Return Home USAG GYMNASTICS TEAM 07 - 08 Meet Schedule
2007 – 2008 COMPETITION SEASON IS HERE!!!!!
2007 - Mock Meet, Levels Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight and Nine
Yeahhhhh! The season has finally begun. Most of us began looking forward to competition season last April and May when the gymnasts began to work, or continue to work their skills towards the next level, or to perfect their current level skills. As you all know, gymnastics is a sport wherein each gymnast may work at her own speed and is assessed by the coaches at her own level, but they compete as a group in their Level; then the Levels comprise the entire team. It may be one of the few sports where the athlete may compete and be scored individually and yet be part of a team.
Huff 'n Puff gymnastics students are evaluated several times a year and are moved to the appropriate level, depending on where we are in the competition schedule. The Level Two gymnasts are additionally evaluated each year in the spring and those who are ready are moved up to Level Three at the Skills Meet or earlier. The competitive gymnasts—all levels--train extra hard and for more hours once the summer schedule has begun. And if you were at the mock meet, you would have seen that their training has paid off.
The Mock Meet is held each year by Jacksonville Gymnastics in order to evaluate how the gymnasts are achieving their skills, and this is helpful not only to the coaches but to the gymnasts and parents as well. The gymnasts are acclimated to the act of competing, either for the first time, or again for the new season, and allows the parents to see the gymnasts in an actual competitive meet. Levels of the team competed in different session times, just as they do at meets. The meet sessions were judged by Arkansas fully accredited USAG judges. Some of the levels were also USAG sanctioned.
This will be the ninth year for Jacksonville Gymnastics to compete. (Head Coach Laurel Spears formed the team nine years ago with eleven Level Four Gymnasts). Laurel is the Operations Officer of Huff ‘n Puff and, as such, is Director of all programs within Huff ‘n Puff, including both Gymnastics and Dance Departments. As head coach, Laurel is assisted by a most competent staff – Assistant Head Coach Erin Wunderl, and Coaches Lois Bryan, Christy Ellis, Stacy Howerton and Lindsey Sweet. Bobby Churches is lead recreational coach; he prepares the gymnasts to be ready to move from Level Two to Level Three, where they will prepare to compete. In some states, gymnasts also compete at Level One and Two, but Arkansas competes only at Level Three and above. (Thank goodness!)
At the Mock Meet, all of our gymnasts were competing against their own teammates, so it was decided that for each Level, participating gymnasts would receive a ribbon. The gymnast receiving the highest score on each event and the individual all-around winner would be recognized and would receive a medal. It is important to remember that at a regular competition, gymnasts would be competing against other gymnasts of their own age, whereas at the mock meet,--since there are no other teams--the gymnasts were competing against their own level teammates.
Fourteen Level Three gymnasts, ranging in age from five years to ten years, competed in the Mock Meet and two additional gymnasts did not compete. The competing gymnasts are shown in this photo.
Jacksonville Gymnastics Level Three Team at Mock Meet
Kneeling gymnasts, from left to right, are Brianna Spurgeon, Sarah Balenko, Alex Leirer, Madison "Cross" Engel, Deja Snyder, Taylor Parker and Marissa Wallace. Standing, from left to right are Rachel Vire, Keelee Curbo, Mollie Johnson, Lauren Osburn, Lindsey Hart, Jenna Mecca and Katlyn Grace.
The Level Three High-Event Winners and Scores were:
Vault 9.55 Lindsey Hart Age 10
Bars 9.6 Keelee Curbo Age 9
Beam 9.2 Katlyn Grace Age 9
Floor 9.4 Katlyn Grace Age 9
All-Around 37.1 Katlyn Grace Age 9
(I really apologize to the Level Three parents - I work on the website information very (very) late at night and I typed in some of these scores incorrectly - they are correct now - Sheryl)
Eighteen Level Four gymnasts, ages seven to eleven, competed in the Mock Meet and three gymnasts were unable to compete.
Level Four Jacksonville Gymnasts pose happily after their
Mock Meet at Huff 'n Puff.
From left to right front row are Natalie Donley, Allison Ramsey, Mattie Taylor and Miranda Chambers. Second row, left to right gymnasts are Sara Heil, Abby Houghtaling, Sydney McGill, Lakyn Powers, Sydney McClung and Skylar Spaeth. Third row gymnasts (left to right) are Jessica Gardner, Maggie Lee, Sarah Seibel, Victoria Maness, Sydney Baggerly, Ashley Hudson, Jadyn Perkins and Sierra Rohauer. Note: The gymnasts in the different colored leotards did not compete at Level Three last year but moved directly from Level Two to competitive Level Four.
