Elite Gymnasts from Baskervilles Gymnastics Club were pitted against Olympic Gymnasts this weekend, at the English Artistic Championships in Loughborough. Competing in the Women’s Senior Category, Bree Warren came in 11th place out of a total of 32 gymnasts, in a category which included the likes of Claudia Fragapane and Amy Tinkler. And in the Men’s Senior Category, Harry Wall came 5th on floor against the overall competition winner Sam Oldham, who came 2nd. Harry also placed 8th on pommels, competing against Max Whitlock, Louis Smith, Sam Oldham and Brinn Bevan.
16-year-old Bree Warren fought valiantly in what was her first time taking part in the Senior Category. Her outstanding result of 11th place overall, with Claudia Fragapane winning 1st place, and Amy Tinkler coming in 2nd, was thanks in part to a 4th place on vault, with a brilliant score of 11.775.
11-year-old Kiera Williams also competed for the Girls in the Espoir Category. Placing 52nd, Kiera performed new moves, including a double twist on floor. Kiera was a strong competitor in her first ever English Championships.
Elite Girls’ Coach Emma Baskerville enthused,
“I’m so happy and delighted with the girls – fantastic competition. They did an amazing job. Well done to all the team for their hard work and dedication”.
For the boys, 18-year-old Harry Wall fought against Olympic greats, including Max Whitlock and Louis Smith. Harry performed an incredibly tidy floor routine, coming 5th with a score of 13.034 – extremely close to overall competition winner Sam Oldham’s 2nd place floor score of 14.000. And with an 8th place pommels position, Harry held his own in a category filled with Olympic Medal Holders and British Squad members. Harry competed an outstanding pommel routine, up against the greats of the gymnastic world, scoring 12.900.
Also competing for Baskervilles, 15-year-old Alex Weeks came in 18th place in the Under 16 Category, landing 8th place on vault with a score of 12.150, and 11th on pommels, scoring 11.867.
13-year-old Henry Brooker came 26th in the Under 14 Category, scoring a fantastic 12.234 on vault, putting him in 15th place. Henry performed a beautiful floor routine, coming in 4th position, with a score of 13.067.
And 11-year-old Oliver Snook, who competed in the Under 12 Category, came in an admirable 30th place, with a brilliant overall score of 64.150. Oliver came 13th on pommels, scoring 10.400, and 16th on vault, with a score of 11.700. This was the first time Oliver has competed at the English Championships, and has proved a great experience.
Elite Boys’ Coach Levente Molnar-Schondorfer explained,
“The boys managed to do their new routines with high difficulty elements included. I was pleased with everybody’s performance. We are looking forward to making even more improvements in future competitions”.
Baskervilles Gymnastics Club’s Pre-School Manager Julie Marriott-Dodington will work her last day on Thursday 24th March, after 22 years as a coach and much-loved member of the Baskervilles team.
Julie began work at Baskervilles in 1994, after bringing her young children along to Pre-School classes. Baskervilles’ founder Barbara Baskerville, noticed Julie and suggested she start training as a Pre-School coach.
“It was the way that Julie worked with her child that made me think she would make a great Pre-School coach”, explains Barbara, “and 22 years later, it’s clear that she definitely has been!”
In the years since starting work at Baskervilles, Julie also coached General Gymnastics, to assist in her planning for Pre-School Classes, ensuring all skills and activities are developmental. Julie has attended regular courses, specialising in the Pre-School child, and has become the Pre-School manager at Baskervilles. Additionally, Julie took on the role of Welfare Officer, ensuring staff are kept on their toes with regards to their qualifications and training courses.
Julie has also kept busy over the past 10 years, raising money for Breast Cancer Charities, founding the ‘Bath Buns’ with a group of friends – an endeavour she will no doubt continue into her retirement. The ladies have completed marathons around the world, including last year in New York, as well as holding charity cake sales at Baskervilles. Julie has baked thousands of cakes and fundraised an enormous amount of money in this time.
Julie is also a keen member of Baskervilles’ Fitness Suite, regularly attending three or four classes a week.
“Julie’s enthusiasm and energy not just for her role but at Baskervilles as a whole has helped her maintain her high level of coaching throughout her career”, Barbara adds.
As a Pre-School coach, Julie has always been keen to jump in head first, enthusiastically dressing up for themes – as a pirate, a penguin, and a Christmas Elf amongst many others. Julie took on the star role, as Mary Poppins, in the Pre-School performance for last year’s Christmas Gala, to celebrate her time at Baskervilles.
