Alyssa Moorehead, 14 of Saugeen Shores, with her team’s Gold medal and her Bronze medals which she received in Beam, Bars and Floor competitions at the Eastern Canadian Championships held earlier in May.

Hub Staff

After taking the podium at the Provincial Championships last month in Windsor, Swing, Spring and Flip Club (SSFC) gymnast, 14 year old Alyssa Moorehead, had the chance to complete at the Eastern Canadian Championships held at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology in Oshawa.

Moorehead represented Ontario in Novice Level 7 competition where her Ontario team, coached by local coach Patty Bowman, swept the podium with 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th finishes over many eastern provinces, as well as Quebec, to receive a team gold.

For Moorehead it was her personal bests that she was most proud of. In competition the 14 year old placed 3rd overall, placing 3rd in Beam, Bars and Floor with personal bests in all with scores of 9.725, 9.375, and 9.650 respectively; and a 6th sixth place finish on Vault.

Bowman, who has been coaching gymnastics in Saugeen Shores for over 30 years and has been teaching Moorehead since she was just 4 years old, was selected to coach the Ontario Novice team at the Eastern Championships following Moorehead’s 1st place finish at Provincials. The proud coach said, “It’s not about the medals, it’s about the scores and getting the personal bests.” Bowman added that Moorehead’s goal was to achieve a 38.000 score overall and was elated to receive a 38.150.

“Alyssa is [SSFC’s] first Provincial Championship winner and the first that has made it to the Eastern Championships,” said Bowman, admitting it was quite a special achievement for all involved.

The 14 year old Grade 8 student is now training for Level 8 competition. Many gymnasts who compete in Level 9-10 receive Division 1 university state scholarships with those competing in Level 10 being recognized as elite athletes. “She's in a good spot for it because she's been training for Level 8 throughout the season,” said her coach who explained that Moorehead has hit her full-twist layout (an extended body while flipping upside down, with full twists requiring a 360 degree rotation) on floor and is working on her back tuck on the beam. Bowman said that the gymnast is aspiring to get to Level 9 by the end of high school.

Bowman, who wanted to extend a thank you to Gord’s Pro Shop & Imprints, said that the coaching staff at SSFC do a lot of psychology with the gymnasts to get them in the proper mindset by asking them to remember their mantra and remember their goals. “In the higher levels it is very much a mental game, and you have to be mentally strong, which Alyssa is, definitely,” she said.

Gymnast Alyssa Moorehead received Bronze during Level 7 competition at the Eastern Canadian Championships held at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology in Oshawa. Alyssa competed for Team Ontario, who received gold and was coached by Swing, Spring and Flip Club coach Patty Bowman (left).

Gymnast Alyssa Moorehead is now training as a Level 8 gymnast at SSFC in Port Elgin with a goal of reaching Level 9 by the time she finishes high school.