New York, New Jersey, Delaware came in 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th respectively. Maryland, the sixth state involved, did not compete. Judges Training and Certification Exams Check calendar .. . West Point Academy in May .. . for men; Montclair College in Octobe r . .. for women. Gymnastique Moderne Meet ••• A First in the Meet Novice women 's Moderne Gymnastic Meet was held April 21st at Hunter College, New York . Professor Norma Zabka of Hunter has been doing much to promote mod erne gymnastics in the East. THE MIDWESTERN REPORT Renee P. Hendershott USGF Region IV Championship for Women Connie Robertson, USGF Region IV Chairman This championship was held in conjunction with the Midwest Invitational. The site was Urbandale High School in Des Moines, Iowa. Region IV includes Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and ' Wisconsin. Qualifying scores for USGF Jr. an~ Sr. Nationals were computed from optional scores earned on the 9th. Eight girls qualified to advance to the Jr. and Sr. nationals. Corner House Gymnastic Club qualified as a team of four girls to compete in the Jr. nationals. In the junior divi sion, Laurie Keck (Corner House) was first all-around and on beam. Lisa Zimmerman (Corner House) took first places in floor ex., bars and vaulting. In the senior division , Kathy. Keck (Corner House) took first-place honors in the all-aro'und, including first places in floor ex., beam and vaulting. First on bars was Patti Fogleman of Waterloo YMCA. . The 5th Annual Midwest Invitational Gymnastic Meet for Girls and Boys Connie Robertson Hosted by the Iowa Gymnastic Education Association and the Corner House Gymnastic Club, this meet was he ld at the Urbandale High School in Des Moines, Iowa . A definite increase in spectator interest was obvious with over 300 spectators in attendance. . The elite girls' competition April 8th was very exciting, with over 150 competitors representing 15 teams from Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska and North Dakota. Th e jr. girls' competition was very strong, with several flip-flops and aerials on the beam performed with reasonable success; however, in general, the competitors seemed to lack confidence during their routines. In both divisions, theFX routines sho'wed definite improvement over last year's competition, with both style and tumbling being upgraded. The SHV was the highest scoring event of the meet with a number of scores over 8.5 and several above 9 points. Many superior elements were performed on the bars, but to attain higher scores, more emphasis will need to be placed on execution; however, overall, the event was very exciting and had a great deal of audience appeal. In the 12-and-under division , Karen Koshak, a very talented young gymnast from Pueblo, Colo., Gymnastic Team, took top honors in the AA, FX, UB and SHV. Toni Wilkins of Waterloo, Iowa, YMCA won first on the BB. In the 13-and-over division, Diane Sepke (Engstrom GC of Chicago captured first place AA, BB and SHV. Sue Luba of Gymnastics Unlimite,d , Addision , 111.) won the UB, and Leah Fujimoto of the MinnepHops of Minnetonka, Minnesota, placed first on the FX. 54
Kathy Keck, 1st AA USGF Region IV Girls' team results (combination 01 Jr. and Sr. Div) : Corner House Gym Club (Des Moines, Iowa) 158.45; Gymnastics Unlimited (Addison, 111.) 152.85; Waterloo YMCA (Waterloo, Iowa) 143.95; Bettendorf Par k Board Gym Club (Bettendorf, Iowa) 141.40; Pueblo Gym Club (Pueblo, Colo.) 138.25; Minne-Hops (Minnetonka, Minn .) 