Trio of REG gymnasts find ‘National’ success

Earlier this month, three gymnasts from Redwood Empire Gymnastics traveled to Spokane, Wash., with their coaches to try to realize a dream. The three REG girls - Kaylie Barrera, Lehua Murata and Jasmine Henley - had all qualified to compete in the Level 9 Western National Championships, where they would perform in all four Olympic events - vault, bars, beam and floor.

The Western National Championships are host to four regions of gymnastics in the western half of the United States, which includes every state west of the Mississippi. Western Nationals is the top level of competition for Level 9 athletes in competitive artistic gymnastics. Barrera, Murata and Henley, all first-year Level 9 competitors, didn’t know what to expect, but they knew that it was an honor just to make it to the National Championships.

Barrera was in the Junior 4 age group. At just 13 years old, she was excited and hopeful to be at her first nationals. Her best showing at the meet was on the floor exercise, where she received 15th place with a 9.325.

Murata competed in the Senior 4 age division. Her shining moment at Westerns was her floor routine, where she scored a 9.425 and placed 10th.

Henley was also extremely excited to be at her first Western Nationals. She watched all through the weekend as her REG teammates went out and competed at Nationals, patiently waiting for her chance to compete. When it was her time, she showed her gymnastics talent in the Senior 5 age group by hitting all four events. To top it all, she earned the title of Western Floor Exercise Champion. Henley was awarded the gold medal in the event with a score of a 9.50.

“The three Redwood Empire gymnasts showed that commitment to a sport, support from their coaches and family, and focusing on your dreams, can lead to a successful year of gymnastics,” said Maureen Koehler. Coaches Koehler, Greta Leach and Eric Van der Meer agree that the three represented REG well as a competitive gymnastics club with rising stars in the making.

Barrera, Murata and Henley are back in the gym for summer training and setting their sights on new skills for the coming year.

Redwood Empire Gymnastics offers a wide variety of gymnastics classes from toddlers to teens, preschool gymnastics to high-level competitive boys and girl teams. REG also offers summer camps.