Region 5 is making their move into 2020. Upgrade season is in full swing so it’s again time for Making Moves Monday. Check out some of the new skills being done from our gymnasts around the Region. If you want your upgrades to be included in future Making Your Move posts upload your video to your Instagram page (must be public or put up on gym IG) and tag us @region5gyminsider and #R5MakingMovesMonday
This weekend the annual official start to the elite meet season began with the American Classic held for the second consecutive year at the University of Utah. This competition serves as a qualifying meet to the 2019 USA Championships in Kansas City Missouri in August. The HOPEs Classic is held in conjunction with this competition which is the qualifier to the Hopes Championships held with the second classic meet the GK US Classic in July.
Region 5 had five HOPEs athletes take part in the HOPEs Classic this past weekend. These five athletes competed during the 2019 JO season then switched gears and routine requirements to the elite entry level of competition. The goal at this Classic was to achieve the qualifying score (different for each age group) and finish in the top 18 in each age group.
In the HOPEs 10-11 age group two of the recently represented Region 5 at the 2019 Level 9 Eastern Championships while the other competed Level 8 this past JO season. Carly Weinberg from Buckeye didn’t have the 2019 Level 9 Easterns she would have liked, but bounced back at the HOPEs Classic to qualify to the 2019 HOPEs Championships. Carly began the meet with a solid floor routine that featured two double backs and a 12.0 for her efforts. After slipping of on her Pac salto on bars in rotation 3, Carly nailed her back handspring layout, beautiful front aerial, and back handspring to double full dismount combo for a 12.05 to finish 13th in the all around.
Five-Stars Izzy Stassi rounded out the Region 5 HOPEs 10-11 age group with a tremendous showing qualifying to the HOPEs Championships finishing 5th all around and taking the top spots in the vault with a very nice Yurchenko Full for 13.400 and first on bars with a 12.05.
Avery Schlichting (known as Smiley) from Rockford finished 8th all around and won beam at Easterns. In this her first Hopes Classic, Avery hit 3 for 4 unfortunately falling on beam. However she came back to on floor and vault to post her two highest scores of the competition. Avery’s coach Jake Stoechkicht, said on his facebook live that it was a great learning experience for Avery. With her success at Level 9 and competing HOPEs, Avery will have awesome momentum as she looks to move up to Level 10.
In 2019 Tori Kitzmiller from Naperville Gymnastics competed level 8 in a few invitationals but focused on qualifying to this HOPEs Classic competition. Tori has some power behind her which she over cooked a layout (slight pike) yurchenko and ran backwards out of it. However she had one of the most powerful run entry of all the competitors in the competition. She finished up with a solid beam routine that begins with the dive back to chest stand mount (D element), beautiful front aerial and nice back handspring layout. She has the makings of a strong beam worker as her career moves forward.
Region 5 had only one athlete competing in the HOPEs 12-13 age group. Gabby Van Frayen for Gym Xtreme in Ohio competed in her second HOPEs Classic. Gabby reached her goal this year and qualified to the HOPEs championships by finishing 10th all around with a 50.1. She rocked her beam set for 12.8 and 5th place on the event starting off with that back dive to chest stand, and solid back handspring series (layout layout upgrade for HOPEs Champs). Her floor routine features a sassy Hispanic salsa (and sells it for sure) opening with double pike and finishing with a strong double tuck. Gabby closed the meet with a strong Yurchenko full for a 13.1.
Gabby with High Performance Director Tom Forster
In the American Classic (International Elite level ), Region 5 had 3 elites take part. In the junior competition, JPAC’s Elizabeth Gantner started on beam for the second year in a row. After a nice layout layout series, she fell on her aerial but still scored over a 12 on the event. She opened on floor with a Full In Pike and finished with a solid double pike for a 12.25. After hitting a 13.1 for her Yurchenko Full, Liz hit a solid bars set which features a Tkatchev, Toe Hand full pirouette to Pac and a nice double lay dismount for a 12.6. Though she didn’t achieve her championships qualifying score (international elite qualifying chart), Liz improved by 2.9 points over her 2018 American Classic score with a fall. She will have one more chance at GK US Classic in July.
In the senior competition, 2019 JO National All Around Champion Faith Torrez from Legacy Elite competed and won in her first elite classic meet qualifying to the USA Championships. Faith began on bars and despite missing a connection at the beginning hit her routine for a 13.1 (no problem with her maloney 1/2 that she took out at JO Nationals). It’s hard to say which event is Faith’s strongest but I feel it’s balance beam. The 2019 JO National beam champion showed her mental toughness on the event nailing a 14.0 for her routine that features a standing full, layout layout series, new front tuck, and huge double back that she lands almost perfectly every time. After nailing her double layout cold on floor for a 13.5, Faith debuted her Yurchenko double full vault for a 14.25 and 54.85 to win Simone Biles style by 2.3 points.
Faith Torrez wins her first elite classic meet
Shania Adams, now training at Future Gymnastics in Ohio, finished 3rd all around. She started the competition on floor and struggled a bit with a few landings and her wolf turn combo (normally very strong) but successfully landing her Yurchenko 1 1/2 solidly before rocking her bars set for the highest score for the seniors 13.25. Though bars is a strong event for Shania, I think beam is her strongest event as well. Her signature triple wolf followed by double wolf turn was solid as usual. She nailed a nice layout layout and my favorite skill her side somi before dismounting with her back handspring combo to double full for a 13.15. Shania was a few tenths short of achieving her all around qualifying score but did achieve her 3 event score. She will have another opportunity coming up in a few weeks at the GK US Classic in Louisville.
