Post by elp525 on Jul 28, 2011 5:03:25 GMT -5
Thursday July 28, 2011
PARKERSBURG - As a little girl, Beth Deal remembers watching gymnasts from West Virginia University compete.
Now roles reverse and Deal will be one of those in the spotlight performing at the collegiate level in Morgantown.
The recent Parkersburg South graduate was one of five student-athletes added to the WVU roster earlier this week as invited walk-ons.
"I've watched WVU gymnastics my whole life," Deal said. "It was always exciting to go watch the big girls, and now I get to be one of the big girls that the little girls will watch."
As a member of Gymniks Gymnastics, Deal was a three-time level 10 regional qualifier and placed fifth on the beam this year at the regional championships. She is a two-time level 10 West Virginia all-around champion and has won a total of five all-around titles throughout the course of her career.
"Beth will have one of the largest fan groups a kid from West Virginia has had for a long time because not only is she well-respected from our community, but from the whole state as well," said Gymniks Gymnastics owner Nikki Thompson. "All the clubs in West Virginia - from Charleston to Cross Lanes to Huntington to Morgantown, they all think Beth is the greatest thing."
That following includes her mother, Sherri Bunner, who plans to attend away meets. This past spring, Bunner accompanied Deal on a trip to Long Beach, Calif., for the Junior Olympic Nationals where Deal competed in the beam exercise.
"If I had not fallen, I would have gotten first place and been a national beam champion," Deal said. "The fall on the beam was extremely disappointing, but from looking back I was happy with what I accomplished during my career with Gymniks."
Ever since she was a ninth-grader, Deal has been the most experienced member of the Gymniks outfit. Now that is all behind her, and it's like starting over again at WVU.
"This is such an exciting venture for Beth to be able to work out with the all the girls on the same level," Thompson said. "She has great style and great presentation, and really makes you look when she is up there competing. Some kids can just get through routines, but Beth puts a special twist on it."
Joining Deal as recent invited walk-ons are Erica Smith, Parker Beattie, Reilly Beattie and Jamie Judge. Dayah Haley, Lia Salzano and Maci Sump signed national letters of intent last November.
There is a comfort zone for Deal knowing she has competed against individuals such as a fellow West Virginian (Judge) and been teammates on the junior national team with Haley.
"I definitely want to contribute," Deal said. "I don't really know what to expect the first day, but it will definitely be nervewracking the first meet.
"It's exciting too because this is what I love doing."
PARKERSBURG - As a little girl, Beth Deal remembers watching gymnasts from West Virginia University compete.
Now roles reverse and Deal will be one of those in the spotlight performing at the collegiate level in Morgantown.
The recent Parkersburg South graduate was one of five student-athletes added to the WVU roster earlier this week as invited walk-ons.
"I've watched WVU gymnastics my whole life," Deal said. "It was always exciting to go watch the big girls, and now I get to be one of the big girls that the little girls will watch."
As a member of Gymniks Gymnastics, Deal was a three-time level 10 regional qualifier and placed fifth on the beam this year at the regional championships. She is a two-time level 10 West Virginia all-around champion and has won a total of five all-around titles throughout the course of her career.
"Beth will have one of the largest fan groups a kid from West Virginia has had for a long time because not only is she well-respected from our community, but from the whole state as well," said Gymniks Gymnastics owner Nikki Thompson. "All the clubs in West Virginia - from Charleston to Cross Lanes to Huntington to Morgantown, they all think Beth is the greatest thing."
That following includes her mother, Sherri Bunner, who plans to attend away meets. This past spring, Bunner accompanied Deal on a trip to Long Beach, Calif., for the Junior Olympic Nationals where Deal competed in the beam exercise.
"If I had not fallen, I would have gotten first place and been a national beam champion," Deal said. "The fall on the beam was extremely disappointing, but from looking back I was happy with what I accomplished during my career with Gymniks."
Ever since she was a ninth-grader, Deal has been the most experienced member of the Gymniks outfit. Now that is all behind her, and it's like starting over again at WVU.
"This is such an exciting venture for Beth to be able to work out with the all the girls on the same level," Thompson said. "She has great style and great presentation, and really makes you look when she is up there competing. Some kids can just get through routines, but Beth puts a special twist on it."
Joining Deal as recent invited walk-ons are Erica Smith, Parker Beattie, Reilly Beattie and Jamie Judge. Dayah Haley, Lia Salzano and Maci Sump signed national letters of intent last November.
There is a comfort zone for Deal knowing she has competed against individuals such as a fellow West Virginian (Judge) and been teammates on the junior national team with Haley.
"I definitely want to contribute," Deal said. "I don't really know what to expect the first day, but it will definitely be nervewracking the first meet.
"It's exciting too because this is what I love doing."
