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Top 12 Finish for Apollo Gymnasts at Championships Four athletes from the Apollo Gymnastics Club competed at the prestigious Provincial Championships held in Niagara Falls over the weekend. Each gymnast who attended the competition had to achieve the necessary average qualifying score at two meets throughout the 2007-2008 Season. Victoria Willars and Katie Vaillancourt represented Apollo at their first ever provincial championship, after achieving the mandatory score. The girls were pleased to have the opportunity to attend one of the biggest competitions of the year. Victoria Willars, competing in the level 5, age 11 category, had the largest flight throughout the entire competition, with 54 athletes from across Ontario. Willars performed an incredible handspring for a 10th place finish on the event. She also achieved a personal best score of 11.55 on floor. She placed 10th for her efforts. North Bay's youngest provincial competitor, Katie Vaillancourt, had a great showing, placing 12th on vault after demonstrating a cleanly executed handspring. She also attained an 11.0, a decent score considering she had a large uncharacteristic wobble, on the balance beam. She finished 14th on the event in a field of 49 competitors, in the level 5 age 10 division. Alison Fung, competing in the level 6, age 12/13 division, demonstrated some amazing tumbling during her floor routine and placed 14th on the event. She also performed a dynamic handspring vault to finish 15th out of 49 competitive gymnasts. Victoria Ryman, 16, competed in the level 6 category in a field of 34 competitors, finishing 11th with a score of 11.6 for her aggressive tumbling and elegant dance on the floor exercise. She also placed 13th and 15th on vault and bars respectively. "The girls were up against some tough competition" said Apollo's Head Coach Jen Lavigne. "There were a lot of amazing gymnasts and the categories were very large this year. I am especially impressed with how the younger, less experienced athletes performed under pressure." Apollo's provincial and interclub athletes will now prepare for the upcoming Gymtrix invitational competition, and the much anticipated year-end Performance Night held in June.

Swain qualifies for nationals Two members from Apollo gymnastics club, Jen Lavigne and Nathan Swain, competed in the Ontario provincial championships for power tumbling over the weekend at Seneca Sports Centre in Toronto. Swain, competing in the novice national 15-and-over division, was taking his last shot at the national championship qualifying score of 52.8. Swain hit his first pass with a score of 27.2 and was sitting in second spot going into the final round. He landed his double twisting somersault, which gave him a maximum degree of difficulty and the title of provincial champion. His first-place finish and final score of 54.7 also landed him a spot on Team Ontario. The team will attend national championships in Calgary over the first week of June. Coach Josh Tessier will be attending the event with Swain and is " looking forward to seeing Nathan show his worth against the rest of the country." Lavigne, competing in the provincial level 'B' category, started off the competition with a seventh-place finish on her first pass. Lavigne upped her games on her second pass, performing a full-twisting back somersault, and placed second. Lavigne placed an impressive fifth-place on the all-around podium. Lavigne will soon attend eastern championships with Team Ontario in Longueuil, Quebec, May8 to 13.

Apollo Gymnasts Capture Three Titles Sudbury, April 14 2008 Apollo's competitive gymnastics team returned home from a successful meet in Sudbury with plenty of hardware around their neck. The boys and girls were awarded 18 gold, 12 silver and 14 bronze medals, accumulating 44 medals over the two day competition. Katie Vaillancourt won the level 5 age 10 all-around title, taking top spot on vault uneven bars and balance beam. Vaillancourt also received a silver medal on floor. Mackechnie Chadbourne, 12, had a first place finish on 3 of the 4 events, securing her overall win in the level 2 division, while Victoria Willars held the level 5, age 11 title after her gold medal performance on the vault and uneven bars. Finishing second overall in their respective categories was Chloe Hunt, Meagan Hester and Sydney Knight. Hunt and Hester won the uneven bar and floor exercise, while Hunt received a special judges award for the "most daring and aggressive" beam routine. Knight, 10, claimed the gold on floor and placed second on the vault, bars and beam. Trista Hester was awarded 4 bronze medals for her performance on each apparatus and an additional bronze for her overall finish. Ayasha Horner, Carly Gagne and first time competitor Christina Goode, performed their level 2 routines, while Taylor Vaillancourt demonstrated her level 4 skills. Each 7 and 8 year old gymnast received a certificate with merit, bronze, silver and/or gold seals based on their performance. Gagne and Vaillancourt received a gold seal on the uneven bars while Horner received a gold on the event and all-around. Goode received a silver seal on the vault. The men's portion of the competition saw Colin Anger, Jack Chadbourne and Matthew Perreault. Provincial Champion, Colin Anger, won a gold medal on the Parallel bars and rings; however, Anger's uncharacteristic fall on floor cost him the level 1 all-around title. Chadbourne captured the silver medal on the pommel horse and a bronze for his high bar routine. He finished 4th in the all-around, narrowly missed medal contention. Perreault wore two bronze medals for his efforts on the vault and the pommel horse, and finished 5th overall.

