2011-2012 Weekly Highlights
Week Fourteen
The RB Gymnastics Team would like to say "Thank You" to Principal, Pam Bylsma, for taking the time from her very busy after school schedule, in order to stop by the Gymnastics Gym and speak to the entire team prior to the IHSA Regional Competition! Mrs. Bylsma spoke to the Gymnastics Team for quite awhile and provided encouraging and inspirational advice for the hard working, very young, RB Gymnastics Team! She expressed her admiration and respect for Gymnasts and how much the Difficult Sport of Gymnastics demands from the Athletes! Strength, Confidence, Consistency, and Control! She related how much she, herself, trained as an Athlete for her Sport of Cheerleading while in High School! How much dedication and sacrifice and training was necessary to become a Leader and a Champion!
"Thank You" again, Principal Pam Bylsma, for your encouragement and inspiration!
The RB Gymnastics Team also expressed their "Thanks" to the Night Time Custodial Staff for all of their many hours of Strong Help with setting up Gymnastics Equipment before and after each RB Home Gymnastics Competition!
The RB Gymnastics Team provided a Baked Chicken Dinner last week for all of the Night Time Custodian Staff! They enjoyed the Hot Dinner at 7:00 pm and appreciated the Gymnastics Team's thoughtfulness!
"Thank You" to the RB Night Time Custodial Staff!
The RB Gymnasts spent the past week learning many New Skills for next year's Gymnastics Season!
The Freshmen and Sophomores especially worked on many New Skills! On Vaulting the Gymnasts worked on Front Handsprings, 1/2 on 1/2 off vaults, 1/2 on and full twist off vaults!
On Uneven Bars the Ladies worked on kips, drop kips, and drop kip switch grip kips!
A special Balance Beam training system was created by Coach Tom. Using the hand spotting belt and two spotters, this allowed the Gymnasts an opportunity to begin learning the very difficult Beam Skills, including Back Walkovers, Back Handsprings, and Back Flips!
Floor Exercise practice included spotting belt training for Back Handsprings, Back Flips, and then successive Tumbling Sequences in the spotting belt!
Following a very exciting and very rewarding 2011-2012 Gymnastics Season, with an amazing +24.50 Improvement Ranking, the Very Young RB Gymnastics Team is already looking forward to next year's 2012-2013 Gymnastics Season!
"Go Bulldogs!"
Thanks, Coach Tom Sisulak
The RB Gymnastics Team would like to say "Thank You" to Principal, Pam Bylsma, for taking the time from her very busy after school schedule, in order to stop by the Gymnastics Gym and speak to the entire team prior to the IHSA Regional Competition! Mrs. Bylsma spoke to the Gymnastics Team for quite awhile and provided encouraging and inspirational advice for the hard working, very young, RB Gymnastics Team! She expressed her admiration and respect for Gymnasts and how much the Difficult Sport of Gymnastics demands from the Athletes! Strength, Confidence, Consistency, and Control! She related how much she, herself, trained as an Athlete for her Sport of Cheerleading while in High School! How much dedication and sacrifice and training was necessary to become a Leader and a Champion!
"Thank You" again, Principal Pam Bylsma, for your encouragement and inspiration!
The RB Gymnastics Team also expressed their "Thanks" to the Night Time Custodial Staff for all of their many hours of Strong Help with setting up Gymnastics Equipment before and after each RB Home Gymnastics Competition!
The RB Gymnastics Team provided a Baked Chicken Dinner last week for all of the Night Time Custodian Staff! They enjoyed the Hot Dinner at 7:00 pm and appreciated the Gymnastics Team's thoughtfulness!
"Thank You" to the RB Night Time Custodial Staff!
The RB Gymnasts spent the past week learning many New Skills for next year's Gymnastics Season!
The Freshmen and Sophomores especially worked on many New Skills! On Vaulting the Gymnasts worked on Front Handsprings, 1/2 on 1/2 off vaults, 1/2 on and full twist off vaults!
On Uneven Bars the Ladies worked on kips, drop kips, and drop kip switch grip kips!
A special Balance Beam training system was created by Coach Tom. Using the hand spotting belt and two spotters, this allowed the Gymnasts an opportunity to begin learning the very difficult Beam Skills, including Back Walkovers, Back Handsprings, and Back Flips!
Floor Exercise practice included spotting belt training for Back Handsprings, Back Flips, and then successive Tumbling Sequences in the spotting belt!
Following a very exciting and very rewarding 2011-2012 Gymnastics Season, with an amazing +24.50 Improvement Ranking, the Very Young RB Gymnastics Team is already looking forward to next year's 2012-2013 Gymnastics Season!
"Go Bulldogs!"
Thanks, Coach Tom Sisulak
Week Thirteen
The BEST Varsity Team Performance for the Entire Season was this week at the IHSA Regional Championship!
Excellent Varsity Individual Gymnastics Performances by everyone on the Varsity Team!
The IHSA Regional was hosted by Hinsdale Central HS in their New Fieldhouse! Two of the State's leading Varsity Teams were in our Regional, Hinsdale Central and Lincoln Way East.
The RB Varsity Team consisted of six very talented and hard working Gymnasts! Senior, Kristen Santoro; junior, Rachel Decosola; and four freshmen, Jackie LaBelle, Louise Martin, Reilly O'Donnell, and Mary Penckofer! It is extremely rare to have an Illinois High School Women's Varsity Gymnastics Team containing four Freshmen!
Kristen, Rachel, Jackie, and Reilly were also competing in all four events V, UE, BB, and FX. Louise was competing in V, UE, and FX. Mary was competing in BB. Cayla Cerny, senior, was ready as the Varsity Alternate.
The Varsity Team was once again led by Senior, Kristen Santoro! She was competing in her final RB HS Gymnastics Meet following four years as a Varsity Gymnast for RB HS!
Kristen had four extremely awesome performances, with two exceptional Vaults and a Flawless "HIT" on Balance Beam! Rachel, Jackie, Reilly, Louise, and Mary were quickly able to adjust to the pre-meet Regional Jitters and all had outstanding performances! Many of their Routines were by far their Very Best of the Entire Season!
However, the IHSA Regional Judges were Extra Harsh on all of the Competing Gymnasts that evening! After receiving Individual Scores throughout the competition that seemed quite low, I began observing the other Team Gymnasts also receiving low scores! As a Coach and Judge for many years, I was starting to sense and realize that the Judges were beginning the IHSA State Tournament, the Regional Competition, with a very tight and conservative attitude! Since, Illinois is the Number One Best Talented Women's High School Gymnastics State in America, the Judges were probably trying to avoid scoring themselves into a corner. If they begin with high scores and the Gymnasts keep getting better and better throughout the State Tournament, the Judges are then forced to split hairs with their scores to be awarded for the Best Performances!
So, after we completed the Regional Competition with our Very Best Team Effort of the Entire Season, I knew we had earned way beyond our Current Season Varsity Team Record of 116.10 at Conference! But, were the tight Judging Scores going to allow us to be rewarded with our Best Varsity Team Score of the Season? Unfortunately, we received a Varsity Team Score of 112.60!
The three other Varsity Teams also received low Varsity Team Scores, even after excellent Team Performances!
Over the next several days, as the IHSA Regional Team Scores began arriving from throughout the State, I began a detailed analysis of all 68 IHSA Varsity Gymnastics Teams. As I assumed, the Regional Judges were consistently very tight and low throughout the entire State! Out of the 68 IHSA Varsity Gymnastics Teams, only 8 Teams scored their Season Best Team Totals! That means 60 Varsity Teams all scored lower than their Season Best Varsity Team Score! As a Mathematics Teacher that is very unlikely that 88% of all the Varsity Gymnastics Teams would earn Team Scores lower than their Season Best Score at the end of the Season when the Gymnasts are performing at their highest level!
The RB Varsity Gymnasts had the fewest number of mistakes at Regional and the highest number of HITS during the IHSA Regional Competition!
Congratulations RB Gymnasts! Also, perhaps the youngest Varsity Team in Illinois with four Freshmen on the six person Varsity Team! That equates to 40% Seniors and Juniors, and 60% Freshmen on the Varsity Team!
