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2009 ARKANSAS STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

LEVEL FIVE - TEN

Web Release                                                                                                        March 29, 2009

JACKSONVILLE GYMNASTICS WINS AT STATE MEET -  

TWO STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS  -

AND SIX INDIVIDUAL STATE CHAMPIONS!!!

The Arkansas USAG Junior Olympic State Championship Meet for Levels Five – Ten was held this weekend on Friday and Saturday, March 27-28 at the Pine Bluff Convention Center.     The meet, attended by 25 teams, was graciously hosted by Flip Flop Gymnastics of Pine Bluff.  The convention center provides the perfect setting for a meet of this size, and our team and parents are very appreciative of the efforts and hard work provided by Patty Desonie and her gymnasts and parents;  we are very aware of what it takes to host a meet of this size and importance.  Equipment and floor exercise areas were doubled for each event, which allowed half of the gymnasts to be warming up while the other half was competing.  The convention center was brightly decorated with spring flowers and plants.  The State Meet t-shirts were made of a brightly-colored tye-dyed fabric, which also lent to the excitement of the important day for the gymnasts. Also, the programs were printed in beautiful colors with a bright eye-catching cover.

This is just one example of the wonderful efforts that Patty and her gymnasts and parents went to just to make this State Meet extra special for the gymnasts.  The competing teams entered through this door-way of brightly colored spring flowers as they were introduced.

This view will give  you an idea of the enormity of the convention center.  Double equipment, including the large exercise spring floors were utilized on the spacious floor.  The  audience of parents, relatives and friends sat behind the camera. 

The Level Five competition for 151 gymnasts--ages seven to fifteen--was held on Friday in two sessions.  Because of the large number of competing gymnasts, the ages were broken down into flights with nine or ten gymnasts in each flight.  Gymnasts were honored with medals; event placements were determined at 50% but all-around placements were honored all the way out. 

The meet began at noon on Friday for 78 nine-and-ten-year-old gymnasts. The age nine gymnasts (27) were broken down into three flights of nine each, and age ten gymnasts (51) were broken down into five flights with ten gymnasts each.  Competing for Jacksonville Gymnastics Team in the noontime session were nine-year-old gymnasts Sarah Beavers, Abby Houghtaling and Mattie Taylor (Sarah Seibel was too ill to attend) and ten-year-old gymnasts, Sierra Rohauer, Skylar Spaeth and Madi Spears. 

(Photos were taken by Coach Laurel with my camera and I'm afraid that I forgot to tell her to use the flash - lighting is great in the Convention Center but not quite good enough.)

Shown here are the Jacksonville Gymnastics Level Five gymnasts who competed in the first session Friday.  Show here are Mattie Taylor (left) and Abby Houghtaling (right.)  Standing (l to r) are Sarah Beavers, Madi Spears, Skylar Spaeth and Sierra Rohauer.

Competing in the second session, which began at 4:30, were 73 gymnasts, ages seven and eight, and eleven and up (age seven – 5; age eight - 13; Age 11 – 33; age 12 – 13; age 13 – 6; age 14 – 2 and age 15 – 1.)  Competing for Jacksonville Gymnastics were Allison Ramsey, age eight; Briyana Isaac, age eleven; and Sabrina Barger, age twelve.  Anna Huston, also age twelve, did not compete due to a play-ground broken toe. 

Competing in the second session for Level Five gymnasts are Jacksonville Gymnasts, left to right, Sabrina Barger, Allison Ramsey and Briyana Isaac.

The usually productive Level Five team did not have one of their better meets but they did win the 9^th-place State plaque.  Usually, I only put top placements on the website, but have changed my mind for the State Meet.  It was difficult to even make it to the awards stand for events because of only going part-way out, so I am putting all event placements in addition to all-around placements for each of our gymnasts.  All of our gymnasts have worked so hard this year and they all deserve recognition.  Most of our Level Five gymnasts have won top awards during the season several times, even if not at State.  (No excuses – just saying that they have done better all year long.)

(Note:  some of the gymnasts on the charts will be by age only and other will be by age and alphabetically by first name, which is easier to find when the names are being called out quickly for awards.)

 It was a good year, Level Five Gymnasts, and we are very proud of each of you!!!!

The competition for 58 Level Six gymnasts began at 8:00 Saturday morning.  The gymnasts, ages nine to fifteen and above, were from fourteen teams.  Competing for Jacksonville were Kennedy Driskill, Rachel Flippen, Katelin McLain, Jordan Rogers and Lynzie VanBrocklin.  The team did very well and won the Second-Place State Championship Banner.  We are so proud of our Level Six gymnasts – they have had a great year and have won first place in five of their meets and second in the other three of them (including this state meet) and many first-place individual all-around honors.  Kaitlin and Jordan won First-Place individual All-Around for this meet.  (In other words, they are State All-Around Champions - see pictures on page two.)  The entire team won the following top honors.