Anger wins division at provincial championships

Lavigne Qualifies for Provincials

The North Bay Apollo Gymnastics Club sent a group of four athletes to Barrie Ontario for the Power Tumbling second provincial qualifier, including first time competitor, Taylor Vaillancourt. Taylor, 8, had an impressive first pass finishing with a back tuck somersault. Vaillancourt competed in the provincial level C woman's group and finished her first competition with an all-around score of 47.60. Apollo athlete Matthew Perreault, competing in his second competition, made quite an improvement all-around. Matthew had a score of 24.0 on his first pass, which put him on route for a 5th place finish for his over-all efforts in the provincial D men's division. Perreault's final score was 47.70. On Saturday afternoon, Jen Lavigne put on an impressive performance in the level B women's category. Lavigne placed fourth on her first pass, which scored a 25.5. Lavigne performed a full twisting layout in her second pass, which gave her a degree of difficulty of 2.40. This display left Jen Lavigne in 4th place all-around and landed her a provincial qualifying score of 50.50. Ben Senior fell just short of qualifying score this past weekend. Senior had an excellent first pass, scoring 25.4 and an impressive 26.5 on his second pass. Senior had a final score of 51.9, finishing the day in 7th position in the provincial C men's division.

Apollo Gynmasts Advancing to Ontario Championships

Vaillancourt Qualifies for Provincials

Apollo's women's gymnastics team returned from the provincial qualifier and invitational competition over the weekend, with 12 medals and incredible all-around results. 5 athletes competed in the provincial qualifying portion of the competition including Rachel Fung, 15, who had an excellent finish in the level 5, age 14 and up division. Fung won a gold medal for her elegant floor routine with a score of 11.2. She also received a bronze medal for her dynamic handspring vault. Fung placed 4th on the balance beam and 5th in the all-around.Alison Fung won a bronze medal on vault with a score of 11.75. Fung also placed 4th on the uneven bars and 7th on floor. She finished the day in 7th position in the level 6, age 12 and 13 category with a score of 45.05. Fung narrowly missed qualifying score by 0.25 points. Victoria Willars placed 5th on vault and 6th on the balance beam with a score of 11.3. Willars had an all-around score of 45.05 in the level 5, age 11 division. She missed the average qualifying score from the last two competitions by 0.025 points. Victoria Ryman, 16, won a silver medal on the floor exercise in the level 6, 14 and up category. Ryman placed 7th on uneven bars and 12th all-around. Katie Vaillancourt performed a solid balance beam routine for a 7th place finish on the event. She also placed 8th on the uneven bars. Vaillancourt has met the average qualifying score and will advance to provincial championships later in the season. "I am impressed with Katie's improvement from last year" said Coach Jen Lavigne. "All of the girls had a great competition, and the whole team is very close to qualifying. The scores they need to achieve at the next meet are definitely attainable and I am confident that more athletes will be joining Katie at Provincials." This competition marked the second of three provincial qualifying meets used to determine which athletes will attend Ontario Championships in May. The Provincial team will travel to Bracebridge this weekend for the final qualifying competition of the year.

Hunt Brings Home 4 Medals

Apollo Gymnasts Medal at Provincial Qualifier

There are 17 provincial qualifiers offered at various gymnastics facilities across Ontario this year. Each Club selects 3 competitions that they would like to attend. Gymnasts must achieve an average qualifying score at 2 of the 3 meets in order to attend Provincial Championships held later in the season.

Katie Vaillancourt, 10, won a silver medal for her confident and sure-footed performance on the balance beam. With a score of 11.7 on the difficult event, Katie currently holds the third highest beam score achieved at a provincial qualifier this year in her division. She also placed 4th on the uneven bars, 5th on vault and 6th on floor. Vaillancourt's success on each apparatus contributed to her over-all score of 45.8, capturing the bronze medal in the level 5 division against 21 athletes from across Ontario. She has exceeded the minimum qualifying score of 45.0 for Provincial Championships held in May.

Victoria Willars placed 6th on the balance beam and 7th on floor in the level 5, age 11 category. Willars finished 12th in the all-around with a score of 44.9, narrowly missing the qualifying score by 0.1 point.

Rachel Fung received a silver medal on the floor exercise. Rachel earned a score of 11.9 out of a possible 12.6 on the event, combining exceptional tumbling with artistic grace and style. She is currently ranked 2nd on floor in the province in the level 5, age 14 and up division. Fung also placed 7th on the uneven bars and 8th on vault.

