LOCAL NEWS - MEADOWVIEW OPTIONALS AND PREP OPTIONALS CLAIM 44 MEDALS (23 GOLD) AT STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS - NEWS ARTICLE
Date Published: March 31, 2005
Meadowview racks up haul of medals in recent state competition
Author: JACK GOODSON KINGSPORT - While it may not be the 1800s, Meadowview Gymnastics has experienced a true gold rush. In the past two years, the academy's competition squad has racked up plenty of gold medals and captured several state championships - their most recent being at the 2005 Tennessee State Gymnastics competition in Memphis. When the chalk had settled at this year's competition, Meadowview's four representative levels - prep one, prep two, level seven and level eight - had amassed 44 total medals, 23 of those gold. Kristin Lemmons, a former instructor who now owns Meadowview Gymnastics, couldn't be happier with her team's accomplishments. "The girls did great," said Lemmons, who has owned the academy for two years. "They trained hard and exceeded my expectations." Meadowview's prep one squad took top honors, earning an all-around team gold. Prep one teammates Stacey Reed, Amanda Haney and Stephanie Broadwater also earned all-around individual gold medals in their respective age divisions. All-around events feature the floor exercise and balance beam events, as well as the uneven bars and vault. Stephanie Strickler was an all-around gold medalist in the prep two competition, where Lemon's girls landed an overall team bronze medal. "We have dedicated children who are willing to give their best and that's a formula for success," Lemons said. In level 8 competition, Emilee Ketron qualified for April's Region 8 meet in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., with an all-around second place in the 13-year old division. The meet will pit Ketron against other top level 8 athletes from seven other Southern states. Kelsey Redwine's silver medal finish on the uneven bars earned her an alternate slot on the level 8 regional team. Jacklyn Reed was named a level 8 all-star, and also will compete in Fort Lauderdale. As for the level 7 competition, Kacey Tunnel's vault performance ranked second out of 150 gymnasts in the 11-year old division. "We work out three-and-and half hours a day, four days a week," Lemons noted. "The girls have put in the work and we're really proud of them." Read the article at the online archive of Kingsport Times News