Sister gyms compete Gator Bowl brings out the best in gymnastic competitors
LAFAYETTE Sisters competing against each other often leads to arguments. In this case, sister gymnastics teams from Giant Gymnastics came together to compete in their first meet of the season, the Gator Bowl. These sister teams had no arguments, only cheers and praise for each other. The Hackettstown Gators hosted the Gator Bowl, with the Lafayette Gators attending. For each gym, it was the first USAIGC (United States Association of Independent Gym Clubs) meet of the year, and for some of their gymnasts, a first ever in a competition setting. This unique smaller meet had many benefits, the first of which was a comfortable environment for the gymnasts to perform the routines they have been working on since the summer. The Lafayette girls had several opportunities over the last couple of months to train at the Hackettstown location, so the other coaches, team members and facility were familiar to them. "To look around the gym and see so many Garden Gator gymnasts competing together under one roof was amazing," said co-owner Jennifer Packard. "I felt such a rush of love for this family that we are building. I am very excited to see how all of these gymnasts grow throughout their season together. The girls werent competing for medals or trophies this time, but for knowledge. Each gymnast was given a certificate at the end with their scores, which as a sanctioned USAIGC meet, could be used to qualify them for the NJ States meet in May. At each event, the judge talked with the girls both as a group and individually about their routines. This kind of insight gives the coaches and gymnasts feedback on what worked for them and what they need to work on to get a better score next time. The value of the judges feedback is like getting a perfect 10," said Susan Bysshe, coach of the Lafayette Gators. "Each gymnast got a personalized critique and know what to work on when they get back into the gym. For more information call Giant Gymnastics at 973-579-9400 or visit www.giantgymnastics.com.