Knoxville North is Moving to a New Location!!!

 

We would like to share some very exciting news with you. Premier Athletics Knoxville North is moving to a new location! Our new building is located at 906 Callahan Drive, Knoxville, TN 37912 and boasts easy access to the interstate, a safe intersection, and greatly increased parking. You may recognize this new location as the former Starz Elite and Bounce House building. Premier Athletics is leasing an additional 4,000 square feet for a grand total of 31,000 square feet. Starz Elite will dissolve their current teams and classes, filtering them into our program. The Bounce House will remain in business at another suite at the end of the commercial business strip. Even though we all share much love for our current gym, this new building and location will benefit our many programs in the following ways: Four times the parking spaces, almost direct access to the interstate, less traffic, shorter distance for anyone traveling from the north! Only 6 minutes more for anyone traveling from any other area (other than north Knoxville)! It will also provide safer entry and exit from parking lot, closer proximity to shopping and restaurants, new and improved equipment and flooring, better air conditioning and heating, custom pits, equipment, flooring, and layout for all of our current programs, newer plumbing and insulation, less maintenance state of the art dance studio and ONE centrally located front desk with combined front desk staff!

 

The new Grand Opening Date is AUGUST 9th!

 

As you can imagine, a move of this size is a huge undertaking. The process has been broken down into two phases to allow adequate time for our move into the new location and the new tenant’s move into our current location. We are giving you this information as fast as we could confirm the details.

 

Please be sure to register for Session 8 (runs August 9th – 28th) as soon as possible. There will be a lot of class program students from the former Starz Elite gym joining our program, and we know that our classes will be filling up very quickly. We are taking payments for Session 8 now. Please understand that if you are currently in a class, you must be paid by Friday, July 16th at 12:00pm or your space in that class will become available for any new customer for Session 8 (beginning August 2). DON’T LOSE YOUR SPOT! We want to keep you on your preferred day and time with your current instructor.
 

 

Please see the following people if you have any questions:

All Classes- Front Desk Staff (Sheila, Julie, Linda)
Boys’ Gymnastics Team- Phil Savage
Cheer Team All Stars- Inge Cantrell
Dance Team All Stars- Kerissa Stott
Girls’ Gymnastics Team- Lea Emery
Trampoline & Tumbling Team- Eric Thomas

*Note: The Gym Office will be open at the new Callahan Drive facility from July 26-30. Also, all phone call messages (please call 865-588-2105 or 865-450-8848) and emails will be returned as quickly as possible during the last two weeks of July. You may also contact us at swhitaker@premierathletics.com.

CONGRATULATIONS SIERRA BARBOUR!!

 

 

Sierra Barbour is a cheerleader at the Premier Athletics in Clayton, NC.  She has been a Premier Clayton Shockers for several years.  She entered her first ever pageant on July 4th, 2010.  There were over 200 girls in the Junior Teen division (ages 12-15).  They called out the top 15 Sunday night and she made it!!!  For a little  girl with no pageant experience - she really did awesome!  Only the top 5 girls were awarded placements, so Sierra placed between 6th and 15th.  They had a "western theme" party on Friday night.  On Saturday she had to sing and act out a commercial.  On Sunday she had to give her personal introduction on stage and be interviewed by 8 judges.  The finale was on Sunday night.  Way to go Sierra.  We are all very proud of you!

RAISING MONEY FOR THE BRAVE CATS

 

 

On Sunday four Kentucky All Star youth cheerleaders went into their neighborhood and offered to wash cars/vans/trucks for donations for the Brave Kats!!!  The cheerleaders are from Premier Athetics, Cincinnati and they are Celeste Binford, Audrey Binford, Cassidy Wick and Brooke Robinson. The girls will be entering the 4^th grade in the fall.  They worked hard washing automobiles to raise money for the Special Olympics Team instead of swimming or playing outside. They are all amazing young ladies and have such giving heart!  They raised $60.00 for the team! Thank you girls!

Congratulations Ava Phelps, Athlete of the Month!

 

 

Ava is a Cheerleader at Premier Athletics Kentucky All Stars.  She is 8 years old and going into the 3rd grade at Caywood Elementary.  Her favorite coaches are Amanda Steffen and Clinton Wigglesworth because they always help her to be the best cheerleader she can be.  Ava works really hard and has mastered her full twisting layout.  She give 110% at each practice and competition.  In addition to being a great cheerleading Ava is an outstanding student.  Her most memorable moment in cheerleading was winning Grand Champs at the International All Levels Championship and going to Disney Land!

