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HALLOWEEN KIDS NIGHT OUT!

Elena getting wrapped up by the kids in "Mummy Wrap"!

The coaches all dressed up for Kids Night Out!

1st place winners..
Andrei was the first coach to be completely wrapped up like a mummy!

The girls had so much fun getting their nails & hair done!

Sloan, Bross take 1st and 2nd place

at the World Championships!

This past week at the O2 Arena in London, Great Britain, Bridget Sloan won the women’s all-around title at the 2009 World Championships, finishing just 0.050 ahead of teammate Rebecca Bross.

The battle for the title went down to the last event, the floor exercise. Sloan, the reigning U.S. all-around champion, earned a 14.200 for her floor routine. Bross went last, and a bad landing on her last tumbling pass gave her a 12.875, which moved Sloan into the top spot.

“I honestly am not surprised (about going first and second), but I am very happy,” said Martha Karolyi, the U.S. women’s national team coordinator. “We knew we were prepared, but that it is not enough. You have to have the consistency to go out there when the most pressure is on. We are doing a lot of mental preparation with the girls, and I think this is the result of that."

“Both of the gymnasts are really good,” said Karolyi. “One needs a little bit more experience. One of them is extremely young and very promising. I foresee a fantastic future for Rebecca, even with the mistake in this meet, and she will be a front-runner in the years to come. I am proud of Bridget to have come from an alternate in 2007 (on the World team) to a team member on the 2008 Olympic Team to this year stepping up as an individual (competitor) and taking over the responsibility to earn the medals for the USA. I am very proud.”

Every little bit counts!

On September 12th, during our Fall Open House, Exxcel hosted the 2nd Annual Helping Handstand Fundraiser to help fund a life-saving heart surgery for Yulia Nosenko, a 9-year-old girl, who spent the summer of 2008 at Exxcel. Yulia has a form of heart disease that requires surgery to patch a hole that has developed in her heart.

Yulia lives in a region of Russia devastated by a nuclear disaster. Her poverty-stricken family cannot afford the surgery, resulting in medical bills in excess of $100,000. Yulia was hosted in the U.S. by the family of Kasey King, an Exxcel gymnast and coach.

One-by-one, participants held handstands to make the longest group handstand possible. This year, we collectively held handstands for 11 minutes total! As a result, the contributions from parents, students and coaches, with a match by Exxcel totaled $1284.00, which went directly to the Helping Handstands Fundraiser!

The motto, every little bit counts, became clearer to all of us here at Exxcel, due to the kindness and generosity of Ilya, a student here at Exxcel. Ilya immediately had questions about Yulia's situation. When he was told that every donation, no matter how small, makes a difference, he thought about donating his own money.

The following week Ilya came back with the money he saved, $1.27 which he generously gave to the Helping Handstands Fundraiser. When asked why he donated his own money to a young girl he didn't know, Ilya responded, "Because she is sick and her heart is ripped." "It would be awesome if everybody gave money." Ilya said, "I think everybody should give money because it's nice and it's going to help her."

It's because of the compassion and generosity of people like Ilya that Exxcel was able to donate over one thousand dollars to the Helping Handstands Fundraiser. Thanks to everyone for your support!

2008 Olympic team silver-medalist Chellsie Memmel has withdrawn from the selection process for the U.S. Team for the 2009 World Championships, Oct. 13-15, in London, England.

Memmel had ankle surgery in 2008 and has been training hard to return to competitive gymnastics since. Memmel, a former world champion, said: “I have run out of time, and I am not quite where I want to be gymnastics-wise. I haven’t been able to do the number of routines and repetitions that I need to represent the USA at the highest level. Also, I thought this would make it easier for Martha and the selection committee in naming the team, because we have so many talented gymnasts who deserve the chance to go to London. My Dad and I met with Martha, and she is very supportive of this decision. I am going home and will spend the time getting my routines ready for next year.”

We wish you luck Chellsie and hope to see you back and ready for Worlds next year!

