Level 2/3/Xcel Mock Meet — With the Level 2s competing for the first time, we are going to hold a mock meet for them on Saturday, Feb. 1, starting at 12:45 p.m. They will not practice on that Saturday morning like they normally would. Their practice will be the mock meet. Additionally, Level 3 will not practice on that Saturday morning, but are invited to participate in the Mock Meet with the new Level 3 routines to replace that practice. Xcel Silver will extend their practice to be part of the mock meet that day, even though they have already competed at their first meet. This will give us four rotations and will give the Level 2s an idea of what competition will be like.

Since this is like a competition, gymnasts should arrive with their competition leotard on and hair pulled back neatly. Gymnasts will receive event ribbons and all-around medals just like a regular meet. Coaches will be available for questions after the meet from the Level 2 and Xcel parents. The competition information is below:

GIRLS’ LEVEL 2 – Emily C. Olivia, Caelyr, Lili Jahr, Lilly J.-F., Claire, Ruth, Sadie, Hanah
GIRLS’ LEVEL 3 – Essence, Angela, Chasity, Asia, Morgan, Ayanna, Mariyah, Alivia, Siena, Vanesa, Emma L., Emma M., Anya, Kaylie, Korynne, Maggie, Rhianna, Brooklyn, Jordan S., Annika, Jenna, Camille B.
GIRLS’ LEVEL Xcel Silver – Amari, McKayla, Anna, Marcella, Katherine
Arrive — 12:45 p.m.
Stretch — 1 p.m.
Meet Begins — 1:40 p.m.
Awards — 3 p.m.

Level 3/4 & Level 4 to Practice on Saturday, Feb. 1 —The Level 3/4s and Level 4s will practice on Saturday, Feb. 1 from 9 a.m.-noon to replace their practice that was cancelled on January 15. Level 3/4 will participate in the mock meet following practice. Plan on getting them something to eat in between practice and the mock meet.

No Parents Allowed on the Floor — This is a reminder that no parents are allowed on the floor or on the equipment with their child. This is a regulation from our insurance company. When your child’s practice is over, please do not go on to the floor and definitely do not instruct your child on an apparatus. Be mindful that at the end of practice for the most of you, we have other teams continuing to practice and other classes going on. We are doing our best to make it a safe environment for everyone. This is also in effect prior to practice. Please do not go out on to the gym floor at any time unless it is to speak with an instructor (and those times would be best before or after practice). This also sets the precedent for the recreational parents who we can’t allow on the floor (unless in a Parent-Child class).

Shawn Johnson is Coming to Marquette — 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist Shawn Johnson is speaking at Marquette University at the Varsity Theater on Thursday, Jan. 30 at 7 p.m. She will be speaking on over-coming adversity in gymnastics as well as how she made the Olympic Team. As this is not a meet weekend, we will not have team practice that day (boys’, girls’ and fast track included).  This special presentation fits great with Wildcard’s ongoing theme of success, so don’t miss it!

The event is free (however, you will likely have to pay to park at Marquette). We have requested 80 tickets, but we don’t know exactly how many they will be able to accommodate, so please RSVP to gymnastics@wildcard-gymnastics.com with how many tickets you will need. With the limited number of seating, we request that parents understand that we may not be able to accommodate all family members. We may have to limit it to gymnasts only in a drop-off and pick-up like situation. If we have enough spots available, we will accommodate the rest of your family after all gymnasts have been taken care of.  Be sure to watch some of Shawn Johnson’s routines on youtube or google her bio. so that your gymnast is familiar with her success!

Cancun Trip & Success Wall Additions — On behalf of the families that went to Cancun for the 2014 Cancun Classic, we missed all of you in the warm sun. We had a great time and came back with a very successful meet.

We had two additions to the success wall in Mariyah L. and Ayanna L. each winning first-place in the all-around in their age divisions in Level 3. They did fantastic after just a couple of weeks of learning routines.

The other gymnasts did very well as well. Bradyn F. competed in Level 6 for the first time after just a couple of weeks removed from Level 4 and she earned a medal on floor and qualified for state. All of the Level 8s and 9s (Ava G., Bella G., Dosia M., Glenna P., Hallie F.) saw vast improvement in scores and as a result, all of our optional-level gymnasts who have competed have qualified for state. Now there are just a handful of Level 6s, who have yet to compete, to earn state-qualification scores.

The trip itself was a grand success. Everyone came back tanned and had a great time. At this point, we are tentatively looking at Hawaii in 2016, but we might accelerate that timetable with a warm-weather traveling meet next year, given the fact that we have two seniors, this will be their last time to travel and we won’t have seniors for at least 3 more years after that. If you have any ideas of where you’d like to see a meet, let us know. We will do our best to find a meet that is not during school or is part of a school break. And, as always, we will do our best to keep the cost down.  We definitely would love to have more gymnasts go on the traveling trips.  It was a great team bonding experience and everyone made memories that will last a lifetime!