Congrats Ava!

SHARKS SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS FOR 2010

 

 

On Sunday, May 2^nd, Premier Knoxville West held their annual Shark Banquet to honor all of the tremendous athletes, parents, and coaches who have made the season so great!  Every team member received a special rosette and each team had 2 specialty award winners who received a certificate and medal.  But the best part of the day came when the 3 college scholarships were awarded.  Stephanie Spoon and Alley Wilcox were both awarded a $500 scholarship and both girls did an amazing job with their essays.  There wasn’t a dry eye in the house.  Then, Miss Sydney Leland took home the coveted Leadership Award along with a $1000 scholarship.  Once again – the tears flowed!  The Shark program loves to honor their special seniors by giving back a little to them for all of the hard work and dedication they have shown through-out the years. 

 

 

 

The banquet had some great moments, a wonderful video, and a sweet segment for recognizing all of our graduating seniors.  It was the biggest turn-out Sharks West has ever had for banquet!  Over 400 people feasted on a great buffet and enjoyed one last day of fellowship with their 2010 teams! 

Congratulations to Premier Athletics Kentucky All Stars...they have two staff members heading over seas!

 

 

Jason Keogh, former University of Kentucky cheerleader, traveled to Germany to judge Elite Brands International Competition.  Keogh and a few fellow UK Cheerleading Alum participated in a performance for the crowd. 

 

In July, Kentucky All Stars Assistant Manager Shannon Louis will be traveling to London, England.  While in London, Shannon will be judging the British Cheerleading Association International Competition.

 

Congratulations to both Keogh and Shannon for taking the Premier Athletics name worldwide!!

GROUP FITNESS CLASSES STARTED NOW!

 

 

Premier Knoxville West is very excited to offer group fitness classes at our facility.  Trill Fitness opened in April of 2010 and is really going strong!  They are offering Body Pump classes, Step, Yoga, Kickboxing, and the very popular Zumba!  Trillia Newbell is the owner of Trill Fitness and hopes to see lots of All Star parents taking the classes!  Classes are offered morning, mid-day, and evening!  Schedules are available at the front desk or you can check out the website www.trillfitnessonline.com.

CONGRATULATIONS PREMIER ATHLETICS TOP THREE ALL

LEVELS WINNERS!

 

Wow!  Premier Athletics is proud to congratulate so many teams on placing in the top three at the International All Levels Championships!

 

Premier Athletics Kentucky All Stars - placed 1st in the Small Gym Junior Level 4 Division

Premier Athletics - Knoxville West Tiger Sharks - placed 1st in the Junior Level 5 Division

 

Premier Athletics Clayton Shockers - placed 1st in the Youth Hip Hop Division

 

Premier Knoxville North Cat Sharks - placed 1st in the Junior Jazz Division

 

Premier Knoxville Foxy Sharks - placed 1st in the Open Jazz Division

 

 

Premier Athletics Kentcuky All Stars - placed 2nd in the Senior Open Level 5 Division

 

Premier Athletics Clayton Shockers - placed 2nd in the Mini Hip Hop Division

 

 

Premier Athletics - Knoxville West Whitefin Sharks - placed 2nd in the Junior Level 3 Division

 

Premier Knoxville North Silvertip Sharks - placed 2nd in the Youth Pom Division

 

Premier Knoxville North Leopard Sharks - placed 2nd in the Senior Jazz Division

 

 

Premier Athletics - Knoxville West Mako Sharks - placed 2nd in the Small Youth  Level 3 Division

 

Premier Athletics - Knoxville West - Coral Sharks placed 3rd  in the Youth Level 1 Division

 

 

Premier Athletics - Cincinnati Elite - placed 3rd in the Large Youth Level 3 Division

 

ATHLETE OF THE MONTH

 

Kameron Wood - Premier Clayton Shockers

 

 

Kameron Wood is a dancer ar Premier Athletics of Clayton, NC.  She is currently on the Senior Big Diprz Hip Hop team and the Senior Electra Pom team.  Kameron spent most of her life cheering, but began dancing two years ago.  She has worked very hard to become a great dancer and fell in love with it.  She says that her best moment dancing was being on stage at Worlds with her team mates.  She said that she was proud to represent the Shockers.  Kameron is 17 years old and beginning her senior year of high school.  She attend Johnston County Middle College High School.  She is in the top three of her class where she will finish at the Middle College with an Associates Degree and a high school diploma.  She is a Junior Marshall, she has served as a Governer's Page, and is an intern for the Smithfield-Selma Chamber of Commerce.  She intends to a persue a carreer as a criminal attorney.

