RENO Women's Junior Elite Team Trials The USGF Junior Elite National Team Trials were held November 12, 13 and 14th at the fabulous MGM Grand Hotel in Reno, Nevada. Twenty-seven girls from all over the United States were competing for the top 15 spots to make the USA Junior Team. The meet started Thursday evening with the compulsory rou· tines. It was clear the juniors as a whole had really improved on compulsories since the Championships of the USA last March. The meet continued Friday night with the optional routines. After two evenings of competition, Barrie Muzbeck from the Acronauts in Bloomingfield, Michigan (coached by Steve Whit· lock)was the 1981 USAJunior All-Around Champion. She earned a trip to Japan for the Chunichi Cup Invitational in December. This was quite an accomplishment for Barrie for two reasons; first, she was over 1.00 behind Dianne Durham after compulsories, and more importantly, she was making a comeback after having a foot operation earlier this year. By far, the highlight of the competition was the finals Saturday night, especially the beam and floor events. Dianne Durham electrified the crowd by mounting floor with a full-in, back out, and then came back on her second pass with a front through to a double-back. She dismounted with a double twist for a 9.65. Michelle Dusserre, Nicole Kushner, and Barrie Muzbeck all scored at 9.50. These girls not only have superior tumbling skills, but also dynamic and expressive dance. Beam was just as exciting. I think there were only two or three falls total in the finals. Nicole Kushner won beam with a very solid routine. She threw flip -flop, layout; flip-flop , flip -flop ; a one-arm handstand, and a double-back dismount. Barrie Muzbeck took second. Maya Kato from SCATS took third. She was very impressive with a planche press out to handstand and a solid flip -flop, layout. Barrie Muzbeck was the bar champion. She showed excellent swing technique. One of her elements was a back staider pirouette to stomach whip, back uprise to straight body handstand. Dianne Durham was second with a very powerful routine which contained a toe-on, toe-off, half pirouette; a giant, and toe-on front with half twist dismount. Mary Lou Retton of West Virginia was third. She had an exciting routine which included clear hip to handstand to stomach whip straight body back uprise; back staider to stomach whip; rear vault over high bar immediate drop to low bar. She dismounted with a toe-on piked front over the low bar. Dianne Durham was the champion of the vaulting event with two superior vaults. Her first was a full twisting tucked tsukahara. Her second vault was a layout tsuk. Both vaults were very high with only a little step on the landings. Megan Newmeyer, a teammate of Barrie Muzbeck's from Michigan took second. She threw a handspring front tucked and a layout tsuk. Pam Maynard placed third with a handspring tucked front with a half twist. Her first vault was a handspring pike front to a sit. Also exciting was Amy Appler from Berks in Pennsylvania, who attempted a Cuervo. A clinic was held with the Junior National coaching staff on Sunday, November 15th. Bruce Brown taught the girls a dance warm-up which will be the official team warm-up drill. Keith Klevin, the Junior National trainer, gave two excellent talks. One was on strength and flexibility, and the other was on prevention and rehabilitation of injuries. The girls were tested for body measurements, vital signs, height and weight in an effort to gather more information for better training in the future . USA Nation-al Junior Elite Team: Diane Durham - Tumbling-On Nicole Kushner - Parkettes Cindy Rosenberry - Parkettes Pammy Bileck - Los Altos Twisters Lisa Patti - Parkettes Mary Lou Retton - Aerial Port Gymnastics Michelle Dusserre - SCATS Angie Denkins - Willingboro Maya Kato - SCATS USGF GYMNASTICS MAR/APR '82
Gigi Z aza trains w ith the SCA TS in Hunting Beach, CA.
CONCEPT OLYMPICA 1982. Intensive training under FRITZ REITER and TAMARA BIGGS and their staff of experts : JIM BAXTER, GREGG LANE, LLOYD WILTFO G and LINDA RAMIREZ. FRITZ REITER: Nati onall y known coach of 23 National level gymnasts including DENISE CHESHIRE the 1976 National AA Champion and National Team members SHARO SHAPIRO , BARBIE MYSLAK, KELLY GALLAGHER and MICHE LLE ILIFF. Author of the 1984 USGF Uneven Bar Compulsory routines . He has represented the USA in Brazil, England, France, Japan, Austria and the GDR. TAMARA BIGGS: One of the most exciting choreographers on the ational scene who is also one of the most innovative Beam coaches in the country. Progress depends on your present Work Level Capacity. That is why a summer in this rogram is bette r than a week . The price is kept low so you can afford an entire summer in this high-intensity program. If you have ta lent and the desi re to succeed in gymnastics, contact CONCEPT OLYMPICA today and find out how to qualify for thi s unique training program.
by Gary Buckmann
.
CONCEPT OLYMPICA (213) 785-1537 • 7735 Haske ll Ave., Van Nuys, CA 91406 51