Julie’s fun, varied and imaginative approach to coaching gymnastics and her exuberant and warm way with the children has ensured that countless numbers of children have gone on to take part in sport and adopt a healthy, active lifestyle, into their adulthood. Over 10,000 children have benefited in Julie’s expertise and knowledge throughout her career.
“It has been great to see Julie develop from an enthusiastic parent to a knowledgeable and committed Pre-School Coach”, Barbara Baskerville explains, “She’s worked alongside me for the past 22 years. It certainly won’t be the same without her”.
Fans of Gymnastics may well have tuned into BBC2 over the weekend to watch the Gymnastics World Cup in Glasgow. But two of Baskervilles Gymnastics Club’s Elite Boys were even closer to the action, taking part in the Men’s British Championships at Glasgow’s Emirates Arena, on Saturday 12th March. Baskervilles’ Oliver Snook and Henry Brooker took part in the Under 12 and Under 14 Competitions respectively, both making the top 40 in England in their categories.
11-year-old Oliver Snook managed to finish in 32nd place in the Under 12 Category, out of 66 gymnasts competing. Oliver excelled on pommel horse, where he came in 5th place with a score of 11.800. He also had great success on vault, where he came 15th with a score of 11.900, and high bars, where a score of 10.850 landed him 7th place.
13-year-old Henry Brooker placed in 38th place in the Under 14 Category, with an overall score of 61.700. Henry scored a fantastic 12.100 on floor, coming in 12th place, and 11.800 on parallel bars, placing him 16th.
Boys’ Elite Coach Levente Molnar-Schondorfer explained, ‘it was a big experience for the boys, competing on the same podium as the World Cup Competitors. The boys are now looking forward to next weekend’s English Championships at Loughborough University, where they hope to improve further their routines and presentation’.
Squad Girls from Baskervilles Gymnastics Club performed brilliantly at the South West Springboard Competition on Sunday 6th March, bagging a total of eight medals overall. The competition, held in Melksham, also saw Baskervilles win overall third place in the team competition.
In the 9-10 years category, six of Baskervilles’ gymnasts competed, with over 50 gymnasts competing in the category overall. Baskervilles’ gymnast Camille Gillett came 1st on vault, with a score of 11.80. Esme Mathias had a great result, coming 3rd on vault and beam, and 1st overall with an overall score of 45.50, making her the South West Springboard 9-10 years champion.
In the 13-14 years category, Jasmine Andrews had an excellent day of competition, coming 1st on vault and Asymmetric Bars, and 2nd on beam, making her the overall 13-14 years South West Springboard champion, scoring 46.29.
In the team competition, Esme Mathias from the 9-10 years category, Niamh Jenkins from the 11-12 years category, and Jasmine Andrews from the 13-14 years category made up the team from Baskervilles. With an impressive overall score of 134.94, Baskervilles came 3rd overall in the South West.
Coach Francesca Ince enthused, “I’m really really pleased with the results. They are a reflection of all the girls’ hard work, and to have won two overall gold medals as well as coming 3rd overall in the South West is a tremendous achievement.”
Our Elite Coaches (assisted by our Elite Gymnasts) will be coaching a special Family Gym Session on Sunday 20th March, 3:00pm-4:00pm and 4:15pm-5:15pm. Bring your whole family along for an evening of fitness and fun, and help our gymnasts raise money for a trip to an International Competition in Malta this summer!
Baskervilles held their annual Club Competition last weekend, giving gymnasts the opportunity to experience a Gymnastic Competition. Over 400 gymnasts, many of whom had never taken part in this type of event before, performed in 23 different competitions over two days.
Gymnasts competed on two pieces – floor and vault – to an audience of over 200 people and judges from Baskervilles who scored their efforts. Each gymnast who took part took home a participation medal.
Additionally, a medal ceremony was held after each competition, where the top six performers in each category were welcomed to the stage. The top three gymnasts in each competition took their places on the podium and were awarded medals. The overall winner of each competition received a trophy, and awards were also given for the best floor routine and vault in each category.
A wonderful time was had by gymnasts, parents and coaches alike, and the staff at Baskervilles were delighted to receive great feedback from the event.
Dad Jon Barton described the competition as, “A fantastic competition that really embraced sport for all. As ever, the competition was ran very professionally by the Baskervilles team”.
The Moore Family explained, “We just wanted to say a massive thank you for a fantastic competition! I know that you all must have put in a lot of time and effort. My girls thoroughly enjoyed themselves and what a great life skill to have at such a young age”.
Jenna Morgan explained, “My daughter loved Saturday, even though she forgot her routine due to nerves, yet Paul helped her out and she managed to finish. A huge thank you for allowing my daughter to have a passion”.
Congratulations to all the gymnasts who took part!