Docksiders Compete in Parkettes Invitational

     On January 27th-29th the Docksiders Optional Team traveled to Allentown, Pennsylvania to compete in the Parkettes Invitational.  It was a very successful weekend with many individual awards and fantastic team placements!

     The Level 9 Team started the weekend off with style.  They had an incredible meet capturing the 2nd place team award out of 24 teams from across the East Coast.  Heather Atwood and Kayla Della showed off their champion "Girl Power" by winning the All - Around titles in their age groups.  Heather scored a 35.5 in just her fourth meet as a Level 9.  She also placed 1st on Bars and 2nd on Vault, Beam, and Floor in the 10-11 age group.  Kayla scored a 35.025 to win the 15-16 age group, and also took 1st on Floor and Beam.  She placed 2nd on bars and 3rd on Vault as well.  Courtney Shelsby was narrowly edged out of 1st place in the 12-14 age group by just .125.  She finished the meet with a score of 36.975.  She ended up taking 2nd in the All Around, 1st on Bars, and 2nd on Vault.  Her vault score of a 9.5 is a new team record for Docksiders Level 9's.  Also in the 12-14 age group Docksiders Team Member Betsy Zander took 2nd on bars, and Alexis Gross took 3rd.  Also, in the 15-16 age group, Sarah Mieklejohn won bars, her 2nd win of the year on that event.  Sarah also took 2nd All - Around and 2nd on Vault.  Completing the team for the Level 9's were Jenna White and Katie Carroll.

     The Level 10 team was split into two different sessions.  In the first session Brianna Guy and Hannah Raley competed as All Stars.  Brianna had an awesome meet placing 2nd in the All - Around with a 35.45.  She also won floor, placed 2nd on Vault, and placed 3rd on bars.  In the evening round, which was televised,  Level 10's Toi Garcia, Rachel Fincham, Stephanie Ouellette, and Krystal Welsh all put on a great show for Docksiders.  The team finished 7th Place against 27 other teams, some which showcased Elite Level gymnasts.  It was a very exciting event with television cameras and announcements for each gymnast as they mounted their event.  This is probably the highest level of competition our team will see all year at level 10.  Toi Garcia had "All Eyes On Her" when she competed her new floor routine to a Ricky Martin Mix.  She earned 1st place on this event and admiration from all.  Rachel Fincham took an outstanding 3rd place on Bars with her high flying skills and her impeccable form.  Stephanie Ouellette put in a solid performance on Beam which earned her 3rd place and a huge smile of relief after hitting her first beam set at Parkettes that she can remember.  Krystal Welsh "Wowed" the crowd with her super difficult floor routine and captured 3rd place on the event.  The Level 10's certainly had people standing up and taking notice of this bouncy bunch of girls who are leaping towards new heights in the gymnastics scene.

     Docksiders Level 8 gymnasts walked away with 8th place out of 28 teams.  Rebecca Jones put a full days work in taking 2nd All - Around.  She also took 2nd on Beam and 3rd place with her elegant floor routine.  In the 14-15 age group Michelle Patricelii took 2nd place and Shayna Jackson took 3rd place on Vault.  Monica Durham took 3rd Place on Vault in the 12-13 age group.  Also competing for Docksiders were Maddie Hulsey, Candace Hanley, Amanda Castle, Caroline Barber, Julie Bickel, Chelsea Rosborough, and Caite Fleming.

     The Level 7 Docksiders Team placed 14th in the team competition against 23 other teams.  Showing some exciting scores from this team were Sarah Dyckman, Nicolette Joyce, Meghan Reed, and Kristina Clevinger.  Sarah, in her first meet back after a long absence on account of injury, placed 2nd on Vault and 3rd on Bars.  She did an excellent job.  Nicolette placed 3rd on Vault and Meghan took 3rd on bars in the 11-12 age group.

     Docksiders Level 10 Gymnasts head to Las Vegas to compete this weekend while the other optional teams have the weekend off or compete locally.  For more information about individual teams go to their team page at www.docksidersgymnastics.com.