The Young RB Varsity Gymnastics Team began the Season with 91.60 Points at the first meet with Morton HS and reached their highest Varsity Team Total of 116.10 at the Conference Championship! The Illinois Varsity Gymnastics Team Improvement State Rankings Formula is completed by subtracting the first Varsity Team Score of the Season from the Highest Varsity Team Score of the Season. As of right now, the RB Varsity Gymnastics Team has an Improvement Ranking of +24.500 Points!!! For perhaps the youngest Illinois Varsity Gymnastics Team in the State! Presently, until all of the entire season results from all 68 Varsity Gymnastics Teams are calculated, and the Final Improvement Rankings are posted, the RB Varsity Gymnastics Team is still among the Top 5 Best Improved Varsity Gymnastics Teams in Illinois!!!
"Go Bulldogs!"
Thanks, Coach Tom Sisulak
The BEST Varsity Team Performance for the Entire Season was this week at the IHSA Regional Championship!
Excellent Varsity Individual Gymnastics Performances by everyone on the Varsity Team!
The IHSA Regional was hosted by Hinsdale Central HS in their New Fieldhouse! Two of the State's leading Varsity Teams were in our Regional, Hinsdale Central and Lincoln Way East.
The RB Varsity Team consisted of six very talented and hard working Gymnasts! Senior, Kristen Santoro; junior, Rachel Decosola; and four freshmen, Jackie LaBelle, Louise Martin, Reilly O'Donnell, and Mary Penckofer! It is extremely rare to have an Illinois High School Women's Varsity Gymnastics Team containing four Freshmen!
Kristen, Rachel, Jackie, and Reilly were also competing in all four events V, UE, BB, and FX. Louise was competing in V, UE, and FX. Mary was competing in BB. Cayla Cerny, senior, was ready as the Varsity Alternate.
The Varsity Team was once again led by Senior, Kristen Santoro! She was competing in her final RB HS Gymnastics Meet following four years as a Varsity Gymnast for RB HS!
Kristen had four extremely awesome performances, with two exceptional Vaults and a Flawless "HIT" on Balance Beam! Rachel, Jackie, Reilly, Louise, and Mary were quickly able to adjust to the pre-meet Regional Jitters and all had outstanding performances! Many of their Routines were by far their Very Best of the Entire Season!
However, the IHSA Regional Judges were Extra Harsh on all of the Competing Gymnasts that evening! After receiving Individual Scores throughout the competition that seemed quite low, I began observing the other Team Gymnasts also receiving low scores! As a Coach and Judge for many years, I was starting to sense and realize that the Judges were beginning the IHSA State Tournament, the Regional Competition, with a very tight and conservative attitude! Since, Illinois is the Number One Best Talented Women's High School Gymnastics State in America, the Judges were probably trying to avoid scoring themselves into a corner. If they begin with high scores and the Gymnasts keep getting better and better throughout the State Tournament, the Judges are then forced to split hairs with their scores to be awarded for the Best Performances!
So, after we completed the Regional Competition with our Very Best Team Effort of the Entire Season, I knew we had earned way beyond our Current Season Varsity Team Record of 116.10 at Conference! But, were the tight Judging Scores going to allow us to be rewarded with our Best Varsity Team Score of the Season? Unfortunately, we received a Varsity Team Score of 112.60!
The three other Varsity Teams also received low Varsity Team Scores, even after excellent Team Performances!
Over the next several days, as the IHSA Regional Team Scores began arriving from throughout the State, I began a detailed analysis of all 68 IHSA Varsity Gymnastics Teams. As I assumed, the Regional Judges were consistently very tight and low throughout the entire State! Out of the 68 IHSA Varsity Gymnastics Teams, only 8 Teams scored their Season Best Team Totals! That means 60 Varsity Teams all scored lower than their Season Best Varsity Team Score! As a Mathematics Teacher that is very unlikely that 88% of all the Varsity Gymnastics Teams would earn Team Scores lower than their Season Best Score at the end of the Season when the Gymnasts are performing at their highest level!
The RB Varsity Gymnasts had the fewest number of mistakes at Regional and the highest number of HITS during the IHSA Regional Competition!
Congratulations RB Gymnasts! Also, perhaps the youngest Varsity Team in Illinois with four Freshmen on the six person Varsity Team! That equates to 40% Seniors and Juniors, and 60% Freshmen on the Varsity Team!
The Young RB Varsity Gymnastics Team began the Season with 91.60 Points at the first meet with Morton HS and reached their highest Varsity Team Total of 116.10 at the Conference Championship! The Illinois Varsity Gymnastics Team Improvement State Rankings Formula is completed by subtracting the first Varsity Team Score of the Season from the Highest Varsity Team Score of the Season. As of right now, the RB Varsity Gymnastics Team has an Improvement Ranking of +24.500 Points!!! For perhaps the youngest Illinois Varsity Gymnastics Team in the State! Presently, until all of the entire season results from all 68 Varsity Gymnastics Teams are calculated, and the Final Improvement Rankings are posted, the RB Varsity Gymnastics Team is still among the Top 5 Best Improved Varsity Gymnastics Teams in Illinois!!!
"Go Bulldogs!"
Thanks, Coach Tom Sisulak
Week Twelve
WOW!!! Excellent Team Accomplishments for Both the Varsity Team and JV Team at the Conference Championship!
Previously, the Varsity Team scored their Highest Team Score on January 21st at the RB Competition Clinic with 110.625 and the Lady Gymnasts knew they could improve on that Team Score.
At the Conference Championship this past Saturday, January 28, at Glenbard South, the Varsity Team Smashed the Previous Team Record with 116.10 Points. In Gymnastics, a Team Improvement of 1.50+ Points is a Significant Amount! Our Improvement was 5.475 Points! The Biggest Improvement between Meets so far this Season!
The detailed information learned from last Saturday's Competition Clinic helped immediately in the next Competition!
The JV Team also scored their Highest Team Total of the Season, following the move of Three Freshmen from the JV Team up to the Varsity Team!
The Conference Meet began with the expected Big Meet Jitters and Tension. Nine High Schools competing, plus two Schools ranked among the Top 10 in Illinois, DeKalb and Oswego, both scoring in the 140.00's! Those two Teams are so strong, they could actually defeat fifty percent of the Women's NCAA Collegiate Teams. DeKalb and Oswego have Gymnasts who received private coaching for sixteen years already. Once in awhile, an Illinois High School Gymnast is so talented that they will go directly from High School Competition to Olympic Competition!
Kristen Santoro, senior, led the Varsity Team with her Season Best All Around Total of 31.20! Which is an average of 7.80 for all four events! Kristen had three Flawless HITS on FX, V, and UE Bars! With scores of FX 7.95, V 8.40, UE 7.60!
Freshman, Reilly O'Donnell, had Flawless HITS on V and UE Bars! With scores of V 8.35 and UE 7.50!
A unique situation developed during Uneven Bar Competition!
Reilly O'Donnell competed before Kristen. Her UE Bar Performance was Flawless, not super difficult like DeKalb's Routines with Giants and Flip Release Skills, but still no mistakes! The UE Bar Judge looked up at me following the performance and gave me the Thumbs Up for Reilly's amazing bar routine! He awarded Reilly a 7.50, which was better than some other school's bar scores which contained Giants! Reilly's score was also a New Season School Record for RB!
Then it was Kristen's turn to compete on UE Bars! Her Nickname, "The Rock" says it all! Kristen chalked up and received the Judge's signal to begin! She knew Reilly had just broken the Team's Season School Record with the Highest UE Bar score by 0.35 points! Kristen's Best Season UE Bar Score was 7.175, until now!
Kristen's calm and consistency also produced a Flawless HIT on UE Bars! No mistakes! The UE Bar Judge looked up at me again! Then he turned back to his written notes about Kristen's Bar Performance and studied those notes for a long while! He awarded Kristen a 7.60!!!
