(Kalamazoo, MI) Each of the 13 Grand Traverse Bay YMCA gymnasts competing in the Snowfest Invitational State Qualifier in Kalamazoo this past weekend will be headed to their respective state meet later this spring. And they’ll be going for the gold.
“The
girls had a great meet,” said coach Jennifer Van Deinse. “It was one of the most consistent
performances we’ve seen at every level.”
Francie
Flores, Annie Gerstner, Patricia Davis and Kendra Benak each turned in
gold-medal all-around performances. At
level 8 Gerstner swept the gold by winning vault (9.450), bars (9.150), beam
(9.150), and floor (9.500) for a first-place all-around score of 37.600. Kendra Benak captured her first-place
all-around medal in the level 8 14&up division by winning bars and floor,
while placing second on vault and beam for a score of 36.850.
In
the level 7 12-13 year old division Francie Flores won bars and beam and placed
second on vault and floor for her gold-medal 37.600 all-around award. In the 14& up division of level 7 the
YMCA girls swept first through fourth place all-around awards. Olivia Flores placed fourth, Amy Davis took
third, including first place gold medals on vault (9.525) and floor (a stunning
9.650 routine), and Kayla Jackson placed second, less than a point short of
Patricia Davis’ all-around gold score of 37.600. Davis won vault (9.525), bars (9.250), and
beam (9.475), and placed second to twin sister Amy in the floor exercise.
“We
brought home 18 gold medals, including the level 7 first-place team award,”
commented coach Gina Van Deinse. The
level 6 team placed third.
“We
were especially proud of our level 5 girls,” added Van Deinse. “We had just moved Jordyn Fortier up to level
5 as the required third gymnast to fill out a team. Yet with a strong meet from teammates Summer
Bennetts and Ryan Zrimec, they were able to place third along with our level 6
team, even while competing against much bigger and much more experienced
teams.”
The
YMCA’s level 6 gymnasts include Darby Drake (third place all-around, including
a first-place bar routine), Annemarie Jenkins (fourth place all-around,
including a second-place bar routine), and Kayla Brady (seventh place
all-around).
Coach
Jennifer Van Deinse sees a successful future for the YMCA teams. “When the younger girls see the hard work in
practice pay off with 18 gold medals this weekend for the level 6, 7 and 8
girls, it really inspires them.”
She
adds, “But this is no time to rest on our laurels. There’s a lot of work yet to do if we’re
going to make a good showing when we get to state... not to mention our next
meet.”
The
next meet for the YMCA gymnasts is the world-renowned Chicago Style
Invitational, to be held at Navy Pier February 10 – 12.
For
more information about Y Gymnastics, call gym director Betsy Van Deinse at
929-2869, stop in to the Y Gymnastics facility at 1100 Woodmere, Suite A, or
visit the YMCA website at www.gtbayymca.org.
