Gymnastics as preparation for the world Millstone youth attains level 6 of competitive sport at the age of 9 BY JENNIFER KOHLHEPP Staff Writer In a little over a month, Millstone's Parker Adamo has seen the score cards that once flashed 7.7, 8.0 and 8.4 turn to reveal scores of 8.9, 9.1 and 9.3. CHRIS KELLY staff Parker Adamo, a young competitive gymnast from Millstone, competes with the Cylcones, a gymnastics team based out of the Monmouth Gymnastics Academy in Marlboro, Jan. 6 at Worlwide Gymnastics in Old Bridge. Adamo placed fifth in the competition. By the end of his first gymnastics competition of the season Dec. 8 at Lehigh Valley Sports Academy in Allentown, Pa., Adamo, a 9-year-old gymnast, had an overall score of 48.7, which placed him sixth overall. When he competed again Jan. 6 at Worldwide Gymnastics in Old Bridge, his overall score totaled 53.50 and he had beaten last year's level 6 state champion to take fifth place. In the most recent competition, the level 6 competitive gymnast with the Cyclones boys gymnastics team based out of the Monmouth Gymnastics Academy in Marlboro also placed second on the parallel bars, fourth on vault, seventh on floor, and sixth on pommel horse, still rings and the high bar. CHRIS KELLY staff Parker Adamo, 9, of Millstone, demonstrates the upper-body strength necessary to perform on the parallel bars at Worldwide Gymnastics in Old Bridge Jan. 6. "This is Parker's first year at this level, and for him to place in the top six is a great accomplishment," Tricia Adamo, Parker's mother, said. "The greatest moment of this competition was his parallel bars, where he placed second. His handstands were so strong and the routine was so clean. I am a very proud mom!" Gymnastics is a sport involving exercises that require physical strength, agility and coordination. The modern form of gymnastics typically involves exercises on uneven bars, a balance beam, the floor, a high bar, parallel bars, still rings, a vault and a pommel horse. The exercises evolved from those the ancient Greeks used to develop skills for activities such as mounting and dismounting horses. The sport has 10 initial levels before athletes compete at the elite level. While most young athletes stay at each level for two years, Parker started at level 4 at the age of 6 and advanced one level each year to get to level 6 at the age of 9. He trains under coach Yuri Aminov. "If he keeps up at this pace, at the age of 10 Parker will be an elite gymnast," Parker's mother said. Tricia, a former gymnast who competed at the elite level, knows gymnastics has many positive effects on the physique and the mind. She convinced her husband, Al, to have all three of their children take gymnastics at an early age. At first wary of the sport he didn't know much about, Al didn't learn to appreciate gymnastics until the couple's oldest son, Tyler, 12, started seeing his work in the gym pay off on the football field. Parker would later experience similar advantages on the wrestling mat due to his gymnastics participation. "When Parker wrestled, they called him 'The Cat' because his upper body strength was so incredible," Tricia said. Although Tyler eventually traded floor exercise and bar work for football plays, Parker decided to forgo wrestling to focus solely on gymnastics. Parker now trains between 15 and 18 hours each week. Although he recognizes participation in the Olympics as a longterm goal, Parker has his sights set on more immediate gratifications in the sport. Parker is currently focused on doing the work necessary to get to level 10. Then, if he is strong enough in the sport, he said he would like to try levels of the sport that can lead to the Junior Olympics and the Olympics. For the fourth-grader, these long-term goals are still somewhat abstract, and last week he just seemed enthusiastic about competing and doing well in the three state qualifiers necessary for him to advance to this year's USA Gymnastics Championship competition, which will be held in Las Vegas. For Parker, being a good gymnast requires getting schoolwork and other tasks done before hitting the gym, and developing muscle, form, focus, flexibility, respect and the ability to cope with pressure. He said stunts must be performed flawlessly and he has to pay great attention to avoid bent legs and little steps. Tricia, who knows how the sport forces its athletes to strive for perfection, said that as long as her son finds gymnastics fun, the family will fully support him. To keep Parker's sport a family affair, they all travel with him to competitions, Tricia said. She also said that she plays a handstand game with him at home to see who can hold the position the longest. Up until this year, Tricia had beaten her son at the game every time. "The fact that he can do giants at 9 years old says a lot," Tricia said, explaining that giants are handstands a gymnast performs in the middle of a high-bar routine. Along with continuing to practice holding a handstand, Parker said he is also working on his MOI (moment of inertia), which is the body's tendency to resist acceleration. "When you do a glide on the parallel bars and kick up to stands and then try to let go of the bars in a release move, it's difficult to do," Parker said. He's also practicing his double-back, which is two back flips in a row in the air performed on the floor, trampoline, vault or high or parallel bars. When asked how he feels trying to perform such physical feats, Parker said, "It's scary at first, but after you get it the first time, you feel more confident and it gets easier." Watching her son at the sport is no easy task, either. "You have no idea," Tricia said. "I sit there and move for him. I know it's difficult being out there, but once you are there, you have to do it. I tell him to do the best that he can." Tricia said one of the most riveting experiences was seeing her son receive his end-of-season medals last year from Blaine Wilson, who has won two USA Gymnastics National championships and has competed on twoWorld Championship teams and one Olympic team, and finished 10th all-around at both the 1996 Olympics and the 1997 World Championships. "It was so emotional seeing BlaineWilson give him an award," she said. "At 8 years old, he was getting medals from a former Olympic champion. That was a great accomplishment." Parker said he is looking forward to finishing this season and hopes to move up to level 7 next year, where he may stay for a while to further develop his strength. He would ultimately like to attend a college that offers a gymnastics scholarship and program. Parker had advice for young athletes thinking of pursuing gymnastics: "Don't fool around, and you will see that it is fun and rewarding. You'll get a lot of excitement and strength out of it." His mother also had some advice and said that even children who are naturally talented need a good coach. Tricia said it is important that both the parent and the child trust the coach. "Parker loves to be with his coach, and he completely trusts him," she said. "Even if he does fall when trying a new trick, Yuri is always there to catch him." Aminov's goal at the academy is to enhance the self-esteem of students through a skill development program that recognizes each child's individual needs and skill level. He wants his gymnastics students to establish strength, speed, coordination, flexibility, body awareness and precise timing for excelling in competition and all future endeavors.