Shown above right are Jax Gym Level Eight and Nine gymnasts.  Competing Level Nine is Sara Grace Moss; competing Level Eight were Kylie Belew, Kendyl Bush and Isla Joy Ramariz.  (Yes, they are covered in chalk.)The Level Eight gymnasts won Second Place Team.  Top honors for the gymnasts follow: 

Top Honors for Jax Level Seven Gymnasts follow:

Grayson, who placed First-Place All Around Winner for her age bracket at the Emerald Classic is shown here at the Walk-the-Plank Competition where she also placed 1AA.  Grayson has placed 1AA at several of her competitions.  

Thirty Xcel Platinum gymnasts from seven teams, along with three Xcel Diamond gymnasts from two teams, competed in the Saturday 2:45 session.  Competing Platinum for Jax Gym were Kaeani Cruz, Anna Highfill, Kenzie Howerton, Mia Mabry and Kensley Rickett.  Competing Diamond, the highest level in Xcel, for Jax Gym were Mae Armstrong and Elizabeth Scott.  Each of these two gymnasts assist Jax Gym Levels One and Two.  Coach Stacy coaches the Xcel gymnasts at Jax Gym.

Levels Seven, Eight, Nine and Ten competed in the Saturday, 6:15 session.  Jax Gym Level Seven - Eight and Nine Team Gymnasts, coached by Dennis and Laurel competed in this meet.  Competing Level Seven for Jax were Kendall Eaves, Emerson Pulley and Leilani Taylor.  The Jax Gym Level Seven gymnasts was awarded Fourth Place Team trophy (when team trophies arrive.)

Saturday morning session was kicked off at 8:00 with 88 gymnasts from 11 Level Three teams.  There were so many Level Three gymnasts registered that they competed in two different sessions.  Jax Gym competed in the Sunday afternoon session.

Saturday 11:00 featured 86 Xcel Gold gymnasts from fourteen teams.  Jax Gym Xcel Gold gymnasts, coached by Coach Stacy, who competed in this meet were Virginia Chestnutt, Ariana Cruz, Lily Fields, Aryonna Ford and Grayson Thomas.

Jacksonville Gymnastics (Jax Gym) hosted its annual Emerald Classic Gymnastics Invitational Meet February 19, 20, and 21st at the Little Rock State House Convention Center.  This competition, which years ago was originally known as the Sweetheart Invitational, became the Emerald Classic Invitational about six or seven years later.  It is one of the largest gymnastics competitions held in Arkansas and had over 800 gymnasts registered to attend the three-day competition.  Over the prior week, this entire area was hit with snow and ice - with as much as 20 inches snow in some parts of the state.  The meet equipment was loaded on a truck being held up in the Pine Bluff area and after much sweating it out and many prayers, luckily a driver was found to drive it to Little Rock, in spite of the snow and bad roads.  The equipment arrived about 6:30 Thursday night, and thanks to parents, coaches and staff,  it was ready to go for the competition.  It was a huge load since double equipment, including two entire floors, were set up.  A few worries were taken care of once the equipment arrived because it's really difficult to hold a competition without equipment.  A few of the competitors were unable to make the meet on Friday and a few less on Saturday but by Sunday's sessions, most of the competitors were able to make it - and the meet, as usual, was a huge success.  Due to the snow and bad roads during the week, the team trophies, the medals, backdrop and t-shirts did not make it in time for the meet, but everyone seemed to understand that it was beyond any one's control.  My congratulations go out to Coach Laurel, Mr. Michael and our entire Huff 'n Puff staff and Jax Gym coaches for such a great, smoothly run meet.  A few changes in meet procedures from the past were made due to covid restrictions, etc.  I'm sure the coaches and judges may have missed the food usually provided for the meet!!!

A few changes were made in the schedule due to the weather - the Level One Session was moved to Sunday evening in order to move the Xcel Bronze Friday session, originally scheduled for 10:00, to 3:30 in order to give the competitors more time to get to the meet.  The schedule change due to weather seemed to work for most of the competitors.  Several of the judges couldn't make it though due to the ice as they live in Mississippi.

By utilizing the three large ballroom areas of the State House Convention Center, there was plenty of room for all the double equipment and for all the parents and grandparents to be able to view the competition without feeling crowded.  An addititional benefit was the use of cameras for the meet.  One could watch their gymnast or team by buying the online ticket and one could watch all areas of the competition, as well as awards, right from their own area at home.  I personally loved this facet of the meet, after attending meets for well over 20 years.   I did miss seeing and talking to the coaches from other gyms, though.  But, isn't technology great!

The meet began then at 12:30 Friday with nearly 80 Xcel Silver gymnasts from nine teams competing.  The Xcel Bronze, originally scheduled for 10:00, competed at 3:30 with about 45 gymnasts from nine teams also.  Xcel Bronze is the beginning level for Xcel gymnasts and  Jax Gym doesn't compete either of these levels.

The Friday 6:00 session featured 56 gymnasts from Level Two gymnasts from eight teams.  Competing for Jax Gym in this session were Hanlee Bridges, Gabrielle Davis, Kennady Eaton, DeVine Givens, Analina Gurrola, Kinley Lercher, Anna Mullen, Emerson Orman, Lillian Ortega, Juniper Scott-Hampton, Anyiah Tenner, Macie Kate Weatherford and Sophia Williams.  The Level Two gymnasts are coached by Coaches Lynn and Lois and Assistant Coach Mae.