2023 Top 10 Favorite Region 5 Leotards (5-1)

By

-

August 10, 2023

They say “Good things come to those who wait” well I think I have kept everyone waiting long enough. It has been a busy end of the season with lots to do and now we are all of a sudden knocking at falls door with some starting school already! Where has the time gone! So without further a do, I give you the long awaited 2023 Region 5 Top 10 Favorite Leotards!!!! Ironically, 5-1 was the easiest part of the list for me this year! Hopefully some of my favorites are some of yours too!

5. Integrity (Ohio)

I went back & forth with this Leo so many times, it was on the list then off then on, but at the end of the day I could not deny the beauty and uniqueness of Leo GK leotard. Integrity is no stranger to beautiful Leo’s and in the last few years they have been all about the lace and flowers without being overwhelming. This Leo definitely does that drawing you in at the same time with its take notice mesh cutouts. Plus you cant go wrong with the red and black!

4. KGA (Kentucky)

This is KGA’s first year on our list & the first time I saw this Leo was at the R5 Insider & I instantly loved it! My favorite part of the back with the KGA running vertically! I also love that the design point up and not down running along the rib cage! I was extremely impressed with this Ozone design! Plus red and black has always been a favorite color combination of mine so how can you go wrong with that!

3. GTC-IN (Indiana)*

This may be GTC-IN’s first year on the list, but they have held an Honorable Mention spot in the past with their Greek Inspired Leo. I saw this beautiful blue to black Leo early in the season but it wasn’t til the I was doing Dream Team Media for Nationals that I really took noticed of how much I loved this Ozone Leo! However I did have a hard time deciding where in the top 5 it would go until Lilah sent me a photo of the back! I instantly knew top 3 was the only option! The back is what did it for me! It’s just different than most of the common backs you see these days! I love the clasp at the neck but the low crossing straps, they remind me of a prom dress!

2. 5-Star (Ohio)

5-Stars Leo was another instant favorite the moment I saw it! I couldn’t not get it on my list fast enough! There is so much detail everywhere on this beautiful blue Ozone Leo that it immediately catches your eye from all angles on the competition floor, it also photographs beautifully! The back is sets this Leo apart and draws you in with the key whole and smaller cutouts. However, I would love to see what the back would look like without the black fabric in the middle, but due to the Leo’s rules it has to be there, but with or without it does not matter this is one of my all time favs for sure.

Midwest Elite (Illinois)

As soon as I saw this Leo I was absolutely IN LOVE! I knew instantly this would be hard to beat this season! A few came close, but at the end of the day I knew Midwest Elite would be topping this years list! I love everything about this Sylvia P design! The attention to detail, the perfect jewel placement and how the red just pops! Not to mention it looks GREAT on everyone! Bravo Midwest Elite!
_____________________________________

*Indicates a Region 5 Favorite by those who voted.

Disclaimer: To be eligible for the Region 5 Top 10 Favorite Leo list at least one athlete must compete at least one event at the Level 9/10 Region 5 Championships.

Making Moves Monday- August 7, 2023

By

Jason MacDonald

-

August 9, 2023

0

presented by: Full Out Recruiting

It’s been two weeks since the last MMM but we have a collection of upgrades including some first time release catches from the past two weeks.

We have a only a few more weeks of summer training but our series featuring upgrade videos from athletes around the region each Monday will continue until Level 10 High Tech/High Performance Training Camp in October.

If you would like your upgrades to be featured in the coming weeks make sure you upload to your gymnastics Instagram account (or personal if that is what you use) and tag #R5MakingMovesMonday

So here is our collection of 13 upgrades for our 5th Making Moves Monday.

Emma Brookins, Olympia Class of 2024- 2023 DEV National AllStar on Floor. Floor upgraded combo

Anika Most, Capitol City Class of 2024- 2023 Level 10 DEV National Qualifier. Fun Beam Combo Upgrades, also double layouts off bars

Taylor Gomez, BIG Class of 2024. Full out bars dismount on double bars

Kyler Webster, Aspire Class of 2024. New Beam Dismount

Layla Bobek, Universal Class of 2025- 2023 Level 10 DEV Nationals. New Double Layout on floor

Erin Peyton, Future Gymnastics Class of 2027. Gienger on bars

Molly Sabin, Flytz Class of 2025- 2023 Level 10 DEV National Qualifier. New Bhardwaj- Bail with half (or known as a PAC Full- though its not) bar to bar release.