This Friday, October 2nd, the final decision on which international city will host the 2016 Olympic Games will be made. Chicago's bid for the 2016 Olympic Games consists of 3 components:

• A vision that reaches out to the world in friendship through sport. The vision of Chicago 2016 is to celebrate the Olympic Movement's power to unite all humanity.
• A concept that will deliver a spectacular Games experience for all participants in our stunning lakefront parklands. The majority of the venues in Chicago's games will be conducted in the heart of the city, within its historic parks.
• Through sport and competition, young people can learn valuable lessons and develop skills that will serve them well throughout their lives.
  

* The Nastia Liukin Cup comes to Worcester, MA *

March 5th, 2010

2010 Tyson American Cup comes to Worcester

USA Gymnastics has recently announced that the 2010 Tyson American Cup will be held at the DCU Center in Worcester, MA on March 6th. This will be the first time this prestigious international invitational has been held in Massachusetts. "This event remains an important cornerstone in the showcasing of our elite athletes as they prepare for international competition at its highest level, including the World Championships and the Olympic Games." "The Tyson American Cup features gymnastics as its highest level and will be a great experience for fans," said Doug Brames, director of consumer marketing, Tyson Foods. "We are proud to sponsor this prestigious event and to communicate the importance of protein and nutrition to those who attend, as well as the millions of Americans who tune in."

The 2010 Tyson American Cup will feature an all-around format. Ticket information will be announced later and Exxcel will sell tickets to this event! The list of former champions comprises some of the sport's best-known names, including Bart Conner, Paul Hamm, Shawn Johnson, Nastia Liukin, Shannon Miller, Carly Patterson, Mary Lou Retton and Peter Vidmar.

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ROLLER KINGDOM WAS A BLAST!

* Team girls having fun rollerskating at Roller Kingdom during Summer Camp! *

EXXCEL GYMNASTICS & CLIMBING *

WINNER of 2009 BEST OF NEWTON CENTER AWARD!

Exxcel Gymnastics & Climbing has been selected for the 2009 Best of Newton Center Award! The US Commerce Association (USCA) "Best of Local Business" Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year, the USCA selects companies that they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community. These are companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community.

We are honored to receive this special award! Thanks for your support to all who voted!

* A FEW WORDS FROM THE CAMPERS ~ WEEK 10 *

"I like summer camp because you can hang upside down from the bars & swing on the ropes." - Isaac Levine, Age 6.

"My favorite part of camp is the counselors, waterslides & extended day."- Maia Grissino, Age 8.

"I like summer camp because you get to make new friends and annoy the coaches with your new friends!" -Evan Walker, Age 9.

"I loved it when we went rollerskating!" -Annika Lederman

* WEEK 10: PEACE OUT WEEK! RECAP *

"This week was another wonderful week of camp. It wasn't only about gymnastics & climbing but also about the fun games (fishy, fishy, open gym into the foam pit, hola hoop races etc.). I enjoyed watching my boys group running around outside during waterslides trying to get the other groups soaking wet. Another amazing thing to watch was how the campers got creative with tie dye ~ this week was "peace out" theme, so the shirts turned out super groovy!" -Hassan, Boys Group 1

* WEEK 10: PEACE OUT! *

"Peace out week was awesome! On Wednesday we got to tie dye our shirts & on Thursday we got to wear them to Roller Kingdom! Rollerskating was a blast! The kids had so much fun and watching the coaches wipe out was hysterical.. This week was all about peace, love & happiness!"- Laura's Girls Group #1

Week 9 Round up

"Mad Scientist week was an an explosion of fun. We learned new skills like back handspring, handstands, forward rolls and handstands fall flats. We also loved having free time, learning about how heat behaves and eating cotton candy. YUM! :)" Elena's Group

* Watch the 2009 Visa Championships on TV and the Web! *

The 2009 Visa Championships are taking place now through Saturday in Dallas, Texas at the American Airlines Center. Among the competitors are 2008 Olympians: Nastia Liukin, Bridget Sloan, Chellsie Memmel, and Samantha Peszek. The winner of the Visa Championships takes the title of 2009 National Champion. The performances of the gymnasts at Visas determines who will be invited to the World Team selection camps in September. Only 4 Americans will go to London for the World Championships in October. To see the competition, check out the live webcast at 8pm tonight, tomorrow, and Saturday at USA Gymnastics Online!

