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Web Release                                                                                                         March 16, 2009

JACKSONVILLE GYMNASTICS OPTIONALS ATTEND

ROSE CITY CLASSIC COMPETITION - TYLER, TEXAS

The Jacksonville Gymnastics Optional Gymnasts, Levels Seven, Eight and Nine, competed this weekend at the Rose City Classic.  The large meet, hosted by Texas East Gymnastics of Tyler, Texas, was held at the Patriot Center Gymnasium at the University of Texas Tyler Campus.  There were 610 gymnasts competing (which were 13 fewer than at our Emerald Classic Meet) but the gymnasts represented 46 teams from Texas, Louisiana, Colorado and our team from Arkansas.  Competing in the meet were Levels Two through Ten (more about the Level Tens later.) 

Compulsory level gymnasts, two through six, numbered 221, and 389 gymnasts competed at optional levels.  There were more optional gymnasts than we have ever competed against and more gymnasts competing Level Ten than we have even seen.  Arkansas has four Level Ten gymnasts of whom I know (possibly more though) and there were 73 Level Ten and Elite gymnasts who competed in this meet.  We stayed half-way through the meet until hunger got the best of all of us.  The skills competed by these gymnasts were unbelievable and fantastic.  It is possible that Texans are more serious about their gymnastics than they are about football.   Some gymnasts work out as much as 36 hours a week (six hours a day, six days a week) and schooling is accomplished through their gym or special schools.

The competition between the optional levels was very tough.  The gymnasts were broken down, not by ages as is usual in Arkansas, but into Junior and Senior divisions and the division was then broken down into flights, being the A, B, or C.  Recognition and medals for event placements  went out only five or six places, but medals for All-Around did go out all the way.  Some of our gymnasts scored almost as high as a 9.5 on an event and still did not place on that event – that might give you an idea of just how tough the competition was.

Our Level Nine gymnasts competed on Saturday at 2:00 in the second Level Nine session with 49 gymnasts from sixteen teams, and our gymnasts did very well in the competition.  Competing for the Jacksonville Gymnastics team were Haley Edgin, Kayla Edgin, Courtney Ellis and Taylor Rai Johnson and we were so proud that our gymnasts won the Fourth-Place Team Trophy.  Haley, age 11, competed in Junior A; Courtney, age 13, competed in Junior B; Kayla and Taylor Rai, each age 15, competed in Senior B.  . 

Haley placed Fourth on Vault and Sixth All-Around.  Courtney bravely competed bars and beam, in spite of her broken toes.  Taylor Rai placed Second on Bars, Fifth on Floor and Sixth All Around.  Kayla placed Fifth on Vault, First on Bars, Fourth on Beam and Fourth All Around. 

Jacksonville Gymnastics Level Nine Team Members - Courtney, Taylor Rai, Kayla and Haley.  They won Fourth-Place Team Trophy.

Our Level Eight Team competed Sunday during the noon session with 69 gymnasts from 19 teams.  Jacksonville Level Eight competing gymnasts were Taylor Butler, age 11; Kimmie Edwards, age 13; Allyson Ferren, age 14; and Tori Hanley, age 14.  Kimmie placed Fourth on Vault, Fourth on Bars, Fourth on Beam and Third All-Around.  Tori placed Third on Vault and Eighth All Around.  Allyson was able to compete on Beam and Floor and she placed Fourth on Beam.  Only two of our gymnasts were able to compete on vault, so we actually lacked enough points for a winning team score.

Jacksonville Gymnastics Level Eight Team Members who competed at Rose City Classic Competition - Allyson, Tori, Taylor and Kimmie.

Our Level Seven gymnasts competed in the Sunday afternoon 4:30 session with 79 gymnasts from 21 teams and did very well.  The Sevens had one of their best meet scores and would have placed sixth, had they placed out that far for teams, missing fifth by .375 (which can be a lot or a little).  We are very proud that the team placed Third on Beam with a  28.425; the Second Place Team score was 28.525 and First Place Team score for Beam was 28.875.

The Level Seven team gymnasts were Tonie Butler, Mackenzie Ellis, Kendra Lytch, Jessica McDonough, Kelsy Founds and Stephanie Singleton.

Tonie placed Eighth All Around with a 35.725; Mackenzie placed Seventh All Around with a 37.05; Kendra placed Sixth All Around with a 36.775; Jessica placed Fifth All Around with a 35.925; Kelsy competed after being back at practice for only one week after recovering from her broken finger, and placed Seventh All Around with a 35.375; and Stephanie placed Second All Around with a 36.85.  We were really proud of our gymnasts.

Jacksonville Gymnastics Level Seven Team Members - Mackenzie, Stephanie, Tonie, Kendra, Kelsy and Jessica

It was a very late night for those who drove home after the meet; others spent the night and drove home on Monday - which was a lot easier drive!!

Gymnasts - we are so proud of all of you - our next and last meet of the season for some of the gymnasts will be our State Meet for Levels Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine and Ten.  The State meet will be held March 28th at the Pine Bluff Convention Center.  And hopefully after that will be Regional Competition for Level Nine to be held April 17 - 19th in Denver, Colorado, and Level Eight Regional Competition to be held April 24 - 26 in Norman, Oklahoma.  Our gymnasts got a feeling for how tough it's going to be at Regional Competitions but we're hopeful for all of our Eights and Nines.

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