Alison Fung, placed 6th on the uneven bars and 10th on floor in the level 6, age 12 and 13 category.

Victoria Ryman won a bronze medal on floor with a score of 11.75. She also performed a solid beam routine for a 5th place finish on the event. Ryman finished 6th on vault and in the all-around standings. Ryman has also met the qualifying score for Provincial Championships.

"The girls have already shown improvement from last year and there were many personal best scores achieved at this meet" said Coach Jen Lavigne. "We have started the competitive season off on a positive note."

The Women's Apollo team will travel to Kingston for the next qualifier in February.

Labour Day Demonstration

North Bay, Ontario - September 3, 2007
Members of the Apollo Gymnastics Club celebrated the Holiday doing what they love most- gymnastics. Our staff and athletes did some basic gymnastics during the Parade at the Waterfront, and later demonstrated acrobatic skills and tumbling elements on our 60' tumble track trampoline. Over 1000 people enjoyed the beautiful day outside- listening to live music, eating and partaking in various activities hosted by the City of North Bay. The younger children in the crowd also had a chance to try out our tumble track and practice gymnastics skills. Our competitive team impressed the audience with exceptional tumbling and helped to promote our Club. Our athletes loved demonstrating all of the cool new tricks they have been working on. This demonstration gave them the opportunity to perform in front of a crowd, and helped to build their confidence and self-esteem.

APOLLO GYMNASTS SHINE AT GYMTRIX INVITATIONAL

Apollo Gymnastics - June 2007
21 gymnasts from the Apollo Gymnastics Club participated in the 7th annual Gymtrix Sunshine Classic over the weekend. The competitive team comprised of 14 girls and 7 boys won 69 medals for their combined efforts during competition.
Apollo's youngest competitors, Carly Gagne and Meagan Hester competed in the level 2 age 7 category. This competition marked their first competitive experience. Gagne received a gold ribbon on the uneven bars, a silver ribbon on vault and beam and won a silver medal for her all-around score. Hester also earned a gold ribbon for her uneven bar routine, as well as a silver ribbon on vault and floor. She wore a silver medal around her neck for her all-around performance.
Chloe Hunt demonstrated cleanly executed skills on bars and floor to win a gold ribbon on both events. She also received a silver ribbon for her vault and balance beam routine. Hunt won a gold medal for her over-all score. She was one of 20 athletes in the level 3 age 7 and 8 division to obtain a gold medal all-around in a field of 60 gymnasts. Taylor Vaillancourt, 8, earned a gold medal for her solid performance on the balance beam in the level 4 division. She also received a silver ribbon on vault, bars and floor. Taylor was awarded a silver medal for her efforts in the all-around portion of the competition. Vaillancourt moved up to level 4 in March. As per Gymnastics Ontario regulations, age 7 and 8 year olds are unable to compete for ranking. Instead, they are awarded gold, silver or bronze based on their scores and performance. Sydney Knight earned a bronze medal for her routine on floor. She was also 4th on the uneven bars and placed 6th over-all in the level 2, 9 year old category. Taylor Murphy, 11, received a bronze medal for her performance on the floor exercise. She was also 4th on vault, 5th on beam and all-around in the level 2 division. Murphy joined the competitive team in February and was pleased with her performance at her first meet. Mackechnie Chadbourne competed in level 2, age 11 category. She won a bronze medal on vault and beam. Chadbourne narrowly missed a medal contention on floor by 0.05 points. She was 4th on the event and all-around. Bailey Cave, 11, competed for the first time in the level 3 division. She performed amazing tumbling and elegant artistry to win the floor exercise. She also received a bronze on vault. Cave finished 4th in the all-around. Maura McParland won two gold medals for her dynamic vault and solid balance beam routine. She also wore a silver medal around her neck for her efforts on floor and received a silver medal all-around in the level 4 age 12 division. Katie Vaillancourt, 10, won vault in the level 5 category. She also earned a silver medal on the uneven bars and balance beam. Vaillancourt received a silver medal over-all with an impressive score of 46.050. Victoria Willars, 11, performed a dynamic handspring vault and placed 6th on the event. She was also 5th on beam and 7th on floor. Alison Fung and Victoria Ryman made their debut in the level 7 division. Fung and Ryman, who represented North Bay Apollo at the Provincial Championships held in April, made the jump from level 6 to level 7 last month. Fung, 13, performed a new skill, a full twisting layout on floor and won a silver medal on the event. She placed 5th on vault, 7th on bars, beam and all-around. Ryman, 15, stood alongside her teammate on the podium to receive a silver medal on the floor exercise. Ryman placed 8th on bars and 8th all-around. Apollo's women's coach Jen Lavigne also participated in the level 5 Masters portion of the competition. The Masters category is reserved for athletes aged 18 and up. Lavigne came out of a 5 year retirement from the sport to partake in the fun event. She won a gold medal on vault, uneven bars and floor. Lavigne also earned a silver medal on the balance beam and over-all. "The competition was well organized and all the athletes had a wonderful time" said Lavigne. This event ended the competitive season, and the athletes will now focus on Apollo's year-end performance night show. The athletes will be showcasing the very best group and individual routines from past performances in "Blast from the Past" in celebration of Apollo's 30 years of success and achievements. Performance night will be held on Saturday June 23rd from 5:00 - 7:00 pm. Tickets are available at the door.
Jen Lavigne- Women's Competitive Head Coach- Apollo Gymnastics