Kristen had just Broken Reilly's New Season School Record on UE Bars with the 7.60! The only difference between the two Flawless Bar Routines was that Kristen stuck a Flyaway Back Flip Dismount with an added Half Twist!
After the Meet concluded, the UE Bar Judge, Mr. Howie Sokol, came over and Congratulated me and Reilly and Kristen for those two amazing, and difficult, and Flawless Bar Routines!
The RB All Around Gymnasts continued to perform extremely well at Conference! Michelle Adams, sophomore, scored her Season Best with 16.70. Rachel Decosola, junior, scored 27.40. Jackie LaBelle, freshman, scored her Season Best with 28.30. Reilly O'Donnell scored 29.10, missing her Season Best by only 0.10. Kristen Santoro, senior, scored her Season Best and New Season School Record with 31.20 Points!
This past week was also the First Week for making use of The Magic Hand Spotting Belt, which Coach Tom Sisulak completely rebuilt! Many Gymnasts were able to make significant improvements with the Spotting Belt Techniques, which have become a Lost Art in Gymnastics Coaching!
With the RB Varsity Gymnastics Team Scores improving so much since the Season's First Meet Score of 91.60 all the way up to 116.10 at Conference, an Improvement of 24.50 Points! The RB Gymnastics Team could now be Ranked among the Top 5 Best Improved Varsity Teams in Illinois for 2011-2012! Last Year, RB completed the Season Ranked as the 15th Best Improved Varsity Team in Illinois among the 68 Gymnastics Teams in the State!
Congratulations RB Gymnasts!
"Go Bulldogs!"
CoachTom Sisulak
WOW!!! Excellent Team Accomplishments for Both the Varsity Team and JV Team at the Conference Championship!
Previously, the Varsity Team scored their Highest Team Score on January 21st at the RB Competition Clinic with 110.625 and the Lady Gymnasts knew they could improve on that Team Score.
At the Conference Championship this past Saturday, January 28, at Glenbard South, the Varsity Team Smashed the Previous Team Record with 116.10 Points. In Gymnastics, a Team Improvement of 1.50+ Points is a Significant Amount! Our Improvement was 5.475 Points! The Biggest Improvement between Meets so far this Season!
The detailed information learned from last Saturday's Competition Clinic helped immediately in the next Competition!
The JV Team also scored their Highest Team Total of the Season, following the move of Three Freshmen from the JV Team up to the Varsity Team!
The Conference Meet began with the expected Big Meet Jitters and Tension. Nine High Schools competing, plus two Schools ranked among the Top 10 in Illinois, DeKalb and Oswego, both scoring in the 140.00's! Those two Teams are so strong, they could actually defeat fifty percent of the Women's NCAA Collegiate Teams. DeKalb and Oswego have Gymnasts who received private coaching for sixteen years already. Once in awhile, an Illinois High School Gymnast is so talented that they will go directly from High School Competition to Olympic Competition!
Kristen Santoro, senior, led the Varsity Team with her Season Best All Around Total of 31.20! Which is an average of 7.80 for all four events! Kristen had three Flawless HITS on FX, V, and UE Bars! With scores of FX 7.95, V 8.40, UE 7.60!
Freshman, Reilly O'Donnell, had Flawless HITS on V and UE Bars! With scores of V 8.35 and UE 7.50!
A unique situation developed during Uneven Bar Competition!
Reilly O'Donnell competed before Kristen. Her UE Bar Performance was Flawless, not super difficult like DeKalb's Routines with Giants and Flip Release Skills, but still no mistakes! The UE Bar Judge looked up at me following the performance and gave me the Thumbs Up for Reilly's amazing bar routine! He awarded Reilly a 7.50, which was better than some other school's bar scores which contained Giants! Reilly's score was also a New Season School Record for RB!
Then it was Kristen's turn to compete on UE Bars! Her Nickname, "The Rock" says it all! Kristen chalked up and received the Judge's signal to begin! She knew Reilly had just broken the Team's Season School Record with the Highest UE Bar score by 0.35 points! Kristen's Best Season UE Bar Score was 7.175, until now!
Kristen's calm and consistency also produced a Flawless HIT on UE Bars! No mistakes! The UE Bar Judge looked up at me again! Then he turned back to his written notes about Kristen's Bar Performance and studied those notes for a long while! He awarded Kristen a 7.60!!!
Kristen had just Broken Reilly's New Season School Record on UE Bars with the 7.60! The only difference between the two Flawless Bar Routines was that Kristen stuck a Flyaway Back Flip Dismount with an added Half Twist!
After the Meet concluded, the UE Bar Judge, Mr. Howie Sokol, came over and Congratulated me and Reilly and Kristen for those two amazing, and difficult, and Flawless Bar Routines!
The RB All Around Gymnasts continued to perform extremely well at Conference! Michelle Adams, sophomore, scored her Season Best with 16.70. Rachel Decosola, junior, scored 27.40. Jackie LaBelle, freshman, scored her Season Best with 28.30. Reilly O'Donnell scored 29.10, missing her Season Best by only 0.10. Kristen Santoro, senior, scored her Season Best and New Season School Record with 31.20 Points!
This past week was also the First Week for making use of The Magic Hand Spotting Belt, which Coach Tom Sisulak completely rebuilt! Many Gymnasts were able to make significant improvements with the Spotting Belt Techniques, which have become a Lost Art in Gymnastics Coaching!
With the RB Varsity Gymnastics Team Scores improving so much since the Season's First Meet Score of 91.60 all the way up to 116.10 at Conference, an Improvement of 24.50 Points! The RB Gymnastics Team could now be Ranked among the Top 5 Best Improved Varsity Teams in Illinois for 2011-2012! Last Year, RB completed the Season Ranked as the 15th Best Improved Varsity Team in Illinois among the 68 Gymnastics Teams in the State!
Congratulations RB Gymnasts!
"Go Bulldogs!"
CoachTom Sisulak
Week Eleven
Many exciting RB Gymnastics Achievements were attained this week! A Very Busy Week of Gymnastics!
January 18, Wednesday, RB organized a Home Meet against Fenton HS. This was also, Senior Gymnast Night!
RB's four Senior Gymnasts include Cayla Cerny, Jane Holmes, Kristen Santoro, and April Williams. The Seniors were presented with several gifts from their RB Teammates as well as a Rose from the RB HS Athletic Department.
Rachel Decosola and Eileena Giurini worked very hard to organize, plan, and recognize their Senior Teammates. Photos were also taken with the Seniors and their Family Members!
Congratulations Seniors!
During the evening of competition, the RB Varsity Team scored their Highest Point Total of 110.00 for the Season! Kristen Santoro and Rachel Decosola led the Varsity Team with Season Best Scores on Vaulting of 8.50 and 8.30, respectively!
Rachel had her Best Season Score on Beam with 7.30 and Kristen had her Best Season Score of 7.60 on Floor!
The RB Gymnasts recorded thirteen Personal Season Best Scores against Fenton!
On Saturday, January 21st, RB Hosted the First Ever Gymnastics Competition Clinic.
The Gymnasts competed on each of their events and immediately following their performance, the Judge would actually talk to the RB Gymnast and offer many suggestions for improvement of their Gymnastics Routines!
There were four Judges at each event and two Judges scored using the regular Federation High School Rules. The next two Judges would rotate Gymnasts and write observations about the Gymnast's performance. Immediately following the performance, the Judge would explain to the Gymnast different ways to improve their Routine before the next competition!
The RB Gymnasts were very pleased to receive an opportunity to listen directly to the Judge following their performance. This is not permitted during a Regular Gymnastics Meet! Several RB Gymnasts even stayed after the meet concluded and practiced for another two hours on the suggestions provided by the Judges!
The RB Varsity Team Scored their Highest Team Total for the Season with 110.625 Points!
Senior, Kristen Santoro, had her Best Competition of the entire season! She scored her Personal Best Season Scores of 8.55 on Vault, 7.175 on Unevens, and 8.225 on Floor!
Kristen's Floor Exercise Performance was truly amazing! As one of the Very Best Athletes at RB HS, Kristen's Athletic Talent and Strength was very evident on Saturday!