Congratulations to the Premier Knoxville West Sharks for a fantastic finish to a great season!  The Sharks traveled to Atlanta, GA April 17^th and 18^th to compete in the International All Levels Championships.  Of the 8 Shark teams that went, 4 came home with 1^st place titles!  Congratulations to Youth Level 1 Coral Sharks, Youth Level 3 Mako Sharks, Junior Level 3 Whitefin Sharks, and Junior Level 5 Tiger Sharks!

 

 

Congratulations to Kacy Herald from Premier

 

Tennessee for being the USASF College

 

Scholarship GOLD Award Winner!

 

 

Congratulations to Alex Shelton from

 

Premier Athletics - Kentucky Elite for being

 

one of the USASF College Scholarship

 

Finalists!

 

 

The USASF/IASF Scholarship Fund was established in 2008. This scholarship was designed to recognize and reward outstanding All-Star Cheerleaders and Dancers by providing financial assistance in furthering their college education.

 

These athletes had to prepare an essay and performance DVD.  In addition to these the awards were based on coaches recommendations, gym involvement and academics.

 

Ten finalists were selected.  Seven finalists will receive a $2,000 scholarship. The Gold Award winner will receive $5000, the Silver Award winner will receive $4000, and the Bronze Award winners will receive $3000.  The finalist went through a live interview process to determine the top three award winners. This years finalists were:

 

 

 

Congratulations to the USASF College Scholarship Finalists!!

 

Black, Kyle - Silver
Bryant, Christin
Burke, Jamie
Garcia, Amber
Harmon, Jessica
Herald, Kacy - Gold
Herbst, Lynn - Bronze
Lawrence, Erin
Shelton, Alex
Waits, Regan

 

We would also like to congratulate the USASF Scholarship Semi Finalists; each will be awarded $500.00!

Block, Erin
Downing, Erika
Jones, Meghan
Madden, Cierra
Richey, Anna

ATHLETE OF THE MONTH

Rachel Cummings - Knoxville North Sharks

Rachel is Finback Shark and Premier Athletics Knoxville North.  She is in the 8th grade and is 14 years old.  Her favorite coach is Miss Inga because she looks for strenghts in all of the girls and pushes them to give 100%.  Rachel loves all aspects of the sport...tumbling, stunting, dancing and jumps!  She beleives that in order to be a good cheerleader you need to be well rounded, work hard, and have a good attitude.  She attends Grashem Middle School and has cheered for her middle school squad for three years and was capatin her 8th grade year.  In addition to her love for cheerleading she plays the piano and sings at her church.  Congratulations Rachel on being Premier Athletics Athlete of the Month!

Debbie Love gets inducted to the USASF Hall of Fame

Debbie Love was inducted into the USASF Hall of Fame Friday, April 23, 2010 in Orlando, FL.  She has influenced so many athletes and coaches throughout the world for years with her passion for the sport.  She has been teaching athletes and coaches for 32 years at all levels.  She has very positive approach to teaching whether it is an athlete trying to tumble for the first time or the most elite athletes in the world.  Congratulations Debbie this is well deserved!

 

The USASF Hall of Fame is a prestigious group of individuals who have made a profound impact on the All-Star Cheerleading and Dance community.  We cherish the members who have been inducted as they have made great, the lives of so many cheerleaders and dancers in the world.

 

 

Here are all the current and previous inductees:

 

2010 – Debbie Love, Justin Carrier, Ross Morreale, Katherine Morris

2009 – Bill Presson, Victor Rosario, Rodrigo Anguita, Zong Xiang Xu

2008 – Lynn Singer, Karl Olsen, Andrea Kulberg, Steve Walls

2007 – Kevin Jones, Steve Wedge, Les Stella

2006 – Mike Burgess, Elain Pascale, Jeff Fowlkes, Steve Peterson

2005 – Jeff Webb, Tammy Vanvleet

2004 – Morton Bergue

Congratulations to our Worlds Teams!

