ARLINGTON AERIALS PARENTS ASSOCIATION
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Mission Statement
AERIALS PROGRAM The Arlington Aerials is a competitive gymnastics team operated by Arlington County Parks and Recreation Department. All program staff and coaches are employees of the County.
About This Cause
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE PROGRAM In 1971, Arlington County Physical Education teachers, Tim Mengering and Steve Garman, began incorporating gymnastics instruction into after school recreational programs at Randolph and Custis Elementary Schools. In the late 1970's, this nascent after-school recreational gymnastics program moved into an auxiliary gym at the vacant Gunston Middle School. In 1979, Tim and Steve formed Arlington Aerials (competitive) gymnastics team of 20 girls at Gunston Middle School to compete in Women's Junior Olympic (JO) program. Tim and Steve chose the name “Aerial” for the team to signify that this was a competitive gymnastics team, as an “aerial” is a somewhat advanced gymnastics skill that is required of those competing in the Junior Olympic gymnastics program. As the gymnastics program continued to grow, the program was allowed to expand into another auxiliary gym at Gunston. The facility was remodeled again in 1989 and the program continued to grow. Soon after, Arlington County reopened the middle school to students and the hunt was on for a new site for the Arlington Aerials. In 1997, after three long years of meetings, the decision was made to begin work on the Barcroft Sports & Fitness Center which would be the new home of the Aerials. The gymnastics program moved to Barcroft in 2000, and has expanded to its current size. What started out as an informal afterschool program for 20 girls nearly 45 years ago has grown into a center of excellence that serves nearly 6000 Arlington youth per year. There are now more than 200 recreational gymnastic classes offered at Barcroft, the Tigers JO team, and the Aerials girls team comprised of both a JO program and a thriving Xcel program. Steve has retired from teaching and coaching, but continues into his third decade as the Virginia State Chariman for USA Gymnastics. Tim has also retired from teaching, but continues to work as a physical educator on the Aerials' coaching staff. In 2012, Tim Mengering was inducted into Arlington County Sports Hall of Fame.