Day 1 of the 2019 Eastern National Championships started out full of energy and cheers, even though Brett forgot the Cheer Sticks, that did not stop Region 5 from having the best cheers in the arena! The Junior 1’s struggles a little on the bars, but hit the other 3 events, for many of these kids it was their first time representing Region 5 at the National Championships. Junior 2’s rocked it out today all over the gym to bring us our first All-Around Champion (Railey Jackson) & our first Team Title of the weekend. The Junior 3’s & Junior 4’s hit incredible Vault & Floor sets after having some struggles on the Beam & Bars. The Junior 4’s had to wait on two separate occasions for judging conferences prior to starting their beam and floor rotations, but these girls handled it well, especially the first athlete up. The Junior 4’s brought us our 2nd National Champion (JoJo Valahovic) and our 2nd Team award with a 2nd place finish. The last session of the day was the Junior 5’s & Junior 6’s. The Junior 5’s started out a little rough on bars but hit the next 3 events in a big way to earn the Junior 5 Team Title! We also saw our 3rd All-Around Champion (Breelyn Rickey). The Junior 6’s had solid performances all over the gym to earn a 2nd place team title as well as our 4th All-Around Champion of the weekend.
Congratulations to our Day 1 All-around & Event National Champions.
Tell us about your experience competing at level 10 regionals in 2019, compared this experience to past Regionals. At Regionals this year I was very confident going into the meet because I had been working hard in the gym and becoming more consistent with my skills. Competing at Regionals was really exciting because the group of Region 5 gymnasts I was with were very supportive and cheering for each other. Although I have competed and trained as a level ten gymnast since I was twelve years old, this year I feel that I was most prepared and had all my skills to get myself to nationals. My biggest challenge throughout the past year has been becoming more confident at competitions. Through previous experiences at Regionals, I have learned that it is not easy to qualify to nationals but if you work hard, have determination to succeed in the gym and believe in yourself, everything will fall into place.
What are you most looking forward to about nationals? At nationals, I am most looking forward to competing with my region 5 national team. I will be with gymnasts I have already developed friendships with and look forward to developing more friendships.
How does it feel to represent Region 5 on a national stage? To represent Region 5 on a national stage is an honor. It also means being the best I can be with my new team representing the best Region there is.
What is your most memorable moment in gymnastics besides qualifying to JO nationals? One of my most memorable moments in gymnastics was when I caught my tkachev. I can remember as a young gymnast looking up to the older girls and hoping I could do a skill like that one day. When I caught it I felt I had achieved one of the greatest goals I had set for myself.
What is the most powerful piece of advice you have received and how has it specifically impacted your gymnastics?The most powerful piece of advice I have received is as long as I don’t give up on the challenges gymnastics gives me and I stay true to myself, everything will work out.
Tell me something interesting about yourself….special talents, hobbies, interesting facts etc. One of my hobbies is taking care of my cats and dogs. I also like to be outside as much as possible and cook with my mom.
Favorite Quote: You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” -C.S. Lewis
Favorite Movie: Now You See Me
Favorite Super Hero: Batman
Favorite Food: Pasta
Favorite Color: Purple
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Tell us about your experience competing at level 10 regionals in 2019, compared this experience to past Regionals or Level 9 Regionals if this was your first year of 10. At previous regionals there were always a few of us from our gym, but this year there were a bunch of us as well as other friends from all over the region. Having been an alternate 2 years ago, I got to meet many new people who I still keep in touch with and will be attending nationals with this year!
What are you most looking forward to about nationals? I am most looking forward to spending time with everybody and being apart of the region 5 family.
How does it feel to represent Region 5 on a national stage?I am so excited to represent region 5 on a national stage as I get to do what I love with amazing friends and coaches!
What is your most memorable moment in gymnastics besides qualifying to JO nationals? My most memorable moment in gymnastics was in level 8 when I made my vault by myself for the first time. I was at my last meet of the season and I landed my second vault finishing the season off with my first yurchenko to my feet. I was never the most powerful gymnast so getting my vault was a huge accomplishment that I will never forget.
