Cathy Diaz, Laurie Donaldson, Stephanie Grimes....the names are on the tip of my tounge...can anyone help fill them in? Just add names in a comment to this portion of the blog.

Coming up next are some photos from the west la gym. I also believe I have the first trip we took to Hawaii as a team.... we used to compete in the Alohafest.

Santa Monica Gymnastics Center: The Early Years

Here are some photos of Al Luber, owner of Santa Monica Gymnastics Center in his early years competing for UCLA. I believe they are from around 1967.

A few years after graduating from UCLA with a degree in Engineering,

Al and Linda Luber opened our first gym. We started out in downtown Santa Monica near the Santa Monica Place.

Here are some photos of the first gym.... i think...

I love this picture...I believe this is Maya Kato and she is on a wooden balance beam competing at the Santa Monica Beach Gymfest. I like how the beam has our gym name stickered onto it! Check out Al's sideburns!

My sister and I were used as promotional material for the gym when we were younger.  We have lots of family gymnastics photos:

This is me, Carol Luber, in my younger years... now I teach kids this size! These were all taken at our second location in West Los Angeles.

       Here is my sister Karen Luber.

This photo is a treasure. The SMGC Van. This van was the SMGC mascot for years! Also, this is what  I had to learn to drive in! Are you kidding me, it was so hard to maneuver! Do you like my mom's leg warmers?

We always hung out at the gym. I wish I still had that t shirt.

That is it for the first installation of Vintage Santa Monica Gymnastics Center photos! Up next is Santa Monica Beach Meet photos. It was also called the Gymfest. We have lots of photos covering many years. I will also begin sorting through old team photos from the various years. They style of leotards changed so much!

Santa Monica Gymnastics Center: The best gymnastics school in Los Angeles!

I was recently reviewing my dad's old photographs from our gymnastics school, Santa Monica Gymnastics Center. People ask me why I believe our school is the best all the time. My answers always come back to our history. We have been through so much since we opened our doors over 30 years ago. Gymnastics has always had a rise and fall of popularity each decade.

My parents, Al and Linda, have been running a fun gymnastics program for years. The reason it is fun is due to the passion for the sport that my dad has. There is no one in this city who know more about gymnastics then he does. His knowledge of the sport is almost photographic. He can name every gymnast from before his era through now. He knows the people who made this sport dynamic. He has the same passion for coaching young students that he has had for coaching a top level gymnast in the World Championships. He knows the challenges of the sport and has changed the lives of many talented youth and guided them towards art, strength, discipline, and self respect... receiving nothing in return except the knowledge of a job well done.

Looking through these photographs strikes an emotional cord in me. He has archives of photos of gymnasts from every competition he has attended with a camera. Olympians, Santa Monica Beach Meets or Gymfests, world champions, collegiate level, and a plethora of photos from all the girls and guys he has coached through the years.

I am going to begin posting these photos here on my blog in the most organized fashion that I can. We have been in 3 locations and the photos cover a time span from 1967 to the present. So I apologize if I can not always decipher when the photo was from or who is in them. My memory is not as sharp as my fathers. If you came across these photos and you recognize yourself....send me a comment! I will re-tag them as the information comes in.