On April 10th - the level 9 team headed to Albuquerque, New Mexico to compete in the Region 3 Regional Competition.  Region 3 consists of the following 7 states: Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wyoming.  We had 5 athletes attend the competition and we hit 18 out of 18 routines.  The girls executed beautifully and the 4 all-around athletes placed in the top 6 in the all-around in their age groups.  This qualified those four athletes to the Western Nationals competition.  Some of our exceptional performances came from the following:

 

On Saturday morning the Junior 6 & Junior 8 Age Group took the floor.  We had 3 athletes: Lauren, Kayla, and Emily, start the competition on bars.   

 

We started the morning with Emily and Kayla dominating bars. Emily scored a 9.5 crowning her bar champion and Kayla scored a 9.4 earning her 3rd place.  Next it was off to beam where Lauren became the beam queen earning herself an impressive 9.575 for 2nd place.  Emily followed with a 9.4 and Kayla with a 9.375 which placed them 4th and 5th respectively.  On floor Emily's impressive double pike opening tumbling pass scored her a 9.625 for a 4th place.  Then off to vault where Kayla threw a big yurechenko layout earning a 9.15 for 2nd place.  As all-arounders the girls finished as follows: Emily 37.475 - 2nd place, Kayla 37.175 - 3rd place and Lauren 36.475 for 6th place.  These 3 girls also all qualified for the Western National Region 3 Team. 

 

On Saturday evening, the Junior 7 Age Group started with Bailey being aggressive on the vault.

 

After suffering from back issues for the months of October through January, Bailey came through with a great post-season.  She started on vault scoring an 8.825 for a pike tsuk.  Then it was off to bars where Bailey dominated.  She scored an impressive 9.5 to claim 1st place.  Then it was off to beam where she scored a 9.2 earning her 5th place and lastly she tumbled a great floor routine scoring a 9.5 earning her 3rd place.  Bailey had a 37.025 all-around which earned her 4th place and a spot on the Western National Region 3 Team.

 

Then Sunday morning, the last session was the Junior 1 Age Group where Jospehine wrapped up a great meet as a specialist, competing on only 2 events for National Elite.

 

Josephine started on bars and excelled scoring a 9.4 and which earned 6th place in her age group. Next it was to the balance beam, where Jo competed a very difficult routine consisting of a jump split mount, and a switch leap to sheep jump as her bonus combination and dismounted with a layout full and stuck the landing.  Jo received a 9.625 on beam which claimed 3rd place. 

 

National Elite Level 9 Team 

 

 

 

 

NEG's Regional Team Results are Below:

 

On April 28th - the level 9 team was off again to compete at the Level 9 Western National Competition. This meet comprised of the 380 best athletes west of the Mississippi River.  We had 4 athletes attend the competition and we hit 15 out of 16 routines.  The girls were great under pressure and all placed in the top 12 in the all-around in their age groups.  Some of our exceptional performances came from the following:

 

On Friday evening from the 2 Junior 6 athletes: Kayla and Emily. 

 

We started the evening on beam with Emily and Kayla sticking their routines to start off the meet. Emily scored a 9.5 earning her 5th place and Kayla scored a 9.275.  Next it was off to floor where Emily unfortunately went out of bounds on her last tumbling pass.  Kayla hit a good floor routine scoring a 9.25. The girls took to the vault and really went for it with each throwing layout yurechenkos.  Emily scored a 9.325 earning 2nd place and Kayla scored a 9.3 clinching 4th place.  Then off to bars where Emily was in 3rd and Kayla was in 4th place all-around.  Emily hit a great bar routine to score a 9.425 naming her National Champion, and unfortunately Kayla took a fall while trying to put her pirouette in that perfect handstand.  She scored an 8.75.  Emily finished 2nd in the All-Around with a 37.4 and Kayla finished 11th with a 36.575.  

 

On Saturday morning, the Junior 7 & 8 Age Groups took the floor  and with Bailey in flight 1 and Lauren in flight 2.  Definitely coach challenging with Mark and Kristin running back and forth between the warm-up and competition gym.

 

Bailey started on bars and rocked with a 9.175 earning her 5th place.  Then off to beam where there were a little nerves but she held it together with a 9.1.  Next Bailey rocked her floor routine capturing a 9.425 and getting 4th place.  Bailey finished on vault with an 8.95 and finished her season with a 36.65 earning her 9th in the all-around. 

 

Lauren started in flight 2 on the floor.  During warm-ups Lauren caught her toe in the carpet doing and turn and fractured her little toe.  Despite that she kicked off a good floor routine with an 8.925.  Then we went to vault where Lauren had a good pike yurechenko scoring an 8.975.  Then to bars where Lauren was determined to redeem her regional performance.  She came out big - 9.325 earning 2nd place.  Last it was to beam where we had to do some last minute modifications to her routine due to the toe.  She handled it beautifully earning a 9.225.  Lauren finished her season with a 36.45 claiming 7th place in the Junior 8 division.

 

We are so proud of our level 9 team.  Way to go girls.