What is the most powerful piece of advice you have received and how has it specifically impacted your gymnastics? The most powerful piece of advice I have received as a gymnast would have to be to push through the bad days. Everyone has bad days, that is just a part of life. However, the only way to get better is to get through them as they will not only lead to better gymnastics but they also help you become a better person. I have learned how to handle emotions and pain as well as how to not give up. I also know how to help bring someones spirits back up when they are having a bad day because I too have had them and all it takes is for someone to make you smile and you automatically begin to feel better.
Tell me something interesting about yourself….special talents, hobbies, interesting facts etc. I love working with kids and I am currently a coach for Westerville’s Special Olympics gymnastics program. I also have a Hawaiian middle name that is long and kind of hard to pronounce.
Favorite Quote: For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jer 29:11
Favorite Subject: Spanish
Favorite Food: Steak and Mashed Potatoes
Favorite Actor/Actress: Zendaya
Favorite Super Hero: Wonder Woman
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Tell us about your experience competing at level 10 regionals in 2019, compared this experience to past Regionals or Level 9 Regionals if this was your first year of 10. I had a really great experience at level 10 regionals this year! During my previous regionals and at level 9 regionals I always competed by myself, but this year I was able to compete with my teammates and with a bunch of other really awesome girls. I tried to not think about qualifying to nationals, and more about enjoying the meet and doing my best gymnastics. You could really feel all the energy at the competition which made it even more exciting to compete!
Talk about moving into level 10, the challenges you have faced and the success you have had over the last year. I have had a hard time with consistency this year. In the beginning of the year I was competing as a 10 for the first time and I was always really nervous. As the year went on though, I got more used to competing and doing all my level 10 skills. My teammates all helped me to have fun and do my best gymnastics while competing, and by the end of the year I was having a lot of success with my floor routines! My floor score even counted toward our team score at states!
What are you most looking forward to about nationals? I can’t wait to room with the girls from my age group and make some new friends. I was able to get to know all of them a little bit after regionals and they all seem like such great girls! I am very excited to get to know each other better and spend some time together.
How does it feel to represent Region 5 on a national stage? It feels amazing! I can’t wait to wear the Region 5 leo and represent our region! I’m very happy to be able to be apart of a huge supportive team!
What is your most memorable moment in gymnastics besides qualifying to JO nationals? The most memorable moment for me this year was when my team won states! It was a very difficult and close competition, and being able to win made all the hard work worth it!
What is the most powerful piece of advice you have received and how has it specifically impacted your gymnastics? The most powerful piece of advice I have ever been given came from my coach. She told me to let go of anything that happened in the past and to not dwell on it. I needed to live in the moment and be able to take in everything and enjoy it. I can’t let the stuff from the past affect the present, because there is no way to go back and change it.
Tell me something interesting about yourself….special talents, hobbies, interesting facts etc I am very distantly related to Jonny Appleseed!
Our next 20 Questions Athlete is a former Junior International Elite, 2x JO National Qualifier and Future Florida Gator. Eliana “Ellie” Lazzari trains at Legacy Elite Gymnastics in Carol Stream, Illinois.I first remember seeing Ellie at the 2015 Region 5 Championships, she was so tiny, but had a huge vault and an eye catching presence on the floor. Ellie finished 5th in the All-Around at this competition qualifying her to her first JO National Championships where she would eventually finish 8th in the All-Around. In 2016 Ellie qualified to Junior International Elite and went onto compete at the 2016 American Classic, US Secret Classic and the 2017 US Classic before deciding to drop back to Level 10. 2019 was the first time I have seen Ellie compete since 2015 and once again I was captivated by her beautiful floor routine and her exceptional vault. It is really great to see her back in JO Gymnastics, having fun and excelling. I can definitely see this talented young athlete making huge impact for the next few years for Region 5. So, as this high school sophomore prepares to compete in her 2nd JO National Championships in Indianapolis Indiana, let’s get to know Future Gator Ellie Lazzari a little bit better.
