PG Special Olympics invites you to annual rhythmic gymnastics event

PRINCE GEORGE – The Prince George Special Olympics community is inviting you to its annual rhythmic gymnastics demonstration and bake sale. Taking place on April 30 at the AimHi gym, it will begin at 7:00 p.m. and showcase what the athletes have been working on all year.

“They’re pretty excited, and some are very nervous. This is the first time for some of our new athletes, so there’s a lot involved: learning body skills, apparatus skills, putting them together, and then learning routines to music and basically having to know how to do it themselves. Some of the athletes have taken on the responsibility to choreograph their own routines, and I think that’s fantastic because they just feel comfortable doing that,” said Special Olympics Rhythmic Gymnastics Coach Dee Neukomm.

While nerves are expected when performing in front of an audience, Neukomm says that’s actually a benefit of events like this, as it helps prepare athletes for potential competitions down the road. Considering gymnastics is a judged event, getting used to an audience is particularly important.

“Going to competition is a bit of a challenge sometimes because we don’t get that practice, but having the practice of just being in front of an audience and knowing the audience is very appreciative of what they’re doing and have learned is what’s great,” Neukomm said.