 

Premier Athletics is proud to congratulate all of our Cheer and Dance Worlds Teams! 

 

Premier Athletics – Kentucky Elite Cats

 

Together they won!

 

 

The CATS team won the USASF World Championship in the Small Senior Limited Coed Division Sunday, April 25, 2010 at the Walt Disney Resort in Orlando, FL.

 

The team coached by Matt Parkey and Zach Pennix finished first place in a very competitive two day competition.  They qualified with a full paid bid from Cheersport National Championship back in February.  There were 49 teams that qualified in their division.  They finished the first day of competition at the Milk House with highest score and ranked number one going into finals.  Finals took place at the Jostens Center and again the team performed a near flawless routine and scored one of the highest scores of the entire weekend across all divisions!

 

The CATS consisting of 20 athletes (16 female and 4 male) showed an incredible amount of dedication, persistence and great focus on their goal this season.  This was even more challenging this season during an important time of transition for all-star cheerleading in Lexington, KY.  Kentucky Elite and Showtime Spirit announced a merger between the two gyms in late November and this was the one team that actually benefited from the merger this season.  This team was a true collaboration of both gyms; they shared athletes and coaching staffs.  This was not just a great ending to an incredible season, but also a beginning to a new era of all-star cheerleading in Kentucky. 

 

As they said in their huddle at each practice and competition “TOGETHER WE WIN!”  and that they did and forever they will be the 2010 World Champions!

 

Congratulations to Kelsey Cecil, Kequane Ellis, Allie Goderwis, Jordan Harmon, Gina Jacobson , Sabrina Landgren, Britni Love, Whitney Love, Kaitlyn Marsh, Christina Raisor, Victoria Richard, Gabriella Romeo, Emily Sawyer, Brittie Schulz, Hunter Scott, Alex Shelton, Madeline Shelton, Jessica Sherbert, Tabitha Tirey, and Jordan Wise.

 

Premier Tennessee Lady Pumas – 4^th place finish

 

Congratulations to the Lady Pumas for their 4^th place finish out of 60 teams!  We are so excited and proud of the athletes and coaches hard work! 

 

Premier Foxy Sharks – 4^th place finish

 

Congratulations to the Foxy Sharks for their 4^th place finish in the Open International Jazz Division at the World Championships.  2010 Was the foxy Sharks 4th time and worlds and this is the highest they have ever placed.  In addition their score was used to help the USA receive the Silver Nation's Cup!  We are extremely proud of them.

 

Premier Clayton Shockers Senior Big Dipr’z Hip Hop – 7^th place finish

 

 

Congratulations to the Clayton Shockers for their 7^th place finish.  This was the Shocker Dance Team’s first appearance at the Dance Worlds and to place 7^th out of 30 teams is a huge accomplishment.  The team members said that making it to finals on their first try at worlds was an amazing feeling and they are extremely excited about the future!

 

Congratulations to all of the following teams attending the World Championships!

Knoxville Leopard Sharks Jazz - It was their second appearance at Worlds and they received a respectable 11th place finish!

Michigan Extreme Platinum Senior Large Senior Limited - The team had a fantastic time and a great experience.  There had a nice hit, clean routine!  Go MIX!

Spirit of Kentucky Senior Hip Hop

 

 

We are very proud to announce the merger of Premier Athletics, Home of the Cincinnati Elite All-Stars, and Spirit of Kentucky.  This is exactly the type of merger we have been seeking in the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky market in order to achieve the best possible services for your family. 

 

Sarah Schneider will continue to serve as the gym manager, answering directly to the corporate office.  She will now also work as part of an executive management team (ET) to provide improved service to our customers. 

 

The members of that team will include:

 

Sarah Schneider

Kim Steffen

Paige Thomas

Rosalyn Wood

  

We are very excited about the future and hope you are as well.  Thank you for your attention and support of our program! 

