about Rick – Coach
Rick McCharles — Coach
With over 30 years experience in Head Coaching and leadership roles, Rick McCharles — from Altadore Gymnastics Club in Calgary, Canada — is an enthusiast dedicated to the sport and activity of gymnastics.
A motivator and communicator, Rick fosters fun through hard work in the gym. He believes that gymnastics is the greatest sport in the world. His philosophy is to provide a safe gym sanctuary where all can work towards their potential, set and achieve goals, and get super fit.
Rick has a wealth of diverse coaching experience including Artistic gymnastics (men and women at club and University level), Trampoline, Acrobatic tumbling and more. He is an expert in recreational gymnastics, an expert in developmental gymnastics and a principle developing coach of a number of international gymnasts including 1992 Olympian Jennifer Wood and Olympic alternate Davide Bardana. Many of Rick’s athletes have received scholarships to Universities in Canada and the USA.
Rick has a BPE in Physical Education and the highest level of certification as a sports coach possible in Canada. Many years a Master Course Conductor with Gymnastics Canada, Rick coaches the coaches across Canada in intensive week-long accreditation courses. He trains new course instructors as well and edits the best gymnastics coaching website on the internet: GymnasticsCoaching.com
Rick has also been a contributing editor to many of Canada’s coach education guides. He has been a gymnastics lecturer at the University of Saskatchewan.
Many of Rick’s athletes and assistants over the years have stayed in the sport contributing as coaches, judges and volunteers. A Canadian Men’s Olympic Coach in Sydney (2000) and Athens (2004), Kelly Manjak, was Rick’s assistant coach for 10 years.
Rick uses computer technology and the internet to help promote our sport. He edits a number of popular gymnastics websites.
Rick has authored a number of highly regarded gymnastics articles published by the U.S. Women’s Elite Coaches Association and International Gymnast magazine.
He is a popular guest coach overseas having led major courses in Australia, New Zealand, USA, Sri Lanka, Trinidad, Bangladesh and Cambodia.

Rick McCharles — Builder
Rick McCharles is a builder; he has founded gymnastics clubs; designed competitive programs; worked as a volunteer in many Gymnastics Canada decision-making committees; planned major competitions; worked for the regional Sports Governing Administration and more.
He believes that the leaders of today are trustees of the future. The groundwork we fix today decides the quality of the program for years to come. We must consider the legacy we leave with every decision taken.

Rick was Head Coach of Can-Am. Photo 1997.
Rick was born in 1957 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He is single, fit and healthy. Hobbies include the internet, fitness, hiking and the outdoors. Rick loves to travel.
Email Rick_McCharles {AT} Hotmail.com






I really appreciate the work of Rick Charles and i hope he can one day travel down to Africa so that we African gymnastics coach can benefit from his great idea and innovation,Moreover i will like to know more about rick work and if there is any course a African woman coach can attend to boost our coaching knowledge.
isedowo esther oluwabunmi
January 26, 2010 at 5:33 am
[...] Special Guest Clinicians: Kyle Shewfelt, Rick McCharles [...]
confirmed – Kyle Shewfelt clinic VEGAS — Gymnastics Coaching.com
August 9, 2010 at 4:06 am
I live in Calgary, AB and have a 5 year old son who loves gymnastics. He is small, very flexible and strong. Which gym club/coach would you best recommend?
My g/f has the same question regarding her 8 year old. She would like a competitive program…
Thank you very much in advance,
Jennifer Brophy
Jennifer Brophy
April 16, 2011 at 9:38 am
I’ll email you on that, Jennifer.
coach Rick
April 16, 2011 at 11:06 am
Hi Rick. Wanted to update you on Dar’s latest adventure. There was an article about it in Neighbours today. Thought it might be worth sharing to you network…
http://www.calgaryherald.com/Calgarian+summer+camp+orphanage+Tanzania/4769255/story.html
Ric fedyna
May 12, 2011 at 8:50 pm
[...] (Rick will be visiting RGC from June 18th-22nd, information about his visit will be posted asap, but right now to find out more about him… http://rickmccharles.com/about-rick-coach/ [...]
GymFest in the West!!! « Renmore Gymnastics Club
June 6, 2011 at 7:40 am
[...] of Renmore Gymnastics (coaches, gymnasts, parents, etc), I would like to send a huge thank you to Rick McCharles who gave us the incredible honour of coming to Ireland to spend the better part of a week with our [...]
Thank you Rick McCharles! « Renmore Gymnastics Club
June 24, 2011 at 1:50 am
coach Rick
June 24, 2011 at 9:26 am
[...] is curated by editor Rick McCharles from Canada. He is a career gymnastics coach and an occasional consultant to talent scouts with [...]
A New Friend | Trampoline Pundit
January 27, 2012 at 8:15 am