Headlines
Photo Gallery: Final day of YMCA Gymnastic Nationals
View photos here.Tourism also a winner
Sheboygan Press article dated June 29, 2008Gymnastics event was 'great boost' for local businesses
At first blush, Gretchen Rivers wasn't quite sure what to think about visiting Sheboygan for the YMCA Gymnastics National Championships.
"When we heard we were going to Sheboygan, it is definitely a funny-sounding name," said Rivers, of Plainville, Mass., whose 10-year-old daughter was competing in the big gymnastics event at North High School.
"You're not sure what you're going to get … but I've been really, really surprised."
About 5,000 gymnasts, family members and fans came to Sheboygan for the four-day championships, which concluded Saturday. They brought their cash and plastic to spend in restaurants and shops and filled many area hotel rooms. Many came away with a positive feeling of the "funny-sounding" city on a big lake.
"I think it's really nice," Miriam Kiely, of Mansfield, Mass., said of Sheboygan. "It kind of reminds me of Cape Cod."
Many stayed at the Blue Harbor Resort and Conference Center, which hosted about 75 families for the championships and tried to make the gymnasts feel at home during their free time from the competition. The Breaker Bay Water Park was packed with kids and their parents, and they also ventured onto the South Pier District peninsula to eat and shop and rent kayaks and bicycles.
"It's wonderful to have them all here," said Rachel Newton, 30, Blue Harbor's general manager. "They're so energetic and excited."
City officials were also happy for the tourism generated from the gymnastics event, crediting local YMCA officials for working hard to bring it to Sheboygan. With about 1,300 participants, it was the largest gymnastics event ever held in Wisconsin, and the sight of many out-of-town license plates was evident in the Blue Harbor parking lot, hailing from states such as Tennessee, Ohio and Pennsylvania.
"It's going to be a great boost for our local merchants, our local businesses and most definitely our motels," Mayor Juan Perez said.
Kim Swisher, city tourism director, said hotels from Sheboygan to Manitowoc absorbed the influx of visitors, and the city obtained a $15,000 state tourism grant for the YMCA to help it stage the championships. Those staying here also received coupon books for discounts at Sheboygan retailers.
"We're trying to do whatever we can to make them feel welcome and have a good time," Swisher said.
Kevin Moore, 52, of Phoenixville, Pa., whose 11-year-old daughter, Shawna, competed in the championships, said he enjoyed the views of Lake Michigan from his hotel room at Blue Harbor, and listed Spikes and Popcorn Planet as some of the places where they spent their time and money.
"I'd never been in Sheboygan or Wisconsin before; it was nice," Moore said. "The people were friendly; we didn't know what to expect."
Shawna got a kick out of all the flavors of popcorn at Popcorn Planet, but enjoyed splashing at Breaker Bay the best.
"It was really fun," she said. "I really liked the water park."
At Pier 57 Deli & Lounge, 644 South Pier Drive, owner Pam Behnke said business was brisk, especially in the evenings. And Behnke, too, heard a lot of positive comments from the visitors.
"Everybody's telling me how good my food is and how good the scenery is and how clean the town is," said Behnke, 35.
Karen Miller, 42, of Douglasville, Pa., said she enjoyed bratwurst and corn on the cob at a big dinner event for the gymnasts, which included her 11-year-old daughter, Kira.
Miller said she had never heard of Sheboygan before coming here for the championships.
"Now I have," she said. "And I'm impressed."
Reach Bob Petrie at bpetrie@sheboygan-press.com and 453-5129.
Georgia gymnast earns top honor on final day of event
Sheboygan Press article dated June 29, 2008What does it take to be a gymnastics national champion?
For the individual who was crowned No. 1 at the YMCA Gymnastics Nationals Championships at Sheboygan North on Saturday, there is no secret.
What it took for Leah May of Moultrie, Ga., to be named the Championship Level, Senior Division all-around champion — the highest class at the meet — was similar for all 1,300 of the gymnasts who competed during the four-day event.
"Lots of hard work and lots of dedication. Dedication is really important," said May, 17.
May, who got into gymnastics at age 5, finished first in the vault and floor, second on the beam and third on the bars. She edged Alison Fent of Lakewood, Wash., for the all-around crown.
May also had a strong source of inspiration. Written on the pink bow in her hair was "Sydney, 6/03/08." One of the May's former coaches, Christina Blanton, and her 2-year-old daughter, Sydney, were involved in a plane crash in Iowa on June 3. Christina survived, but Sydney did not.
On Saturday, Sydney's memory lived on in May's success.
"As a team, we dedicated the meet to Sydney," said May.
The morning after it was announced that Sheboygan would be hosting the national championships, co-organizer Denice Nugent received a phone message from Sheboygan resident Fritz Rammer, who was offering more than just congratulations.
He was officially the first volunteer to sign up.
Since his retirement 20 years ago, Rammer has become a full-time volunteer, lending his services to anybody and anyone who wants the help.
"I love to do this kind of work," said Rammer, 75. "It keeps me busy. And I like meeting good people."
While most volunteers worked four-hour shifts during the four-day nationals, Rammer worked nine-hour shifts.
For Rammer, the meet was part of an eight-events-in-nine-days stretch for Rammer, who today will give his time at a benefit brat fry for Trisha Bergemann.
"I haven't worked a three-hour shift, ever," said Rammer.
Rammer celebrated his 55th wedding anniversary on Friday by working various jobs at North High — his wife, Nancy, spends much of her free time as a hospice volunteer — and regularly works for about 20 different charities.
It's not just time he gives. A former vice president of sales for Verifine Dairy in Sheboygan, he donated a sum of money for Wildwood Softball Complex and donated the playground equipment at Deland Park about five years ago.
"I'm not a wealthy guy," said Rammer, "but I'm a sharing guy."
Karen Field had an interesting message on her phone the other day.
The Kiel mother of eight, seven of whom participate in gymnastics, had a message from the producers of "Wife Swap," a prime time show on ABC, asking if she'd be interested in being part of the program.
On the show, wives of two distinctly different families trade places for two weeks, living in the other's homes with the other's husbands and kids. Field said the producers of the program found out about her family from a story posted on The Sheboygan Press Web site on Monday.
"I'm thinking about it," said Field.
Field's eight kids range in age from 3 to 17. The eldest, Owen Field, graduated from high school this year and is off to the University of Nebraska in the fall.
"If they want to give me some scholarship money for college," she said, "I'll do it in a heartbeat."
The boys' national championships competition finished up on Friday, but two of the boys were invited to participate in exhibitions in front of the fieldhouse crowd for the Saturday finale.
Owen Field of Kiel and YMCA national champion Max Wertz, 16, of Hanover, Pa., delighted the crowds in-between girls action.
For Field, it provided a nostalgic end to a gymnastics career.
"It was pretty exciting. But kind of sad, because it's the last time I'll probably ever do gymnastics," said Field.
He's glad that final time came at the national championships, and delighted it was in Sheboygan.
"It was really cool. I was able to have a lot of friends here to watch," he said.
Mike Eubank, program director of national competitive sports events for YMCA of the USA, was in town earlier in the week to survey the event.
He left town impressed, said Nugent. Eubank used the word "seamless," to describe how well things were going.
"Seamless. Everything was seamless," said Nugent, who added the entire national contingent was pleased with the execution of this huge meet.
"They were very, very pleased," she said.
Adam Thompson column: A profile in courage
Sheboygan Press article dated June 28, 2008Ohio girl medals weeks after wrecking elbow
The four-inch scar circling the left elbow of Mary Grace Monzel has a story. It's a tale of pain and determination with, ultimately, a hard-earned happy ending.
