Web Release April 2008
Jacksonville Gymnastics First Level Nine Gymnast
Competes at Level Nine - Ten Regional Competition
Kayla Edgin, the first Level Nine gymnast from Jacksonville Gymnastics, competed recently at the Level Nine-Ten Regional Three Competition held in Wichita, Kansas. Region Three covers the seven states of Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Wyoming and Arkansas, and a total of 348 Level Nine and Ten gymnasts competed in this three-day, six-session meet.
One Level Ten gymnast from Arkansas competed against 110 Level Ten gymnasts from 47 teams from the Region. And seven Level Nine gymnasts from five Arkansas teams competed against 238 gymnasts from 74 other teams from Region Three.
Kayla, age fourteen, competed Saturday evening against 30 to 33 Level Nine gymnasts of the same approximate age (with 60 gymnasts competing at the same time). Coaches Laurel and Erin drove to Wichita that morning and returned home after the meet – all in the same day.
Kayla, who has been in gymnastics for ten years, began the sport at age four, and was selected immediately for specialized training and performances. At age eight, she started competing at Level Five, having skipped Level Four for the performance team. The Edgin Family then moved to a different gym and at age nine, Kayla competed at Level Six. The next season at age ten, Kayla competed her second year at Level Six and was the Level Six State Floor Champion for her age.
At age ten, when their gym closed down, Kayla and her family moved to Jacksonville Gymnastics Team at Huff ‘n Puff, and she has competed with us since, progressing thru Levels Seven, Eight and Nine this year.
Kayla, who came to us with a tremendous foundation in gymnastics, has had unbelievable success as a gymnast at Jacksonville Gymnastics under the coaching tutelage of Laurel Spears and Erin Wunderl. Kayla competed first season with Jacksonville Gymnastics as an eleven-year-old Level Seven. That year she was State Beam Champion and won State Second Individual All-Around for her age bracket. (Kayla has just continued to progress and only get better each season.)
She was moved to Level Eight at age twelve, competing two years as a Level Eight. Last season (2006-2007) at age thirteen, Kayla took Second Place Individual All-Around at State and qualified for Level Eight Regionals, where she placed with a score of 9.575 on beam.
And this years, 2007 – 2008 season, Kayla, at age fourteen, was moved to Level Nine (she was the team’s first-ever Level Nine gymnast) and at her first meet of the season –the Pepsi Challenge –she won First-Place Individual All-Around, against gymnasts from Texas and Louisiana, as well as Arkansas.
Kayla had a great competitive season and was able to attend Level Nine Regional Competition her very first year as a Level Nine. It has been a tremendous and fun year for Kayla and the team, but she really looks forward to next year and having other team members as company at Level Nine, and hopefully Regional Competition as well.
This action photo of Kayla and perfect splits was taken by Ms. Lois at January meet at Pine Bluff Convention Center.
Kayla Edgin, Level Nine Gymnast, at State Meet - also at Pine Bluff Convention Center
Kayla is shown here in front of the Level Nine-Ten Region Three Banner.