Gymnasts beaming after meet

     By Tina Allen
     View staff writer
      A gymnastics program offered at Mirabelli Community Center is teaching children more than basic tumbling techniques, as participants showed during the Under the Sea Gymnastics Meet on Aug. 21.
      "We thought it would be a great experience for the kids," said instructor Jennifer Blanchard, who has been teaching at the center for 3 1/2 years. "We wanted to give the kids a chance to learn some skills and come out of it with high self-esteem and a positive experience and just have a great time."
      The meet, held at the Charleston Heights Arts Center, was a culmination of a two-week camp offered at Mirabelli for 4- to 7-year-old boys and girls.
      Sue Bartling, Mirabelli Community Center coordinator, said although the event was fashioned after a traditional gymnastics meet, where children were judged for performances on the vault, bars, balance beam and floor, it was a friendly competition. The equipment also was scaled down to meet the children's size.
      "Everybody feels like they had a major accomplishment today, whether or not they took seventh place or first," Bartling said. "Everybody got a ribbon in everything they competed in. Everybody walked out with five or six ribbons," Bartling said.
      Kendell Sauter, 4, stood on the awards podium and proudly held her arms high in the air after winning her final award for the day, while another four ribbons dangled from her wrist.
      Sauter, who has been in gymnastics for about one year, said she liked flipping over the bars, but the best part was getting her ribbons.
      "Look at how many I got," she told her mom, Christy Sauter.
      "(Gymnastics) has given her more confidence in herself," Christy Sauter said. "She just had a lot of fun in the camp that led up to it."
      Tatum Badger, 4, also toted a handful of ribbons.
      "I think it's been good for her," said her mother, Whitney Badger, who signed her daughter up for gymnastics about three months ago. "She's bouncing off the walls at home trying to do gymnastics. She's a little more outgoing with the other kids."
      Blanchard has been a gymnastics instructor for 12 years at both public and private gyms. She is a U.S.A. Gymnastics accredited coach and is safety certified.
      "We are lucky to have somebody of this caliber," Bartling said of Blanchard's experience. "We are so proud to have this caliber in a little recreation center. That's something to brag about."
      Gymnastics sessions run every six weeks at the Mirabelli Community Center, 6200 Elton Ave., for ages 18 months to 15 years. The next session is scheduled to begin Tuesday. Those interested can call 229-6359.
      The following children participated in the meet:
      Members of the beginners Sea Horses team were Brooke Badger, Katelyn Demile, Sara Henson, Dara Laczniak, Hunter Leffler, Emmie Maglieri, Paige Nezat and Kylee Slee.
      Members of the beginners Starfish team were Melissa Balconi, Bethany Breed, Katelyn Eddy, Amanda Finkelberg, Hali Gisi, Kendall Sauter and Kristina Wells.
      Members of the beginners Mermaids team were Megan Badger, Emilie Boland, Victoria Carpenter, Blanca Lee, Amy Messol, Karissa Reeder and Madeline Sutton.
      Members of the beginners Dolphins team were Tatum Badger, Rachel Brock, Richard Clark, Dallis Gisi, Dylan Jaramillo, Madison King, Courtney Mayer and Chelsea Sandige.
      Members of the intermediate Sea Horses team were Peyton Badger, Amanda Leffler, Ashley Ruiz, Chelsea Smith, Melynn Thompson and Leah Tsui.
      Members of the intermediate Starfish team were Paul Micheal Adam, Erika Carpenter, Gia Graham, Kaitlyn McOsker, Kayla Olds and Alyssa Stucki.
      Members of the intermediate Mermaids team were Gabi Badger, Brooke Bormann, Brittany Brooks, Megan Scharar, Morgan Thompson and Meesha Worden.
      Members of the intermediate Dolphins team were Danielle Ashworth, Arianna Frayer, Julia Jacober, Mariah Kist, Brittany Kroeger, Jill Sabol and Ciarra Wesley.