From afar, Mary Grace looks like every other 11-year-old gymnast competing this weekend at the YMCA Gymnastics National Championships at Sheboygan North. Shy and polite, with an infectious smile full of braces and a ponytail, she hails from Cincinnati, Ohio, in America's Heartland.
Mary Grace competed at the YMCA Nationals in Seattle last year, and was pumped to qualify for this week's event. But it was at a regional gymnastics meet in Cleveland on April 5 when the smooth path took a bumpy turn.
Competing on the uneven bars, Mary Grace lost her grip preparing to dismount. She braced herself for the fall, but her feet caught the lower bar on the way down, flipping her. She landed directly on her outstretched left arm.
"You could see right away it was dislocated," says her father, Chris Monzel.
Mary Grace's severely dislocated elbow protruded well out of its socket on her fractured arm. She initially tried to get up from her fall, but it didn't take long before the pain hit.
Jana Monzel, Mary Grace's mother, sat just four feet away, mortified as her daughter screamed for help.
Mary Grace was rushed to the Cleveland Clinic, where she underwent emergency surgery at 1:30 a.m. A permanent four-inch titanium screw was inserted, with a pin to hold it in place.
"It was a rough night," says her father.
Worse than the physical pain for Mary Grace, however, was the realization that her dreams of competing in Sheboygan would be vanquished by a fluke injury.
With just under 10 weeks to go before the national meet, the girl was told by her physical therapist that she'd never seen anybody return from an injury of this magnitude in anything under 11 weeks. Coach Denise Brunck didn't want to get her athlete's hopes up, either.
Mary Grace's spirits were down, but she refused to settle on the idea of cheering for her teammates instead of performing alongside them.
She was back in the gym just one week after the fall. She did what was allowed to keep in shape, including walking on the beam and doing one-handed cartwheels.
Her first goal was to compete at nationals on the beam. There are two required moves on the beam that involve hands, one of which would have to be skipped, giving her a lower possible score. But one event is certainly better than nothing.
Three weeks ago, Mary Grace was cleared to bear weight on her left arm. Brunck put her on a limited floor exercise plan, but to the chagrin of the coach, Mary Grace stubbornly expanded her routine, almost daily.
Another goal accomplished.
"(At first) I wanted to be able to compete in one event," says Mary Grace. "I got more goals."
Soon, she was jumping over the vault. One week before the big meet, Mary Grace tumbled on the floor.
The injury took place exactly 10 weeks ago today. Despite the long odds, she competed on the floor, beam and vault. She hadn't built up enough strength in her left arm to work the uneven bars, but will. Knowing her, probably quite soon.
Last year in Seattle, Mary Grace was a Level 5 gymnast. She was urged to focus on Level 5 skills again this year, but wanted to move up to Level 6. On Friday, Mary Grace placed fourth on the vault. In Level 6.
"Not bad for somebody that wasn't supposed to be here," says Brunck.
At a team banquet recently, Brunck presented her pupil with a Defiance Award, earned for not listening to the naysayers. For having the courage and dedication to accomplish what everybody said wasn't possible, and making it so.
"She's the kind of young lady gymnastics can create," says Brunck.
Video: Flying high at national gymnastics meet
June 27, 2008. The YMCA National Gymnastics Championship wraps up Saturday,
and competitors, coaches and parents weigh in on the largest gymnastics meet in
Wisconsin history. View video here.
Photo Gallery: YMCA National Championships June 27, 2008
View photos here.YMCA Gymnastics Notes: Sheboygan coach pulls double duty
Sheboygan Press article dated June 28, 2008Becky Moeller always wanted to take part in a YMCA Gymnastics National Championships meet. This week in Sheboygan, she finally got her chance.
It's just about 15 years later than she was expecting.
At 28 years of age, Moeller finally competed on the big stage. In fact, she did much more at this week's national championships at Sheboygan North High School.
Moeller pulled double duty all weekend. Because in between earning her own scores, she was helping others do the same, as a coach for the very Lake-shore Springers team she competed for.
Moeller was informed by Springers head coach Denice Nugent there would be a Masters division at the national championships, being held Wednesday through today at Sheboygan North High School. The Masters division is for those over the age of 18 that wish to still compete in the sport they love, but didn't do so in college.
Moeller was a Springers gymnast until high school, when she instead joined the dance team at Sheboygan North. After graduating in 1998, she went on to UW-Oshkosh, where she was a diver for the Titans' swimming team.
She then returned to Sheboygan and joined the Springers' staff. Moeller initially wasn't sure about competing, but when asked by one of the younger Springers gymnasts about going to nationals, "I said 'why not,'" said Moeller.
"Why not take the opportunity? It was a no-brainer at that point."
Moeller competed on the floor, beam and vault (a wrist injury kept her off the uneven bars). And she enjoyed every moment of it.
After leaving the floor exercise on Friday, her final event of these championships, Moeller received high fives from her teammates/pupils. She watched one of her Springers teammates perform on the floor, then rushed to another gym for the start of the boys' portion of the meet to offer tutelage.
It was worth the extra training to make the very most of this big-time chance.
"I did what I could," she said. "I'm just happy I had the chance to do it."
Volunteer Effort
Tim Herrmann has kept busy at the national championships.
In addition to being the father of one of the Lakeshore Springers gymnast (Katie Herrmann, Level 7), the event co-organizer is in charge of the volunteers for the four-day event.
All 500-plus of them.
The volunteer effort began in winter, when 20 committees — made up of volunteers — were formed for all phases of the operation. Another level of volunteers, for the event itself, was also forming.
When it came to finding people to fill the 500 spots, Herrmann was impressed with the show of support from this community, and from others willing to help.
"We needed 500 volunteers. We had what we needed (early) and more people were still calling in," said Herrmann. "It's been great. We couldn't do it without them."
Most of the unpaid helpers work four-hour shifts and assist where needed. About 40 volunteers are on hand at any one point during the championships.
As overwhelming as it may seem, Herrmann made the time to watch Katie compete during the week. It helps that he has previous experience in this sort of thing.
Herrmann said the running of the annual Snowflake Invitational at the Sheboygan YMCA, which features up to 600 gymnasts from across Wisconsin, has been a great test for this weekend.
"It definitely helps," said Herrmann. "We knew how to keep things moving, what to do, what not to do."
Lions Club lends hand
Fourteen members of the Sheboygan Noon Lions Club showed their support of the local event by volunteering their time.
One of those volunteers, Dennis Leffin, became a real gymnastics fan during a trip to the Olympic Trials in Minneapolis, Minn., a few years back. Leffin, a retiree who splits time between Sheboygan and Florida, was happy to see the success of the event.
"I think it's wonderful for these kids," said Leffin during his volunteer slot on Friday. He said he'd be back today for the Closing Ceremonies — as a fan.
Trainers on call
In a world of sprained ankles and ripped-up hands, the athletic trainers working the national championships were expecting a busy weekend at North High.
But Sara Kinsella, a certified athletic trainer through St. Nicholas Hospital in Sheboygan, says so far — knock on wood — that hasn't been the case.
"We expected lots of ankles, hyper-extended elbows," said Kinsella. "It's been a lot of sprained ankles."
Five certified athletic trainers and three students going to college for the field were on hand for anything that would arise. With one day left, nothing too serious that some ice or a tight wrap couldn't mend has crossed their paths.
The biggest commotion came Friday morning was when one gymnast came in with a sprained ankle. Her mother left the area, then passed out. She was treated as her daughter cried.
