Following a very successful Nationals competition, three of our gymnasts were featured in the Record:
Three athletes from Revolution Gymnastics — Maya Zonneveld, Charlise Radencich and Annie Clarmo — have a lot to be proud of after the 2018 Canadian Artistic Gymnastics Championships, held from May 24-27 at the Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex.
Revolution Gymnastics was opened by Aaron and Angela Brokenshire in 2004. Both of them were national level gymnasts and professional coaches.
When it first opened, Angela Brokenshire said they were more focused on recreational introductory level classes, but as the community became more interested in their programming, they ended up selecting athletes to move from the recreational program to a more competitive program.
In 2010, the gym relocated to its present location and has about 750 athletes in the recreational program and about 150 in the competitive program.
Canadian Gymnastics Championships
Zonneveld, 13, competed in the high-performance novice category and was crowned the floor champion, obtained a bronze medal on vault and a silver medal in the all-around competition. According to Aaron Brokenshire, she is the second-best gymnast in the country under 13 years-old.
She started gymnastics when she was just 18-months-old at the Cambridge Kips Gymnastics Club and said what she loves most about the sport is the satisfaction she feels after doing a really good routine. She said her results at nationals made her feel really happy.
"I was still shocked and surprised because I didn't think I did that well," said Zonneveld.
She said she loves attending the gym because of how supportive everyone is and because her coaches — the Brokenshires and Sarah Fischer — have good techniques and say the right things in order to make her gymnastics better.
Radencich, 14, competed in the JO Level 10 (age 12-15) category and represented Team Ontario in her first nationals appearance. She had a sixth-place finish on uneven bars and beam, and took seventh place on vault and the all-around competition.
She said what keeps her successful is setting goals for herself.
"I set goals and then I try to get there," said Radencich. "I like to work hard because I feel accomplished when I do."
Radencich started when she was 17-months-old at Guelph Saultos Gymnastics and came to Revolution when she was 12.
"I came here because the other club was focusing more on the recreational program so I wasn't going to be able to get to where I want to go," said Radencich.
She said she wants to pursue the sport for a long time and wants to obtain an athletic scholarship to a university in the United States.
In fact, this is the goal of all three of these athletes, as they look up to the four gymnasts who trained at their gym — Stefanie Merkle, Casey Carvalho, Sydney Townsend and Kristen Peterman who received athletic scholarships to various universities in the U.S.
According to Angela Brokenshire, Peterman came back from college to help the girls out at nationals, which meant a lot to them.
"She kept them calm and told them 'hey I have been here before and you guys are doing great,'" said Angela Brokenshire.
Clarmo, 14, started when she was 18-months-old at Base Borden Gymnastics Club in Borden, Ont., and came to Revolution when she was around ten. Along with Radencich, she also competed in the JO Level 10 category and represented Team Ontario. She came eighth place on vault and 13th in the all-around competition.
Revolution Gymnastics was opened by Aaron and Angela Brokenshire in 2004. Both of them were national level gymnasts and professional coaches.
When it first opened, Angela Brokenshire said they were more focused on recreational introductory level classes, but as the community became more interested in their programming, they ended up selecting athletes to move from the recreational program to a more competitive program.
In 2010, the gym relocated to its present location and has about 750 athletes in the recreational program and about 150 in the competitive program.
Canadian Gymnastics Championships
Zonneveld, 13, competed in the high-performance novice category and was crowned the floor champion, obtained a bronze medal on vault and a silver medal in the all-around competition. According to Aaron Brokenshire, she is the second-best gymnast in the country under 13 years-old.
She started gymnastics when she was just 18-months-old at the Cambridge Kips Gymnastics Club and said what she loves most about the sport is the satisfaction she feels after doing a really good routine. She said her results at nationals made her feel really happy.
"I was still shocked and surprised because I didn't think I did that well," said Zonneveld.
She said she loves attending the gym because of how supportive everyone is and because her coaches — the Brokenshires and Sarah Fischer — have good techniques and say the right things in order to make her gymnastics better.
Radencich, 14, competed in the JO Level 10 (age 12-15) category and represented Team Ontario in her first nationals appearance. She had a sixth-place finish on uneven bars and beam, and took seventh place on vault and the all-around competition.
She said what keeps her successful is setting goals for herself.
"I set goals and then I try to get there," said Radencich. "I like to work hard because I feel accomplished when I do."
Radencich started when she was 17-months-old at Guelph Saultos Gymnastics and came to Revolution when she was 12.
"I came here because the other club was focusing more on the recreational program so I wasn't going to be able to get to where I want to go," said Radencich.
She said she wants to pursue the sport for a long time and wants to obtain an athletic scholarship to a university in the United States.
In fact, this is the goal of all three of these athletes, as they look up to the four gymnasts who trained at their gym — Stefanie Merkle, Casey Carvalho, Sydney Townsend and Kristen Peterman who received athletic scholarships to various universities in the U.S.
According to Angela Brokenshire, Peterman came back from college to help the girls out at nationals, which meant a lot to them.
"She kept them calm and told them 'hey I have been here before and you guys are doing great,'" said Angela Brokenshire.
Clarmo, 14, started when she was 18-months-old at Base Borden Gymnastics Club in Borden, Ont., and came to Revolution when she was around ten. Along with Radencich, she also competed in the JO Level 10 category and represented Team Ontario. She came eighth place on vault and 13th in the all-around competition.