On June 24-25, 17 gymnasts from YMCA of Mount Vernon Gymnastics team competed at the National YMCA Gymnastics Championship meet in Toledo.
Among these 17 gymnasts was Koressa Giffin, who graduated from Utica High School in the class of 2022. Giffin is the daughter of Kimberly and Jason Giffin of Utica. She competed as an Xcel Diamond at Nationals, where she faced the most-advanced competiton. Koressa Giffin plans to attend Kent State University in the Fall of 2022.
Other 2017 National Team members competing from the YMCA of Mt. Vernon were: Level 4 – Annie Martin and Grace Mensching; Level 5 – Rose Moore, Makayla Pugh, Kendall Melton and Kelsey McCallen; Level 6 – Lillie Quick; Level 7 – Hailey Cockrell, Elizabeth Lebold, Audra Rhoades and Avery Young; Xcel Gold – Reese Radabaugh, Abbey McCardel, Aurora McKee and Hannah Heck; and Xcel Platinum – Alex Couch.
Team members who received medals included Rose Moore – national vault champion for Level 5; Annie Martin – third on vault, fourth on bars, fifth on floor and fifth in all-around. Also medaling was Reese Radabaugh, second on vault, seventh on bars, second on floor and eighth in all-around. Aurora McKee was seventh on floor, Hannah Heck was eighth on vault and Hailey Cockrell finished seventh on bars. The Level 7 gymnasts placed 10th in the nation as a team.
According to the YMCA National Gymnastics website, the YMCA National Gymnastics Championships began in 1938 and welcome more than 2,000 “Y” gymnasts from across the country annually. Each summer, in a new location, gymnasts compete over a three-day period. The site says, “This is, by far, the largest meet of the season, and it is something these gymnasts prepare for year-round.”
The 2022 YMCA National Gymnastics Championship & Invitational is part of the Y's long-standing tradition to help support the health and well-being of kids. According to the YMCA of Mount Vernon website, “Each year, millions of kids participate in Y-youth sports – including gymnastics and swimming – which helps build self-confidence and instill the importance of teamwork.”
The YMCA of Mount Vernon gymnastics team practices year-round and consists of competitive levels 2 through 9. The YMCA Gymnastics Team has held top honors in state and national level competitions for the past several years.
The YMCA also offers recreational gymnastics classes throughout the year for girls and boys ages 3 and older. A variety of classes ranging from pre-school to school age is available for kids regardless of previous gymnastics experience. The Y of Mount Vernon’s regular gymnastics competition runs October through March. It hosst two meets a season at the local YMCA. After the season ends, the gymnasts have two more meets: Regionals in April (which is similar to a state meet) and then Nationals at the end of June.
For information, call 740-392-9622, or email questions to mtvgymnastics@gmail.com.
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Of the 17 YMCA of Mount Vernon Gymnastics team members who competed at the national event, 15 are pictured here. Top row (L to R) – Aurora McKee, Abbey McCardel, Koressa Giffin, Elizabeth Lebold and Hailey Cockrell. Middle row (L to R) – Hannah Heck, Reese Radabaugh, Kendall Melton, Avery Young and Makayla Pugh. Bottom Row (L to R) – Kelsey McCallen, Annie Martin, Grace Mensching, Rose Moore and Audra Rhoades. Not pictured: Lillie Quick and Alex Couch.