Get your tickets
Tickets for today's Closing Ceremonies, which begin at noon, remain on sale at North.
Tickets are $5 for adults, $3 for students. The entire event takes place in the Acuity Fieldhouse.
Today's Closing Ceremonies schedule of events:
Noon-12:15 p.m. — Flippenout show; 12:15-12:45 — Championship warm-ups; 12:45-1:45 — Open workout on competitive events; 2 — March with introductions, national anthem and prayer; 2:15-3:15 — Bars and vault competition; 3:15-4:15 — Beam and floor competition; 4:30-4:45 — Flippenout show; 5 — Championship all-around and team awards, all-around team and all-around events winners
Gymnastics Notes: Closing Ceremonies promise plenty of excitement for fans
Sheboygan Press article dated June 27, 2008The YMCA Gymnastics National Championships Opening Ceremonies on Wednesday was for the gymnasts and their families. The Closing Ceremonies, set for Saturday, are for the fans.
Tickets for the Closing Ceremonies are $5 for adults, $3 for students. They remain on sale at North High through Saturday.
They begin at 1 p.m., with the championship round expected to start at 2. The championship and Level 8 awards will be handed out at 5 p.m.
Meet co-organizer Tim Herrmann said hopes are that up to 3,000 people will attend the Closing Ceremonies, in North's fieldhouse.
"It's a great opportunity to show Sheboygan some great gymnastics," said Herrmann.
With travel plans often taking precedence for gymnasts not taking part in the championship round, the Closing Ceremonies are considered more for the fan than the competitor. In addition to the action on the mats, the extreme trampoline gymnastics team "Flippenout" will perform, and several other events are scheduled to take place.
In a show of thanks, officials went door-to-door around the North campus and handed out free tickets for putting up with the traffic and general business of the weekend.
* Star Spangled birthday — Melissa Louwagie belted out a tune on Thursday. She'll get another chance today, and again on Saturday.
Louwagie, of Sheboygan, took third in a national singing competition to sing the National Anthem during the YMCA Gymnastics National Championships.
She opened one session on Thursday, and hopes to sing five times in all on the weekend.
Louwagie's 14th birthday was Thursday. She won the YMCA state title on the bars in April.
The competition champion earned the right to sing at the Opening Ceremonies on Wednesday, while second place gets the Closing Ceremonies on Saturday.
Most entries were transmitted via email, but one gymnast left a singing message using her mom's cell phone. She had to call a second time to finish the song.
* All marked up — Idle time can be a precarious thing, especially if you're the older sister of a gymnast who has loads of teammates — and just as many pens and markers.
Kathleen Kohler of Toledo, Ohio, became a walking billboard of her team's enthusiasm on Thursday. During a break in the action, one of her younger sisters, a competitor, connected the dots of Kathleen's freckles on her arms with a magic marker. Then, others began joining in on the fun.
"It got out of control after that," said Kathleen.
Soon, the entire team was scribbling notes and lines all over Kathleen.
Kathleen's sisters, Julie and Colleen, are Level 8 gymnasts for the Greater Toledo YMCA.
* Long day for judges — To be a good gymnastics judge, says 26-year veteran Betsy Ellis, means more than a keen eye for what's right and what's not, technically speaking.
It's about passion, dedication, and in the case of Thursday's action at North, sweating it out in the gyms at North.
Temperatures in Sheboygan reached 92 degrees on Thursday.
"It's probably a little bit warmer than usual in Sheboygan," said Mary Ann Sedlacek, a fellow judge.
Ellis and Sedlacek were among several judges marking the scores for hundreds of would-be champions. There are 54 judges working the YMCA National Championships. They typically work nine-hour shifts.
Alexandra Nugent, organizer for one of the three gyms, had to jog and get her judges refreshments during the day.
Ellis, of University Park, Ill., and Sedlacek, of Oak Lawn, Ill., will be among the judges marking scores in all four events this weekend.
* Platform takes a village — The awards platform and decorations adorning it, set up in the North High auditorium, took a small community to put together.
Designed by Pat Henderson of the Sheboygan Area School District — she constructs the sets for high school plays — the podium with six large steps was white (donated by Sheboygan Paper Box Company, constructed by Quasius Construction), with the blue-and-white championship logo emblazoned on it (painted by local artist Jody Reid). Bemis sponsors the awards ceremonies.
"We've gotten great compliments on this," said Lakeshore Springers coach and event co-organizer Denice Nugent, admiring the setup as award winners posed for flashing cameras.
"Who would have thought that leftover Christmas decorations could turn into that?"
YMCA Gymnastics: Venue draws rave reviews
Sheboygan Press article dated June 27, 2008Visitors impressed with North facilities
Sitting in the commons area at Sheboygan North High School on Thursday, Karen Leslie gazed up at the high definition screens showing live coverage of the 2008 YMCA Gymnastics National Championships.
Coming from a gymnastics family, this is the 11th national championship for Leslie. But the Providence, R.I. resident says this one is different. It's exceptional.
"It's just absolutely unbelievable," said Leslie. "It's the most phenomenal location I've seen so far."
The championships are being held through Saturday at North, and this year's event is drawing rave reviews for its organization and abundance of room — needed for the 1,300 athletes and 5,000 spectators expected through North's doors.
Denice Nugent, the head of gymnastics at the Sheboygan YMCA, coach of the Lakeshore Springers team and an instrumental figure in getting the event to Sheboygan, said coaches and parents came up to her all day Thursday to rave about the organization and how it went on as scheduled, a rarity for a happening of this magnitude. Even Nugent is surprised at how smoothly things have unfolded so far.
"We couldn't think of one thing we wanted to happen that didn't happen," she said.
Kathleen Kohler of Toledo, Ohio, has been to many major gymnastics events.
"I'm used to it. My whole family's in gymnastics," said Kohler. "This is extremely impressive."
Even the young gymnasts took notice of how smoothly things were going. Several volunteers appeared surprised but grateful as youngsters thanked them for their work.
The taxpayers of Sheboygan deserve 'thanks,' too.
Voted through on a referendum in 2004, North and South high schools were each allotted $12.4 million for renovations. The completed projects, opened in fall of '06, put the two public schools near the top of the class in terms of athletic facilities in the state.
Added was a 35,000 square-foot fieldhouse, which is filled with floor mats, uneven bars and pommel horses this week.
The Thomas J. Desotell auxiliary gym, adjacent to the spacious commons area and named after the longtime boys basketball coach, is jammed with action, while the original school gym is also being used non-stop.
The commons area is crammed with booths selling items such as shirts and food, and another side room with more goodies for gymnastics nuts.
Also included in the referendum was a gigantic fitness room — at more than 9,000 square feet, North's is the second largest in the state for any high school or college, behind only the one at the University of Wisconsin — wrestling and dance team rooms, cafeteria and room for future classrooms.
"It's amazing. I'm from New England, where it's so different," said Leslie. "You have tons of schools, but nothing like this."
The referendum made it possible for Nugent and the Sheboygan YMCA to propose hosting an event of this magnitude. The fieldhouse was a big reason the proposal was a success.
Spectators even raved of the awards platform, situated in the spacious school auditorium. And the organization of it all is a big reason why the national championships could be coming back.
Nugent hopes Sheboygan can prove worthy to be in the hunt as a rotating host, holding the championships every 4-5 years. After two days, Sheboygan is on the map.
Photo Gallery: 2008 YMCA National Gymnastics Championships June 26
View photo gallery here.Golden guest
Sheboygan Press article dated June 26, 2008U.S. Olympic hopeful Memmel thrills crowd at Opening Ceremonies
It was supposed to be a secret.