The Level Four High-Event Winners and Scores were:
Vault 9.7 Maggie Lee Age 10
Bars 9.6 Lakyn Powers Age 8
Beam 8.9 Sierra Rohauer Age 9
Floor 9.2 Abby Houghtaling Age 8
All-Around 36.35 Victoria Maness Age 11
The Level Four All-Around is a great example of how just being consistent may win you an all-around -- the All-Around score is a total of each gymnast’s event scores. Victoria did not have the highest event scores but her all-around total was higher than any of the gymnasts who won the individual events. And it’s also an example of how you may never know who the all-around is until the name is announced.
Fifteen Level Five gymnasts, ranging in age from eight to twelve, competed in the Mock Meet; unfortunately, one gymnast was unable to compete as she twisted her ankle before the meet started.
Level Five Gymnasts who competed in the Mock Meet are Katelin McClain, Jordan Rogers, Madi Spears, Tonie Butler, Halle Maddox and Lynzie VanBrocklin. Second row, left to right, are Bailea Jones, Kennedy Driskill, Alex Taylor, Sabrina Barger and Anna Faith Camp. In the third row are Rachel Flippen, Katherine Taylor, Katy Gorden and Hannah Taylor. Note: Kaitlyn McClain was in the tumbling program at Huff 'n Puff and started working team this summer and was moved directly to Level Five. Halle and Anna Faith are both new to our gym and all three gymnasts competed exceptionally well. Also, Tonie Butler, last season was a Level Four gymnast and she was qualifed in this Level Five session to compete at Level Six. This was a mutual decision made by the coaches and her parents. Congratulations to all our gymnasts - we are proud of each of you!!!!
The Level Five High-Event Winners and Scores were:
Vault 8.950 Madi Spears Age 9
Bars 9.15 Tonie Butler Age 8
Beam 9.0 Bailea Jones Age 10
Floor 9.5 Bailea Jones Age 10
All-Around 36.075 Tonie Butler Age 8
Six Level Six Gymnasts, ranging in age from nine to fifteen, competed in the Mock meet and one other Level Six gymnast did not compete.
Level Six Gymnasts are Mackenzie Ellis, Jessica McDonough, Taylor Butler, Kendra Lytch, Stephanie Singleton and Carol Walters. Gymnasts are named front to back and left to right. These gymnasts, with the exception of Jessica were on the Jacksonville Gymnastics 2007 Level Five State Championship team.
The Level Six High-Event Winners and Scores were:
Vault 9.3 Stephanie Singleton Age 13
Bars 9.0 Stephanie Singleton Age 13
Beam 9.05 Taylor Butler Age 10
Floor 9.5 Mackenzie Ellis Age 9
All-Around 35.175 Taylor Butler Age 10
Last season, Taylor was one of the gymnasts on the 2007 Level Five State Championship team and was a State Champion for her age bracket. She is being moved to compete at Level Seven and qualified to do so at this meet.
Jacksonville Gymnastics has ten gymnasts, ages ten to sixteen, eligible to compete at Level Seven. Six of those gymnasts competed yesterday.
Level Seven Optional Gymnasts who competed in the Mock Meet, front row, left to right are Samantha Gray, Samantha Sobba and Kimmie Edwards. Behind them are Alyson Ferren, Tori Spears and Mackenzie Powers.
The Level Seven High-Event Winners and Scores were:
Vault 9.0 Samantha Gray Age 12
Bars 9.1 Samantha Gray Age 12
Beam 9.1 Samantha Sobba Age 11
Floor 8.8 Alyson Ferren Age 13
All-Around 35.6 Samantha Gray Age 12
There are six Level Eight gymnasts who will be competing for Jacksonville Gymnastics Competitive Team. They range in age from ten to sixteen, and five competed yesterday.
Shown here are Level Eight Gymnasts Tori Hanley, Courtney Ellis and Taylor Rai Johnson. Behind them are Haley Edgin and Sarah McAlister. Competing Level Nine in the Mock Meet was Kayla Edgin on the top row.
The Level Eight High-Event Winners were: Vault – Tori Hanley; Bars – Taylor Rai Johnson; Beam – Taylor Rai Johnson and Sarah McAlister; and Floor – Sarah McAlister. Taylor Rai received the highest all-around score.
Kayla Edgin competed in the Mock Meet at Level Nine. Starting values for Level Nine are lower for the same skills as one would compete at Level Eight. In other words, even though Kayla was competing very difficult skills and her vault was flawless, she received an 8.8. Although Kayla’s all-around score was lower than she is used to receiving, she did a great job, and Kayla, we are so proud of you.
Levels Three, Four, Five and Six will compete at the West Memphis Harvest Fest Meet November 16 - 17. The entire team, Levels Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight and Nine will compete Dec 7 - 9th at the Pepsi Challenge Meet hosted by Hot Springs Gymnastics to be held at Lake Hamilton High School.
Look who else visited the gym during the first session!!!! Ms. Stacy brought her twins, Cole and Kenzie Madison. This is not the first visit to the gym by the twins - but this was their first meet!!
