Meet the 2017 JO National Region 5 Dream Team Junior B’s:
Ella Cesario, Legacy Elite
Grace King, AGA
Madison Snook, Legacy Elite
Madeline Crosse, Naperville
Erika Penamante, Legacy Elite
Nikki Beckwith, Buckeye
Skyla Schulte, Phenom
Laura Soltis, Perfection
The moment everyone has been waiting for, my top 5 favorite leotards of Region 5! This was a incredibly hard decision to make this year because so many clubs had fantastic leotards. This year I wanted to try and focus on clubs with first year leotards for the Top 5, with so many teams having incredible leotards, I could literally have filled this list with everyone from last years list and then some. Please enjoy the Top 5 Region 5 Leotards for 2017
Drum Roll Please……………
5.Legacy Elite (Illinois 3rd yr)
Legacy Elite never disappoints in their leotard selections, I always love how they chose something completely different and unique, but still stick to their signature purple and white colors. What I love most about this leotard is the dragon! I love how Legacy Elite, which is owned by 2 Chinese Olympians, stays connected to their roots with the dragon. Whether it is on their warm-ups or their competitive leotards they always find a way to incorporate the dragon, which is a symbol of strength, power & good luck, into what they are wearing. This leotard, like their gymnastics, certainly makes them stand out on the competition floor.
4. Infinity (Illinois 1st yr)
2017 has turned out to be the year of purple, there are so many gyms around the Region wearing the color purple and their are quite a few on our list this year. This purple & black ombre leo from Infinity in Illinois caught my eye right away as soon a
s I saw it. There was just something about it that I just instantly loved. One of my favorite parts is the infinity logo on the back, which was a surprise because I did not notice it at first, but I really like how they used this recognizable symbol in place of words. Normally, teams will have their gym name embezzled on the leotard, but the use of the infinity symbol makes it stand out that my more for me and this is something that makes this leo so special and eye catching.
3. MEGA (Michigan 1st yr)
MEGA, from Michigan, is another one that has been catching my eye all season. Many gyms use black & pink, but there is something about the design of this leotard that makes it completely stand out. For me this leotard has international flare! I could definitely picture this leotard on a team competing at the European Championships or World Championships, the quality of the design is that good! There is nothing bad I can say about this leotard, I absolutely love it!
2.Cincinnati Gymnastics (Ohio 4th yr)
Who ever is picking out CGA’s leotards has gotten it right again for the 4th year in a row! CGA has held a spot on our Top 10 Leotard list each year since the beginning. Year after year they have exceptional leotards! Ever since I first saw Amelia Hundley (former CGA Elite) wearing this leotard at the 2016 P&G Championships I have loved it, so when CGA showed up with it this season I was totally stoked! I instantly knew this would be a favorite not only for this list, but for many gymnastics fans in general.
1. Youngstown (Ohio 1st yr)
Hands down my favorite leotard!! As soon as I saw this I was instantly in love! Secretly wishing I would have got it first for my team. For me this leotard is classy, elegant, and sophisticated, it reminds me of a beautiful ball gown that you would see on a red carpet at some high society event. Every time I see the girls from Youngstown on the competition floor it is like they put on their formal wear for the competition. It reminds me of when Svetlana Khorkina would wear all black in the AA Finals at the the Olympic Games, because it was the premier event and she would wear her “Little Black Dress”. Youngstown, really stands out in this leotard at every meet that they attend, who ever picked out his one really nailed it!
Stay Tuned for the Level 9 Edition of our Top Region 5 Leotards!