But when the last of the half-dozen Harley-Davidsons roared onto Sheboygan North High School's track Wednesday afternoon, the shrieks of hundreds of excited youngsters rang out.
So much for the big surprise.
Perched on the back of that bike, decked out in a sporty black leather Harley jacket and a black and silver helmet, was world-class gymnast Chellsie Memmel of West Allis.
The diminutive guest passenger immediately caught the attention of many of the 1,300 gymnasts gathered on the football field for the Opening Ceremonies of the 2008 YMCA National Gymnastics Championships.
Up went a brief chant of "Chellsie, Chellsie, Chellsie!"
And when she got off the bike after a lap around the track and took off the helmet, her wide-eyed fans' screams grew in intensity.
Memmel, fresh off a third-place (all-around) finish at last weekend's United States Olympic Trials in Philadelphia, was the guest speaker Wednesday.
To cap the Opening Ceremonies, she signed autographs and posed for pictures under a fairly strong sun for well over an hour. Though she signed many hundreds of times, the line was still a good 30 yards long and several people wide when her mother, Jeanelle, finally cut the session short – almost half-an-hour longer than planned.
Such is the demand for one of the world's most famous gymnasts and an almost certain member of this summer's U.S. Olympic team.
As she signed, and smiled for photos, Memmel was the portrait of poise and grace. But earlier in the afternoon, as she waited in a storage shed near the track while the young YMCA gymnasts filed onto North High's field, Memmel admitted it wasn't easy for her to speak in front of large groups of people.
"I'm very excited, but also nervous," she said with a smile. "I'm kind of terrified of public speaking, I'm not going to lie."
She did just fine, though, telling the crowd of more than 3,000 how critical it is to love the sport you choose and to work hard at it, but also to be a well-rounded young person.
Memmel talked about how important it was to her that her parents (Andy and Jeanelle) supported her desire to attend school dances, football games and movies with friends. Chellsie also mentioned how much she loves to read books. In other words, in Chellsie's life, balance is more than just something to do on a beam.
Memmel closed her concise speech by telling the young gymnasts to appreciate the adults who support them, and then shared her philosophy on dealing with adversity: "If you have a setback, look to the positive."
She certainly knows about that.
Memmel recalled the date without hesitation: Nov. 7, 2006. That was when she underwent surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff and labrum.
Suddenly, the 2005 all-around world champion couldn't brush her teeth with her right arm, much less push off a vault or grab a bar.
"It was really hard," she said of that time. "For a couple of months, I couldn't lift my arm. When I finally did, I got excited. That's pathetic, I know, a gymnast getting excited about lifting her arm."
That holiday season wasn't easy. Not only did she have her arm in a sling; she also had a boot on an injured foot.
Memmel did an autograph signing appearance in Minnesota that winter, and had to "lift my arm and plop it on the table just so I could sign."
But while her shoulder was weak, her spirit wasn't.
"I always had the competitive fire," she said. "That never went away."
Memmel's mom, who recently watched the 2005 world championships on tape, thinks Chellsie is performing at an all-time best level right now.
"She's better (than she was in 2005)," said Jeanelle, who wore a black T-shirt adorned with the pink letters, "Chellsie Rocks."
In Philadelphia, Memmel took third in the all-around behind automatic U.S. Olympic team qualifiers Shawn Johnson and Nastia Liukin. Memmel was also second on beam, second on uneven bars and tied for second on floor. Four gymnasts (in addition to Johnson and Liukin) will be chosen to represent the U.S. during a "selection camp" July 16-20 in Houston. Memmel is considered a lock.
"It's been fantastic," said Jeanelle of her daughter's comeback. "She has trained so hard. The plan has worked, and she's ready."
"The first thing I need to do is lock up my spot (at the camp)," Memmel said. "Then, winning gold as a team is my personal goal. I really enjoy competing for the team in a team setting, competing for my country."
Memmel smiled when someone suggested that for a world-class gymnast, she's getting up there in years. She turned 20 on Monday in Philly (she celebrated by going out for ice cream). Wednesday, the crowd at North High serenaded her with "Happy Birthday" while she good-naturedly held her favorite gymnastics pose – a Sheboygan tradition, said meet director Denice Nugent.
Chellsie will be the second-oldest American female gymnast in China, by mere months, behind expected fellow lock Alicia Sacramone.
"I'm pretty young to be old," Memmel said as she stood in the shed and waited.
Before long, it was her turn to speak, then sign in a city that couldn't be much more different than Beijing, China.
Her signature was neat, much neater than that of the average celebrity. Much like her approach to the sport, there were no shortcuts. Every letter was legible. And when she knew a parent was snapping a photo, she tried to look up and smile, personalizing the event more than she was obligated to. A couple of young girls, lost in the moment, gave Chellsie spontaneous hugs. She hugged back.
Finally, just after 6 p.m., Chellsie and her mom got into the family mini-van and headed home for West Allis.
As Sheboygan disappeared in the rear-view mirror, Beijing, by way of Houston, loomed ahead.
Photo Gallery: YMCA National Gymnastics Championships opening ceremony
View photo gallery here.Video:National gymnastics meet kicks off with flying colors
June 25, 2008. The YMCA National Gymnastics Championship kicked off with an opening ceremony at North High on Wednesday afternoon. Almost 1,400 gymnasts from around the nation were pumped and ready for the four-day event, proudly wearing their colors and enthusiasm. See video here.Gymnasts tumble into town
Sheboygan Press article dated June 26, 2008
Ceremonies mark start of four-day championship
Team spirit, glitter, laughter and creative costumes made for a festive atmosphere on Sheboygan's north side Wednesday afternoon. The warm weather was a plus, too.
The YMCA National Gymnastics Championships opened its four-day run at Sheboygan North High School, an event that has brought nearly 1,400 gymnasts and more than 3,000 audience members from around the United States. There were no empty seats at Urban Field, where Wednesday's opening ceremony took place.
"We were not expecting it to be this large of an event," said Brigett O'Donnell-Villegas of Berwyn, Ill., a suburb of Chicago. "Everything is very organized, with the exception of the roads we took to get here through Milwaukee."
Her daughter, 11-year-old Lisa O'Donnell, qualified for her first national competition this year.
"It has been a pretty nice experience so far here in Sheboygan," O'Donnell-Villegas said.
Athletes with national qualifying scores, ages 6 to 26, were invited to the championships. Almost 100 teams from 21 states will be represented in the four-day competition, considered America's largest YMCA Gymnastics Championships. This is the first time Sheboygan is hosting the event.
One major highlight of the ceremony was announcing the three $1,000 scholarship winners given by the YMCA of the USA Gymnastics Advisory Committee. One of the winners was Owen Field, 17, a recent graduate of Kiel High School, selected from 23 applicants. He will be attending the University of Nebraska in the fall.
Adrieen Christopher of Hatboro, Pa., and Jessica Bolduc of Darien also earned scholarships.
Chellsie Memmel, 20, of West Allis, who placed third at the U.S. Olympic Trials last weekend, spoke to the competitors about the importance of keeping a positive attitude, reaching for dreams, never giving up and acknowledging support from friends and family members.
"Chellsie Memmel is one of my favorite gymnasts and I am so excited to meet her," said Markie-Lee Buyze, 11, of Gibbsville. "I am going to ask her for her autograph later."
Levels 2 and 3, as well as Prep-Optional, had already wrapped up their competitions prior to the ceremony. All of the upper levels will be performing today and Friday with the major championship performances and closing ceremonies Saturday.