Freeze Frame Week Recap

"The scavenger hunt was so much fun! My group was running around like crazy trying to find everything on the list. We made up funny poses and laughed the entire time. As you can see from the pictures, freeze frame week was a blast!”- Laura Fields, Recreational Camp, Girls Group 1

FlipFlop Leos

Just wanted to pass on this leo company on e-bay that's worth a look. FlipFlop Leos - most are in the $10-$18 range. Heard about it from one of our team moms. Thanks for the tip!

Week 7 Roundup - Team 3

We had so much fun this week. We did lots of new skills including back tucks, side aerials, and front tucks. One of the most memorable parts of the week was going to Funway. True to its name, it was a lot of fun! Overall it was a really great week and we are definitely looking forward to learning more new skills next week.

*Julia, Hannah, Zoe, Rachel, Kristina, Allie, Mia, Nicole

Team 7 Roundup - Team 2

We had a blast at Funway this week! We also learned so much and had fun with our friends, in and out of the gym. We thank the coaches for helping us with new skills. Exxcel rocks!

*Sophia, Olivia, Lexie, Amy, Hannah, Julie, Naomi, Gianna

Week 7 Roundup - Team 1

This week at Exxcel, Team 1's hard work was rewarded with a trip to Funway! We had a blast on the go-carts and bumper boats. Some of use were away last week at USGTC, a gymnastics camp at Mount Holyoke College. Being back at Exxcel was really exciting and fun. We always miss Exxcel whenever we leave, no matter how much fun we're having. It was fun to learn the Thriller dance, which we brought back to Exxcel and taught everyone. Exxcel Camp is always exciting and rewarding. We love gymnastics and can't wait until next week!

*Christa, Megan, Maggie N., Maggie M., Victoria, Sonja

Week 6 Roundup - PJ Party with Andrei's Group

We really enjoyed the whole week. It was the best pajama party week ever. We really liked learning new things like splits, flips, different jumps on the trampoline and tumble track. It was fun decorating the pillow cases, and the pillow fight was a blast, especially when Andrei got stuck in his pillow case and fell down on the floor and all us had to help him up. Also it was really silly when we were working on our beam skills and Andrei just started dancing on his beam. It was a really fun dance party.

Week 6 Roundup - Week 6 with Elena's Group

The week at camp was like one long sleepover party! We had a bubble gum contest and that ended with a lot of messy faces. Wrestling Andrei and Serg with our own custom-made pillows was a blast and it was cool to hang out in pajamas all week. Even thought we were relaxed and in our pajamas, we put a lot of effort into new skills, the dance and our yummy, yummy skit. All this work paid off in fantastic pajama party week.

*Rachel Stutman, Laura Dammann, Emma Horwitz, Mia Rosengard, Annika Lederman

Week 6 Roundup - PJ Party with Preschool

The week was awesome and very, very fun. We loved swinging in the aerial fabrics, jumping in the bungee and playing in the pit. We also liked hanging upside down on the bars and swinging like monkeys on the rings. We did forward rolls and flamingo walks on the balance beam and cartwheels on the floor. We also made colorful and sparkly pillow cases because it was pajama week. We love Exxcel!

Week 5 Roundup - Climbing Camp

From the Coaches:

"The group this week was awesome. I will miss them" (Josh)
"I liked letting Jen down real fast - it was fun (Serg)
"It was great to learn new knots and help with the kids (Jen)

From the Climbers:

The best part about camp this week was...

"...that we learned a figure 8 knot (Izzy)
"...I love climbing (Sophie S)
"...the bolt game (Sophie)
"...going on the ziplines - inside and outside (Emma)
"...practing the skit" (Jennifer)
"...climbing the really hard walls - it was a challenge" (Sara)
"...there were a lot of fun games" (Ely)
"...the zipline and the bungee (Eli)
"...it was fun to do "dynos" on hard walls (Alec)

Week 5 Roundup - Super Chef w/ Hassan's Group

I Heart Exxcel Summer Camp because....

