Midwest Twisters Newsletter    Visit Our Pro Shop    Programs Offered    Other Offerings  

  MIDWEST TWISTERS

                                 Enrollment for classes now underway.

Vanessa Zamarripa - 3-time Jr Olympic AA Champion is now a UCLA Bruin!

Congrats Vanessa on a bright past, present, and future!

We are excited to offer another quality program at Midwest Twisters.

Midwest Twisters will soon offer All-Star Cheerleading for age 12 & under.

       Zamarripa wins 3rd Straight National Title

Vanessa Zamarripa, already in the USAG L10 record books as the all-time

high scorer on Vault at JO Nationals (9.825; Orlando 2004), again made the

prestigious pages as the first-ever athlete to claim the national vault title

back to back to back.  In fact she was a mere .075 away from being the first-

ever gymnast in Junior Olympic history to win an All-Around 3-peat. Instead,

the two-time AA Champ had to settle for the silver medal as she was edged

out by Region 5 Teammate Stephanie McAllister 38.15 to 38.075. At Nationals

each of the 8 Regions fields a 7-member team in each of 8 age divisions.

Vanessa competed as a Jr C representing Region 5 (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan,

Ohio, Kentucky).

Play by Play:

1st Rotation: Last year's National Champ on Bars, Vanessa leads off for the

Region 5 Team. A nice set featuring a 1/1 pirouette to Gienger, bail to HS

and 2/1 layout earned her a 9.55 (5th).

2nd Rotation: She stayed on the Beam but was rather tentative. (Well-executed

skills but lacked connections).  A 9.225 (15th) kept her in the AA hunt but .375 out

of 1st is a lot of ground to make up at this meet.

3rd Rotation:  Vanessa, who won the Floor Title in 2003, opened with a sky-high

3/1 full, stuck!!! Excellent landings on 3 of 4 tumbling passes of "D" difficulty or

better highlighted an otherwise well-executed routine for a 9.55 and 3rd place. 

4th Rotation: Having closed the gap on the AA leader to .175, McAllister scores a

9.65 on Vault. Vanessa's 9.75 was not quite enough for the AA first and first-ever

JO AA 3-peat, but the consolation prize was a Silver medal AA and her 3rd straight

Junior Olympic National Vault Title. 

The Region 5 Jr C Team won the team competition soundly beating 2nd

place Region 1 by a score of 188.85 to 185.95.

In addition to individual and age division team competition, there is an overall

team competition, by Region, wherein points are earned for team placement in

each of  the eight age divisions. For the 3rd consecutive year Region 5 emerged

as the Overall Team Champion, this year beating 2nd place Region 1 (California,

Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah). 

Vanessa is among the most highly-decorated USAG Junior Olympic athletes ever.

She has twice been named Region 5 "Athlete of the Year" and has made the

JO National Team and the Region 5 Allstar Team 3 years straight.

An amazing 11 individual  and 6 team gold medals in National Championship Meets

Congratulations to Vanessa, her R5 Jr C Team, & the Region 5 National Team!

To see pictures from the meet click on link Vanessa Zamarripa rocks and then

click on "JO National Championships."

                     NEW GYM ON ITS WAY!!!!!

After all the delays and set-backs , construction has

begun on the all new Midwest Twisters at  607 N Main

Street (a.k.a. Shiloh Rd) in O'Fallon. The new Twisters

will be the largest and best-equipped gymnastics and

cheerleading gym in Southern Illinois/Greater St Louis.

You think we're good now? Just wait! Open Oct 1, 2005.

McDaniel Wins Silver AA at L9 Nationals

What a great end to the season for L9 Dani McDaniel.

Following a season where she competed only 2 meets

due to a foot injury, Dani "petitioned" past State and

directly to Regionals where she qualified to L9 Eastern

Nationals as the 7th place all-arounder.  Dani went into

Easterns with all rockets firing and had the meet of her

career.  With 50 girls competing in her age division,

Dani began on Bars posting a 9.35 (4th) which placed her

5th in the overall standings after the first rotation. Follow-

ing a solid Beam routine and an 8.975 (6th) Dani moved

into 3rd overall after 2 rotations. The icing came in her

third rotation as Dani hit a great floor set and was given a

9.175 (9th) which moved her to the silver medal position

after 3. In the final rotation, her 8.90 Vault (20th) proved

good enough to secure 2nd All-Around (36.40) and a

National Silver Medal. Wow!!!!!!!!!

