The Region 8 Board recently met in Atlanta and there a few changes to the JO landscape.

For specifics, please see the minutes in this newsletter. One highlight however, is that the Tim Rand “TR” Memorial Fund will once again be paying for 100% of the Level 10 entries into Nationals in the Dallas area. Thanks to Toni Rand and all of the supporters of this fund for keeping the memory of one of Region 8’s greats alive and really making a difference in the lives of our athletes and families.

Training Camp Changes and Announcements:

# 1 = “Regional Team” Training Camp – July 23-25, 2010 at Tampa Bay Turners - FL

Qualifiers:

ALL Level 7 & 8 Regional Qualifiers.  

TOP’s National Qualifiers that competed L 7 and above in the previous year.

# 2 = “R 8 Nationals Team” Training Camp – September 10-12, 2010 at GAA in Atlanta - GA

Qualifiers:

ALL 2010 NIT Qualifiers

All 2010 L 9 and 10 athletes that qualified to the L 9 Eastern or L 10 National Meet

All active elite and “pre”- elite athletes

This camp will serve as host for NAWGJ Symposium

# 3 = “L 8, 9, 10 Regional Training Camp” - October  8-10, 2010 - ACE – Orlando Area - FL

Qualifiers:

All L 8, 9 and 10 athletes that qualified to the previous year’s Regional Championship meet or above.

Training Camp forms

I am confident that our camp system will continue to provide great training and learning opportunities for our athletes, coaches and judges alike to help Region 8 continue on its path to National prominence. With that said however, supporting our training camps will continue to be of the utmost importance. The Regional Board unanimously decided to continue our requirement stating that a club must be in “good standing” in regard to training camps to be eligible for the ALL-STAR Trip. In “Good standing” means that each club must do one or more of the following:

• Host a R 8 Training Camp within the last 2 years
• Send a volunteer coach or coaches to a Camp to actively work with gymnasts
• Send an athlete or athletes to a Camp
• Make a $1,000 donation to the Regional Apparel Fund

Clubs failing to meet these criteria are making the decision to be ineligible for funding of the “All-Star” Trip if one or more of your athletes qualify. An athlete from a club that is deemed NOT in “Good Standing” may only attend the trip at her own expense. Additionally – if the coach or coaches wanted to accompany their athlete they would have to pay for 100% of the trip. Please do not put yourself in this position.

The Board stuck with this criteria with the knowledge that the training camps cannot be a success without the support of ALL of our clubs. The funds created by the camps are the funds that are the life blood our athletes and coaches for apparel and our “All-Star” trip. Please do your part with the understanding that when you support the training camps you are ultimately supporting yourself!

The “All-Star” trip will once again be in July/August on the 29^th – 1^st weekend. We are currently in communication with the gymnastics staff at Chelsea Piers in NYC. We feel like New York will be a great training and cultural experience for everyone involved. The team will once again be made up of the level 9 & 10 athletes that best represent Region 8 at 2010 Easterns and Nationals. The team and attending coaches will be housed in a local hotel and be transported via bus while in NYC.  It is our hope that this trip has been and will continue to be a great source of motivation within the Region. The Region will furnish the funds for the athletes and the head staff (minus meals and excursion fees). Coaches that qualify athletes that are not on the staff may also attend but at their own expense. The qualification system is as follows:

The top six – L 9’s (plus ties) and the top six – L 10’s (plus ties) from Eastern/National Championships will make up the team. The team is chosen as follows:

Any athlete(s) that place first in the AA get first priority.

Any athlete(s) that place second in the AA fill any remaining spots.

Any athlete(s) that place third in the AA fill any remaining spots.

If there are still spots available the athlete(s) with the highest AA score regardless of Age Group will make up the remainder of the team. Graduating Seniors are ineligible for the trip.

The Region 8 Junior Olympic Committee remains:

Alabama
J – Mary Lou Dillard
C- Meg Henry
Florida
J - Rene Niccollai
C - Laura Parraga
Georgia
J – Michelle Donovan
C – Elena Piskun
Louisiana
J – Brenda Eberhardt
C - Bryan Neal
Mississippi
J – Mary Moore
C – Emily Lay
North Carolina
J – Kristie Phillips
C – Kenny Morphis
South Carolina
J – Mendy Knisley
C – Louie Liguori
Tennessee
J – Jeanna Rogers
C – Adam Byrd

As always, please feel free to contact your State’s representative or myself with any questions or concerns.

Thanks a lot and GO Region 8 –

Brad Harris

Region 8 Junior Olympic Committee Chairman

On a different note, the summer of 2009 was another great one for Region 8. In July we were in St. Petersburg, Florida for the second annual “Regional Team” Training camp and it was great. The camp was comprised of the top “up and comers” in the Region and the talent was hot. The focus of the camp was basics and core skill development. The kids and volunteer coaches worked extremely hard and everyone was very happy with the results.