"...we learned a lot of new things which I never learned before. When you need help, there is always an instructor there" (Kathryn)

"...the feeling you get when you do something extraordinary!" (Willow)

"...you always learn new things, like one day you're learning a cartwheel and the next you're learning a back handspring" (Annika)

"...you always have fun" (Kayla)

"...everyday you learn new things" (Clare)

"...everyday I learned more things than I ever learned before" (Jessica)

"...it's fun" (Liat)

Week 5 Roundup - Super Chef w/ Andrei's Group

Favorite Things:

"The bungee and the zipline!" (Rebecca)
"I love the waterslides" (Lily Walsh)
"I love to do beam and bars and I love decorating cakes!" (Maggie)
"I loved working on a pie" (Lily)
"I loved the aerial fabrics and the zipline" (Leila)
"We get to learn new things. It was so much fun doing the zipline and working on a pie. When I got home, I shoved the pie in my face and it was really funny" (Mary)
"I loved making the pie and decorating a cake. I also loved going after Andrei!" (Tara)
"I liked decorating a cake, making a pie, swinging on the bar, having lunch outside and finding a bunch of acorns. I also liked it when Andrei made a whistle out of an acorn" (Emma)

Week 4 Roundup - Laura's Perspective

This week's camp was one of the most fun weeks ever! The crazy carnival was such a success; the kids loved the games, face painting and especially the dunk tank! I had a blast watching them play and laugh, having great fun in the sun! ~ Laura Fields, Exxcel Staff

The Weekly Camp Roundup - Week 4! Hassan's Group

CARNIVAL! ~ My favorite part about this week was...

• "When I dunked Hassan at the Carnival!" (Annika
• "Jumping into the foam pit and dunking Hassan and the other coaches at the Carnival!" (Madeline)
• "Doing gymnastics, especially learning my back handspring" (Tamara)
• "Spinning in the aerial fabrics makes me giggle and laugh. I also really enjoyed the zip line, ropes and ropes course (Cora)
• "When I got dunked, and when Serg pushed me on the zip line (Sydney)
• "When Hassan got dunked and colored!" (Jordyn)
• "When I dunked Serg, going to the JCC and the waterslides and balloon fight!" (Jessica)
• "Dunking Andrei, the zip line, the tramp, the carnival and the JCC!" (Isabel)

The Weekly Camp Roundup! WEEK 3

REC CAMP ~ "Anything Can Happen" Week

Jen's Group - The funnest part of this week was the theme, "Anything Can Happen." It was fun to push the coaches into the pit while practicing our new gymnastics skills. We also had tons of fun on the zipline, bungee, and waterslides. "Everything was fun!" says camper Camille Skala.

Hassan's Group - Favorite Things:

- Pushing the coaches into the pit (Anonymous)

- Seeing Andrei let go of the zipline into the pit (Sydney)
- Ropes, tumble trak, getting wet on the water slides (Annie)

- Water fights with coaches and the water slide (Annika)

- Water fights with coaches and learning new gymnastics (Jordyn)

- Water slides, learning gymnastics and the Magician! (Mae and Livia)

Preschool - Exxcel's preschool campers have accomplished so much this week! Our theme was "Anything Can Happen" - in addition to gymnastics, we were suprised with silly string, threw water balloons at coaches, enjoyed the bungee and the trapeze, experiemented with science, and even made our own play-dough...just to name a few!

Team 1 - Eighty degree weather, Hassan breaking out his orange shorts, Tanya's field conditioning & water slide...oh yes summer camp '09 has officially begun. Although the constant brouhaha of summer camp makes us feel like we are "livin' la vida loca", team 1 is going strong. Camila Hernandez marked her name in exxcel gymnastics history when she established a summer camp world record for cast handstands in a row, with an astounding 13! You go girl! One of our fellow team members, Megan Lapp, who traveled intranationally this year to take on the best of the east in Tupelo, will be traveling internationally, this time, to Costa Rica next week. Have fun Megusha! Week 3 marked the first week that we performed both individual group dances and a team dance, and also marked our first trip to our beloved field for conditioning. Other highlights of the week included Franc the magician coming in and turning a balloon into a rabbit; he is quite an entertainer! Overall it was a stellar week for us and we can't wait for more to come!

Team 2 - This week was a blast! We had so much fun at the waterslides. We finally splashed Rustam after many days of trying! We went to the JCC and played very fun games such as categories and dibble. We had so much fun learning new skills and accomplishing goals. We can't wait for next week!