"We worked really hard for this, for like a year," Buyze said. "Some of the gymnasts didn't get much sleep last night because they were excited and nervous. I did, I just had to wake up really early. We are having so much fun."
Buyze finished seventh all-around for the Lakeshore YMCA team Wednesday in the Level 3 age 8-and-under division.
Teams competing at the national event were encouraged to dress for the theme "Cooler Near the Lake." All of the teams were wearing unique costumes, creating a sea of colorful creativity as they were introduced at the beginning of the ceremony. One of the team costume contest winners dressed as snowmen and another was dressed like a school of fish and mermaids.
"I, personally, have never been to a national gymnastics event like this," said 22-year-old Molly Nolan, a gymnastics coach at Upper Main Line YMCA in Berwyn, Pa. "Sheboygan is such a beautiful city and the gymnasts really get into it."
Members of the University of Wisconsin Marching Band performed for 30 minutes as the teams lined up to make their grand entrances.
A parade of all of the teams circled Urban Field. The Lakeshore Springers, consisting of athletes from the Sheboygan and Manitowoc YMCA branches, made their entrance after all of the other visiting teams were introduced. The crowd came to its feet when the Springers, dressed as ice cubes, emerged dancing to Vanilla Ice's song "Ice, Ice Baby" and throwing T-shirts to the fans.
Sheboygan resident Erin Merry, 37, said she is extremely impressed with how well the national championships were run early in the day Wednesday. Her 8-year-old daughter, Lauren, finished third all-around for the level 3 age 8-and-under division, placing in each individual event including the vault, floor, bars and beam.
"All of the hard work that went into this event has really paid off," Merry said. "If the girls would qualify next year, I think we would definitely consider traveling because we had such a great experience this year hosting the event. The coaching was great and the kids did well. Some of them are a bit shy, and it is surprising how they come out of their shells when they have gymnastics performances."
National meet to air on TV
Sheboygan Press article dated June 25, 2008Unable to get tickets for this week’s YMCA National Gymnastics Championships?
No problem.
Turn on your TV.
The Sheboygan Area School District’s TV-20 (Charter cable channel 20) will be airing the entire event from North High School, beginning with today’s opening ceremonies.
TV-20 is run by South High broadcasting students and advised by Terry Shircel, Language Arts teacher at South.
According to Shircel, the school district’s electronics department has worked to wire and set-up broadcasting and recording from four different locations at North: the Acuity Fieldhouse, the Raider Gymnasium, the the auditorium and Urban Field.
“Community members who did not purchase tickets to the event will have an opportunity to see a wide variety of events from North High School,” Shircel. “There will be no announcing of the specific events, but an audio and video hook-up will enable viewers to experience the event and listen to the music each competitor uses.”
Tickets tough to come by
Sheboygan Press article dated June 24, 2008People trying to find tickets for the opening ceremonies of the 2008 YMCA National Gymnastics Championships on Wednesday might be out of luck.
Denice Nugent, the head of gymnastics at the Sheboygan YMCA, said individuals interested in securing tickets for the event, which will be held at Sheboygan North High School, should call the Y today (451-8000) to check on availability.
According to Nugent, nearly 4,000 tickets have been sold for the event, a total that includes the more than 1,300 athletes.
"It's very limited," Nugent said of ticket availability for the opening ceremonies on the North football field.
Tickets for the five-hour event cost $40, which includes attendance to the opening ceremony and additional activities such as musical entertainment — a Fifth Quarter appearance by the University of Wisconsin marching band — food courtesy of Johnsonville Sausage Inc. and other family-oriented activities.
The gymnasts will begin their entrance march for the beginning of the ceremony at about 3 p.m. The parade of states will be similar to the countries entering the stadium for the Olympic Games.
Among the highlights of the opening ceremony will be the keynote address, to be delivered by West Allis native and Olympic gymnastics hopeful Chellsie Memmel, 20, who finished third overall at last weekend's U.S. Gymnastics Championship. Memmel is a favorite to earn a spot on the Olympic team for this summer's Beijing Games.
Competition begins at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday and continues until 1:45 p.m., leading up to the opening ceremony.
Admission to the North fieldhouse for the competition is $10 for a daily pass, $6 for children ages 6-17 and free for children age 5 and under.
The North commons area will also host more than 40 different vendors and eight different food services. This event is free and the public is encouraged to attend.
"It only costs money to go into the (gym)," Nugent said. "We just want people to come in and check it out."
Nugent also said that TV-20, the Sheboygan Area School District's channel, and TV-8 are also planning coverage throughout the week.
Memmel closing in on redemption
Read the article here.Local gymnastics: End of an era
Sheboygan Press article dated June 23, 2008KIEL — When Kiel High School graduate Owen Field takes to the floor of the Sheboygan North High School fieldhouse for the 2008 YMCA National Gymnastics Championship on Friday, it will not only be the end of a career for the 17-year-old gymnast.
It will be the end of an era for the Field family.
"It's kind of been hitting me lately, like this is my last week of practice because next week is the meet," Owen said.
Owen is one of seven siblings, all coached by their mother, Karen, who will be participating at the YMCA Nationals meet that begins on Wednesday.
The meet runs through Sunday and features 1,360 gymnasts from 98 teams representing 21 states. The event, hosted by the Sheboygan County YMCA, will be the largest YMCA Nationals ever and largest gymnastics event in Wisconsin history.
The Lakeshore Springers — formed via a merger nine months ago by the Sheboygan YMCA Springers and Manitowoc/Two Rivers YMCA Flyers — will have 97 of its 124 athletes competing in Nationals this week and for the first time in over two decades, competitors in the championship division.
Owen, along with brothers Ethan, 16 and Austin, 14, will take to gym one final time together at a level they've never been to before.
"They are in the championship division and we are pretty excited about it," Karen said. "It's the first championship team we ever had. It's the first championship team since like 1980, maybe 1983, because there hasn't been that many boys in the program. We're excited about it."
"I'm kind of excited because it's something new and I don't know who I'm competing against," Austin said.
Owen will be attending the University of Nebraska in Lincoln this fall and while he hopes to help out with a gymnastics team in college, Nationals will be his final time competing.
Both Ethan and Austin said it will be different not having their older brother around but Austin pointed out that losing Owen will have some advantages.
"Sometimes it gets like a rivalry sort of. You want to beat your sibling but it is kind of hard sometimes," Austin said. "It will be kind of hard because I'll miss him and stuff. As for gymnastics, it will be easier."
Karen was a gymnastics competitor in high school and at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. After she earned her degree in physical education, Karen moved to Kiel and began working with the Sheboygan YMCA gymnastics program. Twenty years later, Karen has seven children competing in the program — Owen, 17; Ethan, 16; Austin, 14; Aaron, 12; Emma, 11; Eliza, 10; and Evan, 12 — with another son, Aiden, 3, waiting in the wings.
"Twenty years ago we moved to the area, started coaching the kids and loved working with them," Karen said. "We joined the Manitowoc program just nine months ago. We started a boys program, almost 17 years ago, just when my oldest son was born.
"They all started when they were babies. We have programs running from babies through adults so they have been in the gym. It's like a second home to them. Everybody in the gym is like family. They are just used to being in there.
Owen said it's always exciting having the whole family being involved with the sport.
"There is never a dull moment really." Owen said. "It's just nice because you watch everyone grow through it, every time they learn something new."
The most interesting moments come on the road such as last year's trip to Washington state for the 2007 YMCA Nationals.
