Teamwork Gymnastics Club shines in Florida

Teamwork Gymnastics Club, located in the Centre of Excellence, sent nine girls to represent Trinidad and Tobago at the 31st annual Gasparilla Gymnastics Classic in St Petersburg, Florida recently. The Gasparilla Classic is billed as one of the world’s largest gymnastics competition.

Teamwork Gymnastics Club won the team competition at the highest USA Gymnastics compulsory level five, and also won a number of gold, silver, and bronze medals in the individual events competition.

They were also the youngest team in the competition, with ages ranging from six to 12. In addition, this was the first-ever competition for eight of the gymnasts, also known as the TnT Dynamites.

Each gymnast stood proudly on the podium receiving medals and trophies in all events: vault, uneven bars, balance beam, floor exercise and all around. The spectators at the awards ceremony burst out in laughter when they saw the first place trophy was taller than most of the team.

These elite individuals were selected from over 1,500 young gymnasts from the TnT Talent Identification Programme, for the sole purpose of representing TT in future World Championships and Olympic competitions.

“Our only goal is helping children achieve theirs” is Teamwork’s mission statement. These young athletes have been training for the past two to three years under the tutelage of Marty and Donna Lettelleir.

Coach Marty is a USA Gymnastics professional and Donna is the founder and co-head coach of the Teamwork Gymnastics Programme.

In a press release, Teamwork Gymnastics Club said the Lettelleirs have built the finest, most fully equipped and technologically advanced gymnastics facility in TT at the Centre of Excellence, to provide their gymnasts with every possible advantage and opportunity to succeed.

It said, "Teamwork recognises the challenge to balance academics and sport, so to create better student/athletes, the Lettelleirs are opening their own DreamWorks Academy also at the Centre of Excellence this September to facilitate SEA lessons and before and after school childcare and preschool. Athletes will be able to train and receive extra lessons all at the same facility. The school will also be open to elite swimmers and footballers."

What’s next for the young gymnasts? With international experience under their belt, coach Marty is teaching the gymnasts more advanced skills and routines to prepare them for levels eight, nine and ten.