Gymnastics is off to College!

Multiple US National Team Members as well as an Olympian from Great Britain and a Canadian World Championships team member have signed on to compete for an array of American universities.

University of Florida

Britain’s Marissa King (London, United Kingdom), a competitor at the 2008 Olympic Games and 2009 World Championships joins a slew of talented athletes at the University of Florida.
Joining her are US National Team Members
Mackenzie Caquatto (Naperville Gymnastics/ Naperville, Illinois)
Kytra Hunter (Hill’s Gymnastics/ Frederick, Maryland)
Alaina Johnson (Texas East Gymnastics/ Tyler, Texas).

In addition to those three US National Team Members,
there are two standout Junior Olympic athletes that will join the Gator lineup,:
Liz Green (Texas Dreams/ Coppell, Texas) and
Brittany Noble (Orlando Metro/ Orlando, Florida).

University of Georgia

Joining the GymDogs this year are:

World Championships Gold Medallist Shayla Worley (Orlando Metro/ Orlando, Florida),
along with:
Christa Tanella (WOGA/ Allen, Texas)
Noel Couch (North Stars/ Towaco, New Jersey) and
Kati Breazeal (WOGA/ Allen, Texas)

University of California – Los Angeles

Joining the Bruins for 2010-2011 are:
Samantha Peszek (Sharp’s Gymnastics/ McCordsville, Indiana)
Mattie Larson (All-Olympians Gymnastics/ Los Angeles, California)
Olivia Courtney (Orlando Metro/ Orlando, Florida)
Sydney Sawa (Calgary Gymnastics Centre/ Calgary, Alberta, Canada)

Other universities signing gymnasts:

University of Alabama- Becca Alexin, Olivia Carisella, Sarah DeMeo, Kimberly Jacob, Jordan Moore and Hannah Toussaint.

University of Arkansas- Katherine Grable.

Auburn University- Abigail Habicht and Aliaksandra Tsikhanovich.

University of California-Davis – Madeline Kennedy.

University of Illinois- Sarah Fielder, Elizabeth McNabb and Amber See.

Louisiana State University- Gabrielle Swart.

University of Minnesota- Dusti Russell.

University of Missouri- Cathryn Aliceaacosta, Taylor Medrea, Brittany Price and Katelyn Trevino.

University of Oklahoma- Lauren Alexander, Hope Bruce and Taylor Spears.

San Jose State University- Cassandra Harrison and Allie Meyers.

Southeast Missouri State University- Erin Brady.

Rutgers University- Alyssa Straub.

Stanford University- Lauren Caldemeyer and Amanda Spinner.

University of Utah- Lia Del Priore, Alyssa Gale, Hailee Hansen, Mary Beth Lofgren, Corrie Lothrop and Victoria Shanley.

University of Washington- Lara Albright and Aliza Vaccher.

University of West Virginia- Hope Sloanhoffer.

Around the Chalkbowl

Gymnasts were asked:
What’s your school situation like? How does it fit in with your daily schedule?

“Right now, I go to physical therapy twice a week in the morning, then I go to school for 3rd-8th period. 9th grade through 11th grade I went to morning practice, school 10-2, then afternoon practice. My school was very cooperative and supportive of me, since I traveled so much, they were usually helpful in giving me schoolwork ahead of time.”
- Corrie Lothrop, Hill’s Angels

“I did correspondence for a year and a half in high school then went back to regular high school for my junior and senior year. I would go to school when it started then leave an hour early for training. When I left for competitions, I would get all the work that I could ahead of time. If there were some things that I missed I would do them when I got back.”
– Chellsie Memmel, M&M

“I’m home schooled because I have practice twice a day and I live an hour and fifteen minutes away from the gym. Usually I will practice from eight to ten-thirty in the morning, then I will do my homework and eat lunch between ten-thirty and three-thirty, which is when I start practice again. I stay at the gym most days to do my homework because it’s easier than spending two and a half hours driving all the way home and back for nothing. I do all of my subjects online except for math, because I do math in the car on the way to practice. Overall, it works out pretty well.”
– Kamerin Moore, Geddert’s Twistars

“Right now, I get all my classes in from 9-12:30 then head to the gym from 1-5. It works out great because I have the entire night to get homework done, tutoring, and [my] other obligations.”
–Shayla Worley, Orlando Metro/University of Georgia

“I have always gone to a private catholic school and attended regular classes. I like being grounded by school and having school friends and that “normal life.” However, I usually leave a class or two early to make it to practice on time. Whenever I leave for a camp or a meet, my teachers are usually very understanding and will let me make up all my work. I am one of those kids that loves going to school for the academic and social aspects of it!”
– Sam Peszek, Sharp’s

“I’m currently a junior in high school and I do go to public school. I do 2 online classes and 5 in public school. I go to public school from about 10-3:20″
– Kayla Williams, Gym Nest

“I go to school from 12:30-3:00, Monday through Thursday. On Friday I have art class from 1:00-3:00. It fits pretty well with my busy schedule.”
– Briley Casanova, WOGA

“I go to a public charter school. I go to gym In the morning then school then back to gym in the evening! They are great with my schedule!”
– Chelsea Davis, Texas Dreams

Around the Chalkbowl

Gymnasts were asked: What’s your favorite USA Team leotard and which club leo that you’ve worn is your favorite?