Freshmen, Reilly O'Donnell, Jackie LaBelle, and Louise Martin each competed in All Around and continue to improve their skills and performances on the Varsity Team as only Freshmen!
Also, this week, Rachel Decosola, junior, was selected by the RB HS Athletic Department as the RB Athlete of the Week! Rachel is a true athlete and competes for RB in three sports, Cross Country, Gymnastics, and Track and Field! Her excitement and energy are an inspiration to her Gymnastics Teammates!
Congratulations, Rachel!
"Go Bulldogs!"
Many exciting RB Gymnastics Achievements were attained this week! A Very Busy Week of Gymnastics!
January 18, Wednesday, RB organized a Home Meet against Fenton HS. This was also, Senior Gymnast Night!
RB's four Senior Gymnasts include Cayla Cerny, Jane Holmes, Kristen Santoro, and April Williams. The Seniors were presented with several gifts from their RB Teammates as well as a Rose from the RB HS Athletic Department.
Rachel Decosola and Eileena Giurini worked very hard to organize, plan, and recognize their Senior Teammates. Photos were also taken with the Seniors and their Family Members!
Congratulations Seniors!
During the evening of competition, the RB Varsity Team scored their Highest Point Total of 110.00 for the Season! Kristen Santoro and Rachel Decosola led the Varsity Team with Season Best Scores on Vaulting of 8.50 and 8.30, respectively!
Rachel had her Best Season Score on Beam with 7.30 and Kristen had her Best Season Score of 7.60 on Floor!
The RB Gymnasts recorded thirteen Personal Season Best Scores against Fenton!
On Saturday, January 21st, RB Hosted the First Ever Gymnastics Competition Clinic.
The Gymnasts competed on each of their events and immediately following their performance, the Judge would actually talk to the RB Gymnast and offer many suggestions for improvement of their Gymnastics Routines!
There were four Judges at each event and two Judges scored using the regular Federation High School Rules. The next two Judges would rotate Gymnasts and write observations about the Gymnast's performance. Immediately following the performance, the Judge would explain to the Gymnast different ways to improve their Routine before the next competition!
The RB Gymnasts were very pleased to receive an opportunity to listen directly to the Judge following their performance. This is not permitted during a Regular Gymnastics Meet! Several RB Gymnasts even stayed after the meet concluded and practiced for another two hours on the suggestions provided by the Judges!
The RB Varsity Team Scored their Highest Team Total for the Season with 110.625 Points!
Senior, Kristen Santoro, had her Best Competition of the entire season! She scored her Personal Best Season Scores of 8.55 on Vault, 7.175 on Unevens, and 8.225 on Floor!
Kristen's Floor Exercise Performance was truly amazing! As one of the Very Best Athletes at RB HS, Kristen's Athletic Talent and Strength was very evident on Saturday!
Freshmen, Reilly O'Donnell, Jackie LaBelle, and Louise Martin each competed in All Around and continue to improve their skills and performances on the Varsity Team as only Freshmen!
Also, this week, Rachel Decosola, junior, was selected by the RB HS Athletic Department as the RB Athlete of the Week! Rachel is a true athlete and competes for RB in three sports, Cross Country, Gymnastics, and Track and Field! Her excitement and energy are an inspiration to her Gymnastics Teammates!
Congratulations, Rachel!
"Go Bulldogs!"
Week Ten
Many exciting special achievements were attained this past week by the Young RB Gymnastics Team!
Kristen Santoro, senior, was selected as the RB HS Athlete of the Week! Her Leadership, Sportsmanship, Gymnastics Talent, Pure Athletic Skill, Control and Focus leads her to Championship Gymnastics Performances!
Congratulations, Kristen!
On Wednesday, January 11, the RB Gymnastics Team scored the Highest Team Total of the season with 109.80 points! The Top Four Vaulters each scored 8.00 or above for their individual Vaulting scores!
There were 33 Individual Gymnastics Performances during the competition on Wednesday. Out of the five individual competition spots available on the Varsity Team, RB now has four Gymnasts competing in all four individual events!
The Top Four Varsity Gymnasts competing in All Around include one senior, Kristen Santoro, one junior, Rachel Decosola, and two freshmen, Jackie LaBelle, and Reilly O'Donnell!
It is very rare to have four Gymnasts make the Varsity Team in All Around Competition!
Many additional New Gymnastics Skills were learned during the past week and will be ready for this week's next competition on Wednesday, January 18th, against Fenton High School at 6pm.
"Go Bulldogs!"
Coach Tom Sisulak
Many exciting special achievements were attained this past week by the Young RB Gymnastics Team!
Kristen Santoro, senior, was selected as the RB HS Athlete of the Week! Her Leadership, Sportsmanship, Gymnastics Talent, Pure Athletic Skill, Control and Focus leads her to Championship Gymnastics Performances!
Congratulations, Kristen!
On Wednesday, January 11, the RB Gymnastics Team scored the Highest Team Total of the season with 109.80 points! The Top Four Vaulters each scored 8.00 or above for their individual Vaulting scores!
There were 33 Individual Gymnastics Performances during the competition on Wednesday. Out of the five individual competition spots available on the Varsity Team, RB now has four Gymnasts competing in all four individual events!
The Top Four Varsity Gymnasts competing in All Around include one senior, Kristen Santoro, one junior, Rachel Decosola, and two freshmen, Jackie LaBelle, and Reilly O'Donnell!
It is very rare to have four Gymnasts make the Varsity Team in All Around Competition!
Many additional New Gymnastics Skills were learned during the past week and will be ready for this week's next competition on Wednesday, January 18th, against Fenton High School at 6pm.
"Go Bulldogs!"
Coach Tom Sisulak
Week Nine
The second week of Winter Break and first week of January 2012 produced many amazing performances for the Very Young Talented RB Gymnastics Team of 2011-2012!
The past two weeks of daily 5 Hour Workouts proved to be very beneficial and provided the Golden Opportunity to learn many New Gymnastics Skills on the four events!
The many eager and Very Coachable Freshmen Ladies have especially worked extremely hard and have seen their efforts and goals pay great results! During the past Workouts many Gymnasts have learned Front Saltos on FX, 1/2 on 1/2 off Vaults, Cartwheels and Back Walkovers and Back Tuck Dismounts on Beam, and Glide Kips, Flyaway Dismounts, and Reverse Grip Giant Drills on Unevens! Truly Amazing to help so many Freshmen learn these New Skills for the First Time in their Life!
On January 4, Wednesday, RB traveled to Glenbard South HS for a dual meet competition. Instantly, the RB Gymnasts discovered the Glenbard South Spring Floor to be the Very Best yet this season! The tumbling skills became much easier and much higher than at home or at any other school this season! All of the Glenbard South Gymnastics Equipment was excellent and helped RB produce 20 Personal Season Best Performances during the competition!
RB scored 106.25 points for the second highest Varsity Team Total of the season!
Three Freshmen Gymnasts have improved so much, that they have secured starting positions as All Around Gymnasts on the Varsity Team for the next competition on January 11, Wednesday, at RB HS against Oswego HS and DeKalb HS!
So far this Season, at the exact half way point in the schedule of competitions, RB Gymnasts have produced 97 Season Personal Best Performances out of a Total of 156 Performances! This is 64.2% of all Performances are New Personal Bests!
Out of the 19 All Around Performances this season, 12 have been Season Personal Bests or 63.2%!
The RB Gymnasts have also earned 10 Gymnastics Scores above 8.00, so far this season!
Congratulations to the Very Young and Very Talented RB Gymnastics Team!
"Go Bulldogs!"
Coach Tom Sisulak
The second week of Winter Break and first week of January 2012 produced many amazing performances for the Very Young Talented RB Gymnastics Team of 2011-2012!
The past two weeks of daily 5 Hour Workouts proved to be very beneficial and provided the Golden Opportunity to learn many New Gymnastics Skills on the four events!
