TWO JACKSONVILLE GYMNASTICS GYMNASTS COMPETED IN
INVITATION-ONLY LEVEL SEVEN HALL OF FAME MEET
The Level Seven Hall of Fame meet was held Saturday, May 12, at the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City. Only top Level Seven gymnasts from Region Three states were invited to compete at the meet and all proceeds from the meet were donated to the Gymnastics Hall of Fame, which is located at the Omniplex in Oklahoma City. The seven Regional Three states are Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Wyoming, Kansas, Colorado and Arkansas, and additionally, Nebraska also sent their top Level Seven gymnasts.
Only six gymnasts from each of the participating states were chosen to compete and teams of top Level Seven competing gymnasts were from Arkansas, Colorado, Nebraska, Texas and Oklahoma. However, due to the large number of competing gymnasts in Texas and Oklahoma, two teams of six gymnasts each from those states were allowed to compete.
The gymnasts for Arkansas were chosen from the top scoring gymnasts at the Level Seven State Meet that was held in March. Competing in the Arkansas State Meet were 76 gymnasts from teams from all over the state. As it turned out, the six gymnasts with the top individual all-around scores were from the top three 2007 Level Seven Teams in the state, with two gymnasts coming from each team – the First Place Team - River City Gymnastics, Little Rock; Second Place - Jacksonville Gymnastics; and Third Place - Williams Gymnastics from Fayetteville.
The two Level Seven gymnasts from Jacksonville Gymnastics were Tori Hanley, age twelve, (who with a 37.975 had the second-highest score at the State Meet) and Haley Edgin, age nine, who scored a 37 all-around for this Hall of Fame Meet. (At state meet, Haley had scored a 37.775.) At this Hall of Fame meet, it was confirmed that the competition was just as tough as it had been at the Regional Level Eight Meet. The Arkansas gymnasts competed very well and everyone (including parents and coaches) had a great time. It’s just very tough to compete against gymnasts who work out so many more hours weekly than our teams do.
After I had taken pictures, I discovered that my automatic setting had gotten moved and I apologize for the quality of my pictures - they are blurred. I was very lucky that one of the other moms got some good photos and e-mailed them to me. The color of the leotards is not the fault of the cameras - well not that I know anyway. The Arkansas leotards were purple and both of our cameras showed blue.
The gymnasts had warmed up and were preparing to compete on their first event - the bars. From left to right are gymnasts from River City, Williams and Jacksonville.
The coaches were also happy that this day had finally arrived!!!!
This was a group shot taken after the meet. These Level Seven Hall of Fame gymnasts were from Colorado, Nebraska, Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas. Everyone was excited that the meet was over. The Arkansas gymnasts are in purple but it shows up as the brightest blue color.
The Arkansas gymnasts quickly posed on the beam before the large group photo was taken. These were taken so quickly, the girls did not have time to assume like poses.
The meet was over and the girls really did have about three minutes to relax before photos, etc. Congratulations Arkansas gymnasts for a great showing at the meet. We were proud of all of you. Jacksonville gymnasts, Tori Hanley and Haley Edgin are left. Middle two gymnasts are Katy Rose and Ashley Elser from River City, and to the right are Niki McNair and KK Shadrach from Williams Gym.
Jacksonville gymnasts Haley Edgin and Tori Hanley proudly pose after the Level Seven Hall of Fame Competition in which the six top Level Seven (out of 76) gymnasts from Arkansas competed.