Adam Prudhomme
Editor
Greater Napanee Gymnastics Club will host its first ever Invitational Meet, April 6-7.
Clubs from Ottawa, Kingston and Scarborough will join the host club to participate in Ontario Competitive Levels 2-5, along with the newer introductory provincial competitive category Xcel.
Level 2s will compete Saturday morning, Level 3s on Saturday afternoon until 5 p.m. Levels 4 and 5 will take the floor on Sunday with Xcels getting underway later in the morning with competition wrapping up at 3 p.m.
The event is open to the public with admission at the door ($8 for one day pass for anyone age 18-54, $13 for two day pass, $5 for ages 11-17, or 55 and over, $8 for two day pass, $3 for kids age six to 10, $5 for two day pass, free to kids under five) to attend and cheer on the local athletes. The event is expected to attract over 600 people to the town during the April 6-7 weekend.
Competitors will be judged in beam, bars, floor and vault.
Putting the event together was a complete community effort.
“We are excited to say that we are grant recipients of both the Atura Power Grant and the Naturally L&A Grant for the event,” said Ange Alberry, head coach and technical director with Greater Napanee Gymnastics Club. “The Kinsmen have donated funds to help with some equipment that will be used at the competition and then left in place for all our local gymnasts to use. Our competition is being sponsored by Parasol Financial Solutions Inc. and D&D Electrocraft. We have had such great support from across the community with donations of supplies, food, and raffle prizes from several local businesses (McDonald’s, Metro, Convenient Candy Shop, Nostalgia & Co.). The NDSS Shop class has designed and constructed a podium for us to use for our awards ceremony as well. We are truly blessed to live in such a wonderful and supportive community, and are hopeful that we can make this an annual event that will grow to include more levels and attract many more visitors to our town for years to come.”
The Greater Napanee Gymnastics Club is located at 25 Snow Road.