The many eager and Very Coachable Freshmen Ladies have especially worked extremely hard and have seen their efforts and goals pay great results! During the past Workouts many Gymnasts have learned Front Saltos on FX, 1/2 on 1/2 off Vaults, Cartwheels and Back Walkovers and Back Tuck Dismounts on Beam, and Glide Kips, Flyaway Dismounts, and Reverse Grip Giant Drills on Unevens! Truly Amazing to help so many Freshmen learn these New Skills for the First Time in their Life!
On January 4, Wednesday, RB traveled to Glenbard South HS for a dual meet competition. Instantly, the RB Gymnasts discovered the Glenbard South Spring Floor to be the Very Best yet this season! The tumbling skills became much easier and much higher than at home or at any other school this season! All of the Glenbard South Gymnastics Equipment was excellent and helped RB produce 20 Personal Season Best Performances during the competition!
RB scored 106.25 points for the second highest Varsity Team Total of the season!
Three Freshmen Gymnasts have improved so much, that they have secured starting positions as All Around Gymnasts on the Varsity Team for the next competition on January 11, Wednesday, at RB HS against Oswego HS and DeKalb HS!
So far this Season, at the exact half way point in the schedule of competitions, RB Gymnasts have produced 97 Season Personal Best Performances out of a Total of 156 Performances! This is 64.2% of all Performances are New Personal Bests!
Out of the 19 All Around Performances this season, 12 have been Season Personal Bests or 63.2%!
The RB Gymnasts have also earned 10 Gymnastics Scores above 8.00, so far this season!
Congratulations to the Very Young and Very Talented RB Gymnastics Team!
"Go Bulldogs!"
Coach Tom Sisulak
Week Eight
During the first week of Winter Break and the last week of December 2011, eight Gymnasts were able to learn Front Flips on Floor Exercise. A much needed skill in FX Competition Routines!
Several Ladies have learned New Skills on Vaulting, Uneven Bars, and Balance Beam during this past week of practices! These New Skills will be added into their Gymnastics Performances for next week's Competition at Glenbard South High School on Wednesday, January 4th, at 6pm.
Four New Gymnasts to the Team will be competing in their first meet for RB HS next week and have been progressing very quickly with their Gymnastics Routines!
Gymnastics is similar to the Sport of Figure Skating. Both Sports require weeks, months, and years of practice to not only develop the necessary strength and flexibility, but to perfect the many individual skills that will eventually be part of the Competition Performance!
The Dedicated Gymnasts and Skaters must maintain their self-discipline, their high level of strength, their determination, and their patience, if they are to become Successful Athletes and eventually Champions!
Some Gymnastics Skills can be learned in a few weeks of practice, while most of the very difficult Gymnastics Skills actually require years of continual practice, understanding, and strength development in order to actually be able to do that Gymnastics Skill!
The 2011-2012 RB Gymnastics Team has many very talented, and hard working young Athletes! Their improvement during the first half of the season has been very outstanding!
"Go Bulldogs!"
Coach Tom Sisulak
During the first week of Winter Break and the last week of December 2011, eight Gymnasts were able to learn Front Flips on Floor Exercise. A much needed skill in FX Competition Routines!
Several Ladies have learned New Skills on Vaulting, Uneven Bars, and Balance Beam during this past week of practices! These New Skills will be added into their Gymnastics Performances for next week's Competition at Glenbard South High School on Wednesday, January 4th, at 6pm.
Four New Gymnasts to the Team will be competing in their first meet for RB HS next week and have been progressing very quickly with their Gymnastics Routines!
Gymnastics is similar to the Sport of Figure Skating. Both Sports require weeks, months, and years of practice to not only develop the necessary strength and flexibility, but to perfect the many individual skills that will eventually be part of the Competition Performance!
The Dedicated Gymnasts and Skaters must maintain their self-discipline, their high level of strength, their determination, and their patience, if they are to become Successful Athletes and eventually Champions!
Some Gymnastics Skills can be learned in a few weeks of practice, while most of the very difficult Gymnastics Skills actually require years of continual practice, understanding, and strength development in order to actually be able to do that Gymnastics Skill!
The 2011-2012 RB Gymnastics Team has many very talented, and hard working young Athletes! Their improvement during the first half of the season has been very outstanding!
"Go Bulldogs!"
Coach Tom Sisulak
Week Seven
December 19 through 22 was the RB HS Semester 1 Exam Week! The RB Gymnasts are excellent students, as well as excellent athletes! So, this week was focused on preparing and studying for Projects, Reports, and Exams.
Gymnastics practice time focused on learning and perfecting New Gymnastics Skills, which can be added to Competition Routines for the second half of the season, during January and February 2012!
Following the completion of the last exam on Thursday, December 22, the RB Gymnasts and Coach Tom Sisulak, extended their help and sincere concern for children, families, military veterans, and their families who are receiving specialized medical treatment at Loyola Hospital and Hines Hospital during the Holiday Weeks!
Last year the RB Gymnasts had a Gymnastics Team Holiday Party, where the Gymnasts purchased Gifts for one another. This Winter, Coach Tom Sisulak and the Gymnasts purchased much needed Toys for the Children and their Families at the Ronald McDonald House on the Hines Hospital Campus. These Children and their Families travel hundreds of miles in some cases, to receive the intense specialized Medical Treatment available from Doctors at Loyola Hospital!
After delivering many Children's Toys to the Ronald McDonald House and after a tour of the beautiful living accommodations for the families, the Gymnasts observed a young blind boy and his mother enter the Ronald McDonald House.
The Director of the Ronald McDonald House expressed her sincere "Thanks" for the much needed Children's Gifts during the Holidays, which were provided by the RB Gymnastics Team!
The second stop of the afternoon was at the Brand New Fisher House, also located on the Campus of Hines Hospital.
The Fisher Family completed construction of this Beautiful Residence during the past year. The American Military Veterans and their families may stay at the Fisher House during the days, weeks, and months that are necessary for intense specialized medical treatment for the Military Veteran.
Many Soldiers and their Families travel thousands of miles from their homes or from military bases for the Special Medical Care at either Loyola Hospital or Hines Hospital.
The RB Gymnasts delivered much needed daily living products to the Military Veteran Families!
The Fisher House Director, Holly Wright, greeted the RB Gymnasts and provided a tour of the Brand New Residence. She also "Thanked" the RB Gymnastics Team for their sincere care and concern for America's Soldiers and Families during this Holiday Season!
The RB Gymnasts began their Holiday Season with a sense of care, concern, and giving to many Families who are spending their Holiday Season caring for family members at Loyola Hospital or Hines Hospital, a long way from home!
"The RB Gymnastics Team!"
Coach Tom Sisulak
December 19 through 22 was the RB HS Semester 1 Exam Week! The RB Gymnasts are excellent students, as well as excellent athletes! So, this week was focused on preparing and studying for Projects, Reports, and Exams.
Gymnastics practice time focused on learning and perfecting New Gymnastics Skills, which can be added to Competition Routines for the second half of the season, during January and February 2012!
Following the completion of the last exam on Thursday, December 22, the RB Gymnasts and Coach Tom Sisulak, extended their help and sincere concern for children, families, military veterans, and their families who are receiving specialized medical treatment at Loyola Hospital and Hines Hospital during the Holiday Weeks!
Last year the RB Gymnasts had a Gymnastics Team Holiday Party, where the Gymnasts purchased Gifts for one another. This Winter, Coach Tom Sisulak and the Gymnasts purchased much needed Toys for the Children and their Families at the Ronald McDonald House on the Hines Hospital Campus. These Children and their Families travel hundreds of miles in some cases, to receive the intense specialized Medical Treatment available from Doctors at Loyola Hospital!
After delivering many Children's Toys to the Ronald McDonald House and after a tour of the beautiful living accommodations for the families, the Gymnasts observed a young blind boy and his mother enter the Ronald McDonald House.
The Director of the Ronald McDonald House expressed her sincere "Thanks" for the much needed Children's Gifts during the Holidays, which were provided by the RB Gymnastics Team!
The second stop of the afternoon was at the Brand New Fisher House, also located on the Campus of Hines Hospital.
The Fisher Family completed construction of this Beautiful Residence during the past year. The American Military Veterans and their families may stay at the Fisher House during the days, weeks, and months that are necessary for intense specialized medical treatment for the Military Veteran.
