By Anne Duggan
Three local athletes are headed to Cancun, and even though it’s a “business” trip, they can’t wait.
Sarah Stacey and Bradey Rosettani from the Ottawa Gymnastics Centre and Nepean-Corona’s Danielle Doan all qualified for a Jan. 16-20 international competition in Mexico with Team Ontario thanks to their performances at November’s Tour Selection meet at Base Borden.
“It’s definitely the highlight of our season,” says Rosettani, who narrowly qualified for Ontario’s tour team last year and competed in Florida. “It is the best thing I have ever done.”
Rosettani did more than just squeak onto the team this time around, she placed second all-around in provincial level 8, earning a silver medal on uneven bars and bronze on balance beam. Stacey also excelled on beam, winning gold on that apparatus en route to a third-place all-around finish in the national open category.
“I wanted to have consistent events and hit my best form, just like in practice,” says the competitive gymnast of seven years.
The Grade 11 John McCrae Secondary School student trains at least 22 hours per week towards achieving her goal of garnering a U.S. scholarship for gymnastics next year.
“I’ve watched the college competitions and it looks great,” Stacey says. “I don’t want to stop gymnastics.”
Conversely, it will be a somewhat bittersweet trip to Cancun for Doan.
“Since it is my last year (in gymnastics), my goal is to have more fun and be more confident,” explains Doan, who placed sixth all-around in provincial level 9 and won bars gold.
For her final two years of high school, the Pierre-Savard student plans to start something new, most likely a scholastic sport like volleyball or swimming.
OGC coach Tobie Gorman, who will also travel with Team Ontario, wasn’t surprised to see Rosettani and Stacey’s results, although she couldn’t hide her smile when thinking of the trip to Cancun her athletes helped make possible.
“Both girls are strong competitors,” notes Gorman, who’s been with OGC since 1976 after completing a gymnastics coaching course from Seneca College. “Sarah is actually here in her first year. She has already had a positive impact, setting the bar high for the younger girls.”
Devotion key to excellence
Being amongst the best of Ontario gymnasts means the three athletes have to know their weaknesses and constantly work on them.
“Facing your fears,” Rosettani identifies. “I had a fear of the ‘giant’ on the bars. It took two years to achieve.”
Stacey’s challenge is to keep her training consistent.
“Keeping my body healthy is hard because I have a lot of small injuries and my muscles get tired easily, which means I sometimes have to take a break,” she details.
Doan works to keep her joy of gymnastics alive.
“The hardest thing for me is having the passion and confidence for the sport, especially on the beam,” she signals.
All three girls know exactly the reason they are headed to Cancun: hard work, they agree.
“People might not think how hard it really is,” Rosettani adds. “It’s so challenging.”
Doan concurs.
“People think it is a very feminine sport and so it doesn’t take much effort,” says the gymnast since age 5, “but it is really difficult.”
Tumblers GM joins Gymnastics Canada
Karl Balisch, the general manager for Tumblers Gymnastics Centre in Orleans, was officially chosen as Gymnastics Canada’s new Program Director – Artistic Gymnastics in November.
Balisch, who will leave Tumblers in early January but remain based in Ottawa, will rejoin the national organization where he served as men’s artistic program director from 2000-2005.