WASHINGTON, Ind. — Eleven-year-old Hannah Nowak is all concentration as she prepares to execute a series of eight power tumbling skills down a flexible floor that is 84 feet long and 6 feet wide.
In one series, or “pass,” she runs down the floor and does a front flip with a half turn, followed by six back flips. She ends with a high double back flip in the pike position, in which the body is bent forward at the waist with the legs kept straight.
Not once did her hands touch the floor.
The goal is to travel down the floor with a fast, even rhythm, then explode upward into a high, final skill. At the end, Hannah must land without moving her feet.
Her tumbling coach, Crissy LaFollette, is watching closely. “Stick that landing, girl,” LaFollette said at one point during a Thursday evening practice at the Tumbling Express gym in Washington, Ind.
Upon completion of the “pass,” if Hannah’s feet move, judges will give her a deduction in points. And she wants to do well at her next major competition.
On Saturday, Hannah is heading to St. Petersburg, Russia, to participate in a prestigious international competition, the World Age Group Games.
It is the equivalent of the Olympics for power tumbling at Hannah’s age and level of competition, although tumbling is not an Olympic sport. Hannah of Terre Haute and Madi Webster of Odon have been chosen for the USA Gymnastics World Age Group Team.
Hannah will compete in power tumbling, and Madi on trampoline, and they are alternates on the synchronized trampoline. Together, the girls have won more than 75 state, regional and national championship awards.
The World Age Group Games will draw about 900 athletes from 32 countries. “It’s a big honor to be there and represent the United States,” said LaFollette, who will accompany the girls. Hannah’s parents, Hans and Kristi Nowak, also will go to Russia.
The competition will be in the St. Petersburg Sports and Concert Complex.
To prepare, Hannah, a student at Honey Creek Middle School, travels to Washington four days each week to practice about three hours each day. “She is a very hard working and determined young lady,” and she is a competitor, LaFollette said.
Hannah says she’s getting a little anxious, but she’s also very excited; competing at this level has been her dream. She and Madi will compete in the 11/12 age group.
Hannah hopes to make the finals, which is the top eight. She’s eager to compete with other kids from around the world “and seeing how well I place,” she said.
Hannah’s mom, Kristi, hopes her daughter “goes in with the same attitude and drive she has here and mentally stays in the game, if she’s first or if she’s last. I just want her to do her best.”
Her advice to her daughter is “to be herself.”
At one point during Thursday’s practice, Hannah got upset and a few tears flowed. LaFollette offered a hug and support. Dealing with stress is part of the learning experience, she says.
LaFollette critiques to help Hannah improve, but her style is not high pressure. “I’m not a yeller or screamer. That’s not what gets the best out of these kids,” she said. “You have to learn each kid and know what motivates them.”
Hannah quickly bounces back and again practices her competition passes down the floor.
In between, she and Madi, age 12, had fun and their eyes opened wide when their training and competition attire arrived. They have red leotards for practice and navy blue ones for the competition. The competition leotard has an American flag emblem on the sleeve, which is required.
The girls were so excited, they couldn’t wait; they had to try on the leotards. Together, they proudly wore their competition attire and did an exaggerated “model walk” down the floor.
On the wall above them, one of several motivational banners stated, “When you believe in yourself, anything is possible.”
The girls will be gone from Nov. 14 to Nov. 22. They will have two training days before competition to work through their nerves, become accustomed to the equipment and be ready for competition to start.
Then, “The kids from the USA will show the world what they are made of and how hard they have worked,” LaFollette said. “Whether they place first or last, as long as they do the good passes that they have been doing in practice day in and day out, we will be happy and proud of them.”
Sue Loughlin can be reached at (812) 231-4235 or sue.loughlin@tribstar.com.
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Terre Haute girl to compete at World Age Group Games
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