Monday, February 15, 2010

“Gymnastics a family affair for California native (The Daily Targum)” plus 3 more

“Gymnastics a family affair for California native (The Daily Targum)” plus 3 more

Gymnastics a family affair for California native (The Daily Targum)

Posted: 15 Feb 2010 05:54 PM PST

Message from fivefilters.org: If you can, please donate to the full-text RSS service so we can continue developing it.

When a spectator arrives at a Rutgers gymnastics meet, he or she sees a crowd filled with families. At its core, gymnastics is truly a family sport.
For junior Kiah Banfield, that holds true.
As a child, Banfield started gymnastics because she had to do everything her sister did. Beyond her naturally energetic nature that caused her to fly all over the jungle gym in elementary school, Banfield's desire to pursue gymnastics began to follow in her older sister's footsteps.
"I have a sister who is four years older than I am and she was into gymnastics," Banfield said. "I just wanted to do everything she did."
Banfield's ceaseless energy drew her to both gymnastics and soccer at a young age. When the decision came between the two sports, Banfield chose gymnastics, recognizing that it was her true passion.
"The challenge of learning new skills is really rewarding," Banfield said. "Obviously you learn skills in soccer, but it just wasn't the same."
When deciding on college, the Californian recognized that the level of competition on the West Coast might be too lofty and set her sights on a well-rounded environment.
"Coming from California a lot of the west coast schools are really competitive," Banfield said. "I looked for a school that has good academics as well as gymnastics because I knew gymnastics isn't going to lead to a career."
When she began her career, Banfield was unsure of how she would perform at a higher level. Her expectations for herself were hardly high, but not only has she surpassed her expectations, she looks to continue to get better.
"I didn't know what to expect. I really didn't think I'd be ready for college gymnastics," Banfield said. "I'm better than I thought I'd be, but now that I'm here I want to just keep getting better."
Banfield took her skills to the next level this season, proving to be a clutch performer in vault and floor exercises. Her season average of 9.538 in vault and 9.579 in floor exercises are both marks that draw the praise of head coach Chrystal Chollet-Norton.
"Kiah has been great this year," Chollet-Norton said. "She has been consistently outstanding on vault and floor."
Unlike last year when the team suffered from an inordinate amount of injuries, there is now an opportunity for the team to perform well and potentially go to nationals. Banfield recognizes that last season was unlucky but can be a learning experience.
"I feel like the injuries we had last year were freak accidents," Banfield said. "This year we can get those high scores we need. Nationals are in Texas this year and it would be great to have a meet down there."
While at the moment her focus is firmly on gymnastics, Banfield recognizes that after college, her gymnastics career will be over. However, her endless energy will not allow her to turn to a sedentary lifestyle.
"After school, I'm going to pick up another sport," Banfield said. "Maybe tennis or beach volleyball. I might even do running because my dad runs marathons."
Even in her future choices for athletic endeavors, Banfield continues to think of family.

Be the first to comment on this article!

Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

Gymnastics: Beamer vaults to West Central District championship over TJ (Federal Way Mirror)

Posted: 15 Feb 2010 09:57 AM PST

Message from fivefilters.org: If you can, please donate to the full-text RSS service so we can continue developing it.

The Todd Beamer gymnastics team had their best meet of the year at the perfect time.

The Titans outdistanced the Thomas Jefferson Raiders Saturday at the West Central 4A District Championships at Auburn Mountainview High School. Beamer got a huge day from Sam West to squeak by the SPSL North Division champion Raiders. The Titans tallied 171.4 points and Jefferson finished with 169.9. Both teams' performances at the district meet qualified them for Friday and Saturday's Class 4A State Championships, which will be held inside the Tacoma Dome's Exhibition Center.

Puyallup entered the district meet as the slight favorite. The Vikings won last week's SPSL sub-district meet, but struggled to a fifth-place finish Saturday in Auburn.