"Last summer we had nationals in Washington so we drove all the way out there, the whole family," Austin said. "It was a pretty crazy car ride. Just spending that much time, it took like three days to get out there. We kind of got sick of each other."
"Sometimes we fight and it's loud," added Emma about the road trips.
"It's crazy," Eliza said.
As crazy as the road trips can be, for Karen, the best part of her job is being able to spend time with her children while working, though it can be tough separating her roles as a mother and coach.
"I love having them in there because I get to see them when I go to work," Karen said. "Normal people don't get to have that opportunity. It is hard because when I am in the gym, I'm their coach and I can't be their mother at that point. I need to be their coach. It's harder for them because they need to listen to me like any other coach."
For Emma and Eliza, they also enjoy spending time with their mother at the gym.
"We can work out with her during times," Emma said.
Watching and learning from their older brothers is an added bonus as well.
"It's kind of cool to watch what they do," Emma said. "They do a lot of cool stuff. It looks really hard."
"I like watching them," Eliza said. "The front toss, you do it on the (parallel) bars and do a front tuck and land like that."
For Owen, Ethan and Austin, gymnastics is not their entire life. While all three admit to loving the sport having grown up with it, they are active in many other sports as well.
Owen hopes to walk on to either the Cornhuskers' cross-country, wrestling or track teams this fall. For Ethan, football is a big deal and when it comes to Austin, there are not enough seasons to accommodate all the sports he participates in.
And there is homework that still needs to be done too.
"Balancing it is really hard," Karen said. "They have been doing gymnastics all their life so it makes the other sports that they are doing, they do a lot of other activities, and I think they are able to do them all because they have been doing gymnastics so long. It makes them more aware of their body and how to move. They are strong and that's from gymnastics. It's harder the older they get because their practices at high school are long and then they come to the gym and do a long practice and homework."
All three brothers have credited gymnastics for not only making them stronger, but balancing their time as well.
"It makes you a lot stronger and better prepared for the other sports. I think it gives you an advantage a lot," Ethan said.
"It really helps you out with everything," Owen said. "A lot of my other coaches said they can tell I've been doing something else my whole life because my running form is a lot better. I'm pretty strong. It helps out a lot.
"It gets your body in shape like nothing else can. It's just great."
Austin, the five-sport athlete of the family, competes in wrestling, football, basketball and baseball along with gymnastics. There is not a single sport where his gymnastics experiences haven't paid off.
"Gymnastics has helped because I learned to get all my work done right away so I'm able to do more stuff," Austin said. "It uses different muscle groups. It's just way different than any other sport. It's more competitive. It makes you stronger."
Sheboygan Press Ghoto Gallery
YMCA National Tournament set up: Photo GalleryEditorial: Gymnastics event puts Sheboygan back in national spotlight
Sheboygan Press article dated June 22, 2008While it may not be as well-known as a national golf tournament, the YMCA National Gymnastics Meet in Sheboygan this week is indeed a big deal.
Upwards of 5,000 gymnasts and spectators are expected for the four-day event that starts with opening ceremonies at North High School on Wednesday and continues through Saturday. More than 1,300 gymnasts, both boys and girls, from around the country will compete for the title of national champion.
This area is well represented in the meet, with Sheboygan and Manitowoc YMCAs combining to form a 96-member team.
Even if you are not an expert at gymnastics, it would be worth your while to stop in at North to watch some of the competition. Ticket prices are very reasonable: $10 for adults and $5 for children each day.
We'll bet that you'll be amazed and impressed at the quality of the competition and the lengths to which the local YMCA and dozens of volunteers have gone to put on this show.
Who knows, you may even see a future Olympic star or two.
But as much as this is about competition for the young athletes, it is also about the Sheboygan area's ability to attract high-caliber spectator events.
We have already experienced this from golf tournaments that started with the 1998 U.S. Women's Open at Blackwolf Run. The 2004 PGA Championship and the 2007 U.S. Senior Open, both at Whistling Straits in Haven, were likewise showcase events.
And, it will only get better. PGA Championships are planned for 2010 and 2015. The women's open will come back in 2012 and the international Ryder Cup matches between U.S. and European professionals will be at Whistling Straits in 2020.
Auto racing at Road America put Sheboygan County on the map more than 50 years ago, and it continues to draw thousands of competitors and spectators to events every summer.
All of these visitors, along with those who come to enjoy the abundance of outdoor activities in this area, spend millions of dollars a year at local restaurants, lodging facilities and commercial businesses.
Many months, even years of effort have gone into bringing the gymnastics event to Sheboygan and we thank the hundreds of people from the YMCA and other local organizations for their hard work.
We urge Sheboygan area residents to put out their own welcome mat for the people coming to Sheboygan over the next several days.
And we encourage our visitors to look around and check out the many other reasons to visit Sheboygan County — and come back in the future.
Youth Gymnastics: YMCA national meet coming to the Lakeshore
Sheboygan Press article dated June 22, 2008In August 2006, Denice Nugent and Cheri Louwagie had lunch after the two of them, along with Tim Herrmann, made a presentation in Seattle on behalf of the Sheboygan County YMCA in a bid to host the 2008 YMCA national gymnastics championships.
After speaking with YMCA officials and realizing it was likely their presentation would bring the event to Sheboygan, Nugent and Louwagie had an epiphany.
Now what?
The next day it became official. Two years of preparing immediately commenced, and on Wednesday, the hard work finally pays off.
More than 1,300 gymnasts will come to Sheboygan for the YMCA National Championships, which take place Wednesday through Saturday at North High School.
To be specific, 1,360 gymnastics from ages 5 to 20, representing 98 teams from 21 states — including as far away as California (four teams), Washington (two) and Florida and Georgia (one each) — will hit the mats, uneven bars and pommel horses.
"It's neat to be able to compete with people from all over the nation, coming together," said Melissa Louwagie, 13, of Sheboygan and a competitor for the Lakeshore Springers, a joint team made up of gymnasts from the Sheboygan and Manitowoc YMCAs. "You don't normally get to compete with people from Florida up here."
When one throws in numbers for family members and others, the YMCA Nationals will bring in an estimated 5,000 people for an extended weekend to the lakeshore.
It will be the largest gymnastics event ever held in Wisconsin, and officials believe it will be the largest YMCA national championship of all time.
"The community is embracing it," said Nugent, citing 60 major sponsors for the event.
It certainly has taken a village to put this upcoming show on.
Planning started right away, and by the end of January of 2007, 22 committees were in place for every aspect of the event, such as tickets, sales and volunteers.
Nugent, the head of gymnastics at the Sheboygan County YMCA and the Springers' coach, said there are about 1,000 volunteers signed up for the event, more than they had hoped. The higher numbers will mean a smoother meet, she said.
Daily passes are $10 for adults, $6 for children 6-17 and free for ages 5 and under. All-access passes are available for $65 (adult), $50 (ages 6-17) and free (5 and under).
The event begins and ends with blowout celebrations of the sport.
The opening ceremonies, featuring 2005 all-around world champion Chellsie Memmel, take place Wednesday from 3 to 8 p.m. on the North High football field.
The University of Wisconsin marching band will perform, with a gymnasts' parade of states (much like the parade of nations at the Olympics) to follow. Memmel, a West Allis native, is the keynote speaker.
Only 50 tickets remained out of nearly 4,000 for the opening ceremonies, which also features games, rides and a DJ until 8 p.m. Tickets ($40) can be obtained at the YMCA front desk through Tuesday.
The closing ceremonies will be held in the North High field house on Saturday starting at 1 p.m. Tickets are $5 for adults, $3 for children.
