Tumbling times: West End Gymnastics Center athletes going to Midwest regional in June
West End Gymnastics Center’s River Baird leaps high above the balance beam during the Michigan AAU state championship tournament held in downstate Vassar on April 20-21. (Photo courtesy Bridget Johnson)
MARQUETTE — A dozen athletes from the West End Gymnastics Center in Negaunee competed at the Michigan AAU state championship tournament in downstate Vassar during the weekend of April 20-21.
With the gym on Iron Street in its first year, area representatives were thrilled with three state championship titles — River Baird won on the Platinum-level Beam, Audrey Bolm on the Gold Vault and Lola Rink on the Gold Beam.
“It’s awesome to see how much our athletes have grown and learned,” center coach Bridget Johnson said in an email detailing the results. “We could not have asked for a better first year of competition.”
“I had a lot of fun!” Bronze-level athlete Inga Harrington said. “I’m glad I got to go.”
Representing both Michigan and the West End Gymnastics Center at the AAU Northern Midwest regional in June will be Baird, Bolm, Harrington, Khloe Gangl, Alex Carlson, Madi Zerbst, Saoirse Talbot and Addaline Brugman.
West End Gymnastics Center’s Audrey Bolm stretches her arms high while posing with her gold medal on the podium during the Michigan AAU state championship tournament held in downstate Vassar on April 20-21. (Photo courtesy Bridget Johnson)
The Negaunee-based center has also participated in several other meets during the winter and spring.
On April 6, WEGC won more than two dozen first, second and third places at the Alpena Gymnastics Spring Fling Meet, one that helped prepare the U.P. team for the state and Midwest regional tourneys.
In Alpena, Baird, Harrington and Megan Nelson each swept their respective divisions, taking first place in all five events as the team accumulated 16 wins, four runner-up spots and six third places.
Rink took first place on floor, second on beam and bars, and third on vault and all-around, while Zerbst did well in a quite competitive group with a second on vault and third on beam, bars, floor and all-around.
Zoe Blubaugh was third on vault, Talbot fourth on bars and floor, and Carlson was fifth on beam, bars and floor in another competitive division.
From left, West End Gymnastics Center’s Lola Rink, Audrey Bolm and River Baird stand with their gold medal each won during the Michigan AAU state championship tournament held in downstate Vassar on April 20-21. (Photo courtesy Bridget Johnson)
“This meet was a great chance to debut upgrades we’ve been working on over the past month,” Coach Johnson said at the time. “It is wonderful to see these athletes’ hard work pay off in such a big way.”
In mid-February, WEGC took part in the Flipstar Snowfest Invitational held in downstate Ludington with four gymnasts winning gold medals.
They were Baird in vault, bars, beam, floor and all-around; Carlson in bars; Jolie Sandberg in floor; and Mariah Senske in beam.
Other noteworthy performances were turned in by Zerbst, second on floor; Bolm, third on floor; Rink, fourth on beam; Talbot, fifth on floor; and
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- West End Gymnastics Center’s River Baird leaps high above the balance beam during the Michigan AAU state championship tournament held in downstate Vassar on April 20-21. (Photo courtesy Bridget Johnson)
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- West End Gymnastics Center’s Audrey Bolm stretches her arms high while posing with her gold medal on the podium during the Michigan AAU state championship tournament held in downstate Vassar on April 20-21. (Photo courtesy Bridget Johnson)
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- From left, West End Gymnastics Center’s Lola Rink, Audrey Bolm and River Baird stand with their gold medal each won during the Michigan AAU state championship tournament held in downstate Vassar on April 20-21. (Photo courtesy Bridget Johnson)
“Every athlete had a personal best this meet, many breaking (a score of) 9.0 (points) and finishing on the podium for the first time,” Johnson said about that meet. “It has been a delight to help these kids grow and learn and seeing all their hard work pay off is the icing on the cake.”
Back on Jan. 6, West End traveled to Laurium for a showcase with Copper Country Gymnastics, showing family and friends what they were working on.
“It isn’t always easy for families to go to downstate or Wisconsin meets, (so) being able to host an event in the (Upper Peninsula) means that siblings, grandparents and friends are able to support these kids and what they love,” Johnson said. “It is wonderful to see the friendships growing, not just within our own gym, but between the two facilities.”
Among Gold athletes, Baird won all five events in her division, while Bolm was fourth on beam and Brianna Lewis seventh on beam.
For the West End Bronze team, Harrington won vault and was third on floor, Brugman took second on vault and Carlson second on floor.
West End Silver members placing included Gangl winning beam, Zerbst seventh on vault and Senske 10th on beam.
Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.