The Titans and West didn't struggle at districts. West was the most consistent gymnast at the meet and was rewarded with the all-around title.

West out-performed Emerald Ridge's CaroLyne Schmidt by totaling 36.775 points on the four events. Schmidt finished with 36.475 to claim the West Central District's second automatic all-around berth into the state meet. Puyallup's Chelsy Haskey finished third (36.3.75) and TJ's Madi Kellar was fifth with 35.975 points.

West didn't win any of the four individual events Saturday, but scored well in every event to amass points. West's best individual finish came on the uneven parallel bars where she ended up in second place with an 8.85.

Kellar was also impressive in the individual events for the Raiders. Kellar dominated the balance beam, winning with a score of 9.65. She also finished second on the floor exercise with a 9.55.

Kellar led the Raiders all season long. Jefferson cruised through the SPSL North with a perfect 17-0 record, which was the first time the school finished unbeaten in league action.

Beamer's Jessica Freeborn ended up in third place on the balance beam with a 9.4.

West Central 4A District Championships

At Auburn Mountainview H.S.

Team scores — Beamer 171.4, Jefferson 169.9, Emerald Ridge 166.2, Olympia 159.85, Puyallup 158.95, Auburn Riverside 152.125, Heritage 149.65, Mountain View 130.55.

FINALS

All-around — 1, Sam West, Beamer, 36.775; 2, CaroLyne Schmidt, Emerald Ridge, 36.475; 3, Chelsey Haskey, Puyallup, 36.375; 4, Britni Atwell, Heritage, 36.075; 5, Madi Kellar, Jefferson, 35.975.

Bars — 1, Chelsey Haskey, Puyallup, 8.9; 2, Sam West, Beamer, 8.85; 3, Bri McKenny, Tahoma, 8.7.

Beam — 1, Madi Kellar, Jefferson, 9.65; 2, Alexis Moore, Auburn, 9.475; 3, Jessica Freeborn, Beamer, 9.4.

Floor — 1, Britni Atwell, Heritage, 9.625; 2, Madi Kellar, Jefferson, 9.55; 3, Nora Keith, Kent-Meridian, 9.425.

Vault — 1, Bri McKenny, Tahoma, 9.375; 2, CaroLyne Schmidt, Emerald Ridge, 9.35; 3, Nora Keith, Kent-Meridian, 9.325.

Federal Way Mirror Sports editor Casey Olson can be reached at sports@fedwaymirror.com or (253) 925-5565.

Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

Events of Winter Games offer entertainment for sports fans (The Red and Black)

Posted: 15 Feb 2010 07:40 PM PST

Message from fivefilters.org: If you can, please donate to the full-text RSS service so we can continue developing it.

You are here: Home - Sports - Events of Winter Games offer entertainment for sports fans

The Olympics are well underway, and I can't wait to sit back and watch all of my favorite events.

BEN BUSSARD

Whether it's gymnastics or basketball or swimming, the athletic performances will be awesome.

Nothing is more exciting than the 100-meter dash and the team relays in swimming.

Wait. It's the Winter Olympics?

Even better.

The Winter Olympics are much more compelling to this sports fan, and I'll tell you why.

The Games take place from mid to late February, one of the worst dead periods for sports fans. Football has ended, it's the middle of the basketball calendar and the start of the baseball season is a month out.

The Winter Olympics serve as the perfect remedy to the cold and dreary sporting landscape and are an ideal buffer between the conclusion of the Super Bowl and the start of March Madness.

The athletic prowess of the Winter Games and the variance of events is reason to watch the action unfold amongst the wintry weather in Vancouver.

Here's a list of some of the Summer Olympic sports (hang onto your britches): archery, sailing, water polo, badminton, fencing, judo, handball, shooting, taekwondo and table tennis.

I don't know about you, but I can't wait to huddle around the big screen with my boys to watch that Malaysia-Indonesia badminton matchup. Now that's non-stop, competitive action.