Team 3 - Highlights:

Margeaux - "I got my roundoff 3 backhandsprings," Dallas - "I landed front tuck on tramp," Caitlin - "I like camp especially when I get new skills," Sarah - "I got handstand back tuck off high beam," Ayana - "I got my gainer"

The hiatus is over!

My sincere apologies that we have been offline for almost 2 months! Exxcel has been quite busy, but that's no excuse. Since the last post, we wrapped up and amazing Year End Show (see photos below), and rocked our way through School's Out Vacation Camp and the first 2 and a half weeks of Summer Camp. The Spring Session ended on a high note, and we're psyched to see that so many of you have come back to see us this summer - even if just for a visit! If you're missing your gymnastics fix, summer classes are always an option. You can sign up for just one class!

We will also be posting from the front lines of Summer Camp 2009 -- straight from the campers themselves! Check each week for group recaps and highlights from camp! See the sidebar for more info.

Role Reversal...

Exxcel's 1st ever...Parent Cheer Team. The parents and coaches decided to join the fun and entered into the competition at Hershey Park, PA with a routine of their own.

Anything kids can do moms can do better. And Kendra and Carol of course :-)

Congrats Level 5!

The Level 5s had an awesome meet at States this past weekend - rounding out an all-around great year. Ashley Donnellan won the All-Around and Uneven Bars. Sophia Petrillo also won Bars. Other Level 5 State Champions include Naomi Hunt and Rose Fredudberg on Vault. Great job girls. We're really proud of how hard you all worked all season.

Exxcel Youth Cheerleaders Win Open Championships

This past Saturday, Exxcel's Youth 1 and Youth 2 All-Star Cheer teams traveled to Hershey, PA for “Battle of the States” Competition. Youth 1 placed 3rd out of 13 teams and Youth 2 placed 1st out of 11 teams.

The tournament was held at the Giant Center and featured 215 teams from Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Connecticut, New Hampshire, West Virginia and Florida. The team with the highest skill, best choreography and the cleanest two and half minute routine wins in each division.

Congratulations girls! Kendra tried to teach me some moves, and I've got to give you credit - it's tough!

Good luck this weekend Girls Team!

We have a big weekend coming up with the Exxcel girls teams competing across the State and even across the country! Meghan Lapp (Level 9) is headed to Eastern Championships in Tuepelo, Mississippi! She had an amazing year, and qualified to compete in this meet at Regionals. Good luck Meghan and have fun!

The Level 5s also have States this weekend. They are the defending State Champions from Winter States and have been working hard all year. Have fun and show it off!

Karolina Serhan is also headed to States this weekend for Prep Opt Advanced.

Good luck girls! We're all so proud of you!

Congrats to Kaela Meyer who finished 7th AA at last week's Level 8 Regional Championships, and the Prep Int Team who placed 4th at States.

Many other Exxcel Girls also finished the year as State Champions!

Congrats to....
Caitlin Tormey, Prep Int, All Around
Mary Kate Hegarty, L7 Vault
Allison Hurwitz, Prep Int Vault
Emme McCabe, Prep Int Beam
Sonja Goldman, Prep Int Vault
Caitlin Tormey, Prep Int Bars
Alex Goldfarb, Prep Int Floor
Allison Hurwitz, Prep Int Floor

May's Skill of the Month - The Round Off

The Round Off is one of the most common tumbling skills in both men’s and women’s gymnastics. It is mainly used to shift power from a forward run into backward tumbling, but it is also used on the Balance Beam and Vault.

Round Offs begin with a hurdle where the dominant leg is bent and lifted. The gymnast then reaches forward with the arms and legs through Lunge and kicks as if starting a Cartwheel. While upside down, the gymnast’s legs come together and the hands push off the floor to land on 2 feet facing the direction from which the skill came.

Next Month: The Chin Up

Friday is the last day to register for the Year End Meet!

The Meet is for Exxcel's Advanced classes (Gymgirls 1, 2, Supergymboys 1, 2, Dynamo Stars, Gymboys 3, Dynamos Team, Boys Pre-Team, Girls Pre-Team, Boys Level 4 Team). A full schedule can be found on our Web site.

