Thursday, June 4, 2009

Victoria: The Place To Be

Best of luck to all the gymnasts, coaches, judges, physios, drivers, score-flashers, ushers, runners, gym parents, cashiers, cheer squads, security personnel, vendors, coffee cart guys and announcer (no plural necessary there) at the Victorian Gymnastics Championships and Rhythmic Aussie All-Stars Invitational tomorrow.

I offer a big squishy Melbourne hug to our interstate and NZ visitors, and welcome them with an ancient Australian Gymnastics Blog tradition of doing the happyhappyjoyjoy pyjama-clad daggy dance of awesome. It's really quite an art form, I must show you some time.


If our paths cross, do introduce yourself/ves. There are some sessions where I will be not doing my rostered media work/miscellaneous helping out and instead just watching the event (most likely with green notebook in tow). I will admit I'm biased towards artistic gym but will certainly have a squizz at the rhythmic gym if I get the chance. It means a lot when I get to say hello to new people and put names to faces. If you happen to hear someone behind you asking a gymnast for a photograph and you turn and they're wearing a white volunteer's shirt and blushing a lot... that'll probably be me.

I'm really excited about the event, particularly about seeing some of our elites up close. I hope my volunteer capacity gets me down on the floor at some point, even for a very short while. For me it's like walking on the MCG grass, I just love being part of something we so often see only on television or in internet footage, something that sometimes feels like a whole different world.

Well, different world - here I come!

9 comments:

Kathryn in NZ said...

Go you for helping out!! what a buzz. Much better than being a nail biting Evil Gym Mom watching daughters step off beams (or not!)...
Do watch out for the NZers for me, ok?
Oh, BTW, if you ever get chance to come to NZ for gymstuff - you're very welcome to stay chezmoi.

Froggy said...

Good luck from me to everyone too! Looking forward to the weekend, too much talking and not enough sleep. I hope those Kiwi girls packed the requisite jelly-beans for the announcer. See you all there :)

Ribbit

mistysakura said...

Good luck all :) I'll be going Saturday and Monday, so hopefully see you then!

Anonymous said...

OT but the WA state tema is up - unfortunately they're looking a little thin on the ground when you consider how many girls they had coming through last year.

The INT 10-SNR girls are:
Nikola Chung
Emily Little
Ashley Cooney
Lauren Mitchell

No Natalia.

Anonymous said...

According to the Gymnastics WA webit Lauren, Emily and Nikola's participation is subject to qualificaton at the Winter challenge on June 5/6. Lauren didn't compete at the first trial but I thought Emily did.

Anonymous said...

I have heard that many of the senior girls will not be competing on all apparatus. This is a reflection of where they are at with injury recovery for Nationals but more importantly, Worlds. That should not be interpreted as a lack of support for Vics. The opposite is true because the girls are competing what they are ready to compete instead of not showing at all until they are completely fit.
I will be glad to see whatever they are able to show and I'm really looking forward to it...one more sleep!
Go girls!!

nade00 said...

I am sad Zoe pulled out of Vics, I would have really liked to see her gym. I hope she is ok for Nationals.

On the other hand I am looking forward to seeing the Queensland girls very much.

I am just happy to hear some seniors will compete, even if it is not all events!

Anonymous said...

Emily Nikki and Lauren qualified for Nationals at the Winter Challenge this weekend (Qual Trial 2). Also Qualified is the team of 6 IDP 6's plus 2 individual competitors.

Anonymous said...

Thats good news.

Does anyone know how they looked, especially Lauren?