"We want that to be huge," Nugent said.
Entertainment for that event begins at noon, with championship match competition starting at 2 p.m. The event is expected to wrap up at about 5:30 p.m. Included is a performance by "Flippenout," an extreme trampoline gymnastics team.
In addition, as many as 70 vendors will be on hand at North selling food and merchandise.
Springers excited to host event
Sheboygan Press article dated June 22, 2008With their painted hair featuring stripes and spots of red, purple and black, the colors of their new combined team, Lakeshore Springers teen gymnasts Melissa Louwagie, Arika Madson and Jessica Emley prepared for a fun weekend with teammates and some special guests.
The Springers, a gymnastics team made up of athletes from the Sheboygan and Manitowoc YMCAs, are the official hosts of the YMCA National Championships, which take place Wednesday through Saturday at Sheboygan North High.
More than 1,300 gymnasts will take part in the mega-meet, and the event is expected to bring 5,000 people to the community.
"It's going to be huge," said Tori Hoppe, another member of the Springers gymnastics team. "I'm really excited."
It was announced in September of 2006 that the Sheboygan YMCA — the Sheboygan Springers team, to be specific — would host the 2008 national championships.
A month later, Manitowoc and Sheboygan joined to form the Lakeshore Springers.
The joining of the two programs has been enjoyable.
"It's going really smooth. Everyone's pitching in," said Springers head coach Denice Nugent, the head of gymnastics at the Sheboygan YMCA.
By far, the Lakeshore team has the largest contingent of competing athletes, with 97. The next largest number from one team, said Nugent, is 38.
They weren't handed entries into the national event, either. Athletes had to qualify with high scores and performances from other meets.
Nugent was the instrumental force in getting the national championship to Sheboygan. And despite organizing the massive efforts to host the event, she has not missed a single practice with her young athletes.
The many volunteers and others helping to ensure the meet is a major success have allowed Nugent to make time for her team.
"The kids are the priority," she said.
The Springers certainly are ready for the excitement. And to be gracious hosts.
When asked if she was most excited about competing at this level, meeting fellow athletes from all over the nation or meeting world champion Chellsie Memmell — the keynote speaker for Wednesday's opening ceremonies — 16-year-old Cassie VanDeurzen responded the way many of her teammates would have.
"All of the above."
Volunteers Applications Available for 2008 YMCA National Gymnastics Championships
Applications are now available for volunteer positions at the 2008 YMCA National Gymnastics Championships in Sheboygan, June 25-28, 2008. 
The elite competition is an event of a lifetime with more than 1,500 gymnasts from around the country competing for top honors. This is the first time Sheboygan is hosting these national games. An audience of more than 3,000 is expected, along with some celebrity appearances.
Opportunities are available June 23-30, 2008, during Opening and Closing Ceremonies as well as many other stations throughout the Championship, including set-up and take-down.
Individuals, as well as groups – including youth groups chaperoned by an adult – are encouraged to take part in the celebration by donating time.
Every YMCA National Gymnastics Championships volunteer will receive a complimentary t-shirt, credentials and a ticket to Closing Ceremony as well as entry to the event volunteered for.
In order to assure that all children participating in the games are in a safe environment, appropriate background checks will be conducted on all adult volunteers based on position and duties. It’s just one of the many ways the Sheboygan YMCA helps to protect children and other vulnerable people served by the YMCA.
To receive an application please contact Jill Tenpas at 920-451-8000, ext. 122 or email ygymprog@sheobygancountyymca.org. Applications are also available online at www.ymcanationals2008.org.
Sponsor Sought for National Gymnastics Championship
Next summer more than 3,000 spectators are anticipated to watch the closing ceremonies at the 2008 YMCA National Gymnastics Championships in Sheboygan on June 28, 2008.
The Closing Ceremonies are similar in structure to that of the Olympics complete with a national emcee, well-known performer and awards for the best of the best.
To assist with expenses, the Sheboygan YMCA Springers gymnastics team is seeking an exclusive sponsor for the closing ceremony.
The company selected to sponsor the ceremony will not only gain recognition among the thousands of guests and gymnasts, but will also be awarded VIP seating, name recognition on all banners, signs and volunteer t-shirts, inclusion on the website – which already receives well over 1,000 hits a week – and much more.
“We already have teams signing up for the competition,” said Denice Nugent, Sheboygan YMCA gymnastics coordinator. “This is going to be a huge event and we are counting on business partners to help make the Championship a huge success.”
More than 1,500 gymnasts from around the country are expected to attend the 2008 YMCA National Gymnastics Championships June 25-28, 2008.
The multi-day championship will kick off with an opening ceremony featuring World champion gymnast and West Allis native, Chellsie Memmel.
“We are hoping to line up something just as big and even more exciting for closing ceremonies,” said Nugent. “We are just looking for a business that will partner with us.”
A number of other sponsorship opportunities are available, for more information please contact Cheri Louwagie at itscool@ymcanationals2008.org or 920-208-1971.
For more information about the event visit www.ymcanationals2008.org.
Vendor Opportunities Still Available
Although still seven months away, spaces are rapidly filling for vendors and concessionaires wishing to participate in the 2008 YMCA National Gymnastics Championships which will be held in Sheboygan June 25-28, 2008.
An anticipated 5,000 gymnasts and audience members are expected to attend the event which will be held at Sheboygan North High School.
A number of booths are still available in the atrium, “Vendor’s Hall,” and outside of the Awards Auditorium. Multiple booths will receive a 10 percent discount after the first booth, electricity is available.
Leotards may not be sold.
For more information and/or to obtain an application, please contact Cheri Louwagie at itscool@ymcanationals2008.org or 920-208-1971.
For more information about the event visit www.ymcanationals2008.org.
Youth gymnastics: Opening Ceremony gets sponsor
Sheboygan Press article dated October 7, 2007
The Lakeshore Springers have announced Johnsonville Sausage Inc., will be the exclusive sponsor of the Opening Ceremony for the 2008 YMCA National Gymnastics Championships that will be held in Sheboygan June 25-28, 2008.
The Lakeshore Springers team is the newly merged Sheboygan County YMCA Springers and Manitowoc/Two Rivers YMCA Lakeshore Flyers.
An anticipated 5,000 gymnasts and spectators are expected Opening Ceremony, scheduled for June 25, 2008.
The Opening Ceremony includes more than five hours of events, including a parade of states, musical entertainment and a ceremony featuring a keynote address by former world gymnastics champion Chellsie Memmel.
The 2008 YMCA National Gymnastics Championships are expected to be the largest championship in the history of the games with competitors ranging in age from 5 to adult.
"When we first started talking with Johnsonville Sausage about this major sponsorship, they encouraged us to think big," said Denice Nugent, senior program director/gymnastics, Sheboygan County YMCA. "What better sponsor could you ask for than a local, family-owned company that has a big heart and the largest grill capable of feeding all these hungry gymnasts and their families. We couldn't think of a better company to help us make this a great first impression."
Johnsonville's donations are expected to cover the cost of expenses for the Opening Ceremony.
"The opportunity the Springers have brought to Sheboygan by hosting these national games is just astounding," said Tony Rammer, art director/eMarketing, Johnsonville Sausage Inc.
"The level of competition and the prestige of the championships is something Johnsonville is honored to be a part of."
Opening Ceremony tickets will be made available to the public as the date of the championships nears.
For more information visit www.ymcanationals2008.org.
2008 YMCA National Gymnastics Championships Apparel
YMCA gymnasts, their families and fans can now order merchandise with the 2008 YMCA National Gymnastics Championships logo thanks to an agreement with GK Elite Sportswear.
