The Kamloops Gymnastics & Trampoline Club is hoping to host a mini-meet among Interior clubs some time this year (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Chad Klassen

NO GYMNASTICS SEASON

Kamloops gymnasts have no competitions to train for — hope to host Interior mini-meet this year

Jul 31, 2020 | 5:34 PM

KAMLOOPS — Athletes are returning to their somewhat normal training routines at the Kamloops Gymnastics & Trampoline Club (KGTC). They’ve been back in the gym since the end of June.

“We opened up to our competitive athletes – women’s trampoline, men’s artistic, and our diving because we have merged with Riptech and they’re now under KGTC,” noted program coordinator Kirsty Griffiths. “All of those competitive athletes came up.”

The training is being conducted with special protocols to keep everyone safe amid COVID-19. There are also no competitions to work towards with the entire 2020 schedule being cancelled.

“It’s okay at the start when they’re relearning their skills, but it’s now getting to the point where their skills are back and we’re going up, up, up, and now I don’t want them to plateau,” said Griffiths. “So it’s now finding new things we can do, whether it’s new skills or new challenges.”

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Some of the athletes are using the non-competitive season to get that much better.

“I find it a little inspiring because I’m really competitive, so I can get all my skills perfected and then have a straight body and everything, and then be the best,” said gymnast Auden Wozniak-Schlichter.

Other gymnasts at the club like Bella Scallon are having more trouble motivating themselves.

“Yeah, it doesn’t give me something to push forward to or motivate me to work as hard,” said Scallon. “And because I was off for so long, I’m kind of all over the place with my skills and I need to get them back.”

Griffiths has been in discussion with other Interior clubs about hosting a mini-meet in Kamloops with safe distancing.

“It’s a little bit difficult not having more than 50 people in the gym at the same time, but I think there are ways around it,” she said. “I think if we can offer something like that, that will start bringing the motivation back and get them ready for whenever the next competition season is for us.”