Many Soldiers and their Families travel thousands of miles from their homes or from military bases for the Special Medical Care at either Loyola Hospital or Hines Hospital.
The RB Gymnasts delivered much needed daily living products to the Military Veteran Families!
The Fisher House Director, Holly Wright, greeted the RB Gymnasts and provided a tour of the Brand New Residence. She also "Thanked" the RB Gymnastics Team for their sincere care and concern for America's Soldiers and Families during this Holiday Season!
The RB Gymnasts began their Holiday Season with a sense of care, concern, and giving to many Families who are spending their Holiday Season caring for family members at Loyola Hospital or Hines Hospital, a long way from home!
"The RB Gymnastics Team!"
Coach Tom Sisulak
Week Six
The RB Gymnastics Team hosted Hinsdale South HS at RB HS on December 13, Tuesday, in the East Gym and also in the Gymnastics Gym for the Floor Exercise Event. RB was once again led by Kristen Santoro, senior, who scored 30.00 in All Around Competition for a New 2011-2012 Season School Record! She also scored another Season School Record of 8.50 on Balance Beam!
Rachel Decosola, junior, scored her Season Highest All Around Total of 28.20, which included a team leading score on Vault with 8.00!
Four of the Top 5 Ladies on Balance Beam, "Hit" their Routines without any major mistakes!
The RB Ladies recorded 17 Personal Best Gymnastics Scores for the Season. Freshman Rachel Arp, competed in her First Lifetime Gymnastics Competition!
The Hinsdale South Varsity scored 126.90 and the RB Varsity scored a Season Team Record Total of 109.20!
December 17, Saturday, RB traveled to the Homewood Flossmoor Holiday Invitational where 12 Teams Competed in one of the toughest Gymnastics Competitions in Illinois!
Unfortunately, the RB Varsity Team was without the skills of Team Leaders, Kristen Santoro, and Rachel Decosola due to illness and family church events! However, this created the special opportunity for several RB Gymnasts to move into Varsity Competition!
The RB Varsity Team was comprised of four Freshmen, one Sophomore, and one Junior! Of the fourteen competition routines on Saturday, twelve were performed by Freshmen Gymnasts, 86%!
This year's RB Gymnastics Team has had sixteen Freshmen competing for positions on either the Varsity or the Junior Varsity Teams.
The Young Bulldogs were very determined and competitive! Freshman, Jackie LaBelle, led the Varsity Team with a Personal Season All Around Record of 28.25 points! Jackie also established two New Season School Records, not only among RB Freshmen Gymnasts but for the RB Varsity Team!
Jackie LaBelle established New Season Varsity School Records of 8.00 in Vaulting and 7.70 in Floor Exercise. This was, also, Jackie's First 8.00 Event Score in Varsity High School Gymnastics! Congratulations, Jackie!
Sophomore Ariana Virgil, scored a Personal Season Record of 6.50 on Vault!
Freshman Louise Martin, scored two Personal Season Records of 7.50 on Vault and 5.05 on Unevens!
The Young Bulldog Varsity Gymnasts scored 71.90 Points at the Homewood Flossmoor Holiday Invitational.
"Go Bulldogs!"
Coach Tom Sisulak
The RB Gymnastics Team hosted Hinsdale South HS at RB HS on December 13, Tuesday, in the East Gym and also in the Gymnastics Gym for the Floor Exercise Event. RB was once again led by Kristen Santoro, senior, who scored 30.00 in All Around Competition for a New 2011-2012 Season School Record! She also scored another Season School Record of 8.50 on Balance Beam!
Rachel Decosola, junior, scored her Season Highest All Around Total of 28.20, which included a team leading score on Vault with 8.00!
Four of the Top 5 Ladies on Balance Beam, "Hit" their Routines without any major mistakes!
The RB Ladies recorded 17 Personal Best Gymnastics Scores for the Season. Freshman Rachel Arp, competed in her First Lifetime Gymnastics Competition!
The Hinsdale South Varsity scored 126.90 and the RB Varsity scored a Season Team Record Total of 109.20!
December 17, Saturday, RB traveled to the Homewood Flossmoor Holiday Invitational where 12 Teams Competed in one of the toughest Gymnastics Competitions in Illinois!
Unfortunately, the RB Varsity Team was without the skills of Team Leaders, Kristen Santoro, and Rachel Decosola due to illness and family church events! However, this created the special opportunity for several RB Gymnasts to move into Varsity Competition!
The RB Varsity Team was comprised of four Freshmen, one Sophomore, and one Junior! Of the fourteen competition routines on Saturday, twelve were performed by Freshmen Gymnasts, 86%!
This year's RB Gymnastics Team has had sixteen Freshmen competing for positions on either the Varsity or the Junior Varsity Teams.
The Young Bulldogs were very determined and competitive! Freshman, Jackie LaBelle, led the Varsity Team with a Personal Season All Around Record of 28.25 points! Jackie also established two New Season School Records, not only among RB Freshmen Gymnasts but for the RB Varsity Team!
Jackie LaBelle established New Season Varsity School Records of 8.00 in Vaulting and 7.70 in Floor Exercise. This was, also, Jackie's First 8.00 Event Score in Varsity High School Gymnastics! Congratulations, Jackie!
Sophomore Ariana Virgil, scored a Personal Season Record of 6.50 on Vault!
Freshman Louise Martin, scored two Personal Season Records of 7.50 on Vault and 5.05 on Unevens!
The Young Bulldog Varsity Gymnasts scored 71.90 Points at the Homewood Flossmoor Holiday Invitational.
"Go Bulldogs!"
Coach Tom Sisulak
Week Five
The RB Women's Gymnastics Team traveled to Geneva HS on Tuesday, December 6th for the second Competition of the season.
Everyone on the Team had to make several adjustments throughout the evening due to the Judges changing the order of Event Competition! The Geneva HS Gymnastics Meet with Yorkville HS and RB, was conducted in two separate Competition Gyms. The V and FX were downstairs, while the UE and BB were upstairs in a different Gym. Plus, we were informed several times during the evening by the Judges to compete on a different event than we were told just twenty minutes previously. So, the Ladies had to refocus their preparation to a different routine for all the event order changes.
With all the changes and even missed warmup time, everyone did exceptionally well!
There were 37 Gymnastics Performances by the RB Ladies and 22 Performances were Season Best Scores!
Kristen Santoro, senior, led the entire team to a New Varsity Team Total of 103.80! Season Records were earned on all four Events, V 28.80, UE 23.00, BB 26.70, FX 25.30.
Geneva HS scored an outstanding Total of 137.05, and Yorkville HS scored 90.00.
Since, Illinois is the toughest State in America for High School Women's Gymnastics, Geneva's outstanding Team Total of 137.05, still might not even qualify for the February IHSA State Championship! They will need to improve into the mid 145.00 Total.
Three RB Gymnasts competed in their First Lifetime Gymnastics Competition at Geneva HS, Yulissa Cordenas 9th, Lizzie McCroary 9th, and Carey Torres 10th! Congratulations Ladies!
Next Week we have two Competitions. December 13, Tuesday, at Home RB with Hinsdale South, 6pm.
December 17, Saturday, at Homewood Flossmoor HS Holiday Invitational, 1pm. Twelve High Schools will compete together with all four events competing at once. Many of the Best Teams in Illinois will be present!
"Go Bulldogs," Coach Tom Sisulak
The RB Women's Gymnastics Team traveled to Geneva HS on Tuesday, December 6th for the second Competition of the season.
Everyone on the Team had to make several adjustments throughout the evening due to the Judges changing the order of Event Competition! The Geneva HS Gymnastics Meet with Yorkville HS and RB, was conducted in two separate Competition Gyms. The V and FX were downstairs, while the UE and BB were upstairs in a different Gym. Plus, we were informed several times during the evening by the Judges to compete on a different event than we were told just twenty minutes previously. So, the Ladies had to refocus their preparation to a different routine for all the event order changes.