Apollo with Two Bronze at Provincials

Apollo Gymnastics - Monday, May 14, 2007
This past weekend, three team members headed to Provincial Championships at the Oakville Gymnastic Center. Leading off the competition for the Apollo Gymnastics Club was Quinlan McParland in the provincial level two category, followed by Nathan Swain in the novice national category, and Seamus O'Donoughue competing in the senior open division. McParland performed a back layout in his second pass, finishing the weekend in an impressive fourth place. He is expected to compete in the eastern championships held in Toronto next weekend. Swain, sitting in fourth spot after the preliminary round, looked to pull off a double twist in the finals and make his way onto the podium. Nathan did just that and earned himself the bronze medal. Swain has also qualified for National championships to be held in Regina later this month. O'Donoughue has been working hard this season to qualify for National championships and has had his last shot of the season at it. He performed a virtuous double pike in his first pass, followed by an attempt at a new skill on his second pass. Seamus was left just short of his mark and finished third place all around. Coach Josh Tessier was pleased with the performance of Apollo's three athletes. Tessier looks forward to working these athletes hard over the summer in preparation for next year's promising season.

Two Apollo Athletes at Eastern Canadian Trampoline and Tumbling Championships

Apollo Gymnastics - Tuesday, May 09, 2007
Two athletes from the Apollo Gymnastics Club had the opportunity this past weekend to represent North Bay and Ontario at the Eastern Canadian Championships, held at Seneca College in Toronto. Athletes from Quebec, Nova Scotia and Ontario attended the 3 day competition which consisted of trampoline, double-mini trampoline and power tumbling. Nick Entwistle, 15, competed in the Level A category in tumbling while his teammate Quinlan McParland, 11, represented Ontario in Level B tumbling division. Both boys competed on Saturday and again in finals on Sunday. Nick performed 2 whips, 3 back handsprings to a one and half twisting layout and ended in third position, behind one athlete from Ontario, and 1 from Quebec. He maintained this position to earn a bronze medal for his efforts on Sunday in the final all-around portion of the competition. Quinlan saw his preparation in training on Friday pay off when he completed a pass of 1 whip, 4 back handsprings to a full twisting layout on Sunday. McParland earned a seventh place finish and a big round of applause from coaches and spectators for competing and sticking a new skill. "The boys were happy to have had the chance to compete at this level," said Team Coach Josh Tessier "and they were pleased with how they fared against the other Provinces." Eastern Championships ended the tumbling competitive season for this year on a high note. Training will now be focused on the upcoming Performance Night event at Apollo in June.

Apollo Gymnasts Represent North Bay at Provincials

Apollo Gymnastics - Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Oakville - over 225 athletes from across Ontario traveled to the Oakville Gymnastics Club to attend the 2007 men's artistic provincial championships held over the weekend. 3 members of the Apollo's men's competitive team represented North Bay at the prestigious event. Friday afternoon.

Nick Entwistle competed in the level 4, age 13-15 category. He placed 4th on high bar with a score of 12.05. Entwistle also placed 6th on vault and 8th on the pommel horse. He finished the competition ranked 9th in the province. "Nick has moved up a whole level from last year, and should be pleased with his accomplishments" said team coach Seamus O'Donoughue.

Matthew Perrault and Garrett McParland competed in the provincial level one, age 10 to12 division. Perrault, 10, placed 34th on rings, 36th on floor and finished 38th in the all-round competition. He was pleased with his results at his first provincial championships. Teammate McParland performed a dynamic handspring vault and placed 23rd on the event. He also placed 32nd on high bar and 34th on parallel bars. McParland placed 39th over-all with a score of 45.383. "All of the boys worked hard, not only to attain the qualifying score to attend provincial championships, but also in preparation for the big event itself. They have finished the competitive season on a strong note" added O'Donoughue.

