**STATE CHAMP**

Abby totally rocked her tumbling meet last weekend! She is state Champ in TWO events -- Trampoline and Tumbling (floor). She was simply amazing in these two events and she deserved 1st place for sure. Although, the older she gets, the stiffer the competition gets and we are just never sure if it will be 1st, 2nd, or 3rd... but we can usually tell if she would be lower than 3rd -- for some odd reason (ha, ha!).

Her meet was in Heber, UT and she actually had 2 events on Friday evening and one on Saturday morning. Her first event was double mini tramp. Abby had been working for the past two weeks to get her double back flip off the tramp for her 2nd pass on double mini... but when she went to do her first pass, she had a really weird bad bounce that kind of kicked her off the trampoline. She wasn't even able to do her skills for her first pass. Sitting in the stands Brad and I could tell that she was devastated and extremely upset. Her second pass went fairly well, but with only skills on one pass it just doesn't work and she ended up getting 8th place on double mini. She came up in the stands to talk to us and was verrrrry bummed. She understands that you make mistakes and sometimes you get bad bounces..... but she had worked so dang hard to get her double back flip!!

Abby on top the podium after placing 1st in Tumbling

Well, she had to perform trampoline in about an hour so she had to shake it off -- and she did that very well. Her trampoline routines were BEAUTIFUL!! Unless you are a parent, or hang around the gym watching these girls and guys practice you don't really notice the details, but at the end I have posted video; notice what good form Abby has, her legs and toes are together, her legs are straight, she kicks out beautifully... she just looks so good when she performs. Plus there is a rectangle on the tramp that they are suppose to stay within during their routine. Well, Abby got FIRST PLACE!! There were 12 girls competing in trampoline.


The next morning she competed for tumbling. There were 13 girls she was competing against in tumbling. Now all of these girls are in Abby's same age group, and they have all registered to compete at the same level... it starts at level 5 and goes up to level 10 then jr elite etc. So, they are all very competitive with each other, and their skills and abilities are similar. Once again she was right on. Her passes down the floor looked great! Abby has such great form on floor also. Now at the end of the blue floor there is a red line then a yellow mat.... the athletes score higher if the they start their last skill on the blue and land on the yellow mat. Kinda tricky to measure this all out when you are flipping down the floor, like they do!! Abby landed perfectly on both of her passes, which was really super for her score and her routine! Great Job Abby! (Once again, I have posted all of the videos at the end.) We were nervous waiting for the awards, there are a few really good girls competing against Abby... where would she place?? We figured she would be in the top 3, but would she? YES she would! Abby Larson got 1st Place in Tumbling! Hooray!

Abby on top the podium after taking 1st place for trampoline... she competed against 12 girls, but it was late at night and most of the girls had left for the night. Happy girl! :)

Lots and lots of trophies to be given out. Trophies are only given out at the state, regional, and national meets. The rest of the meets the girls receive medals.

Hanging out, waiting for the awards....

The two above videos are Abby doing her Tumbling passes. Watch her form, her legs are together, her back handsprings and whips are long... she just looks grand!

The above videos are Abby doing her Trampoline routines. She is so amazing, you might want to watch them 2 or 3 times to appreciate how great she really looks! :) In the top video she does her double back flip and lands perfectly, then her very last skill is a rudi (a front flip with 2 twists) she lands this like a true champ also!!

This video is a practice pass that Abby did on double mini.... it has her doing her double back flip off, so you can kind of see what she had been working on, but she would have been a little more on target if she were being judged.....

Once again, here I am brag, brag, brag... but I guess I have got something pretty good to brag about! Just a proud momma!

p.s. This is Abby's 3rd year in a row taking state (1st place) on trampoline.