Unlike the Summer Olympics, the Winter Games offer some of the most unique viewing opportunities in all of sports.

Where else can you see a 200-pound man sled down an icy track, lying face-down on a three-foot long piece of fiberglass while approaching speeds of close to 90 mph?

Nowhere.

How often do you see an 110-pound man soar distances of nearly 800 feet, strapped to a pair of surfboard-size skis?

Never.

Have you ever seen a man ski 12 miles with a small bore rifle on his back, stopping periodically to shoot at targets up to 160 feet away?

I sure haven't. Except when watching this year's Olympic biathlon — which may be the Winter Games' most unique event.

These are just a few of the events we can immerse ourselves in over the next few weeks as the Winter Olympics unfold in Vancouver.

If the sheer intrigue of the Winter Games doesn't inspire you to tune in, at least check out the bobsledding competition next week. Former Bulldog track and field star Andras Haklits will suit up for the Croatian bobsled team, and will attempt to sled his way onto the Olympic podium.

Haklits — a three-time NCAA Champion hammer thrower while at Georgia — competed in the 2000, 2004 and 2008 Summer Olympics, becoming the first Bulldog to compete in both the Summer and Winter Games.

And does anyone remember the name of the only other former Bulldog to compete in the Winter Olympics?

I'll give you a hint: he won the 1982 Heisman Trophy.

Herschel Walker competed in the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France for the two-man U.S. bobsled team that finished in seventh place.

If the single greatest athlete in Bulldog history can schedule some time for the Winter Olympics, shouldn't we all?

— Ben Bussard is a sports writer for The Red & Black

Tags:

Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

Gymnastics earns season high score (The Daily Barometer)

Posted: 14 Feb 2010 11:38 PM PST

Message from fivefilters.org: If you can, please donate to the full-text RSS service so we can continue developing it.

By Grady Garrett

The Daily Barometer

Following the completion of an exhilarating floor routine by senior Mandi Rodriguez, many of the 3,531 Oregon State gymnastics fans in attendance chanted "10, 10, 10!"

Well, they didn't get what they wanted.

Instead, Rodriguez had to "settle" for a 9.950.

It was one of only a few things that didn't go well for the nation's No. 3 team in their second-to-last meet at Gill Coliseum this year.

Oregon State (9-0, 4-0 Pac-10) continued their impressive unbeaten season by dealing the No. 21 Arizona Wildcats (2-4) a 196.725-194.675 loss. Although it wasn't the 197.000 that OSU was hoping for, 196.725 was still a season-high and still warranted big smiles after the matter.

"We're on such a good track right now," freshman all-arounder Makayla Stambaugh said. "We're constantly building."

"It was definitely our strongest meet of the year," Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez then made sure not to lose sight of the season's common theme, adding that there's "still a lot to improve on," but for the reigning Pac-10 Gymnast of the Year and the rest of her team, a lot went right Friday night.

Rodriguez, who was featured last week in Sports Illustrated's "Faces in the Crowd," won her fourth all-around title of the season with a score of 39.550. Stambaugh - for the fourth time this year - finished just behind Rodriguez, turning in a season-best 39.525.

By the time the all-around results were revealed, the two decorated OSU gymnasts had already been called forward three times apiece during the awards ceremony.

Rodriguez tied a personal-best while winning the vault (9.950), tied a season-best while tying for top honors on floor, and finished second with a 9.850 on bars.

Stambaugh - who said it was her best meet of the year on only "some events" - managed to tie Rodriguez on floor (9.950) and produce outright wins on bars (9.875) and beam (9.850).

The two were far from the only gymnasts in orange acknowledged for individual efforts.

Oregon State swept the vault, uneven bars and floor. Molly Quirk's 9.825 (Arizona) on the balance beam, which was good enough to tie her with OSU (no-hands) sophomore Leslie Mak for second, was the only thing that prevented Oregon State from a clean sweep on all four apparatuses.

Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)