Congratulations also to Kayla Werner who gained some

valuable experience at her first ever national meet in a

tough age division. 

                      LEVEL 9/10 REGIONAL RESULTS

Kayla Werner &  Dani McDaniel both qualified to the 2005 USAG Level 9

Eastern National Championship in Tampa Bay by finishing among the top

at the Region 5 (IL, IN, MI, OH, KY) Championship.  Kayla was one of  few

athletes good enough to qualify to Nationals despite a fall (from beam).

 Dani competed only 3 meets this year - petitioning to Regionals.

At Level 10 Vanessa Zamarripa, 2-time Jr Olympic All-Around National

Champion, qualified for the fourth consecutive year to JO Nationals to be

held in Covina, California. Vanessa competed well despite being out an

entire week prior to the meet with the flu. Great Job this weekend girls!

DANI McDANIEL             -  4th Uneven Bars (9.275)

                                           -  6th Vault (9.05)

                                           -  7th Balance Beam (8.925)

                                           -  7th All-Around (36.275)

KAYLA WERNER *          -  7th Bars (9.10)

                                           -  9th Vault (8.90)

                                           - 13th All-Around (35.825)

VANESSA ZAMARRIPA  -  2nd Vault (9.60)

                                           -  4th Balance Beam (9.45)

                                           -  5th Uneven Bars (9.40) 

                                           -  4th All-Around (37.70)

* - The "Junior B's" were split into 2 sessions due to the large number

of qualifiers. Kayla was 1st on  Bars, 3rd on Vault, 7th on Beam, 10th

on Floor, and 2nd All-Around in her session. It was reported that scores

shot up in the following session (as often happens in our sport).

                           LEVEL 4/5 STATE RESULTS

Jazmon Carroll became the fourth All-Around State Champion for

Midwest Twisters this season while also winning the gold on both

Floor & Bars. Also earning the State Title on Bars was Leah Kanyo.

The Senior Team placed 4th while Twisters was 6th in the Superteam.

At Level 4 Twisters' Junior Team was 2nd while taking 5th Superteam.

6 yr-old Allyssa Dollison placed 1st on Vault with the highest score of

the weekend for all Level 4's and 5's posting a career-high 9.625. Also

finishing first in their respective age divisions were Kailey Ifft on Beam

Gretchen Bolhofner on Floor. Kudos to our L4 & L5 gymnasts!

Jazmon Carroll           -  2005 Illinois L5 All-Around Champion (36.55)

                                       - 2005 Illinois L5 Uneven Bars Champion (9.30)

                                       -  2005 Illinois L5 Floor Champion (9.525)

Leah Kanyo                 -  2005 Illinois L5 Uneven Bars Champion (9.15)

                                                 -  9th Place All-Around (35.125)  

Lauren Ewart               -  Silver Medalist Uneven Bars  (9.15)   

Nicole Conway            -  6th Place All-Around (35.85)

Courtney Whitehead  - 8th Place All-Around (34.45)

Megan Blackburn       - 10th Place All-Around

 Kailey Ifft                      - 2005 Illinois L4 Balance Beam Champion (9.475)

                                                  - Silver Medalist All-Around (37.25)

                                                  - Silver Medalist Uneven Bars (9.175)

 Gretchen Bolhofner   - 2005 Illinois L4 Floor Exercise Champion (9.40)

                                                  - Silver Medalist All-Around (36.85)

                                                  - Silver Medalist Balance Beam (9.40)

Alyssa Dollison           - 2005 Illinois L4 Vault Champion (9.625)

                                                  - 5th Place All-Around (36.30)

Olivia Gebhardt           - Silver Medalist Balance Beam (9.325)

                                                  - Silver Medalist Floor Exercise (9.10)

                                                  - 4th Place All-Around (36.60)

Jessica McDonough  - 8th Place All-Around (35.525)

Riley Nadler                  - 8th Place All-Around (35.225)

Kelsey Bolt                   - 9th Place All-Around (35.00)

                          LEVEL 9/10 STATE RESULTS

Vanessa Zamarripa, the #1 ranked Level 10 gymnast in the country

since 2003, has added the 2005 Illinois State All-Around Title to her

long list of achievements. Vanessa is the only gymnast at any level to

have reached the"38.00" All-Around mark in this year's Illinois State

Competitions! Congratulations to Vanessa for her continued success.