With all the changes and even missed warmup time, everyone did exceptionally well!
There were 37 Gymnastics Performances by the RB Ladies and 22 Performances were Season Best Scores!
Kristen Santoro, senior, led the entire team to a New Varsity Team Total of 103.80! Season Records were earned on all four Events, V 28.80, UE 23.00, BB 26.70, FX 25.30.
Geneva HS scored an outstanding Total of 137.05, and Yorkville HS scored 90.00.
Since, Illinois is the toughest State in America for High School Women's Gymnastics, Geneva's outstanding Team Total of 137.05, still might not even qualify for the February IHSA State Championship! They will need to improve into the mid 145.00 Total.
Three RB Gymnasts competed in their First Lifetime Gymnastics Competition at Geneva HS, Yulissa Cordenas 9th, Lizzie McCroary 9th, and Carey Torres 10th! Congratulations Ladies!
Next Week we have two Competitions. December 13, Tuesday, at Home RB with Hinsdale South, 6pm.
December 17, Saturday, at Homewood Flossmoor HS Holiday Invitational, 1pm. Twelve High Schools will compete together with all four events competing at once. Many of the Best Teams in Illinois will be present!
"Go Bulldogs," Coach Tom Sisulak
Week Four
The RB Women's Gymnastics Team traveled to Morton East HS on Thursday, December 1st, for the First Competition of the Winter Season!
Even with the First Meet Jitters, everyone had excellent performances for the beginning of the season. After the First Meet, everyone now has clear, specific areas identified that need improvement before the next competition! Perhaps a change in routine structure and adding a new skill, if it is ready for competition.
The RB Women's Team was divided into two groups prior to the First Meet. A Blue Team with veterans from previous seasons, and a White Team with all first year RB Gymnasts. Both teams had Varsity Candidates and JV Candidates.
Morton East + West Coop Athletics has 8800 students in their enrollment, for perhaps the largest IHSA High School in Illinois. RB is presently listed with 1500 students. We compete throughout the Winter Season with high schools that are much larger than RB HS!
The Meet Scores were Morton Varsity 114.40, RB Varsity Blue 91.60.
Morton JV 73.50, RB JV White 77.00
The RB Blue Team was led by Veterans, Kristen Santoro, senior, and Rachel Decosola, junior! RB also had four Freshmen who competed in their very first Gymnastics Competition of their life, Emma Garlin, Jackie LaBelle, Louise Martin, and Mary Penckofer!
The next competition will be December 6th, Tuesday, 6pm, at Geneva High School!
"Go Bulldogs", Coach Tom Sisulak
The RB Women's Gymnastics Team traveled to Morton East HS on Thursday, December 1st, for the First Competition of the Winter Season!
Even with the First Meet Jitters, everyone had excellent performances for the beginning of the season. After the First Meet, everyone now has clear, specific areas identified that need improvement before the next competition! Perhaps a change in routine structure and adding a new skill, if it is ready for competition.
The RB Women's Team was divided into two groups prior to the First Meet. A Blue Team with veterans from previous seasons, and a White Team with all first year RB Gymnasts. Both teams had Varsity Candidates and JV Candidates.
Morton East + West Coop Athletics has 8800 students in their enrollment, for perhaps the largest IHSA High School in Illinois. RB is presently listed with 1500 students. We compete throughout the Winter Season with high schools that are much larger than RB HS!
The Meet Scores were Morton Varsity 114.40, RB Varsity Blue 91.60.
Morton JV 73.50, RB JV White 77.00
The RB Blue Team was led by Veterans, Kristen Santoro, senior, and Rachel Decosola, junior! RB also had four Freshmen who competed in their very first Gymnastics Competition of their life, Emma Garlin, Jackie LaBelle, Louise Martin, and Mary Penckofer!
The next competition will be December 6th, Tuesday, 6pm, at Geneva High School!
"Go Bulldogs", Coach Tom Sisulak
Week Three
The Veteran Gymnasts and New RB First Year Gymnasts continued to have another excellent week of perfecting skills from last year, as well as learning new skills for the upcoming competition season! Senior, Kristen Santoro, continues to inspire everyone on the team with her very strong work ethic and daily excitement in the gymnasium! Her words of encouragement and technical Gymnastics advice helps everyone on the team to improve their skills and routines!
The first competition of the season will be on December 1st, Thursday, 6pm, at Morton HS on the East Campus!
Scoring Gymnastics Routines by the Judge is very difficult and challenging! The Perfect Score is now 9.20 with 0.80 available for Bonus Tenths!
Execution 4.20
Difficulty 3.00
Requirements 1.20
Composition 0.80
--------
Total 9.20
Bonus Tenths 0.80
"Execution" means excellent body form and control of all skills.
"Difficulty" means performing Gymnastics Skills pictured in the Rule Book. All Skills are listed in categories starting with Medium, Superior, High Superior, and then Bonus High Superior. Another interpretation would be Medium Difficult, Hard Difficult, Very Hard Difficult, and Extremely Hard Difficult Skills. The Easy Skills are all the skills we learned in grade school gym class, but today have no High School Competition Value!
"Requirements" mean the specific skills that must appear in a Gymnastics Routine as described in the Rule Book. Some of these Requirements can take several years to learn!
"Composition" means how the entire Gymnastics Routine is put together in an artistic, exciting, and pleasing sequence of skills!
"Bonus" means performing a Gymnastics Skill extremely well, or extremely high into the air, or doing a Gymnastics Skill that is extremely difficult, yet looks easy!
The Most Important Area for earning a Gymnastics Routine Score is therefore, "Execution" worth 4.20. This leads toward the Goal of performing your Routine to the Best of Your Control. If your Routine is too difficult presently and the Gymnast makes a lot of Control Errors, the overall score will be very low. It is better to perform an easier Routine with excellent Control to produce a higher score. Then continue adding more Difficulty once the Gymnast has Control of that New Skill!
A Gymnast could have a Routine designed with all Olympic Skill Difficulty but have many Control Errors and still receive a relatively low score!
Remember Difficulty is worth 3.00 while Execution is worth 4.20!
Spectators can challenge themselves while watching a Gymnastics Routine, by actually taking paper and pen, and then practice judging and calculating the Gymnastics Routine Score!
"Go RB Bulldogs", Coach Tom Sisulak
The Veteran Gymnasts and New RB First Year Gymnasts continued to have another excellent week of perfecting skills from last year, as well as learning new skills for the upcoming competition season! Senior, Kristen Santoro, continues to inspire everyone on the team with her very strong work ethic and daily excitement in the gymnasium! Her words of encouragement and technical Gymnastics advice helps everyone on the team to improve their skills and routines!
The first competition of the season will be on December 1st, Thursday, 6pm, at Morton HS on the East Campus!
Scoring Gymnastics Routines by the Judge is very difficult and challenging! The Perfect Score is now 9.20 with 0.80 available for Bonus Tenths!
Execution 4.20
Difficulty 3.00
Requirements 1.20
Composition 0.80
--------
Total 9.20
Bonus Tenths 0.80
"Execution" means excellent body form and control of all skills.
"Difficulty" means performing Gymnastics Skills pictured in the Rule Book. All Skills are listed in categories starting with Medium, Superior, High Superior, and then Bonus High Superior. Another interpretation would be Medium Difficult, Hard Difficult, Very Hard Difficult, and Extremely Hard Difficult Skills. The Easy Skills are all the skills we learned in grade school gym class, but today have no High School Competition Value!
"Requirements" mean the specific skills that must appear in a Gymnastics Routine as described in the Rule Book. Some of these Requirements can take several years to learn!
"Composition" means how the entire Gymnastics Routine is put together in an artistic, exciting, and pleasing sequence of skills!
"Bonus" means performing a Gymnastics Skill extremely well, or extremely high into the air, or doing a Gymnastics Skill that is extremely difficult, yet looks easy!
The Most Important Area for earning a Gymnastics Routine Score is therefore, "Execution" worth 4.20. This leads toward the Goal of performing your Routine to the Best of Your Control. If your Routine is too difficult presently and the Gymnast makes a lot of Control Errors, the overall score will be very low. It is better to perform an easier Routine with excellent Control to produce a higher score. Then continue adding more Difficulty once the Gymnast has Control of that New Skill!