Jacksonville Gymnastics Level Six Team Members are proudly posing here with their banner.  From left to right are Kaitlin McLain, Kennedy Driskill, Rachel Flippen, Jordan Rogers and Lynzie VanBrocklin.  These gymnasts have competed so skillfully this season and are all good teammates.

Competing in the noontime session were Levels eight, nine and ten.  There were 29 Level Eight gymnasts, ages ten to fifteen and up, from nine teams.  Competing for Jacksonville Gymnastics Level Eight Team were Taylor Butler, Kimmie Edwards, Allyson Ferren and Tori Hanley.  Krista Carlisle, the fifth team member, could not compete at this meet.  Kimmie won the State Championship Individual All-Around honor.  (See picture page two.)

The Jacksonville Level Eight Team won the Third-Place State Championship Banner and the gymnasts won the following honors:

Proud Level Eight gymnasts pose with their Third-Place State Championship banner - from left to right are Allyson Ferren, Tori Hanley, Kimmie Edwards and Taylor Butler.  These gymnasts have worked extra hard this season to win the team awards and individual honors for their Level. 

Twelve Level Nine gymnasts from five teams also competed in this session.  The gymnasts were categorized as Juniors--ages nine to thirteen--and Seniors--ages fourteen and up.  Jacksonville Gymnastics team members who competed were Haley Edgin, age eleven; Kayla Edgin, age fifteen; and Taylor Rai Johnson, age fifteen.   Courtney Ellis, age thirteen, and Sarah McAlister, age 17, are also members of the Level Nine team but did not compete due to injury.  The Jacksonville Gymnastics Level Nine Team proudly won the Level Nine Arkansas State Championship.  Also, Haley won the the Individual All-Around State Championship for junior age gymnasts.  (See picture on page two.)  And more fantastic news also on page two!!!!

Wow!!! 2009 State Championship Team!!!  You all deserve it as you Level Nine Team Members have worked so hard this year!!!!  You all compete such difficult skills and we are so proud of you.  From left to right are Haley Edgin, Kayla Edgin, Taylor Rai Johnson and Courtney Ellis.  Kayla was our first Level Nine gymnast to compete last year, and she was joined by the others and Sarah McAlister this year to be one of only two Level Nine teams in the state of Arkansas.

Five Level Ten gymnasts from five different teams also competed at this session.  It is always fun to watch them compete. 

Level Seven gymnasts—64 from 16 teams—competed in the 4:30 session.  Competing for the Jacksonville Level Seven Team were Tonie Butler, age 9; Mackenzie Ellis, age 10; Kendra Lytch, age 11; Jessica McDonough, age 13; Kelsy Founds, age 14; and Stephanie Singleton, age 14.  The Level Seven Team has been quite successful this year, competing in eight meets and winning three First-Place Trophies, (including the first-place at Shreveport,) three second place trophies (including the second place at Memphis) and the First-Place State Championship Banner.  There is a small catch on the State Championship.  Our Level Seven Team team score tied with Aspire team from Bentonville for First Place, and the catch is that when two teams tie, the highest event score determines who is actually first place.  Aspire had a higher event score than Jacksonville.  So Jacksonville was named Second-Place State Champion; however, the Aspire coach felt that we had also won First Place (which, was very gracious of him, and as, of course, we do, too) so we are both claiming State Championship.  Aspire had beaten Jax at the Fort Smith meet by three points, so this was a wonderful win for Jacksonville, missing its highest score of the season by only .25 of a point.  Also, Tonie Butler and Stephanie Singleton are individual All-Around State Champions!  (See Page two for pictures.)

Can't remember if this was taken before the competition or after competing but before announcement of winners was made.  They do look happy, no matter when!

Omigosh!  Another State Championship Team - Jacksonville Level Seven gymnasts tie for First-Place State Championship Team - two in one year and another very close - our coaches were as happy as our gymnasts!  Every one has worked so hard this year and we could not be prouder of each of our levels and each of our gymnasts and our coaches.  Posing with the banner from left to right are Mackenzie Ellis, Stephanie Singleton, Kendra Lytch, Kelsy Founds, Tonie Butler and Jessica McDonough.

Proud team members of the Aspire Gymnastics and Jacksonville Gymnastics Level Seven Teams share the Awards Stand and First-Place State Championship Banner after the teams tied for the State Championship.  I don't recall teams tying for meet First Places, let alone State Championships.  Gymnasts from both teams were very proud of their accomplishment!

Jacksonville Gymnastics is also very proud of its State Champions - Level Six - Jordan Rogers and Katelin McLain;  Level Seven - Tonie Butler and Stephanie Singleton; Level Eight - Kimmie Edwards; Level Nine - Haley Edgin.

For pictures and other great announcement, please go to Page Two.

Page Two

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