Results from Emma's first meet

Emma had her first competitive gymnastics meet today, the "Crystal Cup" hosted in Lehi, Utah by her club Olympus Gymnastics.

There are 20 teams in the Crystal Cup, from at UT, ID, CA, WA, OR, NV, and OK.

However, only three teams brought their Level 4 gymnasts. (Level 4 are usually 7 to 12 year olds, so it's understandable why many wouldn't bring their younger gymnasts, especially if they are on tight travel budgets). Or, perhaps those other teams just don't have Level 4 gymnasts, I don't know. In any case, there were only three teams with Level 4 gymnasts here:
Madison from Madison, ID,
Starzz from Reno, NV,
Olympus Gymastics from Sandy, UT (Emma's team).

There were 16 Level 4 gymnasts in all.

She scored the following:

Vault: 9.1. (average of two runs. 9.3 and 8.9)
Beam: 8.6. (average of two judges scores. 8.65 and 8.55)
Bars: 8.6. (average of two judges scores. 8.7 and 8.5)
Floor: 9.325. (average of two judges scores. 9.4 and 9.25).

She placed:
Vault: 4th
Beam: 6th
Bars: 6th
Floor: 2nd
Overall: 5th place, with 35.625 points.

We are well pleased with Emma.

We look forward to her next meet, the "Lady Luck Invitational", which is Friday, January 16 in Las Vegas.

The word is that she also has all the skills required to move up to Level 5, she just needs to work on Form (Point Those Toes! and straight legs, and less wobble). So, she's motivated. (Girls can spend years in level 4, but don't have to. They just advance when they are ready.)

Maya is on Pre-Team (Level 3). She only lacks three skills, all on uneven bars, and then she'll be ready to advance to Level 4 and she'll be competing next year. She really wants to master the skills, and complains when the coach doesn't work on uneven bars during practice. She wants us to either get uneven bars for the garage, or pay for private lessons, which really do help. But we'll have to see -- either option is expensive. She may just need to learn with time and focused practice.

We've put the boys into gymnastics as well this year. They both like it, but both have a problem with focusing their attention . (They are young boys after all, and doing just the same as all the other boys in their class. Their coach is VERY patient. :).

Becky, who can already do a bridge and splits just 'cause her sisters do, really wants to start, but she must be potty-trained first, so she has good incentive and is really trying. If we remind her to go potty and she resists, we just remind her that she wants to because she can't start "gymnastics suit" as she call gymnastics, until she no longer needs a diaper. It's so cute how any resistance melts right away and she goes and tries. She'll get there, all in due time. (Besides, why pay coaches to teach her what her sisters can and do! :) (Further besides, I've seen the way some of the parents push their little 3-year olds, and that just doesn't fit our philosophy that it must come from within themselves, not be pushed on them by parents trying to live achieve vicareously through their children).

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Here's some interesting facts:

Olympus Gymnastics has been in business 15 years, and in that time, 95% of the gymnasts (who stick it out through Level 10) get a full college tuition scholarship at colleges across the country. (Although my impression is that BYU and UofU are favorites). So you see, I'll pay for their lessons now, but they all get to pay for their own college! (My justification for not putting money away monthly into a college fund for them... :)

Mary Wright, the head coach and owner of Olympus Gymnastics is also the choreographer and Assistant Coach for the University of Utah's Gymnastics Team. 56 of Mary's athlete's have received full gymnastics scholarships, 10 of her athlete's have made Olympic Teams, and many of her athlete's have won many national titles.

-Joe