A Gymnast could have a Routine designed with all Olympic Skill Difficulty but have many Control Errors and still receive a relatively low score!
Remember Difficulty is worth 3.00 while Execution is worth 4.20!
Spectators can challenge themselves while watching a Gymnastics Routine, by actually taking paper and pen, and then practice judging and calculating the Gymnastics Routine Score!
"Go RB Bulldogs", Coach Tom Sisulak
Week Two
Several New Gymnasts have joined the Gymnastics Team this week and the Entire Team is progressing very quickly with perfecting skills from last year, plus learning many new skills, especially for the First Year Gymnasts! Several RB HS Student Manager Spotters have joined the Team and have provided much help already during each practice.
With a New Restructured RB Competition Schedule, we now have a solid four weeks of practice prior to the first competition on December 1st. Many States in America provide two months of practice prior to the first competition, since Gymnastics is so demanding and complicated.
RB Senior Leaders, Kristen Santoro, Jane Holmes, and Cayla Cerny have progressed very quickly during the first two weeks of practice! Their skills are returning from last year and their Routine Creation is also progressing quickly. These Senior Ladies have greatly helped to create a Welcoming, Energized, and Exciting atmosphere in the Gymnastics Gym during each day of practice. They have also earned many Positive Points, so far during the first two weeks of the season!
Skill Development and Routine Creation will be the continued focus during the next two weeks of practice leading toward the First Season Competition at Morton HS. This year's Gymnastics Team has excitingly grown to the place that we will eventually have three RB Teams. The Varsity Team, Junior Varsity Team One, and Junior Varsity Team Two.
"Go RB Bulldogs", Coach Tom Sisulak
Several New Gymnasts have joined the Gymnastics Team this week and the Entire Team is progressing very quickly with perfecting skills from last year, plus learning many new skills, especially for the First Year Gymnasts! Several RB HS Student Manager Spotters have joined the Team and have provided much help already during each practice.
With a New Restructured RB Competition Schedule, we now have a solid four weeks of practice prior to the first competition on December 1st. Many States in America provide two months of practice prior to the first competition, since Gymnastics is so demanding and complicated.
RB Senior Leaders, Kristen Santoro, Jane Holmes, and Cayla Cerny have progressed very quickly during the first two weeks of practice! Their skills are returning from last year and their Routine Creation is also progressing quickly. These Senior Ladies have greatly helped to create a Welcoming, Energized, and Exciting atmosphere in the Gymnastics Gym during each day of practice. They have also earned many Positive Points, so far during the first two weeks of the season!
Skill Development and Routine Creation will be the continued focus during the next two weeks of practice leading toward the First Season Competition at Morton HS. This year's Gymnastics Team has excitingly grown to the place that we will eventually have three RB Teams. The Varsity Team, Junior Varsity Team One, and Junior Varsity Team Two.
"Go RB Bulldogs", Coach Tom Sisulak
Week One
Excellent Gymnastics Team Roster Sign Up during the first week of after school practices. Many Veteran Gymnasts have returned along with a New Record Roster Sign Up of New Freshmen Gymnastics Prospects!
The Veteran Gymnasts began practicing many skills in preparation for the first competition on December 1, Thursday, at Morton HS, 6pm. The New Recruits are learning Gymnastics Skills each day and the Veteran Gymnasts are providing their New Teammates with individualized help during each practice! Gymnastics is actually a one on one learning structure, so everyone helps everyone. This creates a Team that is caring, hard working, and very talented!
Gymnastics is a very demanding and challenging sport! Some sports can begin with their first competition after only a few days of practice. However, Gymnastics requires development of Strength, Flexibility, Timing, Speed, and Total Coordination. These athletic characteristics must be developed through rigorous conditioning before, during, and continually throughout the competition season.
Individual Gymnastics Skills must be continually practiced again and again, until a determination can be made as to which skills will be included in a Competition Routine. Most Competition Routines contain ten individual skills, sometimes more. Except for Vaulting which is one single Vault in the Gymnast's Performance.
Gymnastics could be compared to Diving. Except that the Gymnast performs 10 Skills in non-stop succession to create a Routine. The Gymnastics Routine is then evaluated by the Gymnastics Judge. The National High School Rule Book contains hundreds of detailed drawings of Gymnastics Skills for all four Women's Events. Vaulting, Uneven Parallel Bars, Balance Beam, and Floor Exercise. Then, there are hundreds more skills not even printed in the Rule Book which can be incorporated into Competition Routines.
The Sport of Gymnastics for both Women and Men is very difficult, complicated, and exciting! Gymnastics Coaches and Gymnastics Judges spend many hours and years studying and creating the specifics. The Gymnastics Rule Books are rewritten every Olympiad, four years, or sooner. Gymnastics is perhaps the one sport that changes the most from year to year. Coaches and Gymnasts actually invent and create New Skills each year!
Since Gymnastics has progressed to such a very high level throughout the World, a Perfect Score used to be 10.00 Points. However, now a Perfect Score for High School is actually 9.20 with Extra Bonus Tenths added depending upon the Gymnast's Performance.
Olympic Competition next September is presently using Perfect Scores as Unlimited, usually 14.00 or 15.00 or 16.00! This New System has created much controversy, because it has led to very long Routines with Extreme Risk of severe injury. The Olympic Scoring System might undergo a major reevaluation prior to the London 2012 Olympics!
"Go RB Bulldogs", Coach Tom Sisulak
Excellent Gymnastics Team Roster Sign Up during the first week of after school practices. Many Veteran Gymnasts have returned along with a New Record Roster Sign Up of New Freshmen Gymnastics Prospects!
The Veteran Gymnasts began practicing many skills in preparation for the first competition on December 1, Thursday, at Morton HS, 6pm. The New Recruits are learning Gymnastics Skills each day and the Veteran Gymnasts are providing their New Teammates with individualized help during each practice! Gymnastics is actually a one on one learning structure, so everyone helps everyone. This creates a Team that is caring, hard working, and very talented!
Gymnastics is a very demanding and challenging sport! Some sports can begin with their first competition after only a few days of practice. However, Gymnastics requires development of Strength, Flexibility, Timing, Speed, and Total Coordination. These athletic characteristics must be developed through rigorous conditioning before, during, and continually throughout the competition season.
Individual Gymnastics Skills must be continually practiced again and again, until a determination can be made as to which skills will be included in a Competition Routine. Most Competition Routines contain ten individual skills, sometimes more. Except for Vaulting which is one single Vault in the Gymnast's Performance.
Gymnastics could be compared to Diving. Except that the Gymnast performs 10 Skills in non-stop succession to create a Routine. The Gymnastics Routine is then evaluated by the Gymnastics Judge. The National High School Rule Book contains hundreds of detailed drawings of Gymnastics Skills for all four Women's Events. Vaulting, Uneven Parallel Bars, Balance Beam, and Floor Exercise. Then, there are hundreds more skills not even printed in the Rule Book which can be incorporated into Competition Routines.
The Sport of Gymnastics for both Women and Men is very difficult, complicated, and exciting! Gymnastics Coaches and Gymnastics Judges spend many hours and years studying and creating the specifics. The Gymnastics Rule Books are rewritten every Olympiad, four years, or sooner. Gymnastics is perhaps the one sport that changes the most from year to year. Coaches and Gymnasts actually invent and create New Skills each year!
Since Gymnastics has progressed to such a very high level throughout the World, a Perfect Score used to be 10.00 Points. However, now a Perfect Score for High School is actually 9.20 with Extra Bonus Tenths added depending upon the Gymnast's Performance.
Olympic Competition next September is presently using Perfect Scores as Unlimited, usually 14.00 or 15.00 or 16.00! This New System has created much controversy, because it has led to very long Routines with Extreme Risk of severe injury. The Olympic Scoring System might undergo a major reevaluation prior to the London 2012 Olympics!
"Go RB Bulldogs", Coach Tom Sisulak