Ryman, Fung and McParland Represent North Bay at Championships

Apollo Gymnastics - Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Grimsby - Three athletes from the Apollo Gymnastics Club competed at the prestigious Provincial Championships held in Grimsby over the weekend.

Alison Fung, 12, performed a dynamic handspring vault and placed 10th on the event. She was also 12th on floor and finished 28th all-round.

In the level 6, age 12 and 13 category, the top 45 athletes from across Ontario had qualified for the event. Fung worked hard not only to attain the skills necessary to move up a full level from last year, but also to obtain the demanding score to attend Provincial Championships.

Victoria Ryman, 15, and Samantha McParland, 16 competed in the level 6 age 14 and up division, in a field of 35 competitors.

Ryman performed a cleanly executed bar routine and received a 5th place ribbon for her efforts. She missed the gold medal by less than 0.15 points. Ryman danced and tumbled through her floor exercise, and finished 11th on the event, despite the technical difficulties experienced from the sound system. Ryman finished the day 17th in the all-around competition.

McParland demonstrated some amazing tumbling during her floor routine and placed 9th on the event. She was also 10th on vault and 12th on the uneven bars. McParland had an uncharacteristic fall, which dropped her from 6th to 15th on the balance beam. The unfortunate mistake also dropped her over-all ranking from 12th position to 20th over-all.

"All 3 of the girls moved up from level 5 last year, and they did extremely well considering they added more difficult elements and connections to their routines" said Apollo's Women's Coach Jen Lavigne. "I am very pleased with their progress and their accomplishments."

Apollo's provincial and interclub athletes will now prepare for the upcoming Gymtrix invitational competition, and the much anticipated year-end Performance Night held in June.

Fung, Ryman and McParland Qualify for Provincial Championships

Apollo Gymnastics - Friday, March 30, 2007
Mississauga - Three members of the Apollo Gymnastics Club attended the fourth qualifier held over the weekend with hopes of attaining the necessary qualifying score for Provincial Championships.

Samantha McParland and Victoria Ryman competed in the level 6- 14 and up division.

McParland performed a dynamic vault to receive a bronze medal on the event. She also received a bronze medal for her impressive tumbling and artistry on both balance beam and floor. McParland finished the competition 4th over-all with a score of 45.8

Ryman, displayed a difficult uneven bar routine with amplified swing and clean execution for a 4th place finish on the event. She narrowly missed bronze medal contention beside her teammate on floor by less than 0.05 points. Ryman was 4th on floor, 5th on beam, and finished 6th in the all-around.

Rachel Fung, 14, wore a bronze medal around her neck for her efforts on vault. She finished 5th on floor and 6th on bars. Fung was 7th all-around in the level 5, age 14 and up category.

McParland and Ryman have met the average qualifying score and will be representing Apollo alongside teammate Alison Fung. Fung, 12, attained the provincial score for level 6 last month in Kingston. The championships will be held April 27-29 in Grimsby.

Apollo Gymnasts Bring Home 7 Medals

Apollo Gymnastics - Friday, March 2, 2007
Kingston - 11 members of the North Bay Apollo Gymnastics Club returned from a Kingston qualifier and invitational competition with some impressive competitive results.

Rachel Fung, 14, competed in a flight of 18 level 5 athletes from across the province and finished 5th in her category. She had exceptional tumbling lines and clean artistry on floor for a 5th place finish on the event. She was also 6th on bars and 8th on vault. Fung finished the day with an all-around score of 45.817, almost 2 full points higher than her last competition.

"This was by far Rachel's best competition, and she is so pleased with her performance", said Jen Lavigne, Apollo's Women's Program Head Coach. "She had a lot of personal bests at this meet and I am so proud of how much she has improved and all she has accomplished."

Victoria Ryman received a bronze medal for her cleanly executed uneven bar routine in the level 6, age 14 and up division. She was only 0.1 point away from gold medal contention. Ryman placed 6th on vault, beam and floor. She also finished 6th over-all.

Alison Fung, 12, performed a dynamic handspring vault and received an impressive score of 11.85 and placed 4th on the event. She also finished 6th on bars and floor. Fung was 9th all-around after an unfortunate fall off of beam, which dropped her over-all ranking from 4th to 9th.

Katie Vaillancourt, Apollo's youngest provincial competitor, placed 7th on floor and 8th on vault in the level 5, age 9 category.

Victoria Willars competed in the level 5, age 10 division in a field of 15 competitors from across Ontario. Willars placed 5th on vault and 6th on floor. Willars finished 10th in the all-around.