Disclaimer:
****For leotards to be eligible for the list, the club has to have at least 1 athlete competing in any Level 10 session at the Region 5 Championships****
Here are the Region 5 Level 10 JO National Dream Team Senior A’s
Kai Rivers, Twistars
Payton Richards, Aerial
Mayleigh Vanderbeek, Champion USA
Danielle Nosak, JPAC
Makenna Clarke, JPAC
Samantha Sworst, GTC-MI
Megan Teter, Gym World
Lauren Moses, Perfect Balance (competing for Region 2)
(Alt) Amanda Jackson, IGI
Here are the Region 5 Level 10 JO National Dream Team Junior A’s:
Madelyn Bellmore, Twistars
Avery Grant, Bay Valley
Katie Harper, Universal Gymnasts Inc
Savannah Miller, Oakland
Alayna Karl, Legacy Elite
Sydney Jelen, Legacy Elite
Elizabeth Gantner, JPAC
(Alt) Presleigh Buck, Twistars
One of my favorite aspects of the Region 5 Championships is checking out all of the new and old leotards from the competing teams. Each year I run around like a chicken with my head cut off getting pictures of all the fun, unique, stylish and fantastic leotards to put together the Annual Top 10 Favorite Region 5 Leotard List! This will be the 4th year for the list and I have to say to all the coaches out there in Region 5, GREAT JOB! you are making this decision INCREDIBLY hard year after year! I absolutely LOVE IT!
So, the moment everyone has been waiting for………..Drum Roll Please!….Here is my Top 10 Favorite Region 5 Leotard List numbers 10-6!
10. Hunt’s Gymnastics Academy (Michigan 2nd yr)
This is one of those leotards that I have seen in a few different color options, however there is something so simple and elegant about the black with the silver. I also love how Hunts accents the leotard with their signature color hair bow and their “Hunts Hair”. This is another leotard that also looks great on all of the members of their team.
9. Palmer’s Gymnastics (Illinois 1st yr)
This leotard is certainly fun and different. I have seen this done in a few different color options, but I really love the red! Maybe because I am partial to red (my gym color is red & black) but other color pallets I have seen the design and sparkles are so overwhelming. Palmers gets it exactly right with the red, black and silver design. The back is so elegant as well with how it criss crosses, it stands out for sure.
8. Oakland (Michigan 1st yr)/Perfection (Ohio 2nd yr)
Ombre definitely is the style of the year, my own gym actually has ombre leotards as well. What I love about Oakland & Perfections leos is that they are the same, but different. Looking at them separately out on the competition floor you would think that they were 100% the same, however looking closer as they are side by side, they have so many differences that they could almost be there own numbers on the list. However, they are sharing the number 8 spot 
because I like them equally! I love how they each have a different design of jeweling & a different neck line, Oakland has more of a sweetheart neckline while Perfections seems to melt together with the jeweling design. Both use a darker shade of their color ,which I love, the deep purple and the dark teal look exquisite on the competition floor. It has taken me a little bit of time to get used to Oakland’s new teal color, but I absolutely love it! These leos are also another one that seem to look great on every gymnast on the team, from the 18 year olds all the way down to the 8 year olds.
7. Buckeye (Ohio 1st yr)
There were a few pink & black leotards out there this year and a few that kind of have the same theme. It took a lot of back & forth, but in the end Buckeye won out for the 7th spot on the list. This is one of those leotards that is elegant & classy. I love how the back resembles a strappy ball gown and the front adds simplicity without being overwhelming. The detail on the arms is another reason I was drawn to this leotard.
6. Olympia (Michigan 3rd yr)/I.G.I (Illinois 1st yr)
I have always loved leotards that are one solid color, for me there is something so elegant and different about them, especially these days because you really do not see many that are a solid color. Olympia, who always does their signature red, stands out to me because you can literally see this leo from across the gym. This picture does not do 
it justice, I remember the first time I saw them I was blown away by the bling! It was like walking into a disco party and the gymnasts of Olympia were the disco ball. I also love I.G.I, the royal blue reminds me of a leotard I had as a kid and the intricate jewel work is stunning! The design covers every part of the leotard, front, back and the arms making them stand out with every movement.
Honorable Mentions
[one-half-first]
1. Champion USA (Michigan)
2. Flip N Twist (Ohio)
[/one-half-first]
[one-half]
3. Olympic Dreams (Ohio)
4. Midland (Michigan)
[/one-half]
Stay Tuned for 5-1!!
Disclaimer:
****For leotards to be eligible for the list, the club has to have at least 1 athlete competing in any Level 10 session at the Region 5 Championships****