How did you get into gymnastics? How old were you? My mom signed me up for a Mom and Tot class when I was 3 years old. I loved it from the very beginning.
What is your favorite event? Beam
Favorite Skill to train/compete Flip-Flop Layout Layout on Beam
Dream Skill? Tkatchev into a Pak Salto
What is your favorite part of gymnastics? For me it is all about the team. I love the sisterhood of gymnastics and the special bond that gymnasts share. We all work so extremely hard and we really “get” each other and are able to provide a built-in support system that makes us all better.
What college do you plan on attending? I am verbally committed to the University of Florida on a full athletic scholarship.
What is your favorite meet to compete at? Why? The most fun I have ever had at a meet was at JO Nationals. The meet feels like such a celebration and Region 5 really goes above and beyond to make sure their Dream Team has an unforgettable experience.
Biggest accomplishment in gymnastics so far? I was on the USA Developmental Team for 4 years and was then asked to join the USA National Team Camp in 2016. Right after competing in the 2017 Secret Classic I had shoulder surgery and was out for the 2018 season. I am happily competing Level 10 now but when I look back at all the years I attended the training camps, I am amazed at what a big accomplishment that was! I will always be thankful for that incredible opportunity and proud of that phase of my gymnastic journey.
What is your favorite Region 5 Insider Feature or Series? My favorite Region 5 Insider Series is the All Access Series. It is so interesting to get a look inside other gyms and see how they train.
What is your go to playlist or song before meets? I like listening to Indie Rock.
3 Things you could not live without? Myfamily, friends and Gilmore
If you could be any animal, what would you be and why? I would be a dolphin because they have such a strong family bond and are cute, smart, lovable and gentle. I also like that they always seem to be so happy and have so much fun with their pod.
5 Most Important or Must have items in your gym bag? Grips, Water Bottle, Pre-Wrap, Tape, and Tennis Ball.
Do you have any pre-meet rituals or superstitions? The night before a meet I take a long Epsom bath, have pasta for dinner, and then visualize all my routines when I go to bed. The day of a meet I rub a blessing stone for a little extra luck.
What do you like to do outside of Gymnastics? I love spending time with my family and friends in South Haven, Michigan. South Haven is my happy place where I can fully relax and recharge. I also really like hanging out with my teammates outside of the gym. In my down time I love binge-watching old episodes of Gilmore Girls on Netflix.
Most embarrassing meet moment or gymnastics moment? After not seeing each other for a year, Morgan Hurd and I spotted each other in the hotel during the 2018 American Cup. We both ran at full force to greet each other and collided. I ended up falling on top of Morgan as she hit the floor really hard. She hadn’t competed yet and I was so afraid that I injured her and that she wasn’t going to be able to compete. She kept telling me she was fine and we couldn’t stop laughing but I was so embarrassed. I was totally stressed out until the competition was over and she had won the All Around.
If you weren’t a gymnast, what sport would you do or try? I would probably try soccer or badminton.
Which athletes (any sport) do you respect the most and why? I have great respect for any athlete that is committed to putting in the effort and making the right choices to be the best that they can be – at any level and in any sport.
What part of JO Nationals are you most looking forward to? Team bonding with the Region 5 girls, seeing old friends from other regions, and getting to compete on such a big stage.
Most Memorable Gymnastics or JO Nationals Moment? Making the Region 5 All Star Team and getting to go with the team to the World Championships in Glasgow, Scotland when I was 12 years old.
What is the most valuable piece of advice or wisdom your coach has given you?
You’re ready … you just need to believe in yourself
Commit to the skill – Go for it – You have nothing to lose
Don’t rush – Finish the skill – You are not done until you salute at the end of the routine
Do your normal
Bonus Question: Tell me something interesting about yourself….
I was born in Foshan, China and was adopted by my family when I was 18 months old. I also have two older sisters that were adopted from China.
