Coaches
Issue 1 - October 2015
CORNER
Athlete Superstars:
Semeret Williams
Semeret Williams is 8 years old. She
started gymnastics at the age of 5.
She is a level 3 gymnast. In her first
meet of the season, the Jammie Jam,
she placed first on beam, floor, and
all around.
Here is more about Semeret.....
What is your favorite event and why? My favorite event
is floor because I love tumbling.
Who is your favorite gymnast? Simone Biles
If you could have one superpower what would it be? My superpower would be to fly.
What is your favorite food? Sushi
Who is your celebrity crush? I don't know, I'm only 8.
What job do you want when you graduate from college? To be a great gymnastics coach like Pam or
Dan.
Mark your Calendars!
October 3
• Rock n Roll Invitational
• Levels 2-5
• Chandler High School
October 10-11
• Route 66 Invitational
• Level 5
• Flagstaff
October 23-24
• Halloween Invitational
• Levels 2-5
• Greenway High School
Created by: Pam Evans
Athlete Superstars:
Summer Riddell
Summer Riddell is a Level 5 gymnast.
She is 13 years old and started gymnastics at the age of 10. Her
favorite gymnast is Nastia Liukin and
her favorite meet is Arizona Sunrays
Classic Rock. In her first meet
this season Summer scored a 9.875 on floor!
What are your hobbies outside of gymnastics? Dance
(@Sunrays Dance), especially ballet and lyrical.
What is your ultimate gymnastics goal? To be the very
best I can be in whatever level I am.
What is your favorite food? I love Italian
What is your dream school? UCLA
What job do you want when you graduate college?
Physical therapist
Parent and Athlete Meet Reminders
* Make sure you arrive 15-30 minutes prior to scheduled warmup time.
* Hair should be neat; in a bun with
no flyaways.
* Gymnasts should always wear
their warm-ups with tennis shoes
for awards.
* No colored nail polish. Clear polish is acceptable.
Coaches
Issue 1 - October 2015
CORNER
Sports Psychology:
Coach Spotlight:
* Expect to be nervous. Plan to be a little nervous but
not afraid. You can use your nerves to your advantage.
They can help you get up for a meet or to help you concentrate. Focus only on your routines and use your
mental imagery.
* Have realistic expectations. You do not have to win!
You may have just moved up to a harder level and may
need a couple of meets to build up confidence.
* Stay calm. Focus on your routines, not your scores (let your coaches do that). The only thing that you have
control over is how you perform, so focus on that.
* Always remember to encourage your teammates.
Sometimes you can even take the pressure off yourself by
paying attention to your teammates.
* Listen to your coaches and stay focused. Don't get
down on yourself if you make a mistake. Everything is a
learning experience. Just regroup for the next event. This
helps build mental toughness!
Gymnastics has been a part of Aleia's life
for 10 years. She was a competitive optional
gymnast at Sunrays and knew when she was
done competing, gymnastics would always
be a part of her life. She has been coaching for 2-1/2 years. She works with Stars 2,
Sparks, Flares and Minirays.
What is one of your favorite coaching moments? I was coaching my Sparks class and all 13 of them learned a
skill (squat on on bars) the very first day they tried it.
What are your hobbies? Cross fit, open gym, yoga and spending time with my family.
Do you have a coaching philosophy? I like to make
every child's time in the gym the best hours of their
week and to develop a life long love of moving and
staying active. I especially want to instill how important
strength is for gymnastics because its a huge part of my
own life.
Tips to Help Gymnasts Through the First
Few Meets of the Season.
Get Inspired!:
“Winning is not a sometime thing ... we
don’t do things right sometimes ... we
do things right everyday, every practice! Winning is an all the time
thing. Winning is a habit, unfortunately so is losing”
Vince Lombardi
Aleia Lofy
Win Holiday Gifts for your Gymnast!
American Athletic Equipment Company (AAI)
is having a holiday sweepstakes.
Prizes include mats, shapes, training balance
beams and training bars in fun colors and
shapes.
They have 9 monthly winners plus a $500 grand
prize. No purchase necessary to enter or win.
The sweepstakes end November 21, 2105.
Enter online @
americanathletic.com/holidaysweeps.
Good luck!
Coaches
Issue 1 - October 2015
CORNER
Team Accomplishments
Meet Results
Jammie Jam, September 19-20
Level 3 - 3rd Place Team
Semeret Williams - 1st beam, 1st floor, 1st AA
Lauren Suru - 1st Bars, 2nd Beam, 2nd AA
Molly Rich - 1st Vault
Alix Ssennya - 2nd Vault
Ava Vanacore - 2nd Bars
Level 5 - 3rd Place Team
Summer Riddell - 1st Vault, 1st Beam, 1st Floor, 1st AA (38.125)
Daniella Newstrom - 1st Vault, 1st Beam, 2nd Floor, 1st AA
Gaby Jorden - 1st floor, 2nd vault, 2nd Beam
Leila Altshuler - 2nd Vault, 2nd Floor
Emily Grippe - 2nd Beam
Rope Your Dreams, September 25-27
Level 4 Team - 3rd place
Katie Quinn - 1st Bars, beam, AA
Kristy Tom - 1st bars, beam, AA
Maddie Richardson - 1st bars
Ava Garcia - 2nd floor
Katelyn Molina - 2nd beam and AA
Ambrin Hannappel - 2nd Bars
Carly Belen - 1st Beam
Zoey Tate - 2nd Floor
Healthy Choice:
Nutrition
Gymnasts will have better workouts when
their bodies are properly fueled. Here are
a few snack ideas to help boost energy
levels before practice:
* Sports Drink
* Low sugar sports bar
* Banana and blueberries with string
cheese.
* Fig bars
* Half a bagel with peanut butter
* Yogurt with 1/4 cup granola
* 1/2 P&J
Message from Dan & Julie:
Dear Sunrays Families,
We want to first take this opportunity to
thank Pam Evans for creating this fun & informative
newsletter. This is one of the many steps we are taking
to improve our communication with you.
We hope you all have noticed the great new
equipment out in the gym! The staff worked tirelessly
to install the new floor. The extra space has created a
bigger & better workout area for all levels! We’ve also
Activities @ Sunrays:
added three high beams, uneven bar rails, quad bar,
and our many new skill mats.
Kids Night Out - October 3 - Ninja Zone
As you know dance is an integral part of
Ages 3-13
October 17 - Spooktacular Sleepover gymnastics. All team members receive a 20% discount off our dance classes. A Tap, Jazz, Ballet, or
Tumble Time, Ages 6 -17 - Saturdays - 12:30 - 1:30 pm Lyrical class is another fun way to boost your gymnastics prowess.
Thank you for your continued support!
SUPERCAMP - All School Closures! Sign up today! GO SUNRAYS!!