With over 50 college representatives scheduled to attend the Junior Olympic National Championships in search of talent, count Riverside Brookfield freshman Haley Scaman among the select group of gymnasts hoping to “Stick it in Seattle.”
The 15-year-old Riverside resident qualified for the prestigious gymnastics event to be held May 14-17 at the Puyallup Fair Showplex after she took second place at a recent regional competition in Muncie, Ind.
Named to the Region 5 National team, Scaman posted a 37.45 all-around score, which included impressive marks in the vault (9.525), bars (9.1), beam (9.325) and floor (9.5) events competing against top gymnasts from Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan and Ohio. The top seven finishers advanced to the JONC.
“I think floor and vault are my strongest events,” Scaman said. “They are also probably my favorite events.”
The first step for Scamanfs upcoming trip to the Great Northwest was completed before regionals when she registered a fifth place showing at the state competition. Scaman scored a 37.7 in the all-around, highlighted by a 9.75 in vault (first place) and a 9.55 in beam (third place). She also scored 9.2 in the floor and bars, respectively.
“I am looking forward to nationals,” said Scaman, who started gymnastics at the age of 7. “Last year, I competed in the Level 9 Eastern Nationals [in Ohio] which was fun, but this year is a big step for me with the Region 5 team. Definitely, I want to stay with IGI [Illinois Gymnastics Institute] and earn a full ride for college.”
Scaman joined the Westmont-based Illinois Gymnastics Institute after her mother signed her up for classes there eight years ago.
“IGI has a lot of recreation classes for girls from ages 8 on up to seniors [in high school],” Scaman said. “We have a really good team [at IGI] and I think the coaches are great.”
Owner/head coach Todd Gardiner is not surprised at all that his soft-spoken student has vaulted into national recognition.
“Haley is a very powerful and clean gymnast,” Gardiner said. “Her tumbling and vaulting are very large and big.”
While there is some inherent pressure to draw the attention of college evaluators scouting at the JNOC, Gardiner believes next level gymnastics is merely a matter of time for Scaman.
“I have already heard from several colleges inquiring about her,” said Gardiner, who mentioned the University of Illinois as among the interested schools. “She should have no problem earning a scholarship.”