THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, August 9, 1995 TAG: 9508080087
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LEE TOLLIVER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 81 lines
IN THE PAST couple of years, area athletes have made a strong move to put South Hampton Roads on the national gymnastics map.
Just recently, three Virginia Beach gymnasts from private clubs in Chesapeake and Virginia Beach qualified to be on the Junior National training squad.
To do so, Tami Harris and Whitney Cashwell of Ocean Tumblers in Chesapeake and Kristin Uransky of Gymstrada in Virginia Beach finished in the top 10 at the United States Classic.
Harris and Cashwell are the first Ocean Tumblers gymnasts to advance to such a lofty level.
The training squad will begin its work in January, with the effort hopefully propelling the gymnasts to the Junior International level.
At the U.S. Classic, Cashwell took sixth all-around, while Uransky finished ninth and Harris 10th.
Virginia Beach has already produced two Junior International team members in Alexis Brion and Katie McFarland of Gymstrada. Uransky advanced to that level by scoring an all-around score of 36 or higher in the National Gymnastics Festival - the where gymnasts qualified to attend the U.S. Classic. But since she has qualified for international-level meets, the 13-year-old Uransky will likely skip the Junior National training scene and move directly into Junior International competition.
For Harris and Cashwell, the right to move on has been the realization of a continuing dream for the big time.
Both elite-level gymnasts have hopes of one day competing in the Olympics, and to do so, they must make an international-level squad.
They will get their chances early next year.
And despite the recently completed season being a difficult one for both youngsters, they still think they have all the right stuff.
``I really think they do,'' said Erin Berry, one of the pair's coaches at OT. ``They put in an awful lot of work to get to where they are.''
It's typical for high-level gymnasts to spend 30 or more hours a week practicing. Aside from school, the gym becomes their home.
``There isn't any time for anything else,'' said Cashwell, an 11-year-old rising sixth-grader at Landstown Middle School who has been at the sport for more than half her life.
``It's been along year for me, but it's more than worth it.''
Cashwell started the season as a level 10 gymnast, but quickly qualified for the move up to elite.
Harris, however, started the season as an elite, but that didn't make matters any easier for the 13-year-old who will attend Princess Anne Middle School as an eighth-grader next month.
Harris spent much of the season sick, getting her appendix and tonsils taken out within a one-year period. She also wore a cast for a while to protect a bruised heel.
``It has been a rough year for me, too,'' she said. ``But it's worth it.''
Surprisingly, neither Ocean Tumblers gymnast began the sport with aspirations of hitting the big time.
Cashwell got started because her brother was taking karate next to a gymnastics school and she decided to try the sport out of boredom from watching her brother.
Harris went to her first lessons, she said, because her mother was tired of her ``bouncing all around the house all the time.''
But for now, the two can take a little breather from competition, spending their gym time in strength and conditioning workouts and working on basic skills that are intended to make the difficult tricks come easier.
Harris will likely spend lots of time on floor, the event she considers most difficult. Uneven bars is her favorite.
``I think it's fun to swing around in the air,'' she said. ``I have the dance for floor, but I need harder tumbling skills.''
Cashwell is just the opposite - having her best performances on floor, while struggling on bars.
But whatever the case, the two will enjoy the time away from competition.
And they can also relish in the fact they have done their part to help put the area on the national gymnastics map. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by D. KEVIN ELLIOTT
Ocean Tumblers Tami Harris, 12, and 11-year-old Whitney Cashwell,
right, qualified for the squad.
by CNB