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Thursday, Feb. 26, 2015
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Photo: GRANT CREE, St. Albert Leader
Helena Mymko of Salto, the Gymnastics Club from Sherwood Park, performs her oor routine during the annual Sweetheart Meet last weekend in the St. Albert Dynamyx Gymnastics Club. The two-day event included more than 240 competitors and their families.
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COVER Madelyn Valpy of Champion Gymnastics from Edmonton flies through the air while doing her balance beam routine during the annual Sweetheart Meet last weekend in the St. Albert Dynamyx Gymnastics Club. The two-day event included more than 240 competitors and their families.
BY THE NUMBERS
193 There are 193 Member States in the United Nations and each of them is a member of the United Nations General Assembly. Source: www.un.org
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Local athletes soar in gymnastics
GRANT CREE
example, an athlete competing in the vault routine would have a 3.5 degree of difficulty (DD) with a 10.0 base plus 3.5 DD for a maximum score of 13.5. Allowing a deduction of, say, 1.5 (for whatever reason), the score would be 12.0. “The girls from our club train anywhere from 12 to 20 hours a week. It’s a great commitment and dedication,� said Schwer, adding that many competitors have been involved in gymnastics for anywhere from two to six years. “The highlight for me is having this many athletes here at one weekend. It’s huge, and this is the largest competition we’ve had. Just having these kids come out and do their best and perform their best—we celebrate that.� Gymnastics, in addition to athletics and swimming, is considered one of three foundation sports by Canada Sport for Life because it builds a solid foundation for young people. The activity also develops useful life skills such as balance, core body strength and confidence. “The kids work hard all year ‘round, so it’s fun to see them with their team mates, and it’s fun to see parents and their families support them,� said local resident Wayne Green. His daughter was a competitor in the Sweetheart Meet, and he’s also a volunteer with Dynamyx Gymnastics Club. Green estimated the club has about 2,000 athletes involved in the recreational and competitive aspects. The next round for competitors is the Northern Regional Provincials that will take place Mar. 13 to 15 in Grande Prairie. The top 12 athletes from each category in the north zone will come together, with 24 athletes per age category. That event will determine who advances to the Alberta Gymnastics Federation Provincial Championships scheduled for the weekend of Apr. 17 to 19 in Lethbridge.
St. Albert Leader
Dynamyx Gymnastics Club of St. Albert hosted their annual Sweetheart Meet last weekend that included more than 240 competitors and their families. The two-day event showcased athletes in the competitive stream of provincial-level gymnastics. Athlete ranging in age from 6 to 16 competed in seven sessions in Provincial Level 1 (P1) to Provincial Level 4 (P4). “This competition doesn’t have anything to do with them qualifying for the provincials,� said Cathy Schwer, president of Dynamics. “It’s one of those opportunities to have a chance to compete and see what your competition is like out there. It also gives them an opportunity to perform under pressure in a group setting where they have spectators watching them.� Athletes representing 17 clubs from across North Central Alberta participated in the event. They included several local Edmonton area clubs, and communities like Wainwright, Cold Lake, Fort McMurray, Lloydminster and Jasper. Coaches and parents watched as the girls competed in four events: bars, floor routine, beam and vault. “The judges are looking for things like straight legs, strength, core and overall presentation,� explained Schwer. “There are specific things they are looking for, and the scoring is very detailed.� Under the watchful eye of experienced judges, each athlete was scored according to the Canadian Provincial Program (CPP).  Under that program, all athletes start with a score of 10.0, and a degree of difficulty is added to their score for a maximum they could achieve. Their score is then deducted for errors in their routine. For
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