Levels Three and Four of the Jacksonville Gymnastics USAG Junior Olympic Competitive Team competed this weekend at Sheridan and won high team awards, as well as many individual honors.
Forty-four gymnasts from five Level Three teams competed Friday night at Dorsey’s Gym in Sheridan, Arkansas. Not many of the teams in Arkansas compete Level Three gymnasts. This is just the second year for Jacksonville Gymnastics to compete gymnasts at this level and Jacksonville has one of the largest Level Three Teams in the state. Training at this level and competing at Level Three several times during the competitive season introduces these gymnasts to competition, and while not overwhelming them, it prepares the gymnasts for competition at higher levels.
Twenty members of the Jacksonville Level Three team followed their predecessors from last year and won the First-Place Team Trophy at Friday night’s meet. In an effort to keep Level Three competitions easy going, team trophies are not always awarded at their sessions. Even though the Jacksonville Level Three gymnasts swept the individual awards last weekend at their first competitive meet, no team awards were presented. This weekend’s meet was their first opportunity to feel the sense of achievement and excitement that comes when winning that First-Place Trophy.
In addition to the Jacksonville Team winning the First-Place Team Trophy, the following gymnasts won top individual All-Around honors:
Lakyn Powers, age 6 Second-Place
Miranda Chambers, age 6 Third-Place
Sarah Beavers, age 7, Flight A First-Place
Sara Heil, age 7, Flight A Third-Place
Abby Houghtaling, age 7, Flight B First Place
Kayla McGee, age 8 First Place
Katy Gorden, age 9 First Place
Briyana Isaac, age 9 Second Place
Lainey Necessary, age 9 Third Place
Lauren Foster, age 10 & Up First Place
Victoria Maness, age 10 & Up Third Place
In addition to winning First All-Around for her age group, Kayla McGee received a special recognition bouquet of flowers for having the highest individual all-around score of all the Level Three gymnasts.
Training and competing at Level Three for several meets during the competition season prepares Level Three gymnasts for the even harder Level Four competitions. Level Four is probably the most competed level in the state, as evidenced by the fact that as many as 239 gymnasts, ages six to thirteen and up--representing 25 teams--competed in last year’s “Fun Meet.” The Fun Meet for Level Four gymnasts is comparable to the State Meet of each of the higher levels.
Jacksonville Gymnastics also has one of the State’s largest Level Four Teams with 22 competing gymnasts; however, at Saturday’s meet at Sheridan, only fourteen of the team’s members competed. Seventy-four Level Four gymnasts from ten teams competed Saturday morning and the Jacksonville Level Four Team won the Second-Place Trophy and several individual All-Around honors.
Individual All-Around top honors were awarded to:
Tonie Butler, age 7 Second Place
Jordan Rogers, age 7 Third Place
Lynzie VanBrocklin, age 8 First Place
Alex Taylor, age 9 Second Place
Hannah Taylor, age 9 Third Place
Sabrina Barger, age 10 Second Place
Kennedy Driskill, age 11 Third Place
Nidhi Gandi, age 12 & up Second Place
The Level Three and Level Four gymnasts will compete with the entire Jacksonville Team--Level Three through Level Eight--December 8 – 10 at the Pepsi Challenge Meet to be held at Ouachita Baptist University and hosted by Hot Springs Gymnastics.
Jacksonville Gymnastics Level Three Gymnasts Win the First-Place Team Trophy at a meet held this weekend in Sheridan. Proudly showing off their trophy and wearing their brand-new team leotards is the Level Three Team. Standing on front row, from left to right are: Abby Houghtaling, Natalie Donley, Miranda Chambers, Hali Wilder, Sarah Beavers, Kayla McGee, Sara Heil, Kayla Gregory, and Regan Campbell. Second row, l to r: Sydney Hughes, Rebecca Goldman, Aspen Goldman, Lakyn Powers, Mattie Taylor, Victoria Maness and Briyana Isaac. Third row, l to r, Katy Gorden, Sarah Seibel, Lainey Necessary and Lauren Foster.
Kayla McGee is shown in the center of the above photo. She is holding the bouquet of flowers that she received for having the highest individual all-around score of all the Level Three Gymnasts.
Jacksonville Gymnastics Level Four Gymnasts are shown here with their Second-Place Team Trophy won Saturday morning at a meet in Sheridan. This was also the first time for the Level Four Team to wear their showy new leotards. From left to right the proud gymnasts are Hannah Taylor, Kennedy Driskill, Allie Shaw, Erin Skelton, Tonie Butler, Madi Spears, Sydney McGill, Lynzie VanBrocklin, Jordan Rogers, Jessica Gardner, Nidhi Gandi, Lauren Anderson, Sabrina Barger and Alex Taylor. Eight of their teammates were unable to attend this meet.