FGA enjoys the chance to meet Mary Lou Retton during competition

Published 8:00 am Tuesday, February 22, 2022

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Athletes at Foothills Gymnastics Academy relished the opportunity to meet a gymnastics legend while competing Feb. 5-6 in the Forever our Legacy Competition Greenville, S.C.

The Forever Our Legacy competition was sponsored by Mary Lou Retton and her daughter, McKenna Kelley, with a portion of proceeds benefiting The McKenna Kelley Foundation for athletes’ mental health. Several of the competitors had the chance to meet and have a photograph taken with Retton and Kelley.

For the competition, Kendall Medina and Aria Springs represented FGA at the AAU Xcel bronze level. Genevieve Ard, ScottLynn Whiteside and Kylie Whitinger participated at the AAU Xcel Gold level. Hallee Mathis and Sherlyn Trejo competed at the AAU Xcel Platinum level.

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For the bronze team:

  • Medina received 35.40 all-around from her tie for third place on vault with 9.25 and tie for fourth place on bars with 9.0. She improved her vault, bars and floor scores from the last competition.
  • Springs achieved 35.05 all around from her 9.1 on floor, 8.825 on beam, 8.675 on vault and 8.45 on bars. She raised her all-around score almost five points as well as improved each of her individual event scores, with her vault and bars scores each increasing more than two points.

FGA’s coaches are proud of the growth in these young athletes.

For the gold team:

  • Ard earned first all-around within her division with her 36.925 all-around from her first on vault with 9.325, first on bars with 9.275, second on floor with 9.275 and second on beam with 9.05. She improved her all-around, bar and vault scores from her previous competition.
  • Whiteside achieved first all-around within her division with her 36.675 all-around from her first on vault with 9.225, second on beam with 9.175, 9.175 on floor and 9.1 on bars. She improved her all around score by more than a point since the last competition.
  • Whitinger received fourth all-around from her 35.625 from her third place on beam with 9.0, 9.025 on floor, 8.85 on vault and 8.75 on bars. She raised her all-around score, as well as her bars, vault and beam score from the previous competition.

Despite competing against larger teams, FGA’s Xcel Gold team earned a third place team award.

For Xcel platinum:

  • Mathis achieved 35.325 all-around from her third place on vault with 9.225, 9.1 on floor and 8.7 on beam. She improved her all-around score as well as her floor, bar amd vault score from the last competition.
  • Trejo earned first place all-around in her division with 37.475 from her first on beam with 9.575, first on floor with 9.475, first on vault with 9.325 and second on bars with 9.1. She raised her all-around score as well as raised her vault, bar and beam scores from the last competition. In addition, Trejo’s floor routine performance not only earned her the attention of the judges but of the guests of honor, Retton and Kelley, so she received a signed photograph from them.

The gymnasts will compete next on February 19 at the Lucky Charm Competition in Concord.