"All of the provincial girls performed well, attained their own individual goals, and raised their over-all scores", said Lavigne. We are eager to get back to the gym and increase difficulty on each event and refine skills for the next meet."

Apollo's provincial athletes, coached by Jen Lavigne and Brody Hall, will travel to Mississauga on March 23rd to attend the last qualifier before Provincial Championships held in April.

Two Apollo Tumblers Bring Home Gold

Apollo Gymnastics - March, 2007
Apollo Gymnastics sent a team of 8 representatives to the 2nd of 3 Provincial Cup Qualifying meets, which was held at the Burlington BGs Gymnastic Club.

One of the newest members to compete was Bailey Cave, age 10. Bailey competed in the Women's Provincial 1, Junior category. Cave started with a good compulsory pass with scores in the high 7s and low 8s. Her second pass was even better giving her a total of 48.40 and a 16th place finish.

Ben Senior and Quinlan McParland, both age 11 competed in the Provincial 2 Men's category against 7 other athletes, some as old as 17. Senior started with a 4th place on his compulsory pass and 5th placing on his optional pass. Senior had a good meet and ended in 5th spot all-around. McParland was able to show an impressive, high back tuck as an end-skill on his compulsory and received a silver medal for his efforts. A gold medal on his second pass clinched the place all-around finish for him. Both Ben and Quinlan scored high enought to achieve the Provincial qualifying standard. Quinlan will move on to the Provincial Championshops in mid-April and Senior will try and get his second score at the next qualifier being held in Barrie in just over a month.

Nick Entwistle, a grade 9 student at West Ferris SS, competed in a strong Provincial Level 3 category. Entwistle was the only competitor to receive a 9.0 score in any of his passes. His compulsory netted him a silver medal and a bronze was his reward for his optional pass. Overall, Entwistle score high enough to meet the Provincial Championships qualifying standard and receive the gold medal.

13 year-old Nathan Swain was the first of 4 Apollo's National-level athletes to compete. Swain started the night on Friday with a nicely completed first pass registering full-difficulty. Though his second tumbling pass did not go quite as planned, Swain managed to show an impressive final pass ending in a double twist. Nathan's score allowed him to finish in 4th place.

Nathan's 14 year-old sister Sarah, competed in the Novice National Women's 15+ category. As one of the youngest in her large group, Sarah finished her first pass as planned and completed a good 1 and 1/2 twist at the end of 8 skills. Sarah's finals pass was scored will and with a final score of 68.10, Swain finished the day in 14th place.

Samantha McParland who also coaches at Apollo, competed in her first qualifier of the year. McParland jumped up a level this season from the Novice category last year to the National Open group. Samantha finished in 2nd place after her first pass and 3rd overall.

The last athlete to compete was 18 year-old Chippewa SS student Seamus O'Donoughue. Seamus also moved up a level after finishing 2nd at National Championships in the Novice category last season. In the National Open group, O'Donoughue competed a huge double pike as his end-skill on his second pass and went on to compete 2 Finals passes. O'Donoughue was just shy of meeting the score needed to attend Nationals this year in Regina, but still has 2 more opportunities to do so.

Apollo's Interclub Athletes Fare Well at First Invitational Competition

Apollo had 6 interclub level athletes represent the gym in the invitational portion of the competition. This weekend marked the first invitational meet of the year, and very first competitive experience for 4 gymnasts.

Taylor Vaillancourt and Chloe Hunt competed in the level 3 ages 7 and 8 division.

Vaillancourt, 7, received the highest score on both bars and vault and was awarded a gold and silver ribbon respectively. She also received a silver ribbon on floor and a bronze on the balance beam. Vaillancourt won a silver medal for her efforts over-all.

Hunt, 8, earned a silver ribbon for her performance on vault, bars and floor. She also received a bronze ribbon on beam. Hunt finished the day with a silver medal around her neck.

Ayasha Horner, 7, displayed a solid beam routine and dynamic vault for a silver ribbon on both events. She also received a bronze ribbon on both bars and floor. Horner took to the podium to be awarded her much deserved silver medal for her over-all performance.

As per Gymnastics Ontario regulations, age 7 and 8 year olds are unable to compete for ranking. Instead, they are awarded gold, silver or bronze based on their scores and performance.

"We were so impressed with how well the youngest athletes competed," said Brody Hall. "Considering this was Taylor and Ayasha's first meet, and Chloe moved up from level 2 to level 3 this year, the girls performed exceptionally well."

Mackechnie Chadbourne, 11, showed some strong tumbling elements and expressive choreography to win a silver medal on the floor exercise. On beam, she performed an impressive routine and earned a bronze medal on the event. Chadbourne finished 6th in a field of 12 level 2 gymnasts.