In August we traveled to Cancun, Mexico for the third annual Region 8 “All-Star” trip. The team was made up of the level 9 & 10 athletes that represented Region 8 the best at 2009 Easterns and Nationals. This year’s team was as follows:

Level 9

Caroline Nice of Southeastern

Christina Pheil of Tampa Bay Turners

Jennifer Rochefort of Georgia Gymnastics Academy

Emily Kelley of Georgia All-Star

Amanda Condreay of Lafleur’s Largo

Caroline Bradford of Elite, LA

Level 10

Kailyn Hawkins of Southeastern

Lindsey Cheek of Georgia Elite

Rebecka Bennetts of Georgia All-Star

Ashleigh Gnat of ACE

Kristin Aloi of High Point

Summer Garcia of Olympia Elite

The athletes and coaches took part in three very intense training sessions at CAR – Cancun with head staff Brad Harris, David Parraga, Ludmilla Shobe and Ray Gnat. Everyone involved really enjoyed the workouts but enjoyed even more the relationships that were created and the true feeing of camaraderie. It is our hope that this trip has been and will continue to be a great source of motivation within the Region.

I would like to personally thank Nilson Savage of Classic Events and the University of Denver for his incredible hospitality on the trip.

In September the second annual Nationals Team Training Camp was held at Orlando Metro. The camp played host to the Region’s top Level 9, 10 and Elite athletes and coaches. We also (for the first time) had several NCAA coaches on the staff due to a new allowance in the rules to do so. I am going to work very hard to insure that this trend continues and hope to have on staff, at least one representative from every college in the Southeast of the USA. Thanks to Jeff Wood and the great people at Metro for an awesome experience!

October saw Region 8 in Buford, Georgia for the Level 8, 9 &10 Training Camp. Our host club was Gymnastix, owned and operated by David and Michelle Pomerantz. The camp had a great energy and everyone seemed to get a lot out of it. Thanks to David, Michelle and the staff at Gymnastix for your hospitality and the use of your wonderful facility.

 In addition to our great hosts I would like to thank everyone who is involved and continues to support our three training camp system. Although we are moving in the right direction we still do not have 100% participation. I have asked and will continue to ask that every club that qualifies athletes to Level 8-10 Regional Championships be a part of at least one of the three camps. Being a part can mean: hosting a camp, sending athletes, volunteering to coach or all three. Please understand that all of the funds raised go directly back to our athletes and coaches for apparel and our “All-Star” trip. Please do your part.

Thanks a lot and GO Region 8 –

Brad Harris

Region 8 Junior Olympic Committee Chairman

Email Brad

# 1 = “Regional Team” Training Camp – July 24-26, 2009 at Tampa Bay Turners in St. Pete, FL

Qualifiers:

Level 8 State “Regional” Team athletes (up to 64)
Level 8 Regional athletes that placed 1-3 at Regional Championships in non state team sessions.
TOP’s National Qualifiers that competed L 7 and above in the previous year.

# 2 = “R 8 Nationals Team” Training Camp – September 11-13, 2009 at Orlando Metro, FL

Qualifiers:

All L 9 and 10 athletes that qualified to the previous year’s Eastern/National Meet
All active elite athletes

# 3 = “L 8, 9, 10 Regional Training Camp” - October 2-4, 2008 at Gymnastix in Atlanta, GA

Qualifiers:

All L 8, 9 and 10 athletes that qualified to the previous year’s Regional Championship meet or above.

I am confident that the camp system will once again provide the ultimate training and learning opportunities for our athletes, coaches and judges alike to help take Region 8 to the next level. With that said however, the training camps cannot be a success without the support of our clubs. I would ask that every club that qualified athletes to Level 8-10 Regional Championships be a part of at least one of the three camps as all of the funds raised go directly back to our athletes and coaches for apparel and our “All-Star” trip. Please do your part.

An additional item that I would like to review with the Region 8 pro membership is our 2009 results as a Region at Easterns and Level 10 Nationals. While we have not yet returned to a level of prominence that we once enjoyed, R 8 is moving in the right direction. At Level 9 Easterns we had two all-around champions (Caroline Nice of Southeastern and Christina Pheil of Tampa Bay Turners) and two Championship Teams (Jr. 1 & 2). At Level 10 Nationals we had one AA Champion (Abbey Habicht of Orlando Metro) and had an improved showing in our team results.

Region 8 is also gearing up for our third annual “All-Star” team trip to be hosted on the weekend of July 30 - August 2 in Cancun, Mexico at the wonderful CAR Training Center. Region 8 would like to thank Nilson Savage of Classic Events for hosting this prestigious trip alongside of his camp. I will give everyone a full report on the team and how the trip went when we return. As a reminder, the following is how the team was selected.

The top six – L 9’s (plus ties) and the top six – L 10’s (plus ties) from Eastern/National Championships will make up the team. The team is chosen as follows:
Any athlete(s) that place first in the AA get first priority.
Any athlete(s) that place second in the AA fill any remaining spots.
Any athlete(s) that place third in the AA fill any remaining spots.
If there are still spots available the athlete(s) with the highest AA score regardless of Age Group will make up the remainder of the team.

Due to NCAA regulations Graduating Seniors are ineligible for the trip.

Finally, I would like to thank Toni Rand and the Tim Rand Memorial Fund for paying for all of R 8’s - Level 10’s entries in to Nationals. Your generosity is truly appreciated! Also – congratulations to all of the coaches of our Eastern and National Champions from Region 8. You are truly the pride our Region.

Thanks a lot and GO Region 8 –

Brad Harris
Region 8 Junior Olympic Committee Chairman