Leotards, shirts, shorts, capris, pants, jackets, hoodies, t-shirts, polo shirts and mesh shorts can be ordered with either the Y Nationals logo or the YMCA National 2008 Championships logo. Girls also have the option of ordering three different shirts that coordinate with the jackets, shorts and pants.
To save money for gymnasts before the big event, leotards, as well as boy’s and men’s mesh shorts are available at a special pre-order price. The price will go up at the meet, so order today!
More advantages to ordering online include the opportunity to select from a wide array of colors and designs, the ability to personalize items with names and/or team logos, as well as the opportunity to select jewel colors on the leotards and jackets.
To order visit www.gkelite.com and scroll down the page to the Y Nationals logo located on the left-hand side of the page. Embroidery personalization is only available on the web. It costs an additional per letter fee. NO embroidery will be available at the Nationals Championships in June.
Merchandise can be ordered for the holidays, birthdays and other occasions.
Elite Sportswear GK is the most recognized manufacturer of gymnastics apparel in the world. GK is recognized around the globe for superior quality, styling and fit; and friendly knowledgeable customer service.
Every GK garment that is manufactured by Elite Sportswear must pass 100 percent of it’s quality control checks before it is packaged and shipped.
Community Notes: YMCA Springers looking for sponsors
Sheboygan Press article dated September 1, 2007
Next summer more than 3,000 spectators are anticipated to watch the closing ceremonies at the 2008 YMCA National Gymnastics Championships in Sheboygan on June 28.
The closing ceremonies are similar in structure to that of the Olympics complete with a national emcee, well-known performer and awards for the best of the best.
To assist with expenses, the Sheboygan YMCA Springers gymnastics team is seeking an exclusive sponsor for the closing ceremony.
The company selected to sponsor the ceremony will not only gain recognition among the thousands of guests and gymnasts, but will also be awarded VIP seating, name recognition on all banners, signs and volunteer T-shirts, inclusion on the Web site — which already receives well over 1,000 hits a week — and much more.
"We already have teams signing up for the competition," said Denice Nugent, Sheboygan YMCA gymnastics coordinator. "This is going to be a huge event and we are counting on business partners to help make the championship a huge success."
More than 1,500 gymnasts from around the country are expected to attend the 2008 YMCA National Gymnastics Championships June 25-28.
The multi-day championship will kick off with an opening ceremony featuring world champion gymnast and West Allis native, Chellsie Memmel.
"We are hoping to line up something just as big and even more exciting for closing ceremonies," said Nugent. "We are just looking for a business that will partner with us."
A number of other sponsorship opportunities are available, for more information please contact Cheri Louwagie at itscool@ymcanationals2008.org or (920) 208-1971.
For more information about the event visit www.ymcanationals2008. org.
Copyrighted article used with permission from The Sheboygan Press.
World-class gymnast to visit Sheboygan
Sheboygan Press article dated March 15, 2007
Sheboygan's youth gymnasts are already excited about hosting the 2008 Sheboygan 
YMCA national championships. Now, there is further reason to be pumped about the event.
The YMCA announced recently that Chellsie Memmel, a West Allis native and one of the top gymnasts in the world, will speak at the opening ceremony for the event, set for June of 2008. "We're very excited that this worked out," said Sheboygan YMCA gymnastics coordinator Denice Nugent.
"This represents the caliber we're aiming for, in all areas of this meet." Nugent said she met Memmel and her parents at the Lake Owen Gymastics Camp near Hayward this past summer.
"I was very impressed with how personable she was," Nugent recalled. Memmel, the 2005 all-around world champion will be appearing only days after trying to qualify for the 2008 U.S. Olympic team.
Memmel was on her way to defending her all-around title in 2006 but an injury suffered in the team finals denied her a chance. Nugent said Memmel's agenda also includes signing autographs, answering questions and mingling with the gymnasts.
The national event is expected to attract 1,000 to 1,500 gymnasts to Sheboygan.
An Olympics-style ceremony kicks off the four-day event.
Copyrighted article used with permission from The Sheboygan Press.
Local YMCA to host national gymnastics event in 2008
Sheboygan Press article dated December 13, 2006
The Sheboygan School Board unanimously voted Tuesday night in favor of holding the 2008 YMCA National Gymnastics Championship and Festival at the Acuity Field House at North High School, along with North's surrounding athletic facilities, from June 25-28.
The Sheboygan YMCA recently learned that it would be hosting the national event, which is expected to draw between 1,000 to 1,500 athletes from ages 6 to 18, along with attracting 3,000 spectators, according to event administrators.
Copyrighted article used with permission from The Sheboygan Press.
Sheboygan chosen as host city of 2008 gymnastics championships
YMCA lands national event
Sheboygan Press article dated November 27, 2006
When the Sheboygan YMCA entered a bid to host the 2000 National Gymnastics Championships, it was passed over mainly because the city didn't have the facilities to stage an event of such magnitude.
But with the addition of the new fieldhouses at North and South high schools, the YMCA's bid for the 2008 Championships had everything the selection committee was looking for.
The Sheboygan YMCA learned recently it was awarded the 2008 YMCA National Gymnastics Championships, which will be held in June of that year. The four-day competition will be held at either North or South's new fieldhouse. That decision is likely to happen in December.
The event is expected to draw 1,000 to 1,500 athletes. An Olympics-style opening 
ceremony, which includes a parade of states, opening addresses, nationally recognized guest speakers, recognition of graduating seniors and announcement of scholarship awards, will kickoff the event. The Championships could mean millions of dollars for the local economy, said Denice Nugent, Senior Program Director/Gymnastics at the YMCA.
"When we put in the bid in 2000, it was over $1 million at that point," said Nugent. Efforts to host the 2008 Championships have been ongoing for several years. The new fieldhouses highlighted the latest bid. A local contingent, led by Nugent, Cheri Louwagie and Tim Herrmann, traveled to Seattle earlier this month to make a PowerPoint presentation to the selection committee. When they were finished, Nugent said the local group liked their chances.
"We showed (the committee) all that Sheboygan would have to offer, how great our parents are and the area's history with hosting huge events, like the PGA (in 2004) and Road America," said Nugent.
The following day, the committee chose Sheboygan over Greenwood, S.C., to host the 2008 Championship.
The YMCA's history of hosting the annual Snowflake Invite (with upwards of 800 gymnasts), the experience of the program and the individuals in charge of it, also contributed to Sheboygan's winning bid.
The 2007 National Championships are scheduled for June 27-30 Puyallup, Wash., near Tacoma.
The majority of athletes will compete just once, but the nation's top gymnasts will 
compete all three days. The championships conclude with event finals and closing ceremonies. "There's lots to work on, constantly it seems like; so many facets. We want it to be the best national meet there's ever been," said Nugent.
Community help needed
The event, officially hosted by the Sheboygan County YMCA's Board of Directors, Sheboygan Springers team and the gymnastics staff, is seeking volunteers, sponsors, vendors and partners. In fact, Nugent estimates that around 1,000 volunteers could be needed to run an event of this scope. She also emphasized that volunteers do not need a gymnastics background to help out. "It can be anybody in the community, there are so many aspects of (volunteering)," she said. "We need ushers for the opening ceremonies, we need to feed the judges..." If you have questions, please send us an email at itscool@ymcanationals2008.org or call the Y Nationals Hotline at 920-451-8001 x202. "We're working with vendors; we want to really showcase what Sheboygan County has to offer." said Nugent.
Copyrighted article used with permission from The Sheboygan Press.