The Oskaloosa YMCA Aerials Level 7 Gymnastics Team Ends First Optional Season
From left to right, Sydney Sarver, Ruby Johnson, & Jensen DeJong (submitted photo)
The Oskaloosa YMCA Aerials Level 7 gymnastics team ended their first optional season at the Iowa State Meet on Saturday, March 31st, at Ames High. The gymnasts had to score a minimum 34.00 in the all-around at a sanctioned competition in order to qualify for the state meet. The Level 7 team, made up of Ruby Johnson, Sydney Sarver, and Jensen DeJong, has been competing together since they entered the USA Gymnastics JO Program as Level 4s in 2008. This was their first year at the Optional level and the girls had a great time picking out custom floor music and making up their routines.
“They definitely had a learning experience full of ups & downs,” said coach, Meghan Slay, “a big down being Ruby’s shoulder injury. She qualified for state early on in the season (pre-injury) and we’d been adapting her routines to fit a one-armed gymnast, but it was taking a toll on her body. We decided it would be best for her to scratch the state meet this year, rest her body, and save herself for next season. The girls are very tight group and they really rely on each other’s support and cheering at competitions, so it was tough on everyone to not have Ruby there. At the meet, we started on beam which was a first for us this season. Syd led us off with a rocky start when she missed her acro series, which gave her a 9.5 start value, plus had a fall. Both girls are usually solid on beam, but Jensen fell too. Syd received a 7.925 and Jen scored an 8.3 (neither placed on beam). Next was floor and the girls looked good, but scores were low on the event. Syd placed 4th with an 8.95 (age 11) and Jen had an 8.5. Our third event was vault, the girls looked great, but again scores were lower than usual. Jen won 4th with a 9.05 (age 10) and Syd took 6th with an 8.85. Our last event was bars. Syd missed her cast handstands and scored an 8.7 with a 9.7 start value. Jensen had her best bar routine of the season, got her first 10.0 start and scored an 8.3. Although their performances at the meet itself could have been better, overall we had a great season. The girls work hard 12 hours a week, year round, and continue to amaze us with their progress. We’re excited to hit the off-season and start working more difficult skills.”
