Amazing Grace
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$1 SERVING ISANTI & CHISAGO COUNTIES Volume 144 Number 39 www.countynewsreview.com THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2019 Amazing Grace Isanti’s McCallum rises to elite gymnast status INSIDE 16, McCallum is considered an elite by John Wagner gymnast, which is confirmed by her [email protected] third-place finish in the U.S. National Gymnastics Championships held in Steve Hafeman remembers the first time he Kansas City Aug. 8-11. watched 7-year-old Grace McCallum practice That makes her a candidate to rep- gymnastics. But his memory has nothing to resent the United States in the 2020 do with twisting, tumbling, spinning – or any Olympics in Tokyo – a possibility other skill that took place on the mat. that is a far cry from McCallum’s first “When all of the kids were in line, Grace gymnastics memory. ‘Third Thursday’ would ‘cut’ in the line so she could take anoth- “I was 4 years old, and I went to Downtown Cambridge er turn,” Hafeman said with a laugh. Gymnastics Galaxy, which is a mile hosted its monthly ‘Third Sounds terrible, right? away from my house,” she said. “I Thursday’ event “I thought that was great,” said Hafeman, remember running around the gym, encouraging business and who is now one of McCallum’s coaches at Grace McCallum competes during day two of the senior women’s com- climbing on the monkey bars and the community engagement. Twin City Twisters in Champlin. “It showed petition of the 2019 U.S. Gymnastics Championships in Kansas City. balance beam, and jumping into the she had a desire to become good.” page 4 Photos by John Cheng/USA Gymnastics That desire has allowed the Isanti native (Top of page) Isanti’s Grace McCallum won the all-around bronze during See GRACE on to become much more than just “good.” Now the U.S. Championships held Aug. 8-11 in Kansas City. page 15 INSIDE Bail set at half-million for Braham woman in alleged assault of 18-month-old Public defender Nathan- sentenced to 30 days in the Morrison County by Rachel Kytonen iel Hyle, who represented Jail and five years supervised probation, ending [email protected] Mohrland during the initial on March 21, 2023. hearing, pleaded for lower During the court hearing, Mohrland was or- A Braham woman is facing a felony assault bail amounts. dered by Klossner to have no contact with the charge for causing great bodily harm to an “Ms. Mohrland recently victim, as well as two other infant children who 18-month-old baby. moved to Braham from were in the home with Mohrland at the time of Alicia Dolores Mohrland, 21, was charged Morrison County approxi- the alleged assault that took place on Aug. 12. Aug. 14 in Isanti County District Court in Cam- mately one year ago,” Hyle Alicia Dolores Mohrland was also ordered to have no unsuper- bridge before Judge John Klossner with felony said. “She lives with her boy- Mohrland vised contact with any child under the age of 5. first-degree assault. Bail was set at $500,000 friend and works as a home- On Aug. 13, the Children’s Hospital in Min- Rockin’ in Rush City without conditions or $250,000 with conditions maker. She has one felony neapolis reported the victim was in critical but Rush City hosted its Rock’ and next court appearance for Aug. 28. theft conviction from Morrison County from stable condition, with significant injuries, and Rush City festival that fea- “An 18-month-old child was the victim of an last year. ... Please take into consideration her was able to maintain with various machines tured a car show, games assault,” said Isanti County Attorney Jeff Ed- financial situation.” and medications that were connected. He still and music. blad. “The likelihood of an amended complaint Court records show Mohrland received a page 16 being filed is likely based on the medical infor- stay of imposition from Morrison County in See MOHRLAND on mation we are receiving.” March 2018 for a felony theft charge. She was page 27 for voting us the BEST INSURANCE AGENCY in Isanti County! 227 S. Main Street, Cambridge, MN 55008 763-689-4521 [email protected] Index 234 So. 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McCallum also proved to be an adept opment as an elite gymnast. “That shows me that she gymnast, especially when it came to learn- “You could see her realize, ‘Wow, I am is a good kid. While she ing new skills. That ability allowed her to pretty good,’” Jantzi said. “She was just go- may not be having a good climb the ladder of Junior Olympic “lev- ing to go and enjoy the experience – and I day, she cheered on her els,” eventually reaching Level 10, the high- emphasize that, because that level of com- teammates to have a good est level before elite status. petition can be pretty cool. But she did day. I would want that type “Skills always came to more than enjoy it; she of personality on my team me pretty easily, but the did well. … every day.” form would take a long “Seeing her blossom McCallum may have time,” she said. “I could as a gymnast last year was flown under the radar be- do the skill, but making amazing. Step by step, cause the focus was on the them look nice – having her confidence grew. Now impressive performance of with Connections Academy. “I love to read a straight leg and pointed she’s the steady competi- Biles, who gained national attention by and I love to paint, and I like to spend time toes – took time. That was tor who you know isn’t connecting on a “triple-double” while post- with my sisters and brothers.” the hard part for me.” going to fall.” ing an amazing score of 59.850 in the finals. McCallum is part of a large family that So McCallum joined Instead she continued “When I first met her, I admit I was star- includes her parents, Edward and Sandy; the Twin City Twisters, to rise, finishing fourth at struck,” McCallum said of Biles. “But since one older sister, 18-year-old Rachael; where Hafeman is co- the U.S. National Cham- I’ve gotten to know her, and I’ve roomed younger sister Madelyn, who is 14; and owner as well as an Elite/ pionships in the summer with her, I’ve learned that she’s uplifting three younger brothers in Joseph (11), John Junior Olympic coach. of 2018. That earned her and fun at meets. (8), and Xavier (5). “Suddenly I was the a spot on the U.S. team “It makes the competition more fun “My family really sacrifices a lot for me worst gymnast in the that competed in the Pan- when you know and cheer for the other – especially my siblings,” Grace McCallum gym,” she said. “There Grace McCallum competes during day American Games hosted competitors.” said. “I love them so much, and I love that were gymnasts like Mag- two of the senior women’s competition by Peru that September; And Jantzi said McCallum uses the suc- they cheer me on from home.” gie Nichols and Olivia of the 2019 U.S. Gymnastics Champi- at that meet, McCallum cess of Biles as a high bar to shoot for. McCallum also credited her success to Trautman and Abby Paul- onships in Kansas City. Photo by claimed the gold medal “Grace is motivated by people who are her coaches through the years, particularly son – girls that I looked Allison Cheng/USA Gymnastics in the all-around and un- better than her,” Jantzi said. “She is striving the coaches at Twin City Twisters: Jantzi, up to so much, and sud- even bars while earning to be as good as them. Simone is amazing Hafeman, co-owner and elite coach Mike denly I was training with them.” bronze medals in the vault and balance – she’s the Michael Jordan of gymnastics. Hunger, and coaches Sami Wozney and Then McCallum suffered what appeared beam. But I think Grace is motivated to put in the Kassandra Nathe. to be a bad break when she dislocated her A silver-medal performance in this work to try and reach Simone’s level. For “They’re always there to support me, es- elbow, an injury that required surgery and year’s American Cup – a meet whose past Grace, the takeaway from watching Simone pecially when I have a rough day at the gym seven months of rehab. But this apparent winners include a virtual who’s who of the is to see her do things no one else has ever or a rough meet,” McCallum said. “They setback instead turned into a blessing. sport such as Nadia Comaneci, Mary Lou done, and then realize that Grace can do push me every day at the gym, and I’m real- “I took that time to work on little things Retton, Simone Biles and numerous others things she never thought she could do.” ly thankful for that – even if I don’t always that I didn’t have time to [work on] before, – raised hopes for a strong performance in McCallum said she loves competing in like it in the moment.