Fall/Winter Edition 2008

Inside this issue WOW! . . . WHAT AN INCREDIBLE USA

GYMNASTICS REGION 5 CONGRESS!! Page 2 R5 Chair letter and Thank you to everyone who attended the Congress. I hope Letter from John Geddart you enjoyed all of the great speakers and fun activities. Page 3 - 5 State Updates I do have to acknowledge the Regional Committee for their time, hard work, energy, and enthusiasm throughout the Page 6 Technical Gymnastics entire Congress. They made the Congress special for YOU!!! Corner and Judging Updates. “Party” highlights of the Congress – Page 7 Elite Update and message from USA Auction entertainment by Hilary Carlson and Kristin Moore Gymnastics. Banquet: Attachment R5 Committee Meeting Minutes  Decorations – Kittia Carpenter and Kristin Moore  Master of Ceremonies – John Geddert and Dan Miller  Photographer – Bret Norman  First Inaugural Region 5 Hall Of Fame – Augusta Lipsey  Olympic Athletes and Coaches

Photo to the right: Olympians and Samantha Pezeck at the Region 5 Banquet Fall/Winter Edition 2008

One of many standing ovations at the banquet

A BIG Congratulations to the Hall of Fame Inductees

● ●Cap Caudill ●Leonard Isaacs

● ● ●Erna Wachtel

Please put on your calendar the 2009 Region 5 Congress. The Congress will be in Schaumburg, Illinois, September 18 – 20, 2009, at the Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel & Convention Center. Our goal is to make it even better!! CHICAGO, ILLINOIS Please take time to thoroughly review this newsletter and read the minutes from the last Regional Committee. The minutes will FEBRUARY 21, 2009 answer a lot of your questions for the season. As always, visit our web site at Region-5.com. SEARS CENTRE

Have a safe and successful season. Please feel free to e-mail me HOFFMAN ESTATES, IL at R5Bobbi @aol.com with questions, concerns, and feedback. Go Region 5!!

The 2008 Region 5 All Star Team traveled to the beautiful country of COSTA RICA. The dates of the trip were October 29 through November 4th. Our 30 person delegation included athletes and coaches from 11 different clubs and our wonderful Regional Judging Director Hilary Carlson. Attending athletes were Hannah Toussaint from Olympic Dreams, Nicole Dayton and Caitlyn Ciokajlo from Twistars USA, Michelle Ikoma and Kaylan Earls from Arena, Emma Stevenson, Katie Zurales and Stephanie Colbert from Phenom, Lindsay Offut from Oakland Gymnastics, Sarah Fiedler from Libertyville, Taira Neal from Gym Etc., Shanthi Teike and Meredith Magjuka from Wrights, Chelsea Drooger from Champion USA, Ellen Pitluck and Meaghan Biros from IGI, and Brittani Price from United. The itinerary for the trip was exciting. First there was a unique opportunity for our attending coaches to serve as master clinicians at a 3 day training camp featuring athletes from our host club in Costa Rica along with invited guests from other local clubs and teams from Panama and Letter from John Geddart Guatemala. The objective of these camps was to help improve their R5 JOPC gymnastics training. This was very enlightening. Following the training camp we participated in an EXHIBITION designed to highlight our talented athletes and to show top notched gymnastics ability. After the gymnastics we blended in some cultural experiences, a friendship banquet, shopping, sightseeing, white water rafting, rain forest zip lining, and a catamaran trip to Tortouga Island for some sun and fun. Does hard work pay off in REGION 5? It certainly does! 2 Fall/Winter Edition 2008

~Norbert Bendixen~ As always have a "Happy Handstand" President Gym Spot Illinois USA Gymnastics Women's Administrative Committee Chairman Meet Director St. Valentines Classic