133.66. The boys' competition was held April 9th and included 130 novice and elite competitors representing 13 teams from Iowa, Illinois,. Minnesota, Missouri and Nebraska . Scott Evans (Corner House) was the outstanding 15-and-over elite competitor, winning the AA title, plus SR, LHV and FX events. David Rayer (Sokol Omaha) placed first in the PB, SH and HB . Bart Conner (N.W. suburban Des Pl a in es, 111.) captured the 12-14 e lite division AA by winning the PB, SR and LHV. Eric Rand ol ph (Corner House) placed first on the SH and Jim Hartung (Sokol Omaha) first on the FX event. In the ll-and-under elite division, Philip Cahoy (Sokol Omaha) won first place AA, SR, LHV, SH, HB and FX. Dave Watson (Corner House) won the PB event. Elite boys' team results: Sokol Omaha 203.00; Corner House 132.66; N.w. Sub. Y 62.33. Novice boys' team results: Waterloo YMCA 105.50; South Omaha Sokol 92.50; Corner Hous e 72.00. Illinois Institutes Competitive Gymnastics on the 'High School Level Next year marks the beginning of an organized program of high school competition in Illinois. In an effort to improve coaching by women in our hi g h schools, we have organized .guest lectures and are conducting a course in coaching gymnastics. We are also going to ·conduct a seminar for men and women. On our list of lectures are Dr. Charles Johnson , Vannie Edwards, Wettestone, Rotzheim , Frey, Meade and Grossfeld . The seminar will be followed by a week of camp for boys and girls. For info : Vic Lesch, 1870 Marine Plaza, MilwaUKee, Wisconsin 53202. Phone: 1-(414) 276-1989. Michigan District AAU Junior Olympics Girls' Gymnastic Championships Owen Perkins, editor of the Michigan Gymnastics Newsletter, reports that in the senior division , Ga yle Compton of Fl int (58.37), Augusta Lipsey of Kalamazoo (53.62) and Paula Weber of Bridgman (53.45) qualified for regionals in June to be held in Canton, Ohio. From the junior division , Sharmane Peek of Flint (61.50), Mary Jo Swanson of Kalama~oo. (58.28) and Cindy Kaprielianof Bloomfield Hills
(57.56) also qualified for regionals. There was competition in the .10-12 age group, and Pid Archibald of Bloomfield Hills took first-place all-around with 52.20. Michigan Association for Gymnastics . . • Women's Commission Gymnastic Champ. In the senior division , East Lansing, Ann Arbor Y and Kalamazoo Y took 1-2-3 respectively. Ann Weaver of East Lansing came in first all-around with 27.43. The Kalamazoo Kalisthenians topped the team honors with 71.31 points in the 13-14 age group. Mary Jo Swanson of KK was first all-around with 26.05 points. Michigan's Dianne Grayson Qualifies for the Final Trials - 6th Place Coached by Jim McGraw, this Flint Olympian scored 72.30 in AAU senior na tionals in Billings, Montana. Congratulations, Dianne and coach. Michigan H.S.A.A. Girls' State Gymnastic Champions - Owen Perkins Tflfs was tne first girrs' state championship officially sponsored by the Michigan. High School Athletic Association in any sport. The first Michigan high school championship team, Taylor 's J.F.K. Kennedy H.S., coached by Miss Jean Barlow, showed strong balance, as all nine members only one girl is a senior, placed the among the top six in at least one event. Amy Balogh, Taylor Kennedy, paced the.win with two individual titles in balance beam and uneven parallel bars. Merry Jo Hill, East Lansing, coached by Mrs. June Szypula, won the first all-around championship amassing an aggregate of 57.9 points, with first places in floor exercise and tumbling and seconds in balance beam and un eve n parallel bars . Third Annual St. Paul AAU Open .... William Paddock Sponsored by Crowley's St. Paul Girls' Gymnastic Club was held at Harding H.5. on March 18th , 150 girls from as far away as Scottsda le Arizona competed . Novice All-Around Winners: 9 & und e r - Linda Hanson , Crowleys - St. Paul; 10-12 - Lisa Johnson, M-Hops-Hopkins; 13 & over - Gail Gutsc he, St. Paul Turners. Intermediate: 12 & under - Susan Neilsen, Crowleys - St. Paul ; 13 & 14 - Lore e Baran , MHops-Hopkins; 15 & over - Nancy Howard , Unattached. Advanced: 13-14 - Vicky Halek, St. Paul Turners; 15 & over - Margaret Morales, Scottsdale, Arizona .