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Eastern Montana Gymnastics
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First Place in Level 5 at Mandan Meet
EMG Gymnasts on Bismarck TV
The EMG Level 5 girls were videoed and interviewed by KFYR-TV reporter Michelle San Miguel at the
Mandan meet.
See the original story here.        Watch the video here.
Following is the story from the KFYR-TV website:
Seven-year-old twin sisters Samantha and Jena Swanson have been gymnasts for two years. They
traveled nearly 250 miles from Glendive, Mont. to compete in the Shamrock Qualifier in Mandan.
Their scores were calculated out of a 40-point system and included their performances in vaults,
uneven bars, balance beam and floor activity.
"I earned 34 points and she earned 33. And it was two-tenths apart," said Jena Swanson.
Their scores earned them first and second place in the level five division, with Samantha tying
second with a girl from Dakota Star Gymnastics. And Jena knows exactly where they`re going to hang
their medals.
"Well, we have this little thing at home. It`s like three little hangers and we put all our medals there,"
said Jena.
Kaya Gayette, the other gymnast who tied for second, lasted 19 seconds on the floor doing a walking
handstand and people rooting for her were proud to see it.
"Oh it was awesome. She`s a great gymnast so she does really well," said Shannon Dillman, board
president of Dakota Star.
The girls competing were between 7 and 14-years-old. Some of them put in as many as 13 hours of
practice a week.
"I love doing this every day. Seeing the smile that it puts on their face. Seeing them accomplish their
goals is great," said Jena Bowers, assistant gymnastics coach at Dakota Star.
Jena Swanson said she doesn`t even get nervous while on the balance beam because she stays
confident. That confidence led her to place first in her division.
Photo from the KFYR-TV website:
EMG Team Finishes Season at Montana State Championships
Nine gymnasts from Eastern Montana Gymnastics in Circle competed at the 2011 Montana State
Gymnastics Championships in Missoula on March 25 and 26. Jena Swanson won the silver medal
for her second place finish on the balance beam, while Ramsey Bailey and Samantha Swanson,
who were both struggling with illnesses, won bronze medals for their third place finishes on floor.
Trey Taylor and Nate Howell were also awarded bronze medals for their third place ties on floor and
vault, respectively. EMG’s Level 5 girls’ team finished in second place on the balance beam, out of
the nine teams, and were only .525 point behind the top Missoula team.
The EMG boys competed on Friday evening, with Christopher Spotts in Level 4 and Trey and Nate in
Level 5. Christopher ended his first gymnastics season with a fifth place finish on vault, out of twelve
gymnasts. Trey was also fourth on pommel and rings, out of seven gymnasts. In Nate’s age group,
there were five gymnasts.
Jolene Wagner competed in the Level 4 meet on Saturday morning, where her best event was vault.
The Level 5 gymnasts competed next and EMG was represented by Jena, Sam, Ramsey and Ashley
Becker. Out of seven gymnasts in their age group, Jena was also fourth on the uneven bars and
fourth for her all-around score, while Samantha was also fourth on beam. Ramsey and Ashley
competed in the older age group, with eighteen girls, where Ramsey was also seventh on beam
and sixth for her all-around and Ashley was tied for eighth on the vault.
Sarah Massar competed in Level 6 against ten other gymnasts. Nursing a sore leg which limited
her competition, she had her best event on the balance beam.
Scores for Level 4 boys (floor, pommel, rings, vault, parallel bars, high bar, all-around): Christopher
Spotts (13.2, 9.5, 12.9, 14.7, 13.2, 11.3, 74.8).
Scores for Level 5 boys: Trey Taylor (13.3, 11.6, 12.5, 13.7, 11.8, 11.4, 74.3), Nate Howell (11.8, 12.1,
12.1, 14.5, 11.7, 10.3, 72.5).
Scores for Level 4 girls (vault, uneven bars, balance beam, floor, all-around): Jolene Wagner (8.9,
7.0, 7.6, 7.85, 31.35.)
Scores for Level 5 girls: Jena Swanson (8.0, 8.6, 9.35, 8.6, 34.55), Ramsey Bailey (8.25, 8.4, 9.025,
8.85, 34.525), Samantha Swanson (8.0, 8.5, 9.025, 8.85, 34.375), Ashley Becker (8.3, 7.2, 7.65,
8.025, 31.175).
Scores for Level 6 girls: Sarah Massar (8.0, 7.0, 7.6, 6.6, 29.2).
EMG Gymnasts Earn Six First Places at Bozeman