 

 

Paige Black, Happy Hooper and Susan Schwartz founded ACE All Stars of Alabama in the spring of 1999. They wanted to form a progressive competitive cheerleading program that offered opportunities to meet the needs of each individual cheerleader. With that in mind, ACE began its first competitive season with two teams and 40 cheerleaders. In 2002, ACE moved to its current location at the Wallace Gym located inside the Lakeshore Foundation in Homewood, AL and expanded to include cheer classes. In 2007, ACE acquired a second location in Phenix City, AL. Then in 2008, ACE added a third location to the family in Gadsden, AL. In 2009, ACE saw tremendous growth as the Phenix City site merged with the existing Columbus site and the addition of the Atlanta site in Peachtree City, GA. Now set to begin its eleventh season ACE has crossed into yet another state, Tennessee, and opened two locations in Murfreesboro and Nashville.

 

Ace is located inside of Premier Athletics located in Nashville and Murfreesboro. We are excited to have such state of the art training facilities to foster our program, values, and winning tradition. We are also excited to grow our staff. We have been blessed to have the top rated coaches in the country be a part of our program and invest so much in the development of our athletes. We look forward to a long lasting relationship with Premier and look forward to working together. We also are extremely excited to grow our family more than anything. The Tribe is taking over, and we look forward to extending our Tribe family across state lines.

 

Lets Go Tribe!

Michigan Xtreme Platinum

 

 

 

Large Senior Limted Co-ed Division

 

Premier Athletics is proud to recognize Michigan Xtreme’s Platinum5 Team. On Sunday March 21^st, the Platinum earned their 2^nd bid to the prestigious USASF World Cheerleading Championships, frome the Great Lakes Cheerleading Nationals.  The Worlds event is held annually in Orlando Florida at Disney’s Wide World of Sports arena. The team will compete this year on April 24^th, 2010.

 

We wish them luck as they compete another year against other USA top ranked teams along with other countries across the globe.

 

Michigan Xtreme Fame

 

 

Small Junior 2 All Girl Division

 

Premier Athletics is proud to announce that the Junior 2 team, Fame has been awared the "High Point" award at the Champion Spirit Group Supernationals on Sunday Feb 14th.  The team earned the highest overall score available not only in their division, but against other teams/divisions at this event.  This is a very talented team and we are very proud of them.

THE BEST JUST GOT BETTER!

 

 

That is right!!  Premier Athletics Kentucky Elite and Showtime Spirit have combined forces.  The gyms are extremely excited to be working together.  They can know offer you an even more well rounded facility with a Powerhouse All Star Cheer and Dance program, Killer Tumbling class instruction, and the best school team coaches in the country.  Premier Athletics is pleased to offer outstanding service to its families and we look forward to another great year.  Zach Pennix manager of Premier Athletics says. "We are taking the best of what both gyms have to offer and putting it into one.  This is a going to be a ground breaking year for Lexington!"

 

CATS VOLUNTEER

WOW!  The Cats from Nashville, TN decided to take some of their free time and help out at a local Food Bank Warehouse.   Over 75 athletes, parents, and parents met at the Harvest Food Bank Warehouse to box food for the Shelter.  The set the record for the entire warehouse of pallets being filled in a month!  Way to go Cats…your help goes a long way!

 

Kentucky Elite WILDCATS

 

International Coed Division

 

Coached by Matt Parkey, Zach Pennix, and Adrian Bynum

 

Premier Athletics is proud to recognize Kentucky Elite’s Wildcat team. On March 13^th this team competed at the UCA All-Star Nationals in the International Coed division. The Wildcats took first place against a few USA teams, as well as teams from other countries. Along with this exciting win they also received an At Large Bid to compete at the USASF World Cheerleading Championships in Orlando, Fl on April 24^th. The Wildcats have been given the opportunity to compete at Worlds ever since the event began 7 years ago and KE’s coed program has been around since 1995. This team has ages from 14 years old to college aged kids. Many of the members reside in Lexington as well as travel from all parts of Kentucky. The coaches are proud of the effort and performance aspect that this team brings to the competition floor. Kentucky Elite has been well known as one of top all-star gyms in the country. Located in the University of Kentucky’s backyard, this program has breed some of the best cheerleaders in the country. Wish them luck as they compete another year for the World Title against other USA teams along with other countries across the globe.

 

NEVER STOP CHEERING!!!!

 

Our cheerleaders love cheering on Sharks so much - it's hard to ever leave!

