Transform Academy Gymnasts Rock at State

Above is the Level 6 State Champion, Kennady Klein on vault. Collette Edwards also scored her season high which landed her a tie for 3rd in the event. (submitted photo)

Iowa concluded its USA Gymnastics JO Compulsory season last weekend at the state championships hosted by Triad at the 7 Flags Event Center in Clive. The best of the best Level 4, 5, & 6 gymnasts in our state, including all 10 Compulsory Team gymnasts from Transform Academy qualified for and competed in the meet.

The event kicked off on Friday at 3:00pm with the Level 6’s. Representing Transform Academy were Kennady Klein of Pella,  State Champion on Vault, Pyper Yahnke of Bloomfield, Chloe’ Sarver and Collette Edwards, both of Oskaloosa. Coach Meghan Slay had this to say about the competition:

“Our first event was beam, which can be a little nerve racking for the girls, but Pyper (who is in her first year of competition in the Junior Olympic program) kicked us off with a solid routine, and the rest of the girls kept it going.  It wasn’t our best day on beam, but we left the event with no falls and a new season high score for Chloe’. Floor was our next event and the judges were tough. Floor scores were low across the board, in fact most of the gymnasts in the meet scored about 0.50 lower than they did the weekend before. Next we went to vault where Kennady and Collette both had new season highs. Kennady rocked the vault achieving the highest vault score of the entire meet! Collette scored her first 9.00. She was pumped and I couldn’t have been happier for her! She always has great vaults at practice but just hadn’t hit one at a meet, so it was nice to see shine. We finished the meet on bars, which is definitely our weakest event and it showed. The girls were tired, especially our best worker, Chloe’, who had also performed in the Nutcracker at the Civic Center earlier in the day. She scored about a point lower than she’s capable of, but still achieved our highest UB score. I am so proud of my Level 6’s and all their accomplishments this season! All four girls will be moving up to Optionals either this spring or next and we are excited to change our focus to bigger and better skills.”

Level 6’s All-Around placements:

Klein—3^rd, Sarver—5^th, Yahnke—5^th, and Edwards—8^th

For details and more information on Transform Academy gymnastics, please email transform.gymnastics@gmail.com, call 641-295-1434, or by stopping by the facility at 2209 Park in University Park (former Vennard College gym).  Transform also offers other activities such as dance, cheer, & tumbling.