Sydney Knight competed in the level 2, age 9 division. On vault, she performed a handspring to flat back and placed 7th on the event. Knight placed 8th on bars and finished the competition in 10th place.

"Mackechnie and Sydney have worked hard to attain the requirements necessary to compete," said Lavigne. "Mackechnie has only been doing competitive gymnastics since September, so I am pleased with her progress and achievements. Sydney incorporated some new elements into her routine, and had the most difficulty in her category on floor. Both girls enjoyed their first competitive experience.

Maura McParland competed in the level 4, age 12 category. She captivated the audience with her artistry and innovative dance on floor. She was awarded a silver medal on the event. McParland also placed 6th on vault and bars, and finished 8th in the all-around.

"This was a successful competition on so many levels, and everyone is eager to refine skills and add difficulty to routines for the next meet."

Thank you for your support in promoting youth sports. If you need any further information or would like to follow up on this story further, I am available at the following numbers.
Jen Lavigne- Women's Competitive Head Coach- Apollo Gymnastics
Gym phone (705) 474-4486
Home phone (705) 475-0962

3rd Qualifier Another Success

Apollo Gymnastics - Tuesday, February 28, 2007 7 of Apollo Gymnastics' Power Tumblers competed at the 3rd Provincial Cup Qualifier in Barrie last weekend Friday night saw all National-level athletes compete over a 9 hour span. First up was 13 year old Nathan Swain, who competed in the Novice 10-14 Men's group. Swain competed well, surpassing the National qualifying score, which entitles him to represent Ontario in Regina, Saskatchewan at the National Championships.

Sarah Swain was next to compete and although she had a difficult first tumbling pass, she worked hard to ensure her second pass scored higher. Samantha McParland, one of 2 of Apollo's National Open athletes finished the preliminary competition in 3rd place receiving a bronze medal for her efforts. Seamus O'Donoughue was close to meeting the National standard but finished just a few points short. Both McParland and O'Donoughue will have 1 more chance to meet the score at the upcoming Provincial Championships meet. Saturday morning saw the Provincial athletes begin their competition. Bailey Cave competed well and not only increased her score by over 3 full points, she also moved up 7 places in the overall ranking to 17th. Quinlan McParland had a decent meet and finished up in 6th place after his 2 passes in the Provincial 2 level. McParland met the Provincial qualifying score of 52.00 for the second time, so he will be attending the Provincial Championships in Oakville the weekend of April 27th-29th. Nick Entwistle, a Provincial level 3 athlete came 4th overall, 3rd on his compulsory pass and 4th on his optional. Both McParland and Entwistle also tried out for spots on the Eastern Canadian Championships squads for Ontario. Both had positive results, securing spots for themselves at the Hamilton event on May 5 and 6th. The athletes will continue to work hard to finish the season off in great form.

Apollo Provincial Cup Success

BayToday.ca Chris Dawson - Wednesday, February 7, 2007
As Winterlude kicked off in Ottawa last weekend, five families from Apollo Gymnastics were headed there, not to see the ice sculptures or skate on the canal, but to compete in the 2nd of 3 Provincial Qualifying meets.
The event was hosted by the Ottawa Gymnastics Centre on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Nick Entwistle started the weekend off Friday night by competing in the Men’s Provincial Level 4 competition. The 15 year-old started the evening off on floor. He scored a 9.95 and finished in 8th position. Entwistle also managed an impressive score of 11.066 on the still rings placing 5th and then finished the evening with three, 6th place finishes on vault, parallel bars and high bar.

Noah Swain competed first thing Saturday morning in the Provincial Level 2 group. The 10 year old gymnast showed a well-executed pommel horse routine and ended up with a score of 8.433 out of 9.8 and an 8th place finish. Swain also showed well on both floor and vault with 4th place ribbons. Noah ended the day in 10th place all-around.

Three Apollo boys competed again on Sunday morning. 10 year old's Clayton Piche, Matthew Perreault from Mattawa and Garrett McParland all warmed up well and began their meet on the floor apparatus. All of the boys compete compulsory routines and this was the first Provincial level competition for both Perreault and Piche.

“I was impressed especially with the younger, less-experienced boys this past weekend”, stated Dave Harris, head coach at Apollo.

“They were comfortable and did the routines as expected. I know that this has been a good experience as all of the boys came away with smiles and plans to work specific skills so they would see even better results at the next meet being held in Mississauga”.

Seamus O’Donoughue, a National level power tumbler at the Club, coaches both Piche and Perreault. “Our boys do not train as many hours a week as the Clubs in southern Ontario do, so we are happy when the boys can compete well. I think the boys realize they have some hard work ahead in order to place higher and possibly meet the standards set to attend the Provincial Championships. We’ll be right back at it this week preparing for Mississauga”.