 

And even current Sharks just can't get enough!  Four of the Shark coaches currently travel three hours West to Nashville each week to practice and be a part of the Thunder Cats, Premier Nashville's Open Team.  Kelli Green, Justin Daugherty, Levon Burton, and Danielle Moore are "long distance"

 

members of the squad and are loving every minute of it!  "I love the feeling of accomplishment through team work.  I really missed those days cheering on Sharks so this gives me a chance to do what I love again!"  says Kelli Green, who currently coaches at the Premier Knoxville West Gym.  Tre Lee, a current Sharks cheerleader, also participates on the Thundercats.  Props to the Premier Nashville gym for creating an outlet that allows both current and former cheerleaders to keep doing what they love! 

 

Age: 18
Squad: Premier Athletics Senior Pink
Position: Base
High School: Oak Hills
Class Year: Senior
Job: Server at Price Hill Chili
Activities: Key Club, Partners Club, Math Club, German Club, Student Council

 

 

 

College Plans: Eastern Kentucky University

 

 

Styling by Stephanie Bischoff at Alverno Salon and Spa
Photos by Shine Photography at Oak Hills High School
Sponsored by Spiritville USA

 

Resounding Resilience

 

By Lindsay Kottmann at Cheer Cincy

 

Ashley Olinger has tried just about everything.

 

She rattles off the list of sports and activities she’s been involved in, including cheerleading and club soccer since she was little, and everything from taekwondo to violin to Student Council in between.

 

And this fall, she’ll be on to trying something else, as the first one of five siblings to move away from the area for college. She’ll start in Eastern Kentucky University’s forensics program, one of the oldest and most reputable in the country. (She’s always liked science, she says, even from when she was little and was always playing in the dirt.)

 

Looking at Olinger’s good grades, active schedule and willingness to help others, you wouldn’t know that her journey to where she is today was paved with misfortune. Her brother, whom she was very close to, died tragically her freshman year, when he was just 22.

 

It’s the hardest thing Olinger has ever had to endure. But she allowed her memories of him to propel her forward instead of pull her back. She knew that her brother, who often attended her games, would want to see her out on the floor, still cheering and smiling. So she pressed herself to do it.

 

“He always told me to push for my dreams, and I’ve been taking his advice and not letting anything hold me back,” she says.

 

Enduring the stress her brother’s death put on her family, Olinger pushed herself to take AP classes and maintain a good GPA. She’s active in student council (which just raised $3,000 for Haiti), Key Club (through which she helps tutor kids each week) as well as Partners Club, Math Club and German Club.

 

Olinger places the highest value on the relationships she has in her life, from the regulars who come into Price Hill Chili, where she works 30 hours a week, to her teammates and coaches on Premier Athletics’ Senior Pink squad. In fact, it’s not the stunting or gymnastics that’s her favorite part of cheerleading: it’s that bond she has with her team.

 

Olinger hasn’t decided yet whether she’ll try out in college. She loves cheering for a team, as she did for Oak Hills High School her freshman and sophomore years, but she also loves competing and the feeling of leaving everything behind her for those two minutes and 30 seconds.

 

And her brother is still encouraging her. “When I go onto the mat, I always picture him front and center,” she says.

West High School junior Pauline Hanset was one of only two gymnasts from Tennessee who qualified for the inaugural Nastia Liukin Supergirl Cup at the DCU Center in Worcester, Mass. The other Tennessee qualifier was Stephani Canizaro from the Memphis area. Both gymnasts qualified through the Flip Fest Invitational in Knoxville in January.

 

Hanset finished 20th with a score of 36.475. Her individual event scores: vault, 9.400, 14th place; uneven bars, 9.150, 11th, tied; balance beam, 9.350, 6th tied; and floor exercise, 8.575, 33rd.

 

Hanset, who is a dual citizen of Belgium and the United States, started gymnastics at age 6 and has been training for 10 years. She is coached by Sasha Gridnev, Natasha Gridnev, and Lea Emery at Premier Athletics on Western Avenue in Knoxville.

 

Several universities are recruiting Hanset and she hopes her participation in the Supergirl Cup will help secure a NCAA scholarship to the school of her choice.

 

As a Supergirl Cup competitor, Hanset received a Nastia Liukin-designed leotard and a warm-up from GK Elite; two tickets to the Tyson American Cup and recognition during that event for the Cup's medalists.

