Small group, big fun

You could feel the energy in the room as members of the Glovertown Aeisirs went through their gymnastics practice last week.

Two members were preparing for a provinical copmpetition, while another four were practicing for the 2010 Newfoundland and Labrador Winter Games.

Aeisirs and Team Eastern gymnastics coach Barb Smith was putting her crew through the proverbial ringer. As one gymnast practiced her balanced beam routine, another was chalking up his hands before hitting the rings, and yet another gymnast, to the tune of the 1980s sitcom Happy Days theme song, was practicing her floor routine.

Three coaches paced back and forth, went from one gymnast to another, hollering praise and instruction. The gymnasts, although noticably exhausted, contiunued to work on their routines, even while crews were taking down the gymnastics equipment at the Glovertown Academy gym.

According to Smith, the team is going to the Winter Games with one goal in mind - to enjoy the moment. The Winter Games are for level two gymnasts, and of the four Glovertown gymnasts going, only Becky Smith is level two.

"Rather than not give our gymansts the opportunity to go the Games, I thought it would be nice to get our level one gymnasts doing as much as they could in the level two regime," said coach Smith. "They're going to miss some things, but I'm trying to get them to do as much as they can so they can go and experience the Games."

Along with Becky, the other three Aeisirs gymnasts, Deneka Stanley, Kaitlyn Stanley and Jessie Watkins, echoed coach Smith's thoughts. They understand they're the underdogs of the gymnastics competition, but that's just fine with them.

"We know we're a smaller group and that we don't have many people to choose from, so we're not going there with high expectations," said Becky. "We just want to go and do our best, enjoy the experience and have fun. We want to learn from this experience so it can help us when we go to bigger competitions in the future."

Watkins, the gymnast who will use the Happy Days theme song for her floor routine, said along with doing her best and enjoying what the Games have to offer, she will use the competition as a means to improve.

"This is going to be the perfect chance to improve," she said. "We might not win any medals, since we are such a small group, but it's going to be a great experience, and a great opportunity to compete in front of a big crowd. Each of us will definitely get better because of this."

Because there are no other gymnastics clubs on the eastern part of the province, the four Aeisirs athletes will form Team Eastern. Clarenville has had a team in the past, but the last time they competed was nearly 10 years ago. The Aeisirs actually lost two level two gymnasts to hockey, so they could have had six gymnasts going inWatkins of four.

However, as any coach will tell you, it's all about the athletes who are going - never about who isn't.

"I want to see them having a ball when they get there," said coach Smith. "I know we're the underdogs going into this, but I think our gymnasts have a lot to offer and they're all going to do their personal best. They're all working hard."

Although each gymnast have their individual strengths, coach Smith believes her club's strengths are in floor and balance beam. So, it comes as no surprise that both Watkins and Becky enjoy the floor the most.

"I love doing the floor routine because of the music," said Becky, who will perform to a mix of upbeat Michael Jackson music. "I love Michael Jackson...I'm a big fan. I like the upbeat music and it seems to to get the crowd into it, which makes it a lot of fun."

Gymnastics will be held at Exploits Valley High School in Grand Falls-Windsor from March 21-22.

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