New Prague gymnasts do well at MAGA state meets

The New Prague Gymnastics Club has completed a successful winter season, taking third place in Division 4 and fourth place in Division 2 in the Midwest Amateur Gymnastics Association (MAGA) Minnesota State Tournaments.

The Division 4 meet was held March 8 and 9 in Glencoe and the Division 2 meet was held March 15 and 16 in Big Lake.

The Division 2 Twists team includes Stephanie Busch, Marissa Ekness, Larisa Hein, Sarah Hoffman, Josie Mellen, Sydney Samson, Christine Simon and Whitney Skluzacek.

The Division 4 Flips team includes Cami Brod, Meghan Dubanoski, Brianna Ellanson, Bridget Ellanson, Allison Lucas, McKayla Lucas, Christina Mellen, Katie Morris, Ashley Nerud and Britin Thomsen.

In addition to team competition, the following competed in individual competition March 29 in Waseca: Josie Mellen, Sarah Hoffman, Sydney Samson, Stephanie Busch, Meghan Dubanoski, Marissa Ekness and Brianna Ellanson.

At the individual competition, Dubanoski tied for sixth in the children's division in the vault, Brianna Ellanson was 16th in bars and Ekness was 24th in bars.

In the junior division, Stephanie Busch finished 18th on vault and Samson was 23rd. Hoffman was 22nd on vault, 23rd on bars, 17th on beam and 19th on floor. She finished 12th in the all-around.

In the senior division, Mellen was 11th on the vault, 9th on the bars, 10th on the beam and 24th on the floor. She finished 17th in the all-around.

At the Division 2 meet, top 12 finishes included: Children-Ekness, 9th in vault, 6th in bars, 5th on beam, 8th in all-around; Juniors-Samson, 7th in vault, Busch, 8th in vault, Hoffman, 5th on bars, 1st on beam, 6th on floor, 1st in all-around; Seniors-Josie Mellen, 5th on vault, 1st on bars, 1st on beam, 12th on floor and 2nd in all-around.

At the Division 4 meet, top 10 finishers were: Children-Brod, 9th on vault, 3rd on bars, 7th on beam and 7th in all-around; Dubanoski, 6th on vault; Brianna Ellanson, 8th on vault, 2nd on bars, 7th on beam, 5th on floor and 4th in all-around; Bridget Ellanson, 5th on bars and 10th on beam; Nerud, 9th on bars and 4th on beam; Juniors-Allison Lucas, 5th on vault, 1st on bars, 6th on floor and 5th all-around; Katie Morris: 5th on floor and 7th all-around.

Coach Doug Amundsen, who returned to coaching the club last fall after a 10-year absence, was voted Coach of the Year by his peers at both the Division 2 and Division 4 levels. Voting was done by coaches at each divisional meet.

I was very honored and humbled to receive this award from my peers twice in the same year