Prince George teens prepare for Western Canadian Gymnastics Championship

The tournament take place in Whitehorse, Yukon, from April 23-25, so the duo are just days away from making the trip to Whitehorse. It’s an opportunity they, and their coaches, are quite excited for.

“Westerns is a great opportunity to start some more of the competitive and elite side of gymnastics. It’s definitely the first stepping stone, the next would be Nationals, so it’s good practice, good experience for them to prepare for what’s bigger and better to come from there,” said Schwab’s coach Marissa McCarville.

“We’re feeling pretty confident, Katana is looking really good. I’ve actually only coached her since July, so she’s very new to this program, but she’s doing really well and has exceeded our expectations,” added Kenway’s coach Jennifer Watt.

In the days leading up to the event, both athletes say they’ve been rigorously practicing their routines over and over again to ensure they’re as prepared as possible when the big moment comes.

“I’m just working on my routines and only those. Normally I’d hit some routines and then maybe work some different skills that aren’t part of them, but I’m just working on my genes, cleaning them up and whatnot,” Schwab said.

“I’ve been trying to hit some routines, fix mistakes from my previous competition, and looking to work on that,” Kenway added.

Both athletes say they’re looking forward not just to the event itself, but everything surrounding it, as it will be the biggest tournament they have attended so far. They’re looking forward to meeting new people, or reconnecting with some familiar faces from other events they may have attended, and McCarville adds that can also be a great way to grow as a competitor.

“He (Owen) competes with the same five kids in every competition that we go to, so this way he gets to compete against other athletes in his level. It broadens the horizon, see what possibilities there are,” McCarville said.

The athletes and coaches plan to make the trip on April 22, one day before the tournament begins.

by Tommy Osborne

Prince George teens prepare for Western Canadian Gymnastics Championship

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