Illinois at the Regional Congress Banquet where Leonard Isaacs and Irna Wachtel were inducted into the Region 5 Hall of Fame, and Beth & Dan Miller were awarded the JO Coaches of the year. Athlete of the Year went to Kaylan Earls. We in Illinois would also like to recognize Don and Patrice McPherson for placing an athlete in the Olympic Trials. We would also like to recognize Mackenzie Caquatto for making it to the Olympic Trials. Illinois INDIVIDUAL EVENT SPECIALIST 2008/2009 Event Specialists will use February 1, THEIL-USA GYMNASTICS ADMINISTRATIVE 2009 as the date to declare their intent to compete COMMITTEE AND at a State Meet. USA GYMNASTICS REGION V ADMINISTRATIVE • The qualifying score will be set at 8.975. • The last date to qualify for Level is to be COMMITTEE consistent with the State Calendar. Wish to thank the following companies and individuals for their contributions to the 2008 Region V Auction, “Basket 2009 AMERICAN CUP of Goodies”: CHICAGO, ILLINOIS • Isabel McPartlin – ISZI STUDIOS www.iszistudios.com FEBRUARY 21, 2009 • Stephanie Jones – JOOKT www.jookt.com SEARS CENTRE • Debra Gano – HEARTLIGHT GIRLS www.heartlightgirls.com HOFFMAN ESTATES, IL • Tessa – PRE-WRAP www.pre-wrap.com There will be many volunteers needed for this please • GL Hoffman - JOBDIG www.whatwoulddadsay.com keep your eye on the Illinois website for updates • Laura Silverthorn – MOTHER INK www.motherink.com • Michelle Michaud www.myparklane.com/mm Preview of 2009-2013 JO Code • Laurie Gray – TOKENS OF CHANGE www.socraticparenting.com Enter coaches only area - link on left • Melissa Walker – AUTHOR www.melissacwalker.com (If you have not signed up yet follow the directions listed) • Cyndee Woolley – VERVE & VEMMA www.myverve.com/cyndeebiz 2009 - 2010 Season Questionnaire • Rik Feeney – AUTHOR www.GymnasticsTrainingTips.com  A coach’s questionnaire will be posted online from November 1st to December 1st. • HERSHEY – www.hersheys.com  The Committee is soliciting possible questions for the survey, from coaches in Illinois. These questions may be used! • JIM BEAM – http://www.jimbeam.com/ourbourbon.aspx  Please submitted to Norbert Bendixen, ([email protected]) by • MASTERLOCK www.masterlock.com October 25, 2008. Thank you

Level 4 North -Level 7 State Meet awarded to Energym, And a special thank you to Peter Shankman at DeKalb, IL Level 8,9,10 State Meet awarded to Energym, DeKalb, I www.helpareporter.com

Competitive Meet Summary has been update please go to the left or the illinois website under Rules & Policy. 3 Fall/Winter Edition 2008

~Ed Gibson~ State Administrative Chair

~Cap Caudill~

USAG Kentucky Administrative Chair We hope the competitive season has started out well for all. I would like to go over a few things that need to be reminded to make the year run smoothly. The season is about to kick into high gear! KY Judges 1. Coaches keep your roster updated at igss.org Cup will be held on October 25-26 in Lexington, KY 2. DL Hosts- Meet results have to have the hosted by Legacy Gymnastics Club. placements used at the meet. If you would like We held our annual Coaches and judges clinic at All- to have these posted so you don't have to mail American Gymnastics in Lexington, KY. We had over them out. Please send to Geoff at (igss.org) 100 Coaches and Judges attend this all day event. That The results should be in a format that has this evening 27 gymnastics of all ages received a trophy for information. If you are able to send it in a being the highest scorer in the State Meet in each event. (.pdf) format along with the data base format Thanks to University of Kentucky and their staff of the pdf file can be linked to your meet. If you coaches for hosting this great banquet. 127 parents, are unsure how to do this please contact me at coaches, judges and guests enjoyed a great meal with lots [email protected] . of smiles and clapping. 3. Prep-Optional information can be found at the KY state committee is trying a new schedule this year. region-5.com web site click on the Indiana link We’re holding a Winter State Meet on December 13-14. to this. Each state has slightly different The meet will be Hosted by Bardstown Gymnastics options as to age and other items. The rules Boosters and the Meet director will be Vicki Smith. The pertaining to skills is consistent in each state. meet will be held at Nelson County High School in 4. The drop back date for all levels is Feb.1st . If Bardstown, KY. There will be a Spring State Meet on you compete in a meet after this date in a March 28-29th 2009. different level, that is the level you must finish I want to thank all of the Region 5 people for electing me the season in regardless if you qualify or not. to the first Region 5 Hall of Fame. What a great honor! 5. There are no late entry dates for State meets Thanks to ALL my former gymnasts and assistant the dates listed are when the entries are due. coaches for helping me attain this level in the sport that I dearly love. Thanks to all the great coaches from KY and Region 5!!

