Local gymnastics team wins State Title

ZANESVILLE, Ohio- A team of local young gymnasts are holders of the National Division State Championship Title.

The level 4 gymnasts at Zanesville Gymnastics competed at the State Champs in Niles, Ohio at the beginning of April. The team of 17 competed against around 14 other teams for the title. This is the first time a level 4 team from the gym has won a national title.

“Started off the younger girls. They started off strong and throughout the day we kind of crept up in the last session they performed really well and ended up taking the last event. They ended up falling into first place,” said Level 4 Head Coach Kaley Pischl. “It was very exciting. We’ve never had level fours win it at a national level division like win states so that was pretty exciting.”

The level 4’s train between 12 to 16 hours a week which works out to be about 4 days a week. The team participated in vault, bars, beam and floor, and it was the bars that won them the title. The team says it was a great experience and they’re looking forward to their reward.

“It was just really awesome to be a part of a great team because they’re all so supportive of like everything that everybody does,” said 13-year-old Kara Fields a member of the Level 4 team.

The team was trailing in second place as the competition was nearing an end. Coach Kaley knew she had to do something to turn things around so she made a deal with her team.

“We’re having a party because we won state and Kaley bribed us on bars with anything that we wanted,” said Ryann Snider, 13, a member of the Level 4 team.

Tonight the gym is throwing the party with lots of pizza, cake and ice-cream with sprinkles, doughnuts, and ranch.