Madison training facility to host regional gymnastics competition
Men's gymnastics has long been of the most watched Olympic sports. Who hasn't watched in awe as an Olympic gymnast hung, apparently effortlessly, from the rings in an iron cross or tumbled across the floor in a seemingly impossible series of flips? If you've ever wished you could see men's gymnastics live, you are in for a treat. This weekend, Huntsville and the Tennessee Valley region will have a rare opportunity to see national level men's gymnastics right here at home.
The U.S. Men's Region Eight Gymnastics Championships will be held at the Von Braun Civic Center Friday through Sunday, Apr. 11-13. Gymnasts from Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina and North Carolina will vie for regional titles and, among the upper levels, for a berth at U.S. Nationals in May. Spectators will see some of the top up-and-coming gymnasts in the country performing skills most people see only on TV.
Asked how they feel about playing host to such a high level competition, team members' responses showed a sense of pride. Gymnast Forrest Lyon summarized the feeling as "pretty awesome! It's a rare opportunity for a team to host Regionals. We're looking forward to the competition."
After years of traveling to out of town meets, Steven Thebus said he's looking forward to having a lot of his friends from Scottsboro finally being able to see him perform. Eleven-year-old Douglas Glen, the youngest local competitor and a three-time regional qualifier, added, "just the excitement of so many good gymnasts coming together-the energy is awesome!"
The opportunity to host the Regional Championship rotates yearly between the states in the region. "In the past, the state of Alabama did not always host the meet when it was its turn, because there was no gym able to bid on such a significant meet," continued Lemley. "We wanted to change that. We felt that it was time for the state of Alabama, and the city of Huntsville, as well as its surrounding communities, to be recognized for the gymnastics community it is becoming."
Gym owner and coach Debbie Santos said that viewing the competition "will educate the public about men's gymnastics. People don't know what it takes to be a good competitor. It's not just one thing they concentrate on. They have six events they have to focus on. There are very few boys willing to dedicate themselves year round to do what it takes to compete. It is a very disciplined sport."
Athletes come from as far away as Russellville, Scottsboro, and Cullman to train at the Madison facility. Southern States "boasts one of the largest men's gymnastics teams in the state, as well as the widest range of levels; from a growing pre-team level, to nationally competitive Level Tens. With the building of a new state of the art facility, we can only expect that the number and caliber of our athletes will increase," says Lemley.
When asked about the local boys' chances at Regionals, Lemley and Head Coach Douglas Glenn were enthusiastic. Of the Level Ten competitors, Lemley said, "Steven Thebus is in his second year as a Level Ten. He qualified for nationals last year, and he has been working hard to get there again this year. Forrest Lyon is our other Level Ten. This is his first year to compete at this level, and we expect great things from him. He, too, is vying for a spot at Nationals."
Coach Glenn was quick to point out strong points to watch for in each athlete. Thebus is "a high flyer, lots of air; watch for his double somersaults and you'll see some big power tumbling" and Lyon is "very strong, likes to flip big; watch for his strength on rings."
The team to watch this weekend? The state of Florida is well known in the gymnastics community as a power house of men's gymnastics. Lemley said, "They have some of the best athletes in the country."
Admission for a day pass is $10 for adults and $5 for children. A 3-day pass covering the entire meet is also available for $15.
A complete schedule for the weekend can be found at www.r8mensgymnastics.com.