Avery Schlichting (Smiley), Energym Class of 2026- 2023 Level 10 DEV National Qualifier. LOVE THESE NEW FLOOR COMBOS (though it does bring me back to my generation of floor tumbling)

Harmony Haro, Cincinnati Class of 2024. Check out her new full in

Alisia Murray, Hunts Class of 2024. New upgraded front 1/2 on vault

Mallory Simon, AA Flames Class of 2025. First Jaeger Catch

Sydney Fazio, Premier West Class of 2027. Another First Catch (Jaeger)

Ella Hargraves, JPAC Class of 2025. Upgraded Bars Dismount

Thirteen from Region 5 to compete at the Core Hydration (US) Classic

By

Jason MacDonald

-

August 2, 2023

0

Hoffman Estates, IL

>US Classic (Region 5) Coverage

Chi-town plays host to the now Core Hydration Classic (aka US Classic) for the first time since 2017 at the Now Arena in Hoffman Estates. The event serves as a qualifying meet for the upcoming USA Championships and the competition begins on Friday.

The competition will feature the HOPES Championships on Friday afternoon, the Junior Elite session on Friday evening and two Senior Elite sessions on Saturday.

Photo by: USA Gymnastics – Quinn Harris (Cincinnati), in pink Leo, 3rd AA at the 2023 American Classic (HOPES Classic)

Region 5 will have 6 vying for HOPES Championships all around and event titles in two age groups (11-12, 13-14). The most experienced of the six, Quinn Harris from Cincinnati, makes her 3rd appearance at the Hopes Championships. She is coming off her third place finish at American Classic which qualified her to this weekends championships. The other 5 athletes: Sadie Goldberg (GymXtreme), Addie Oiler Velez (Buckeye), Ansley Stevens (Cincinnati), Kylie Smith (Cincinnati), and Stevie-Rose Mack (Performance) will all make their first appearance at the HOPEs Championships.

Photo by: USA Gymnastics- Izzy Stassi competes at the 2023 Junior World Championships

The junior session will feature 5 from Region 5 (all from the state of Ohio- FACT: all 13 train in Ohio). Izzy Stassi (Buckeye Gymnastics) is returning to competition for the first time since competing at the 2023 Junior World Championships. She is already qualified to US Championships from Junior Worlds so she is using this as a tune up competition. Catherine Guy (Buckeye), Jazlene Pickens (Buckeye), Carly Weinberg (Buckeye) and Ella Kate Parker (Cincinnati) all have the goal of reaching the championships qualifying score of 50.0

The senior championships qualifying score has been lowered from 51 to 50.5 since American Classic, which is good news for our two seniors. Avery Moll (Buckeye) who totaled a 50.4 at American Classic will be looking to grab a spot in her first US Championships. Kelise Woolford (Buckeye), 2022 US Championships junior qualifier, had a solid first three events at American Classic and just missed her two event score by mere tenths.

2023 Core Hydration (US Classic)

By

Jason MacDonald

-

August 2, 2023

0

presented by: Tumbl Trak

Interviews (HOPES, Juniors and Seniors)

Izzy Stassi on her 2023 Junior World Championships Experience

Quinn Harris Qualifies to HOPES National Team Despite Competing With New Grips

Kelise Woolford on Qualifying to 2nd Championships, Motivation, and the Back Full on Beam

Izzy Stassi on Upgrading Routines, Classic Performance and Prep for Championships

Stevie Rose Mack talks about her Hopes Champs Experience, Performance Quality on Floor and Her Goals

Avery Moll on her First Podium Experience, Crazy Filled Year and The Upgrades

Archived Video (Junior and Senior Videos)- Videos from USA Gymnastics

1

/

2

Avery Moll – Vault – 2023 Core Hydration Classic – Senior Women Session 1

Kelise Woolford – Vault – 2023 Core Hydration Classic – Senior Women Session 1

Kelise Woolford – Uneven Bars – 2023 Core Hydration Classic – Senior Women Session 1

Avery Moll – Uneven Bars – 2023 Core Hydration Classic – Senior Women Session 1

Avery Moll – Balance Beam – 2023 Core Hydration Classic – Senior Women Session 1

Kelise Woolford – Balance Beam – 2023 Core Hydration Classic – Senior Women Session 1