 

A total of 36 gymnasts, representing 17 states, participated in the Supergirl Cup event and Lexie Priessman of Cincinnati, won the all-around title with a score of 38.400. Complete results are available at http://www.usa-gymnastics.org/events/2010/nastialiukincup/.

 

And, just in case you've forgotten who Liukin is, she won five medals and the 2008 Olympic women's all-around championship title during the Beijing Games. She's only the third U.S. woman to win the Olympic all-around crown. USA Gymnastics and Liukin collaborated to create the Nastia Liukin Supergirl Cup, which was televised on the Universal Sports Network.

 

Proceeds from the Supergirl Cup will be utilized as scholarships for young gymnasts who show ability and have a financial hardship through the Nastia Liukin Fund, a charitable fund within the National Gymnastics Foundation.

 

Nothing But Net: Despite having to deal with numerous weather-related conditions and postponements, the Tennessee Middle School Athletic Association (TMSAA) finally completed its 14th annual East Tennessee Sectional Basketball Tournament in Sevierville.

 

Beginning with close to 100 middle school teams, the tournament narrowed the competition to the top three teams in each area. Those teams advanced as automatic qualifiers to the ET Sectional.

 

Because the TMSAA does not sanction a middle school state tournament, Tennessee is divided into three "sections" (East, Middle and West) for the purpose of conducting regional competitions. Furthermore, the East Tennessee Section consists of four areas, each with a large-school and small-school division.

 

According to Vic King, TMSAA East Tennessee tournament coordinator and member of the TMSAA state committee, as an experiment this season, "there were at-large invitations where some areas qualified four and some outside the four areas were invited." For example, the Cleveland girls were invited out of large-school Area 5 as an at-large team.

 

In large-school action, the Science Hill boys finished third in Area 1 but regrouped to defeat Newport, the Area 3 champion, 55-34. Science Hill also won the girls' championship with a 41-33 victory over Seymour, the Area 1 champion.

 

In the small-school division, the Area 1-champion Holston boys beat Happy Valley, the Area 1 third seed, 36-31 for the divisional crown. In the girls' championship game, Area 1-champion Hampton squeaked by Sullivan, the second seed, 28-26.

 

King said this was the final ET Sectional Tournament to be played with the "large-small format," adding that "next season a new alignment along with new classifications will go into effect in an effort to provide for a more even and fair playoff."

 

Story written by Lisette Kaczka a freelance contributor for Knox News.

Cale Robinson Competes at the Winter Cup Elite Competition

 

 

Cale Robinson is a level  10 gymnast at Premier Athletics Knoxville North.  He recently competed at the Winter Cup Elite Competition in Las Vegas, NV.  The Winter Cup is a National team Qualifying event.  Cale will be attending Stanford University this fall as a member of their gymnastics team.  We are so proud to have trained and worked with Cale!

Athlete of the Month

 

Mandy Shepard - Cincinnati Elite

Mandy is 13 years old .  She is a cheerleader and Cincinnati Elite and currently attends Gray Middle School.  Recently she helped organize a supply drive at her middle school to send has part of the Haitian Earthquake Relief Effort. Mandy was quoted by our local newspaper stating, “If you watch TV, you know how much they are suffering over there, and we all wanted to help, to do something," she said. "We raise money and help families at Christmas time, too, so this was our chance to help on a wider, more worldly level. We would want people to help us if something like that happened to us."

 

Mandy not only cheers on the Senior Black Team, but she also serves as the Head Peer Coach for the Premier TIGERS Special Needs Team. Mandy choreographed the routine, created the formation and 8-count sheets and worked with her Premier CE coach (Jason Keogh) to create the music. Mandy typically leads each weekly practice. The team and the rest of the peer athletes see Mandy as a role model and leader despite that she is only 13 years old. Mandy also volunteers at the gym to facilitate and lead group birthday parties. Mandy's energy and enthusiasm makes these a huge success. Mandy took it upon herself to learn the music mixer system and can be relied on to modify and enhance cheer routine music. She also cheers for her middle school, Gray Middle in Union KY. As a leader on her squad she helped the coaches with choreography and stunts. She also mixed the routines music for the past 2 years for her school team. 

 

Her best memories of cheerleading so far are winning UCA in 2007 and winning the Senior Small Level 5 division at the Premier Championships.  Her favorite coach is Clinton Wigglesworth and her favorite thing about cheerleading is perfomring in front of people and making so many friends outside of school.