Everything is brand new for Anna Simmons. But that shouldn’t be a problem for this old pro.
Simmons is part of the inaugural class at Westminster’s Mountain Range, and she is getting her first taste of high school life and high school competition at the same time. But Simmons is not new to the idea of competition, and the 14-year-old could become the school’s first state champion at the Class 5A and 4A state gymnastics meets Friday and Saturday at Thornton High School.
“I’m a little nervous. I’ve never been to a state meet before, but I know my team will help me get through it,” Simmons said.
Simmons took her first tumble when she was 7 and made her way to the highly spirited national scene under coach Pat Boyle at Gymnastics Unlimited. Most clubs try to steer their athletes away from the prep scene, fearing injury and differing coaching techniques, and Simmons’ club is no different. A lot of people had opinions whether or not Simmons should join the Mountain Range team, but there was only one decider, and this time it wasn’t the president.
“She decided,” said Maria Nazin, Anna’s mother. “She said, ‘This is what I’m going to do,’ and she did it. I figured, she’s a young woman, she can make the choice.”
If the level of fun is any indicator, Simmons made the right move. At one point this season she was the highest ranked 4A gymnast in all four disciplines – floor, vault, balance beam and uneven bars.
One of her teammates, Brittany Logan, also could contend for a title. The prime competition includes Pueblo Central’s Tera Sisson, the defending 4A all-around champion. Sisson teammates Kelsey Downs and Jennifer Rockwell also are ones to watch.
“If everything goes good, we could place three or four in the top six in the all-around,” said Pueblo Central coach Kelly Downs, who hopes her Wildcats win their first title since 1978.
To do that Pueblo Central will have to knock off four-time defending champion Sterling, which has eight titles since 1995. This season, Erin Krause has been scoring high with her floor routine, Lindsay Benson and Karyssa Schappe have been strong on the bars, and Jamie Scheck, Lyndsey Meier and Sarah Northrup should contend for a title on the beam.
Others to watch include Katie Strobeck of Alamosa on the beam; Kasia Kilijanek of Elizabeth off the vault; Liberty’s Kaitlin Stewart in the all-around; and Elizabeth’s Aspen Schmidt, Evergreen’s Allison Robbinette and Fort Morgan’s Anna Mason on the floor.
In 5A, the team title has gone to teams north of Denver since Cherry Creek won in 1998. Loveland had the best teams in 1999 and 2001, the combined Fort Collins-Poudre squad won it in 2002, and Rocky Mountain was champion in 2000, 2003, 2004 and 2005.
Individually, all eyes will be on Loveland’s Hannah Bower, the returning all-around, floor and beam champion as well as Overland-Smoky Hill’s Cynthia Omega.