Kelise Woolford – Floor Exercise – 2023 Core Hydration Classic – Senior Women Session 1

Avery Moll – Floor Exercise – 2023 Core Hydration Classic – Senior Women Session 1

Ella Kate Parker – Vault – 2023 Core Hydration Classic – Junior Women

Izzy Stassi – Balance Beam – 2023 Core Hydration Classic – Junior Women

Jazlene Pickens – Balance Beam – 2023 Core Hydration Classic – Junior Women

Carly Weinberg – Balance Beam – 2023 Core Hydration Classic – Junior Women

Jazlene Pickens – Floor Exercise – 2023 Core Hydration Classic – Junior Women

Catherine Guy – Balance Beam – 2023 Core Hydration Classic – Junior Women

Carly Weinberg – Floor Exercise – 2023 Core Hydration Classic – Junior Women

1

/

2

Archived Video (HOPES)

1

/

2

Kylie Smith – Vault – 2023 Hopes Championships

Quinn Harris – Floor Exercise – 2023 Hopes Championships

Quinn Harris – Vault – 2023 Hopes Championships

Stevie-Rose Mack – Balance Beam – 2023 Hopes Championships

Ansley Stevens – Floor Exercise – 2023 Hopes Championships

Addie Oiler -Velez – Floor Exercise – 2023 Hopes Championships

Stevie-Rose Mack – Floor Exercise – 2023 Hopes Championships

Addie Oiler-Velez – Uneven Bars – 2023 Hopes Championships

Kylie Smith – Uneven Bars – 2023 Hopes Championships

Kylie Smith – Floor Exercise – 2023 Hopes Championships

Quinn Harris – Uneven Bars – 2023 Hopes Championships

Addie Oiler-Velez – Vault – 2023 Hopes Championships

Ansley Stevens – Vault – 2023 Hopes Championships

Sadie Goldberg – Floor Exercise – 2023 Hopes Championships

Ansley Stevens – Uneven Bars – 2023 Hopes Championships

1

/

2

2023 Top 10 Favorite Region 5 Leotards (10-6)

By

Kim Dowis

-

August 1, 2023

0

As we officially closed the 2023 season with the Region 5 Banquet & Hall of Fame induction, it is time to continue our 2023 wrap up with our annual Top 10 Favorite Region 5 Leotard List. It’s hard to believe that this years list is the 10th year of this coveted list. I remember back at Regionals in 2014 when I got the idea for this annual list, I never imagined it would turn into what it is today with people wanting to make the list and getting excited about holding that top spot each year. It has been such an incredible experience for the last 10 years putting together this list each year, especially when the coaches & club owners go above and beyond each year making it more and more difficult to decide. This year has been no exception, year 10 has definitely been challenging with so many great leotards it has taken me more time than usually to narrow this list down, but I finally did it. So without further a do here is 10-6 of the Region 5 Insiders Top 10 Favorite Region 5 Leotards.

__________________________________________________

Honorable Mentions:

10. Naperville (3rd yr)

What I love most about Naperville’s leo is that it is the same as one of Michigan State’s leos from this past season (back & color is different). We all know my love for the Michigan State Gymnastics Team! As soon as I saw Naperville’s blue Sylvia P leo it was an instant favorite, it is also one of those great leos that looks great on everyone which I love.

9. Olympic Dreams (3rd yr)

What I love most about Olympics Dreams is the vibrant colors they chose for their leos, they always pick colors that really POP and draw the eye. This leo is no exception, I also love the design and how the pinks compliment each other so well.

8. DeVeau’s (1st yr)

This is DeVeau’s second year in this dazzling Ozone leotard. Many people have mixed feelings about this leo and it did take me a while to really love it, but I do. It definitely stands out on the competition floor and it is not just the front that is a showstopper the back always draws the eye with its design.

7. Energym (2nd yr)/ Queen City (1st yr)

Energym & Queen City share the number 7 spot on our list. Their leos, to me, are the same but obviously different both catch your eye on the competition floor with the jewels as well as the side cut mesh designs. I instantly loved both right away when I saw them and new they had to be on the list and sharing the number 7 spot seemed perfect.

6. CGA (10th yr)

CGA never disappoints when it comes to leotards, having made our list every single year since the beginning and this one no exception. CGA’s pink & black GK leo looks fantastic on everyone as well as really catches your eye with its intricate design. __________________________________________________

Stay Tuned for Leotards 5-1