Once again it was exciting to be able to watch this competition live (unfortunately can’t watch archive in USA). The Region 5 Insider will be in Louisville at the GK US Classic four weeks from now, bringing you highlights and interviews from our HOPEs and elite athletes.
Region 5 had 24 first time qualifiers (competitors) for the 2019 Level 10 JO National Championships. These newbies played a big role in Region 5 winning the Super Team trophy this year. We are looking back at the top 6 Newbie performances on each event plus the all around. Beam is another one of the those events that can have a major impact of a gymnasts all around score. These 6 athletes are all very talented on this event with high level of difficulty mixed with the performance quality. Here are our Best 6 Newbie Beam Routines.
Our 2nd 2019 JO Nationals Sights and Sounds goes behind the scenes during both competition days with the region with the most spirit in the nation. From the Big E Tumbling to all the stuck landings and every cheer in between check out what it was like for the 2019 Region 5 Dream Team as they took home the JO National SUPER TEAM TROPHY!
Our next 20 Questions Athlete is 1st time JO National Qualifier Gwen Cantu of Aspire Gymnastics in Illinois. In 2019 Gwen was a first year Level 10 who qualified to her first JO National Championships finishing 5th in the All-Around to qualify to the Junior B Dream Team. I had the pleasure of spending time with the Junior Bs during their session at JO Nationals and Gwen is literally one of my favorite people! She has one of the biggest, most fun personalities, she had my cracking up all day long. You could not at all tell that this was her first JO Nationals, she was so comfortable and at ease during the competition. Gwen also was great at making up some of the fun cheers the Junior B girls did during the competition. What first caught my eye though about this talented young athlete was her triple series (BHS Lay Lay) to layout full dismount, which is rocked at Nationals, that I saw from the 2019 Illinois State Meet. Gwen, who will not be graduating High School until 2023, has a few more years left with us here in Region 5 and will definitely be one to watch in the next few years. So, let’s get to know Gwen a little better as she heads into summer training and summer upgrades on her quest for another JO Nationals Dream Team.
How did you get into Gymnastics? How old were you? When the 2012 Olympics aired, I was watching it and I told my mom “I want to do those flips on the floor”. I enrolled in 20212 and was to join team in 2013, I was 7 years old when I started Rec Classes.
What is your favorite event? I really do not have a favorite, it all depends on the day
Favorite Skill to train/compete? My favorite skill to train and/compete is front tosses n beam and double layout on Bars.
Dream Skill? My dream skill is from double full to a punch front on floor and from layout/front toss on Beam
What is your favorite part of Gymnastics? I love to compete and cheer all my teammates. I love the excitement in the gym when someone lands a new skill.
What college do you plan on attending? I plan on attending any college that allows me to continue my Gymnastics career.
What is your favorite meet to compete at? Why? I love our home meet and our travel meets. I love our home meet because there are a lot of friends and family there to cheer us on. I love our travel meets because we get to travel to different places and meet new girls from other gyms.
Biggest accomplishment in Gymnastics so far? My biggest accomplishment was making it to Level 10 in 6 years and then my dream goal was achieved this year when I qualified to JO Nationals my first year as a Level 10.
What is your favorite Region 5 Insider Feature or Series? I love when Region 5 Insider posts videos of girls doing new skills and the 20 Questions about the Gymnasts.
What is your go to playlist or song before meets? I love listening to songs that can pump me up before meets.
3 Things you could not live without? I could not live without my family, friends, food and Gymnastics
If you could be any animal, what animal would you be and why? I would be a Toucan because that is what Coach Carly nicknamed me and now I have a lot of Toucan decorations. I love that the Toucan is so colorful.
5 Most important or Must have items in your gym bag? In my gym bag I have my grips, tiger paws, prewar, tape, Biofreeze, water bottle and pony tail holders.
Do you have any pre-meet rituals or superstitions? Yes every time I get dropped off my mom tells me to be careful, be safe and most importantly go out and have fun.
What do you like to do outside of Gymnastics? I love to go fishing and swimming. I also love hanging out with my family and friends.
Most embarrassing meet moment or Gymnastics moment? When I was a Level 4 I tripped running for Vault and felling the pole of the Vault and they though I might have a concussion.
If you were not a Gymnast, what sport would you do or try? I cannot imagine being in a another sport. I did try soccer, but that clearly did not workout.
Which athletes (any sport) do you respect the most and why? I really do not have one favorite. I respect the dedication and drive all athletes have to reach their goals and dreams.
Something you learned from Gymnastics that you will take with you? Gymnastics has taught me to work hard to achieve your goals and to never give up or stop dreaming.
Most memorable Gymnastics or JO Nationals Moment? My favorite Nationals moment was rooming with the girls and getting to know them better. I also loved when we received all of our amazing gear for Region 5 it was like Christmas.
What is the most valuable piece of advice or wisdom your coach has given you? All my coaches have their own way of offering advice or wisdom. they all help me when I am having a bad day by reminding me to get out of my head and push harder. I have learned when I am not having a great day to not give up and keep working for my goals.
Bonus Question: Tell me something interesting about yourself….. I am deathly afraid of all bugs and snakes. I am allergic to peanuts and tree nuts. I was also a dancer for 8 years.