All the gymnasts from Circle’s Eastern Montana Gymnastics Team competed on January 13 and 14 at
the Bozeman Blizzard Gymnastics Meet, which was held at the Shroyer Gymnasium on the MSU
campus. The team captured six first-place awards and three top 10 medals. Ramsey Bailey led the
EMG team with first places on balance beam, floor and all-around (her second top all-around in the two
meets this season). Nate Howell added first places on floor and high bar and Christopher Spotts had
a first place on parallel bars. Ramsey also was awarded a top 10 medal, out of the 63 gymnasts in
Level 5, for ninth place on beam. Samantha and Jena Swanson were awarded top 10 medals for their
third and fourth finishes on floor, out of the 40 Level 6 gymnasts.

The meet was the first competitive meet for Level 4 Tugg Taylor and the first meet of the year for the
EMG boys.  Jayla Ewers also competed in her first Level 6 meet and scored over 31 points to qualify
her to compete at Level 7 sometime in the future.

The four EMG boys competed Friday evening in a meet that included over 90 boys from Level 4 to Level
10. Christopher and Tugg competed in Level 4, with Christopher also earning third place on rings, out
of the five gymnasts in his age group, and Tugg earning fifth place on parallel bars, out of the nine
gymnasts in his age group.

Trey Taylor and Nate competed in the Level 5 division, with Nate adding second places in pommel,
rings, vault, parallel bars and all-around to his two first-places, out of the 3 gymnasts in his age group.
Trey had his best showing on the pommel horse and competed with seven other boys in his age group.

The EMG boys’ team was in seventh place, out of the eight teams, with four gymnasts needed to qualify
as a team.

In Level 5, Ramsey added a tie for second place on uneven bars to her first places, out of the thirteen
gymnasts in her age group. Jasmine Clinton and Ashley Becker competed in the same age group,
where Ashley earned fourth place on vault and Jasmine was tied for seventh on uneven bars. The three
girls did not qualify as a team as they needed at least five gymnasts to qualify as a team.

In Level 6, the three EMG girls qualified as a team and placed third, out of the four teams. Samantha
led the way with second places on uneven bars, floor and all-around, a tie for second on balance beam
and a third place on vault, out of seven gymnasts. All three girls competed in the same age group and
Jena added a second place on vault, third places on floor and all-around and a fourth place on beam.
Jayla finished in fourth place on floor.

Level 4 boys (floor, pommel, rings, vault, parallel bars, high bar, all-around): Tugg Taylor (12.9, 7.9,
12.1, 14.6, 13.1, 11.8, 72.4), Christopher Spotts (13.7, 6.7, 13.5, 13.9, 13.5, 10.9, 72.2).
Level 5 boys: Nate Howell (13.0, 10.0, 11.1, 14.1, 13.6, 11.8, 73.6), Trey Taylor (13.1, 10.1, 11.9, 12.9,
13.2, 10.2, 71.4).
Level 5 girls (vault, uneven bars, balance beam, floor, all-around): Ramsey Bailey (7.75, 8.45, 8.65,
8.65, 33.5), Ashley Becker (8.175, 7.1, 6.95, 7.2, 29.425), Jasmine Clinton (7.45, 7.55, 6.775, 7.5,
29.275).
Level 6 girls: Samantha Swanson (8.45, 8.225, 8.275, 8.9, 33.85), Jena Swanson (8.55, 7.7, 7.95,
8.875, 33.075), Jayla Ewers (8.0, 7.45, 7.775, 8.275, 31.5).

The EMG Team’s next meet will be in Helena in February.
2011-2012 Competitive Season Begins in Dickinson

The 2011-2012 competitive season began for the Eastern Montana Gymnastics Team girls at the
Dickinson meet in December. The Circle girls won top all-around places in both Level 5 and Level 6
and had five event first-places. In Level 5, Ramsey Bailey and Jayla Ewers were the top two gymnasts,
respectively, and in the B age group of Level 6, Jena and Samantha Swanson were the top two
gymnasts. Ramsey also added a first place on beam, Jayla had firsts on uneven bars and floor, Jena
had the top floor routine and Samantha had the top uneven bar routine. The Level 5 girls’ team also
placed second, out of the four teams, and were first on every event except vault.

