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Nationals are next stop -- maybeBy STEVE LEE © St. Petersburg Times, published May 13, 2001 NEW PORT RICHEY -- Two county gymnasts are preparing for a trip to nationals, but only one may get to go. Kierstin Sabo has qualified for the Level 9 competition, but Joyce Sposito waits in the wings as a Level 10 alternate. Sabo, 12, qualified for her second trip to nationals, set for May 19 and 20 in Landover, Md., after a 16th-place finish at the United States of America Gymnastics Regional on April 21 in Atlanta. Sabo trains at Suncoast Gymnastics Academy and scored a 36.100 all-around at the regional meet. She failed to crack the top 50 at last year's nationals. This year, however, Suncoast Gymnastics owner Arnold Gwinn expects the Bayonet Point seventh-grader to improve dramatically. "Our goal for this meet is trying to make the top 10," Gwinn said. "When it gets close in competition (Sabo) performs at her best." Meanwhile, Sposito, who trains at Top Contenders Gymnastics in Hudson, is an alternate for the Level 10 Nationals, which take place May 19 and 20 in Eugene, Ore. Top Contenders owner Beth Strazzulo said tournament organizers called last week to inform Sposito to be ready. Only the top seven Level 10 gymnasts compete at nationals with the alternate invited should another competitor be unable to perform. Sposito, 17, spent two years at Level 9 before moving up a notch this season. She finished eighth in the regional meet at Atlanta with an all-around score of 36.025. "We kept her in Level 9 so she would be ready to explode in Level 10," Strazzulo said. A junior at Hudson, Sposito is considering gymnastics scholarship offers from Louisiana State, Arizona, Utah and Pennsylvania. Sposito's finish at regionals, Strazzulo said, "pretty well sets her for colleges." Suncoast Gymnastics' Samantha Slusak also competed in the Level 9 regionals and finished 30th. "She actually did a good job for her first year, but not good enough to make it (to nationals)," Gwinn said. NEW COACH: Boris Ponce has joined the staff at Top Contenders. A champion gymnast since the age of 9 and 16-year professional coach, Ponce has coached teams and individuals in the U.S., Russia, South America and China. CHEERS: Top Contenders is forming cheerleading teams in three age groups. Tryouts will be June 23. For information, call (727) 862-2940 or (800) 505-4332.
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