Perreault’s highlight was a 9th place finish on pommel horse while teammate McParland had an 8th placing on rings and a 4th place on vault.

Apollo gymnast Ryman wins five medals in Ottawa qualifier

Nugget Staff Local Sports - Thursday, January 25, 2007 Updated @ 10:19:25 AM
North Bay's Victoria Ryman picked up five medals as more than 180 gymnasts from across Ontario, including five from the Apollo Gymnastics Club, attended the provincial qualifier at the Ottawa Gymnastics Centre on the weekend.

Ryman, 14, received a gold medal for her uneven bar routine. She also scored an impressive 11.85 on the floor routine for a silver medal. She currently holds the sixth highest floor routine score in Ontario in the Level 6, age 14-and-over category.

Ryman earned a silver medal on vault and beam, finishing the day with an additional silver medal around her neck.

Alison Fung, 12, performed a dynamic handspring vault and earned a silver medal. She also placed sixth on floor, seventh on bars and seventh in the Level 6, age 12-13 category with a score of 45.8. She was 0.5 points away from the qualifying score.

Fung is currently ranked 12th in the province.

"Alison and Victoria have moved up a full category from last year, so the elements in their routines are still relatively new," said Apollo women's coach Jen Lavigne. "I am pleased with their results and how well they have adapted to the new rules and requirements."

Rachel Fung competed in the Level 5, age 14-and-over division. She had a silver medal showing on floor routine, placed sixth on vault and seventh on beam. She finished eighth in the all-around.

Katie Vaillancourt, North Bay's youngest provincial competitor, placed fifth on the floor routine after showcasing her dynamic tumbling and huge back tuck. She was ninth on bars and placed 11th all-around in the level 5 division against 17 gymnasts.

Victoria Willars, 10, competing in the level 5 category, performed a well-executed floor routine for a score of 11.5, missing a medal by 0.05 points, placing fourth. She placed eighth on vault, beam and bars and finished eighth overall.

"Katie and Victoria have worked very hard to attain the skills necessary to compete at the provincial level," Lavigne said.

"This was their first elite competition, and I am pleased with their accomplishments. Now that they have this experience under their belt and some added confidence, I think they will be better prepared for the next qualifier."

The women's competitive team will travel to Ajax Feb. 3 and 4.

Apollo Gymnasts step up to the podium

By Chris Dawson, BayToday.ca, Wednesday, January 24, 2007
OTTAWA - More than 180 athletes from across Ontario attended the provincial qualifier held at the Ottawa Gymnastics Centre over the weekend. Five members of the Apollo Gymnastics Club traveled to the country’s capital to attend the competition.

Katie Vaillancourt, North Bay’s youngest provincial competitor, led the competition early Saturday morning. Katie placed fifth on floor after showcasing her dynamic tumbling and huge back tuck on floor. Katie was ninth on bars and placed eleventh all-around in the level 5 division against 17 gymnasts.

Victoria Willars, 10, competing in the level 5 category, performed a well executed floor routine for a score of 11.5, narrowly missing medal contention by less than 0.05. Victoria placed fourth on floor. She placed eighth on vault, beam, bars and finished eighth overall.

“Katie and Victoria have worked very hard to attain the skills necessary for them to compete at the provincial level,” Apollo’s women’s coach Jen Lavigne said.

“This was their first elite competition, and I am pleased with their accomplishments. Now that they have this experience under their belt and some added confidence, I think that they will be better prepared for the next qualifier.”

Rachel Fung competed in the level 5, age 14 and up division. She had a silver medal showing on floor. She placed sixth on vault and seventh on beam. Rachel finished eighth in the all-around.

Alison Fung, 12, performed a dynamic handspring vault and earned a silver medal for her efforts. She also placed sixth on floor, seventh on bars and finished seventh in level 6, age 12/13 with a score of 45.8. She was only 0.5 points away from the qualifying score. Fung is currently ranked 12th in the province.

Victoria Ryman, 14, received a gold medal for her uneven bar routine. Victoria also scored an impressive 11.85 on floor for a silver medal on the event. She currently holds the sixth highest floor score in Ontario in the level 6 14 and up category. Ryman earned a silver medal on vault and beam, finishing the day with an additional silver medal around her neck.

“Alison and Victoria have moved up a full category from last year, so the elements in their routines are still relatively new. I am pleased with their results and how well they have adapted to the new rules and requirements,” Lavigne said.

The women’s competitive team will travel to Ajax on February 3-4 for the second of three provincial qualifiers.