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~Douglas Rowe~ ~Nina Dent~ Michigan Administrative Chair Ohio Administrative Chair

Hey everyone! Just a quick update on the USAG-Michigan Annual State Training Clinic & Coaches happenings in Ohio …… Conference

The Michigan USAG State Committee held the 2008 By Thanksgiving (hopefully sooner) we will be launching a newly designed website! We are very State Training Clinics for Level 4 & Pre-Team on excited to have a website that will serve a lot of Saturday, October 11, AND a Level 5 & 6 Clinic on purposes and be interactive for coaches, clubs, Sunday, October 12, 2008. judges and parents. A huge thanks is extended to Ed Gibson who has hooked us up with his “web Congratulations to the Committee, Dave Begian for guy”, Geoff. We look forward to the new site and organizing the clinic, Jim Comiskey for handling the hope you will too! coaches responsibilities, for Al Scharns for the facility organization and food services. Level 4,5,6 Fall State Championship meet is December 6-7, 2008 hosted by Ohio Gymnastics Congratulations to “ALL of the CLINICIANS” for the Institute in Austintown , Ohio . Call 330-652-4386 outstanding work and information you provided. for more information. Don’t miss the registration Thank you to: Jason Bahleda, Cassie Davis, Tami deadline or you will be charged $25/athlete! Jacobs, Lori Koch, Beckey Burden-Cuddeback, Claudia Kretschmer, George Young, Augusta Lipsey, Treva Ohio Compulsory Clinic – Ohio coaches and judges Alofs, Nicole Berands, Lubo Gueraskov, Jim Slavich, will be hosting a one-day workshop for your Level 3-6 athletes on Sunday December 28th at Integrity Joy Meadows, Ann Walker, Mel Eades, Valarie Gymnastics in Plain City (just north of Columbus ). Mailloux, Carylyn Baase, Lexie Cathcart and Shelby The details are just now being confirmed. Watch Gribeck. This was “TEAMWORK’ at its finest. for emails and the new website to learn more about Congratulations Michigan Coaches! this event and how to register your athletes.

Congratulations to 2008 USAG-MI State Award For those of you who attended the Region 5 recipients. This will also be posted on the State Congress we thank you…it was a great event! Website. Special thanks to Bobbi Montanari and all the clinicians and staff that made the event what it was. We hope more of you will join us next year in Schaumburg , Illinois . Mark your calendars now!

Hope you all have a happy and safe season!

5 Fall/Winter Edition 2008 Region 5 Women's Technical Gymnastics Corner by Char Christensen, Region V RTCC

A special thank you to Bobbi Montanari, our Region V Chair, for her leadership with our Region V Congress this August. It has to be our best ever with great feedback from coaches and judges. Without Bobbi's timetable, e-mails, communication and over all leadership, we would not have had the top level of success that we did. A very special thank you to Bobbi!

Coaches' attire at State and above competitions has been covered at State, Regional, and National Congresses. Please check your state web site to see if your State Committee has adopted this for your Invitational meets. It includes closed toe athletic shoes, pants that are warm-ups or docker style ( no jeans), athletic or tailored shorts that are a reasonable length, shirts that are collared or business casual or T- shirts with gym logos ( no spaghetti straps, low- cut tops or midriff revealing shirts), and no hats or visors. Thank you for sporting a professional look for our sport!

Specialists: The Region V Committee passed that a specialist needs to score a 9.0 on her event or events to be eligible to go to Regionals. Please read this motion in the Region V Minutes. It is important to know that an individual specialist may compete amongst the all-around competitors, may be counted in the team score, and would receive duplicate awards for the event placement. (Rules and Policies -page 35) Please check your State web site for the State criteria for entering your state meet as a specialist. This allows any gymnast to compete in our sport that wants to specialize in 1, 2, or 3 events rather than the all- around for any reason that she and her coach believes is best for the athlete.

