MAEVE REYNOLDS (Photo by John Chang/USA Olympic Gymnastics)
WESTFIELD – Roots Gymnastics Center may be expanding into aquatics, but it appears its gymnasts are branching out in terms of their success.
Roots had an impressive showing at the USA Gymnastics Xcel Region 6 Regionals earlier this summer, with nearly a half dozen gymnasts posting impressive results at the meet sponsored by the Massachusetts USA Gymnastics. Gymnasts from all over Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New York participated in the event in North Andover, Mass.
Qualifiers had to place in the top seven in states for their age group in each respective state.
KEALYN MATUSZCZAK (Photo by John Chang/USA Olympic Gymnastics)
“I was most impressed they all of my gymnasts placed in the All-Around in the whole region,” said Roots Team Xcel coach Joanne Hewins.
Five area gymnasts earned a trip to regionals. They not only qualified for regionals, but also excelled by finishing in the top three or four spots in the entire region.
“That was icing on the cake,” coach Hewins said.
Westfield natives Kelly Burns, 10, Kealyn Matuszczak, 12, and Maeve Reynolds, 17, represented the state for Roots well.
Matuszczak claimed the regional championship by vaulting to first place. She placed sixth with her floor routine, and was second all-around (36.825). Reynolds showcased consistency with second on vault, and third on the uneven bars and balance beam. Her all-around performance netted a score of 36.45, good for third all-around. Burns finished second all-around (floor, 4th; vault, 5th; bars, 6th) with a 36.55.
KELLY BURNS (Photo by John Chang/USA Olympic Gymnastics)
Jordan Wytrych, 14, of Southampton won her entire age group in states and was rewarded by the Mass USAG with a night out at a Red Sox game. Wytrych was the regional champ on vault, third on bars, and third all-around (36.575).
Kendra Drabkin, 15, of Suffield, finished fourth on beam, bars, and all-around (35.925).
Each gymnast competed in a squad of gymnast from gyms all across the state. Massachusetts was the regional championship in all divisions except for one, finishing runner-up to New Hampshire.
Hewins attributed the success to hard work, and a level-head.
The Roots Xcel coach said each of her gymnasts trains for about eight hours a week. “They were just consistent in everything. They made no mistakes.”
Hewins is also the head coach of the Westfield High School gymnastics team, arguably one of the sport’s best programs in the entire state. Westfield, which heads into the 2013 season with an unbeaten streak of 78-0, has won six straight west sectional titles.
