In honor of the Region 5 Banquet being held in conjunction with the Region 5 Congress in the coming weeks, we here at Region 5 Insider have compiled a set of fun, different and special awards to honor the hard work of our Region 5 athletes. Every year, athletes from around the Region are honored at the Region 5 Banquet for various reasons, we have decided to start our own annual awards to honor some of the great Region 5 Athletes, Coaches & Moments. So, I am proud to announce voting for the 3rd Annual Yahtzee Awards is now OPEN!!!
For the next week you will have the opportunity to view the nominees and vote for our favorites. The winners will be informed, announced and posted on Thursday September 13th prior to the 2018 Region 5 Banquet.
Best Floor Choreography
**Makenzie Sedlacek routine provided by USA Gymnastics**
Best Music
**Makenzie Sedlacek video provided by USA Gymnastics**
Most Entertaining
Best Performance
Most Powerful
Best Form
Stay Tuned for Part 2 & Part 3 of the 3rd Annual Region 5 Yahtzee Awards! Remember she with all your friends, family and gym-mates!!
Our next 20 questions athlete is quiet, but powerful, her gymnastics speaks louder than words. Olivia Amodei of Hunts Gymnastics in Chesterfield, Michigan first caught my eye as a Level 9 athlete she was so tiny but so strong and confident. Olivia, who is in her 2nd year of Level 10 qualified to her first JO National Championships, this past season, where she performed brilliantly contributing to her team helping them capture the 2018 Senior C JO National Team Title, not bad for your first time at the big show. Let’s get to know Olivia, who is in her final year with us here in Region 5, a little bit better as she begins her Senior season and looks for one more JO Nationals opportunity before heading off to college.
How did you get into the sport of Gymnastics? How old were you? My mom put me in gymnastics when I was 3 because I was always climbing on things and jumping around.
What is your favorite event? My favorite event is bars.
What is your favorite skill to train/compete? My favorite skill is tkachev.
What is your dream skill? My dream skill is a ray
What college do you plan on attending? I plan on attending Kent State University
What is your favorite meet to compete at? My favorite meet Born To Fly because my friends and family come.
What is your biggest accomplishment in Gymnastics so far? My biggest accomplishment is making it to level 10 nationals.
Who do you admire most in the sport of Gymnastics and why? My coach, Shannon Hunt, because she has taught me many things in life and in gymnastics.
What is your favorite Region 5 Series or Feature? I like the region 5 all access.
What is your go to playlist or song before a competition? I usually listen to some kind of country music. What are 3 things you could not live without? I could not live with out my family and friends, my dog and my phone
If you could be any animal what animal would you be and why? I would be a monkey because they have a lot of fun.
What are the 5 most important things in your gym bag? Water bottle, wrist guards, grips, tape, shorts.
Do you have any rituals or superstitions before competitions? I eat pasta the day before a meet.
What do you like to do outside of Gymnastics? I like to go camping and go fishing.
What is your most embarrassing Meet or Gymnastics moment? When I was a level 4 I missed my hands on a front handspring and flew over the table on vault.
If you were not a Gymnast, what sport would you do or try? I would try softball.
What athletes (any sport) do you respect the most and why? Shawn Johnson because she is a good role model and she showed that through hard work and dedication anyone can achieve their dreams.
What is the best advice or words of wisdom your coach(s) have given you? My coach tells me to trust my gymnastics and focus on my skills.
Gym World’s Jared Nun was mic’d during the Senior D session at the 2018 JO Nationals. Listen in as he coaches level 10 Rachel DeCavitch on bars in this episode of coaches wired “Uchimura, Uchimura, Uchimura”
Our next 20 Questions Athlete is one of my personal favorites, she is kind of an “under the radar” athlete, but this young lady has a tremendous amount of talent. Rachel “Red” DeCavitch, of Gym World in Ohio, has high flying bars, huge tumbling and a beam mount that has garnered 4 Yahtzee Award Nominations. Rachel, who excels on the uneven bars, will be part of our Coaches Wired Series coming up here soon; so stay tuned to catch her high flying bars routine with commentary and words of encouragement from her Gym World Coach Jared Nun. So, let’s get to know Rachel a little bit better as she enters into her final season with Gym World and Region 5 Gymnastics before taking off to pursue her collegiate gymnastics career in 2019. As summer comes to an end Rachel will try to swing her way to a 3rd JO National Championships in 2019.
How did you get into gymnastics? How old were you? My dad was a gymnast when he was younger so my parent put me and my brothers in gymnastics. I started when I was five.
What is your favorite event? My favorite event is bars or floor
Favorite Skill to train/compete? My favorite skill is a shaposh on bars
Dream Skill? My dream skill would probably be a shaposh half
What is your favorite part of gymnastics? My favorite part about gymnastics is the feeling of when I get a new skill and when the hard work pays off. Also I like that I get to be with my best friends almost everyday.
What college do you plan on attending? I will be attending Kent State University
What is your favorite meet to compete at? Why? My favorite meet is definitely JO Nationals because competing with Region 5 is just so fun and is a great experience.
Biggest accomplishment in gymnastics so far? My biggest accomplishment so far is committing to Kent State on a full ride scholarship.
Who do you most admire in the sport of gymnastics? The person I most admire in gymnastics is probably Aly Raisman
What is your favorite Region 5 Insider Feature or Series? My favorite Region 5 Feature is “Eye on 5”
What is your go to playlist or song before meets? I actually don’t listen to music before meets.
3 Things you could not live without? 3 things I could not live without are 1: my phone 2: a blanket 3: my friends/family
If you could be any animal, what animal would you be and why? If I could be an animal I would for sure be a sloth because I sleep ALL the time!
5 Most Important or Must have Items in your gymbag? The 5 most important items in my gym bag are 1: deoderant 2: lotion 3: extra hair ties 4: phone charger 5: my grips/wrist guards
Do you have any pre-meet rituals or superstitions? I visualize my routines before I start
What do you like to do outside of Gymnastics? Outside of gymnastics I like to hang with my friends, snuggle with my cat, sleep
Most embarrassing meet moment or gymnastics moment? Once when I was younger I forgot my floor routine. I got so scared I just stood in the middle of the floor and cried until the music stopped.
If you weren’t a gymnast, what sport would you do or try? If I was not a gymnast I would play soccer. I used to play it when I was younger and I remember really enjoying it.
What is the most valuable piece of advice or wisdom your coach has given you? The most valuable advice my coach Mr. Ganim gave me was to not let your fears control you. Sometimes fear is good but not when it is controlling you from reaching your goals.
Bonus Question:Tell me something interesting about yourself…. Something interesting about myself is that I have never broken a bone
Region 5 is making their move into 2019. 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. #R5MakingMovesMonday
We start off today’s post with a cool old school release (that ain’t easy). Check out this Comaneci on bars (cast front flip) from Natalie Berrutti (IGI).
