The Christchurch School of Gymnastics — CSG, 'Flipping Brilliant' since 1968 — has been teaching Christchurch children to cartwheel, bounce and tumble for nearly six decades. The club operates from its base at QEII Park on Mark Treffers Drive in North New Brighton, welcoming everyone from pre-schoolers taking their very first class to senior competitors who represent the club at regional and national level.
CSG's programme range is broad: pre-school gymnastics (including the Mini Ninjas group), Junior Gymnastics, Ninja Gym, Trampoline, Tumbling and Aerobics sit alongside a full competitive pathway covering Women's Artistic Gymnastics (WAG), Men's Artistic Gymnastics (MAG), Trampoline & Tumbling, Aerobics and the Senior Excel squad. Beyond regular classes there are private lessons and one-on-ones, an Adult Open Gym, sessions for schools and preschools, an OSCAR Holiday Programme and gym-based birthday parties.
The club is as proud of its inclusive coaching as its results. Families of children in CSG's disabilities sessions describe patient, respectful coaching that has built core strength, coordination and everyday confidence. Parents of competitive gymnasts call the club their child's 'second home', crediting coaches who inspire goal setting, perseverance, teamwork and independence. CSG runs as an incorporated society with a board, staff team and published policies, and its office is open seven days a week — reachable on 03 388 6616 or [email protected].
Ask anyone in Christchurch gymnastics circles about CSG and you'll likely hear the club's own tagline repeated back: 'Flipping Brilliant.' The Christchurch School of Gymnastics has been part of the city's sporting life since 1968, and nearly six decades on, its home at QEII Park in North New Brighton welcomes everyone from wobbly pre-schoolers to senior competitive gymnasts.
Few local clubs can match that longevity. CSG has been teaching Christchurch children to handstand, cartwheel and somersault since 1968, and behind the scenes it operates as an incorporated society with a board, a staff team and published policies and procedures — governance that has clearly helped it endure. What keeps families coming back, judging by the club's own testimonials, is less about medals and more about people. One competitive parent describes CSG as her daughter's 'second home', crediting coaches who 'challenge her and hold her accountable' and who inspired a once-shy eight-year-old. That gymnast started at age two in the Mini Ninjas class and has since become a Canterbury and South Island champion — but her parents point to goal setting, perseverance, teamwork, friendship and independence as the real wins.
CSG's programme list is unusually broad. Pre-schoolers get their start in play-based classes, including the Mini Ninjas group. School-age children can move into Junior Gymnastics or branch into Ninja Gym, Trampoline, Tumbling or Aerobics. There are private lessons and one-on-ones for gymnasts wanting focused coaching, an Adult Open Gym for grown-ups who never lost the bug, and sessions designed for schools, preschools and other education groups. When school's out, the OSCAR Holiday Programme keeps kids active, and birthday parties turn the gym floor into a memorable venue for a room full of excited children. The breadth matters: not every child wants the same thing from gymnastics, and the set-up lets a family explore different disciplines without ever leaving the club.
For gymnasts who catch the competitive bug, CSG runs a full pathway. Regional Competitive squads feed into the Senior Excel programme, with dedicated streams for Women's Artistic Gymnastics (WAG), Men's Artistic Gymnastics (MAG), Trampoline & Tumbling and Aerobics. The club publishes its competition results each year and lists honours and awards on its website, and the competitive team operates under a handbook so gymnasts and parents know exactly what's expected. Classes run on a term basis, with term dates and online enrolment handled through the club's website.
One of the most striking threads in CSG's story is its work with children with disabilities. A parent whose son joined the club's disabilities sessions describes a year in which patient, skilful coaching took him from anxiety around directed activities to confidently challenging himself physically — with core strength, coordination and everyday confidence all improving along the way. The parent calls it 'truly such a gift', noting that the respectful, inclusive coaching has flowed into his daily life beyond the gym. It's a reminder that gymnastics clubs, at their best, build far more than athletes.
CSG is at 38 Mark Treffers Drive, QEII Park, North New Brighton. The office is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 6pm, Saturday from 8:30am to 12:30pm and Sunday from 1pm to 7:30pm, though hours can change during school holidays. Enrolment happens online via the club's Login & Enrol page, and questions can go to [email protected] or 03 388 6616. One practical note from the club itself: after 3:15pm reception gets busy with class traffic, so email is the fastest way to sort out enrolments and payments. Fees can be paid by internet banking — just reference your invoice number or gymnast's name.
Whether you're chasing a podium, planning a birthday party, or simply looking for somewhere a four-year-old can burn off energy, CSG's invitation is simple: come and be flipping brilliant.