Prep Optionals- Region V Committee has one set of rules for Region V with 4 levels of competition. It is up to each state to determine the age of the athletes that can compete in this program. If an athlete goes to another state with different age groupings, the gymnast must compete with the appropriate age for the host state. Thank you to Claudia Kershner for her leadership with this program and all questions and feedback should be directed to her or your state Prep Optional representative.

Good luck for a great competitive season and thank you for the many coaches and judges that assisted Region V with our highly successful training camps. Region V Rocks

Judging Updates from Hilary Carlson

Just a reminder to all that the Optional score range has changed for our 2008-2009 Season. It is as follows:

9.50 - 10.0 = .20 ◊ 9.0 - 9.475 = .50 ◊ 8.0 - 8.975 = .70 ◊ 7.975 and below = 1.0.

The current range in our JO Code of Points will remain for compulsories and for NCAA's. The reason the JO and WTC Committees made the change is to allow the judges scores to be in range when their start values differ due to the .50 special requirement which may be different for both judges. If the start values are the same, the judges may want to conference even if the difference in scores fits the new range which is wider than in the past.

Another reminder to judges and coaches is we can stay up- to -date by ordering the newly printed 2nd Edition of the JO Compulsory Programs if you have not updated your current book. You can also go onto the USAG web site and print out the new pages for the penalties which have been updated also. Lastly, I will be writing an article for after my return from the Region V International Trip to Costa Rica.

I am looking forward to traveling and seeing the comparisons of gymnastics between our two countries. Thanks for the opportunity to go on this Region V trip.

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Hello All Region 5 !!

Good Luck to: Background Check Verification Forms No Longer & Kamrin Moore , they will represent to Being Issued!

USA at the TOP Gym Competition in Charleroi, Belgium Effective December 1st, 2008 USA Gymnastics will no (November 28-30) longer be providing background check verification forms to those Professional members who are in a Cassie Whitcomb and Amanda Jetter will represent USA pending status for the background check requirement. at the International Challenge, Professional members will NOT be released from Woluwe Saint-Lambert, Belgium pending, and therefore no membership benefits will be released until the final result of the background check (December 13-17) screening has been received by USA Gymnastics from the National Center for Safety Initiatives (NCSI).

Congratulations to the 2008 TOP National Team Mandatory background check screening went into Members: effect on December 1st, 2007. The verification forms were implemented to allow Professional members to become acclimated with the new membership 9 yr olds requirement. The verification forms were only issued Nia Dennis (Buckeye) to those Professional members who had started the Haven Lanzador (Buckeye) background check process, but the final result had not Jenna Swartzentruber (Buckeye) yet been received by USA Gymnastics. Olivia Ference (MEGA) Mckenzy Kleinholz (CGA) It is vitally important for those Professional members who have not yet begun the background check process Faith Leary (CGA) to start immediately. In addition any new/expired/or lapsed Professional member should begin the process 10 yr olds of paying for membership and attaining membership Brynn Vinicky (Buckeye) requirements (background check and safety/risk Amelia Hundley (CGA) management certification) as soon as possible so that they will not be prevented from participation at USA 11 yr olds Gymnastics sanctioned events. Lexi Priessman (CGA) If a current Professional member has not completed the background check requirement by December 1st, 2008, CGA Will be hosting the 2009 Region 5 Pre Elite/TOP meet directors are directed to not allow these individuals onto the at USA Gymnastics Training Camp. Entry fee is $200. There will be sanctioned events. outstanding and very experience Staff (Tammy Biggs, Any new Professional member will remain in a pending Mary Lee Tracy, Marvin Sharp, Allison Arnold, among status and therefore, be ineligible for participation in others). The dates of the Camp are Monday December USA Gymnastics sanctioned events until the 28 to Wednesday December 31 (finish by Noon). For background check has been fully completed. more information about Camp, email: Please note the normal processing time required for [email protected] the background check is 3 to 4 weeks. Rush processing is not available. Pre Elite / HOPEs Regional Qualifiers for 2009: For more information regarding the background check th requirement please visit the USA Gymnastics website Friday March 13 at CGA at: http://www.usa- gymnastics.org/Story.aspx?tabid=496 Friday July 10th at CGA (tentative) If you have started the background check and have not yet received the results please contact NCSI at 866-833- 7100 to inquire of the status of your background check. 7