Visserettes host Springfest ’98

The Visserettes hosted Springfest ’98 last weekend at the Fort Frances Gymnastics Academy, with 75 gymnasts competing from Red Lake, Thunder Bay, Sioux Lookout, Kenora, and here.
“It took us two days to compete and judge them all,” noted meet director Betty Grynol. “Our building is small but we manage well.”
Grynol said Fort Frances has had the biggest meet in the region the last couple of years because everyone likes to come here.
“The merchants are very generous with donations, and we are able to give the kids a lot of extras,” she noted.
Club founder Laurens Visser generously donated the top gymnast trophies and an extra financial donation again this year. This is something none of the other clubs do, Grynol said.
“We really appreciate [his] support, and he even came out to present the trophies and to watch the meet,” she noted.
Visserette Hillary Morgan shone again last weekend as she claimed the bronze medal in the Junior and Pre-Junior Prov. 1 category, which is for 11 to 13-year-olds.
She received a mark of 8.00 on vault for second place, 8.03 on bars for third place, 7.00 on beam for sixth place, and 7.93 on floor for fourth place. Her total all-around score for all apparatus was 30.96, which earned her the bronze.
Meanwhile, Sam Pearson took the gold in the Regional 3B category (11 and 12-year-olds) with a score of 30.73. Ashley Wilson took the silver with an all-around score of 30.46 while Katie Schneider of International Falls took fourth (29.67).
In the Regional 3A category (nine and 10-year-olds), Cara Yellowega took gold with a score of 31.03 while Leah Nowak took the silver (30.43).
Lyndi Deedrick of International Falls, one of our “Homeschool” gymnasts, captured the gold medal at the Regional 1B level (11 to 12-year-olds) with an all-around score of 27.14.
Chelsey Anderson of International Falls took the silver (26.94).
In the Regional 2B category, Chelsey Green of Fort Frances placed second for the silver medal with an all-around score of 29.10.
Vicki Stinson placed second in the Regional 2C category (girls aged 13 and up) with a final score of 29.29 for the silver medal. Lisa Edwards placed fourth (27.00) while Christina York came fifth (26.10).
In the Regional 3C category, Jennifer Logan placed third with a total score of 30.19 while Stephanie Logan was right behind her for fourth place (30.12). Robyn Johnston placed ninth (27.64).
This was a large category with some stiff competition.
At the pre-competitive level, Fort Frances had three of the 16 competitors. These girls were marked on skills and fitness, and received ribbons for their range of competence at their age level.
Samantha Loveday, seven, placed third on vault, fifth on bars, third on beam, second on floor, and fifth in fitness. Brooke Fontana, eight, placed fourth on vault, fourth on bars, third on beam, fifth on floor, and fifth in fitness.
Kerri Stinson, nine, placed fifth on vault, fifth on bars, third on beam, third on floor, and fifth in fitness.
All the girls received a trophy for their participation. The club looks forward to developing this pre-competitive talent since it has some good gymnasts coming up.
Overall, the Visserettes did very well in the region this year, attending three out-of-town meets and hosting Springfest ’98. Vicki Stinson participated in the Women’s Manitoba Open during the March Break and did well considering she wasn’t feeling well.
Two of our male gymnasts, Travis Hahkala and John Grynol, participated in the Manitoba Men’s Open at the same time. They did well and learned a lot that will help them in the future.
The club’s regular season will wrap up May 2 with its annual “Pie Day Display.” Some summer camps also will be offered again this year for all levels.
We would like to thank all the businesses which have supported us this year and our parent volunteers who do the weekly bingos. The bingos are keeping us going.
Special thanks to Chane Rissman, who organizes all the workers and oversees the Visserette bingos every week. Volunteers like Rissman are hard to find, and we really appreciate him.