Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — The Steamboat Stars Gymnastic team will head to its second meet of the spring season looking to continue its success on the floor.

On Saturday, the local squad will travel to Glenwood Springs for a meet. Coach Rose Atkins said she will take seven athletes, including newcomers Sami Radford, Jaime Winter and Athena Fowler to the meet. It should be a good chance to get the young athletes some experience before the fall season rolls around.

Atkins said after four years of building the local team, she is seeing the progress of a great bunch of gymnasts.

The team opened the spring session, which consists of three meets, on March 24 by winning at the Gymnastics Unlimited meet in Denver.

Steamboat took five athletes to the meet and all of them placed in the top three.

Leading the way was Corri Bradbury, who placed first in the all-around division. Jourdi Hill and Heidi Lord took second-place ribbons and Brianna Shaffer and Genna Bradley placed third at the meet.

Atkins said these spring meets are about having a good time and act as a way to introduce new athletes to the sport of gymnastics.

However, she was quick to add the Steamboat finishes were still very impressive.

Atkins attributes her team's success to the addition of coaches Brain Halstead and Sarah Hourigan. She also said that obtaining the use of the Eighth Street Gym in the old junior high school has been a tremendous plus for the team.

The spring season will come to a close on June 10 with a championship meet. Atkins expects her team to fare well at that meet.

The Gymnastics Center is now accepting enrollment for the summer session. For more information, call 879-1624.