“My favorite USA leo is the dark purple with the three rows of sparkles on the chest, I wore it the second day of trials. My favorite club leo was the black and orangish one I wore the second day of championships in 08.”
– Chellsie Memmel, M&M Gymnastics

“My favorite club leo that I have worn was a teal “peacock” leo. It was shatter-glass on the bottom with sheer arms filled with rhinestones. I wore it at classics as a junior. My favorite USA leo was the all white one with a hot pink border that ran from the ribs up around the neck and had a keyhole back. I competed in Ireland wearing it.”
– Shayla Worley, Orlando Metro/University of Georgia

“I don’t necessarily have a favorite leotard, but I LOVE red leotards. That is my favorite color to wear when I compete. I feel energized and confident in red.”
– Sam Peszek, Sharp’s

“My favorite National team leo is the red, white, blue, and gold starfish leotard! It is very pretty and it is special to me because it was one of the leotards that team USA wore in Beijing for the Olympics. My favorite WOGA leo is the black and gold/ribbon because I performed well in that leo and made the National Team for the first time in it!”
– Briley Casanova, WOGA

“I like the red and white leo we wore for prelims at Worlds. My favorite club leo was the [purple] one I wore to Championships on day 2.”
– Kayla Williams, Gym Nest

“I love the red with the three white stripes across the chest!! It feels so USA!! Club Leo would have to be the purple I wore to 2007 Championships.”
– Chelsea Davis, Texas Dreams

“My favorite national team leo that I’ve worn was the red flame leo that the girls wore at the Olympics for Team Finals. My favorite club leo is the maroon one from 2009 Visa’s. I actually didn’t get to wear it, my teammate wore it, but I thought it was so pretty and it had our Hill’s angel in jewels on the sleeve.”
-Corrie Lothrop, Hill’s Angels

Around the Chalk Bowl

Gymnasts were asked:

“What’s one thing that fans would be surprised to know about The National Team Training Camp?”

“At camp we don’t have cell signal! Since we cant go days without technology, all of us bring a computer and IM or Facebook each other from our different rooms. We all look like a bunch of nerds carrying our computers from room to room, because there is absolutely nothing else to do!”

- Chelsea Davis, Texas Dreams

“The food at camp is actually pretty good. We have different chicken dishes, Pork, Steak, Fajitas…pretty much everything!”

- Corrie Lothrop, Hill’s

“One thing about camp that is fun is when we celebrate holidays. When it was Halloween, the girls and I were walking out of a team meeting, and when we opened the door to leave, the coaches had dressed up as scary ghosts and stuff and jumped out of some bushes and ended up freaking everyone out. You could probably hear everybody scream from a mile away. It was very unexpected but fun.”

- Briley Casanova, WOGA

“The girls are [really close]. I couldn’t imagine another closer group of people.”

- Kayla Williams, Bohzi’s Gym Nest

5 Questions with…

Chellsie Memmel (USA)

2008 USA Olympic Team Member, 2005 World All-Around Champion and 2003 World All-Around Uneven Bars and Team Gold Medallist

CHELLSIE MEMMEL

has responded to your questions:

1. You’re known for your mental toughness and ability to maintain your focus. When competing, do you pay attention to scores or other things going on around the competition floor? How do you keep your nerves in check and stay focused in high-pressure situations?

“I do pay attention to scores when I’m competing because I always like to know where I stand. I’ve always been like that when I compete, I know some people prefer not to know scores but I have never been that way. Knowing the standings helps me. As far as other things going on, I try not to worry about what other people are doing or what they have done because I can only control what I do. I usually am more nervous when I am getting ready for a meet, like when I’m doing my hair and stuff but when I get to the arena my adrenaline kicks in and usually calms my nerves.”

2. Do you plan to return to competing in the all-around or will you be concentrating on fewer events? If so, which events and why?

“I would like to return in all around. I prefer doing all around to just a few events.”

3. It’s been rumored that you’ve been training a Mo Salto (Gaylord) on the uneven bars—is this true or false? Are there any other big skills you’ve trained in the past but never competed?

“That is false. I’m not training, nor have ever trained the Mo salto on bars. There aren’t really any skills on bars that I’ve trained but haven’t competed.”

4. For some fans, the exact story of your injury in Beijing is unclear. Can you please describe what happened and how it affected your Olympics?

“It was the morning of our second day of training in Beijing when I broke my ankle. We started on floor and were tumbling and getting used to the floor, I was doing my 2 1/2 and hurt my ankle on the punch. I knew something was wrong right away so I went over to my dad and told him something wasnt right in my ankle. We went over to the trainer and talked and did some tests on it, then taped it up and I tested it out. It still didn’t feel right to me so I went back over and talked to our trainer and said that I wanted an xray and or mri to see what we were dealing with. So right after practice we went to get an xray and saw the fracture. Hearing that news was the worst memory I have of being in China. But good news followed, the coaches and Marta all talked and decided if I was able to still do bars I would stay on the team. So for our second workout that day, we taped up my ankle and I did all of my bars except the mount and dismount. I had to show my mount and dismount the next day so we knew if I could do it or not. I was able to, so I stayed on the team for bars. I had an air cast that I walked around in and they found my a bike to use so it was easier to get around the village in for me. I think the rest everyone knows…….I was just extremely glad that I was still able to contribute to the team on bars and proud to take home the silver medal with the team.”

5. In an interview before the 2008 Olympics, you were noted as saying that your diet consisted almost completely of fruit and a small amount of chicken. Is this what your diet truly consisted of at this point in your life?

“No that is not all I ate in a day…..I did have fruit in the morning (I really just don’t like eating a lot for breakfast, I’m not hungry in the morning) then had a salad with chicken and carrots or something else like that for lunch….then usually a power bar before I went back to the gym. Then I usually did just have some more fruit for dinner and maybe like a handful of almonds.”

5 Questions with…

Beth Tweddle (Great Britain)

2-time Olympian and world Uneven Bars and Floor Exercise champion from Great Britain…

Beth Tweddle!

Head over to this page on the International Gymnast Magazine forum to submit your questions!

http://www.intlgymnast.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5587