Level 3-5 State Championships — Congratulations to all of our competitors and qualifiers for the 2014 Wisconsin Levels 3-5 State Gymnastics Championships. It was a great meet and as expected, Wildcard gymnasts did very well. We won more individual medals (53) and had more all-around medalists (10) than we have ever had in Level 3 and 4. All the hard work has definitely paid off.

We usually finish the weekly blog post with our success wall additions, but since it was state, we will start with them. To qualify for the success wall at state, a gymnast must medal on an event (or get a 9.0 or 9.5 on Level 3 vault). First we’d like to congratulate Aniyah B. as the Level 3 state vault champion and Aaliyah K. as the Level 4 state uneven bars champion. Every Level 4 gymnast earned a medal on at least one of the events. The following are additions to the success wall:

Level 3
Aniyah B. — 1st vault, 4th bars, 4th beam, 4th floor, 4th all-around
Essence B. — 5th bars, 5th floor, 5th all-around
Angela B. — 7th bars, 8th beam, 8th all-around
Vanesa K. — 8th vault
Ayanna L. — 7th vault, 7th beam
Nora L. — 5th vault, 4th beam
Mariyah L. — 5th vault, 6th bars, 6th beam, 6th all-around
Emma L. — 5th bars, 4th beam, 5th floor, 4th all-around
Sarah S. — 2nd vault, 7th bars, 7th floor
Taylor T. — 4th vault, 2nd beam, 4th floor, 4th all-around

Level 4
Madeline C. — 7th bars, 4th beam, 5th all-around
Emily G. — 7th beam, 7th floor
Nadia J. — 3rd vault, 6th floor, 6th all-around
Ella J. — 4th vault, 5th bars, 7th all-around
Aaliyah — 1st bars, 6th beam, 7th floor, 3rd all-around
Ryann W. — 5th bars
Kerigan S. — 7th vault, 7th floor
Norah T. — 5th vault
Maeggan X. — 7th beam
Kamryn W. — 5th vault

Level 2 State Week Information — Not much will change for the Level 2s this week during their state meet. Practice on Tuesday and Thursday will remain the same. Thursday at 6:30 p.m. will be the team dinner at the gym with pick-up by 7:15 p.m. If you haven’t paid your $10 for the team dinner, please do so soon.  (Please note: Level 3/2s will practice with the Level 2s on Tuesday and Thursday. Those in 3/2 will move in with the Level 3 group on Tuesday after the Level 2 practice. )

Also, Level 2s, if you haven’t done your blog homework, please do that prior to Thursday. The Level 2s will practice on Saturday as usual. There will be no Level 3 practice on Saturday so we may focus on the Level 2s.  Also, please no Fast Track gymnasts on Saturday so we may focus on the competing Level 2s. There will be TOPs and Optional Purple this Saturday.

There will be no mini-TOPs this week as we focus on the state meet on Sunday. All gymnasts competing Level 2 will train with the Level 2s, including the Level 3/2s.

Optional Purple/Silver Groups for the Next Two Weeks — Optionals, we are not changing the groups through the Christmas break. What we are offering is for all Level 6-8 gymnasts to come 4:30-8:30 on regular practice days through the Hawaiian Pineapple meet in two weeks to get extra work. We will assign groups at practice. For practice on Saturday, Dec. 13, the current optional purple group may attend. For practice on Saturday, Dec. 20, all optional gymnasts may attend in advance of the meet on Dec. 21.

Good Luck to the Boys’ Team — The Wildcard Level 4 boys have their first meet this Saturday, Dec. 13 in Racine. If you see Charlie, Jack, Dylan, Max or West in the gym this week, wish them good luck prior to their first meet.

Team Tumbling & Trampoline — We are going to offer, staring next session, a Tumbling and Trampoline class for the team gymnasts. (All Levels are welcome!) There are three opportunities to compete locally (Scamps meet in late February, State meet in April and Regionals in May). There might be an opportunity to compete twice nationally (once at USAG nationals and once at AAU Junior Olympics).

T&T competitions usually cost $50 for the first event and $10 for each of the remaining two events. A tumbling competition consists of two tumbling passes on a rod floor. A trampoline competition consists of a 10-skill routine on trampoline. A double mini competition consists of a two skills on an inclined trampoline. Gymnasts do not have to compete to be in the class. The cost of the class for team members for the eight-week session will be $75.

Competitions come in compulsory levels through Level 7 and begin very simplistically, so anyone can be a part of this team. There is also no age requirement to compete unlike in gymnastics.  This is open to boys and girls!  This will give the gymnasts a chance to learn some more tumbling.

Fund-raising Items — Cookies will be in Tuesday night and available on Wednesday for pick up. We still haven’t heard when fudge will be delivered. Missing pasta and coffee should be in early this week.

Holiday Sale — In the pro-shop, there are new bling logo t-shirts in purple and black in both long and short sleeve in S, M, L, XL and XXL. The short sleeves are $20 and the long sleeve shirts are $25.

Also, we are discounting the remaining stock of Sylvia P leotards that we had for last year’s state meets. Those are now roughly 20 percent off (rounded to the nearest dollar). Get those in time for Christmas. We hope to restock the Sylvia P shelves after Christmas with their “summer” line, which should go on discount after Christmas.