 At Level 9 Kayla Werner placed 6th on Bars (9.175) and 7th on Vault

(8.95) as she qualified to Level 9 Regionals in Lansing, MI next month.

Congratulations to Kayla.

Vanessa Zamarripa - 2005 Illinois L10 All-Around Champion (38.00)

                                     - 2005 Illinois L10 Vault Champion (9.625)

                                     - 2005 Illinois L10 Uneven Bars Champion (9.475)

                                     - Silver Medalist Floor Exercise (9.55)

                                               - Bronze Medalist Balance Beam (9.35)

                             LEVEL 7 STATE RESULTS

Hats off to our Level 7 Team who returned from a highly competitive

State Meet with the Bronze Medal Team in both Junior & Superteam

Divisions.  There was only a .50 separation from 1st to 3rd in the Jrs.

Twisters were led by Kelsey Werner who, despite missing practice the

full week before the meet due to illness, still managed 3 State Titles.

All of our 7's finished in the top 10 AA in their respective age divisions.

Kelsey Werner      - 2005 Illinois L7 All-Around Champion (37.25)

                                 - 2005 Illinois L7 Vault Champion (9.475)

                                 - 2005 Illinois L7 Uneven Bars Champion (9.425)

                                 - Silver Medalist Balance Beam (9.125)

                                 - Bronze Medalist Floor Exercise (9.225)

Brittany Bradley   - 2005 Illinois L7 Balance Beam Champion (9.225)

                                 - Silver Medalist Floor Exercise (9.30)

                                         -  8th Place All-Around (35.45)

Jordan Sexton      - 2005 Illinois L7 Vault Champion (9.625)

                                 -  8th Place All-Around (36.275)

Jordan's 9.625 was the highest individual score given for all events, all sessions !!!

Valeriya  Lottes     -  Bronze Medalist Vault (9.45)

Amber Orr              -  5th Place All-Around (36.50)

Audrey Goodson  -  8th Place All-Around (35.85)

Jenna Wood          - 10th Place All-Around (36.625)

                           LEVEL 6 STATE RESULTS

Congratulations to our 2005 Illinois State Champion Level 6 Junior  Team!

Way to go Taylor, Kayla, Natalie, Shelby , Megan and Coaches Pete

& Maranda. This is Midwest Twister's 3rd straight L6 State Team Title!!!

A special round of applause goes to the following medalists:

 Taylor Galbraith  -  2005 Illinois L6 All-Around Champion  (37.55)

                                         - 2005 Illinois L6 Balance Beam Champion (9.475)

                                         - Silver Medalist Vault (9.375)

                                         - Silver Medalist Bars (9.40)

                                         - Bronze Medalist Floor (9.30)

Taylor's 37.55 was the highest AA score for all gymnasts, all age groups!

Kayla Keck               - 2005 Illinois L6 AA Silver (36.85)

                                         - Silver Medalist Bars (9.20)

                                         - Bronze Medalist Vault (9.30)

Natalie Hanalei       - 2005 Illinois L6 AA Bronze (36.925)

                                         - Bronze Medalist Bars (9.275)

                                         - Bronze Medalist Beam (9.25)

Shelby Culli              - 9th Place AA (35.475)

                                         - Bronze Medalist Beam (9.225)

Midwest Twisters 2004-2005 Season Highlights:

Circle of Stars Invitational:  L6 - 1st Team; L7 - 2nd Team

Chicago Style Invitational:  L6 - 1st Team; L7 - 2nd Team

Kelsey Werner (L7) scored the meet's high score for all 3,200+

athletes at all levels with an AA of  38.575. The Chicago Style

Invitational at Navy Pier is the largest meet in the country.

GymQuarters Inv: L6 - 1st Team; L7 - 2nd Team; L4 - 3rd Team