Desert Lights Gymnastics

Desert Lights Newsletter
February 2010

Desert Lights is the perfect place for gymnasts
of every level to achieve their gymnastics potential. From increasing strength, flexibility and coordination to earning a college gymnastics scholarship. Whether you are pre-schooler, recreational gymnast, tumbler, or high level competitor, our experienced, award winning staff can help your gymnast become the best they can be.

FIESTA BOWL GYMNASTICS COMPETITION

The Fiesta Bowl Gymnastics Competition will be at Rawhide Western Town on February 5, 6, & 7. This is Arizona's premier national level gymnastics competition. It will feature 700 gymnasts of all levels from all over the USA and a special Nastia Liukin Cup Qualifier with top gymnasts on Saturday at 5:00pm. Tickets are available at the door.

OPEN GYM

Open Gym continues each Saturday from 12:00 to 2:00pm. This is the perfect place for your gymnast, Level 1 and above to learn new gymnastics skills, perfect old ones or just have fun in a supervised, state-of-the-art gym. Only $5!!!

PRO SHOP

Our Desert Lights Pro-Shop has all your gymnastics needs- leotards, shorts, t-shirts, grips, wristbands, athletic tape and pre-wrap. See the front desk to purchase gymnastics supplies.

Mykayla Skinner qualified to the Nastia Liukin Cup at the Fiesta Bowl

Two more gymnasts qualified for the 2010 Nastia Liukin Supergirl Cup over the weekend. The Fiesta Bowl Classic in Chandler, Ariz., one of 15 invitationals in the Nastia Liukin Cup Series, selected Mykayla Skinner of Gilbert, Ariz./Desert Lights and Kassandra Lopez of Tucson, Ariz./Gym World East. Eight qualifying competitions remain before the inaugural Nastia Liukin Supergirl Cup, scheduled for March 5, 2010, at the DCU Center in Worcester, Mass.

Sixteen gymnasts have now qualified for the Nastia Liukin Supergirl Cup. The remaining gymnasts in the 36-member field will be announced in the coming weeks. The Nastia Liukin Supergirl Cup is a joint ventures between Warner Bros., USA Gymnastics and the 2008 Olympic all-around champion Nastia Liukin of Parker, Texas. The Nastia Liukin Supergirl Cup and the accompanying Nastia Liukin Cup Series provide a competitive opportunity for the country’s rising female gymnasts.

Each invitational selects a minimum of two athletes to compete in the Cup from their respective Level 10/open fields. The inaugural Nastia Liukin Supergirl Cup will be held the evening prior to the prestigious Tyson American Cup.

Gymnasts who compete in the Nastia Liukin Supergirl Cup will receive a Nastia Liukin-designed leotard and a warm-up from GK Elite; two tickets to the Tyson American Cup and recognition during the event for the Cup’s medalists; and the opportunity to meet Nastia Liukin and participate in a team photo. Proceeds from the Nastia Liukin Supergirl Cup will go into the Nastia Liukin Fund, a charitable fund within the National Gymnastics Foundation. For more information, go to www.nastialiukinsupergirlcup.com.

Photograph courtesy of USA Gymnastics

About Nastia Liukin
At the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, Liukin’s total of five medals tied the U.S. gymnastics record for most medals in one Olympic Games, currently held by Mary Lou Retton (1984) and Shannon Miller (1992). Liukin’s medals are: gold – all-around; silver – team, balance beam and uneven bars; and bronze – floor exercise. Liukin is just the third U.S. woman to win the Olympic all-around crown. Earlier in 2008, Liukin won the all-around title at both the Tyson American Cup and the Pacific Rim Championships presented by Gillette Venus. Liukin has nine world medals to her credit. For 2008, she was named the USOC’s Co-Sportswoman of the Year, the Women’s Sports Foundation’s Individual Sportswoman of the Year and the United States Sports Academy Female Athlete of the Year. Liukin and her teammates on the 2007 U.S. Women’s World Championships Team were selected as the 2007 U.S. Olympic Committee's Team of the Year. She was also chosen as one of 2009’s most influential women by MSN Lifestyle. Liukin is still competing and is coached by her father, Valeri, who has four Olympic medals from 1988, including two gold. She trains at WOGA.

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR COMPETITIVE TEAM ON THEIR MANY ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN RECENT COMPETITIONS.

HERE ARE SOME HIGHLIGHTS:

WINTER SUN INVITATIONAL

LEVEL 10/ELITE 1ST PLACE TEAM!!! MYKAYLA SKINNER - 1ST VAULT, BARS, AA, 2ND FLOOR ARIANNA RUTH - 1ST FLOOR, 2ND VAULT, BARS, AA TYLY BOZZUTO - 3RD BARS, BEAM, FLOOR, AA MADISON MCKENZIE - 2ND BEAM, 3RD VAULT JAMIE ARMIJO - 1ST BARS, 2ND AA ALI TSO - 1ST BEAM, 2ND FLOOR, 3RD AA DORIS LYNK - 3RD BARS ALI MYERS - 2ND BEAM	LEVEL 9 2ND PLACE TEAM TARA CATOUR - 3RD FLOOR, AA JOSLYN GOINGS - 2ND BEAM, 3RD FLOOR JULIANNA MEELY - 3RD BARS ZOE MARTIN - 3RD VAULT, BEAM TESS WAGNER - 3RD BARS, AA DANICA MELOSI - 3RD FLOOR
LEVEL 8 2ND PLACE TEAM MADILYN PROBST - 2ND BEAM, AA, 3RD VAULT ELIZABETH SNODDY - 1ST VAULT, 3RD FLOOR ADRIANA LAROCHE - 3RD BARS MARIANA MURPHY - 2ND VAULT, AA, 3RD FLOOR FATIMA HYLTON - 1ST VAULT, FLOOR, AA, 2ND BARS, 3RD BEAM	LEVEL 7 3RD PLACE TEAM ALISA MURPHY - 2ND FLOOR, 3RD VAULT, BARS MCKINDREE PATTON - 2ND FLOOR, AA, 3RD VAULT, BEAM JESSICA GINN - 1ST VAULT, FLOOR, 2ND AA, 3RD BARS JAMIE LUSTER - 3RD BEAM ARYANNA THURAISINGAM - 3RD FLOOR MADISON RYAN - 2ND VAULT BRYANNA WARBELTON - 2ND BEAM, FLOOR KIERSTIN ROUSE - 3RD FLOOR
LEVEL 6 1ST PLACE TEAM!!! MACKENZIE BARILE - 1ST BARS, FLOOR, AA, 2ND BEAM JAYLYN BOGLE - VAULT, BARS, FLOOR, AA MEGAN THOMPSON - 2ND BARS RACHEL PULSIFER - 3RD VAULT, BEAM JULIA GILAN - 3RD BEAM, FLOOR CAMERYN YOW - 2ND BARS, AA	LEVEL 5 3RD PLACE TEAM AVARY MARIN - 1ST BEAM, FLOOR, 2ND AA JAELYN LAW - 3RD BEAM SERENA SEDILLO - 1ST BEAM, 2ND AA
LEVEL 4 2ND PLACE TEAM TORI MIGUEL - 1ST BEAM, FLOOR, 2ND AA, 3RD BARS BRIONA CARSWELL - 1ST VAULT, 2ND BARS, 3RD AA MADISON FRALEY - 2ND BEAM, 3RD VAULT TAYLOR MOORE - 3RD VAULT KATHERINE RYAN - 1ST VAULT, FLOOR, AA JACQUELYN MORENO - 2ND AA, 3RD BARS, FLOOR