In Level 5, Jayla (in her first Level 5 meet) and Jasmine Clinton scored above the required 31 points for
the first time to move to Level 6 sometime in the future. Ramsey scored the qualifying score also but
had scored it in previous years. In their first Level 6 meet, Jena and Samantha scored over 31 points  to
qualify for Level 7 in the future.

Out of the 22 Level 5 gymnasts at the meet, Ramsey also had the second place vault and the third
place floor routine, while Jayla was eighth on beam and tied for eleventh on vault. Jasmine was eighth
on vault, tenth on bars and twelfth for her all-around. Ashley Becker was ninth on the uneven bars.
Jena and Samantha competed with five other girls in their age group in Level 6. Besides their top
awards, Jena was second on beam and vault and tied for third on bars, while Samantha was second
on bars and floor and was third on vault.

Level 5 girls (vault, uneven bars, balance beam, floor, all-around): Ramsey Bailey (7.5, 9.0, 9.45, 9.0,
34.95), Jayla Ewers (7.7, 9.35, 8.35, 9.2, 34.6), Jasmine Clinton (7.9, 7.65, 7.85, 7.65, 31.05), Ashley
Becker (7.35, 7.8, 7.4, 7.9, 30.45).
Level 6 girls: Jena Swanson (8.55, 7.1, 8.725, 8.7, 33.075), Samantha Swanson (8.35, 7.35, 9.025, 8.1,
32.825).
Five First Places in Helena; Level 6 Girls Win Another Third Place

The ten gymnasts on Circle’s Eastern Montana Gymnastics competitive team traveled to Helena on
February 10 and 11 and earned several top awards. The Level 6 girls captured the third place team
banner, out of the five teams, and the EMG gymnasts earned five first-place awards in their age
divisions. Placing first were Ramsey Bailey in Level 5 uneven bars, Jena Swanson in Level 6 uneven
bars and all-around and Samantha Swanson in Level 6 balance beam and floor exercise. In Level 5,
Ashley Becker scored over 31 points to enable her to move to Level 6 in the future.

In Level 6, the EMG girls competed with five other gymnasts in their age group. Besides her top
finishes, Jena was also third on vault, fourth on beam and second on floor, while sister Samantha
was also second for her all-around. Teammate Jayla Ewers was second on beam and third on floor
and for her all-around and was tied for third on bars. The three girls also earned medals for earning
scores that were in the top three out of all the 33 Level 6 gymnasts. Samantha had the top score on
floor and Jena had the second highest score. On the beam, Samantha had the second highest score
and Jayla was third.

In Level 5, Ramsey Bailey finished in second place for her all-around, out of the ten gymnasts in her
age group, and was also third on floor and tied for third on beam. In the same age group, Jasmine
Clinton was second on vault and fifth on bars. Ashley was in a different age group and had the third
place vault, out the ten gymnasts.

For the boys, Trey Taylor and Nate Howell competed in Level 5, with eight boys in their age group. Trey’
s pommel horse routine earned him third place and Nate’s high bar routine earned him his highest
finish. Tugg Taylor and Christopher Spotts both competed in the younger age group in Level 4, with
twelve gymnasts. Tugg earned a tie for fifth place on vault and Christopher’s best finish was on
pommel horse.

Level 6 girls (vault, uneven bars, balance beam, floor, all-around): Jena Swanson (8.8, 8.225, 8.8,
9.15, 34.975), Samantha Swanson (8.6, 7.4, 9.2, 9.2, 34.4), Jayla Ewers (8.6, 7.5, 9.15, 8.825, 34.075).

Level 5 girls: Ramsey Bailey (8.05, 8.175, 8.6, 8.4, 33.225), Jasmine Clinton (8.3, 7.875, 8.0, 7.5,
31.675), Ashley Becker (8.55, 6.8, 8.425, 7.7, 31.475).

Level 5 boys (floor, pommel, rings, vault, parallel bars, high bar, all-around): Trey Taylor (12.7, 11.7,
12.2, 13.2, 12.8, 11.5, 74.1), Nate Howell (12.3, 9.5, 10.8, 13.9, 11.7, 12.0, 70.2).

Level 4 boys: Tugg Taylor (12.5, 8.3, 13.0, 14.6, 12.3, 9.7, 70.4), Christopher Spotts (12.1, 8.8, 9.7,
14.2, 12.1, 11.1, 68.0).

All the EMG gymnasts have qualified for the State Championships, which will be in Billings in March.
The EMG girls will also compete in Mandan in March.