THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, January 21, 1996 TAG: 9601190280
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 28 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LEE TOLLIVER, BEACON SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Medium: 87 lines
WHEN DAVINIA ROBERTS looks for inspiration, the one thing she doesn't see is color.
The fact that Roberts and her idol - Olympian Dominique Dawes - are black gymnasts in a mostly white sport is of little importance to the Salem junior.
``I'm more impressed with how she carries herself,'' said Roberts, who is one of four black gymnasts in a Beach District that features more than 100 this season. ``I'd like her no matter what because she's such a good gymnast. I like how she's progressed through her career.
``(The issue of being black) is not a big thing with me. Not at all.''
Roberts once competed against Dawes in the open division of an invitational meet and watches her and other world-class gymnasts whenever meets are televised.
``I worked out with her at a clinic, also,'' Roberts said. ``I'll admit that the fact she's black and can succeed in the sport adds something to how I feel about her, but she's an inspiration to lots of gymnasts.''
While she realizes she will never compete on the same level as the U.S. national team member, Roberts put forth the kind of inspiring performance Dawes would be proud of at last year's Group AAA state meet - surprising the field to tie for state championships in floor exercise and the vault.
Roberts had finished fifth in the district meet's floor event and failed to place in vaulting. She did a little better in the region floor competition, tying for second, and managed to tie for ninth in vault.
While not bad for a sophomore newcomer, those finishes helped make her state performances more of a shocker to some.
``But it wasn't a shock to me,'' coach Wendy Wolf said. ``We had tried some new things in districts and she hadn't practiced them. We went back to her basics for the next two meets and she just peaked at state.''
``But it was a shock to me,'' Roberts said. ``I was really surprised. I don't like to look at the other scores, so I had no idea I had won two state titles.''
Roberts failed to place in the all-around competition because she fell on the uneven bars and balance beam.
This season, Roberts has vowed to improve her all-around showing while attempting to defend her two individual event victories.
So far, she's on the right track, sporting a 5-0 record heading into Thursday's meet against Princess Anne and Kellam. Before that meet, her personal best all-around total of 36.85 points was the second-highest in the district at the midway point of the season.
``I have more of a focus on the all-around,'' said Roberts, who performs at Level 9 (Level 10 and elite are the top two before international status) at Ocean Tumblers Gymnastics School. ``I'm more relaxed this season, and I know what's going on. I was new (to high school gymnastics) last year.
``But the experiences have helped me.''
Both the gymnast and her coach learned many things from last year's ups and downs and have made the necessary changes in routines to optimize Roberts' strengths.
She throws a difficult pike position Tsukahara in the vault. While not as difficult as the same vault in the layout position, it is a high-scoring maneuver that is within her capabilities.
``A more difficult vault that isn't done right isn't going to score more than a less difficult one done to perfection,'' Wolf explained.
On floor, Roberts' tumbling and dance abilities shine.
``She throws a double full on her first pass and fulls on each of her other two passes,'' Wolf said. ``Not many gymnasts are strong enough to keep that up. She's clean and has difficulty.''
She also has a new beam routine that features a tough roundoff full dismount and a back layout. Her bars routine has plenty of difficulties and she scored a 9.4 on it in a big individual victory over gymnasts from district front-runner Cox.
``She's a better gymnast this year,'' Wolf said. ``We've figured out what to throw and when and she's going for better consistency with the big moves still in her routines.
``Last year was more watered down than this year.''
With the district meet just a couple weeks away, the only inspiring color Roberts sees is gold. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by STEVE EARLEY
Salem's Davinia Roberts surprised the field - and herself - by tying
for the state championships in floor exercise and the vault last
year.
by CNB