Kayla and Kelsey are paving the way for future area gymnasts as
they tackle elements not previously seen in the Bradford Family
YMCA Flames gymnastics program.
Eleven-year-old Kayla Taylor of Bradford and 13-year-old Kelsey
Payne of Port Allegany are competing at Level 8 for the Flames, an
advanced level where their scores are based on the values of their
routines. At previous levels, gymnasts automatically begin at 10.0,
while a Level 8 must put together a routine containing enough
difficult skills to begin at that mark.
The Bradford YMCA has had Level 8 gymnasts compete for the
Flames. However, those gymnasts did not advance to the skills Kayla
and Kelsey are currently using and/or practicing with the intent to
use them in competition.
Kayla performs a full twist during her floor routine, a skill
which is being performed for the first time by a Bradford Flame,
while Kelsey practices the full twist and currently performs a half
twist, a skill that has previously been used in competition.
Both girls are working on several other elements new to the
Bradford Y, including giants on bars and back tucks and twisting
gainer (one-foot takeoff) dismounts on beam.
Kayla is also practicing a tsukahara on the vault (half twist
onto the vault and a back tuck off) with hopes to use it in future
competitions. Kayla and Kelsey both currently compete using a half
twist onto the vault and a full twist off, which is a skill only
used by one previous Bradford Flame.
Kayla taught herself the full twist at home on the trampoline,
then brought the element into the gym and incorporated it into her
routine for floor. The full twist is not normally attempted without
a springboard floor, which is why the skill is new to the Bradford
Y. However, that factor didn’t impede Kayla.
“Kayla has springs in her toes,” noted Michelle Taylor, Kayla’s
mom and an assistant coach for the Flames. Pam Payne, Kelsey’s
mother, also assists with coaching the Bradford Y gymnasts.
Both girls practice at home when they can, although it has
become more difficult to do so as they practice more advanced
skills. The skills are also difficult to perform in the Y gym, due
to limited equipment. However, the girls persevere and put in the
extra effort needed to learn the new elements without the benefit
of advanced equipment.
According to Michelle (who helps coach the other Flames), the
first time Kayla threw her tsukahara in the gym was a
nerve-wracking time for coaches and gymnast alike. However, getting
past the fear and making the attempt is half the battle.
“When you have a coach (Jonnie Miller) who is willing to figure
out how to teach her and a gymnast willing to try the skills, fear
can’t be there,” Taylor noted. “If you let fear get in the way,
you’ll never learn anything new.”
Gymnastics requires dedication and a lot of the gymnasts’ time.
Both Kayla and Kelsey work with their own personal trainers twice a
week, in addition to three three-hour practices with the Flames and
the time they practice at home.
In the summertime, both girls also attend gymnastics camps,
including ones in Erie and State College.
Kayla and Kelsey are up to the challenge and are leaders outside
the gym as well. Both girls are high honor roll students who lend a
hand both to other gymnasts and anywhere else they are needed.
Kayla helps her mother, Michelle, teach the progressive classes
and is looked up to as a role model by younger gymnasts. Kayla also
choreographs routines for younger competing Flames and puts
together pieces for exhibition performances the Flames do over the
summer.
Kelsey keeps busy with other athletics in addition to
gymnastics. She is involved in volleyball, diving and track and
works hard to balance those practices with her gymnastics, which is
a year-round commitment. Kelsey also spends time one on one with
younger gymnasts outside practice, helping them improve.
Both girls feel they are strong in all four events equally –
bars, beam, floor and vault. Kelsey expressed a preference for
vault but notes she likes them all.
This will be the sixth year both girls have qualified for state
competition and the third year they will qualify for nationals.
While Kayla and Kelsey are pioneering skills at the Bradford Y,
the Flames also can claim a first of a different kind.
The Flames were the first team in the Western Pennsylvania YMCA
League, which is made up of 12 teams, to add a Level 3 team for
competition. The Level 3 team introduces younger gymnasts to
competition and allows them to get a feel for technique and
competing while using a lower skill level.
Kayla, Kelsey and the rest of the Flames will be traveling to
Warren on Saturday for the Warren Invitational.
