Medicine Hat News - Winter Games Coverage

Gymnasts looking forward to Games experience

SEAN ROONEY

Medicine Hat News

In the midst of the busiest time of year for many young athletes, this weekend’s Alberta Winter Games is a welcome break.

Sure, they’re still going to try to win, but when else can you have a sleep-over with your 50 closest friends, attend a dance with a couple thousand more and participate in an Olympic-style opening ceremonies, complete with sub-zero temperatures?

OK, scratch that last part.

“The opening ceremonies I’m excited for too, except for the fact we’ll be outside,” noted 12-year-old Sydney Carlson, one of four Medicine Hat gymnasts making the trek to Leduc for tonight’s ceremony. “Edmonton’s always colder so I don’t know.”

Carlson, Tianna Pisoni and Alysha McCubbin are all on the Zone 1 level three team, while Sheehan Desjardins heads up the level four squad at the Winter Games. All four will compete through this weekend, fresh off performances in Regina and right before Salta Gymnastics’ Cactus Classic in Medicine Hat Feb. 23 and 24.

After that, they’ve got zones and provincials to look forward to in the next month. So you can understand if their coaches aren’t putting the focus on coming up with perfect scores in Leduc.

“There is no expectation when they go; just to have fun,” said Becca Sykes, a Salta coach and one-time Winter Games athlete who will head to Leduc this time as a judge. “They’ve made the team and that’s the most important part.

“You don’t want to go to win, you go to have fun.”

For many, the dance is the highlight. Pisoni is looking forward to spending the night in a school classroom, where many of the athletes take up residence for a few days.

“Especially in a school,” she said of what makes the sleep-over situation unique.

“I think it’ll be really fun, interesting and different,” added McCubbin, the lone 10-year-old in a group of 12-year-old teammates.

Even the competition itself is different for the gymnasts. Instead of the usual individual scores, their routines will instead count towards a team competition. That scares some but is also a first experience of one of the key elements of Olympic competition, where nations compete against one another.

“I like individual competitions because if you do good then it’s just yourself and if you do crappy, you can criticize yourself,” said Desjardins, who will team up with a trio of girls from Lethbridge. “I think it’s going to be really challenging, but a really good experience. I really want to go to the Olympics, so it’s really good for me.”

Desjardins won her level four division at the Conexus Credit Union Prairie Invitation in Regina, scoring big marks on the beam and floor which proved to be the difference in the all-around event.

McCubbin was second overall in level three, with Pisoni just two spots back.

Other results from Salta included Kianna Lightfoot (fourth), Amy Fraser (eighth), Kayla Leisle (ninth) and Shandler Kholman (16th) in level two open; Brooklyn Berrington (fourth), Jadyn Stroh (fifth), Erica Gallup (sixth), Alysha Stratton (seventh) and Taylor Sweet (12th) in level two argo; and Teah Rushford (19th) in level two tyro.