The $25 entry fee includes: a trophy for every gymnast and a t-shirt with the names of all
participants. In order to have your name on the t-shirt you MUST register with the office by Friday.

Please call the office to register at 617-244-3300.
Sign-up Deadline: May 1, 2009. No refunds after the deadline.

Exxcel Fall Registration -- Register Early and SAVE!

It’s that time again! Fall Registration has begun at Exxcel Gymnastics & Climbing. If you register for a Recreational class by May 31st, we will waive your annual membership fee for 1 year – a $40 to $50 savings! A signed class release form and a $50 deposit will hold your space for Fall 2009. The tuition balance is not due until August 1st. Classes fill up quickly, so register early to get your preferred class and time. Please visit our Web site for the Fall Schedule. Call or stop by the office today (617) 244-3300. See you in the gym!

Congrats Mark Springett! Regional Vault Champion!

Congrats to Mark Springett - Level 8 Regional Vault Champion! Mark also took home the silver medal on the Floor Exercise and 3rd place on the High Bar. Overall he placed 8th in the All Around. Way to go Mark!

Save up to $50 when you register early for Fall 2009!

It's hard to believe that it's almost time again for Fall Registration! Exxcel's Preferred Client Enrollment starts Monday, April 27th. If you register for a Fall Recreational Class (Gymnastics or Climbing) before the end of the Year End Show on May 30th and 31st, we will waive your membership fee for the year - a $40-$50 savings! A Fall Schedule will be available in the office and online on Monday, April 27th.

April’s Skill of the Month - The Handstand Forward Roll

The Handstand Forward Roll is the combination of 2 skills – Handstand (February’s Skill of the Month) and Forward Roll (September’s Skill of the Month).

To perform this skill, the gymnast must first hold a handstand before leaning slightly and then tucking the chin to roll.

Gymnasts first learn Handstand Forward Roll with bent arms, and as they master that version, work up to a straight-armed version of the skill.

The most challenging aspects of the skill are holding a handstand before attempting to roll, and standing up to the feet with out using the hands. A good progression is learning to first roll from Lunge and Scale.

Handstand Forward Rolls are mainly performed on the Floor Exercise, but can also be done on the Balance Beam. The reverse of a Handstand Forward Roll is a Back Extension Roll.

Note: the gymnast in this photo has already passed through Handstand.

Next Month: The Round-off

Still Space Available in Next Friday's 1Day Camp

Send the kids to spend their day off school with Exxcel! Full (9AM-3PM) and Half (9AM-12PM) Day options are available for ages 3+. We also offer an extended day program from 8-9AM and 3-5PM. Camp activities include gymnastics, climbing, arts & crafts, bungee, zip line, games, and so much more! Call the office today for more info or to register (617) 244-3300. Click here for a release form.

There is also still space available in our April Vacation Camp (April 20th-24th). Call for details. See you in the gym!

Sign Up Sheet for Year End Show is Up!

The sign up sheet has finally made it to the Rec bulletin board in the lobby. Please let us know if you plan on attending the Year End Show on May 30th and 31st. Full schedule information can be found in the office.

Last KNO of the Year! This Saturday!

Don't miss Exxcel's last Kids' Night Out of the year this Saturday, March 28th from 6:30-9:30pm. Parents - enjoy a night to yourselves while the kids stay active! Ages 4+ are welcome. Activities include bungee, zipline, open gym, arts & crafts, games, hair braiding, and more! We will have pizza, popcorn and a movie! Call the office today to sign up! (617) 244-3300.

Congrats Prep Opt Team at Mardi Gras!

The novices dominated the competition winning first place as a Team! Zoe won the AA with an amazing 37.8! She won the beam title with a 9.6, the bars with a 9.35 and the floor with a 9.55. She also placed third on vault with a 9.3. Allison followed close behind with a 37.625 winning vault with a 9.45. She was second on beam with a 9.5 and on floor with a 9.4. Megan placed third on floor with a 9.0. Hannah was second place AA with a 36.55 and won floor with a 9.35. She placed second on bars (9.3) and beam (9.25). Julia was also 2nd (tied for first) AA with a 36.25. She won beam and floor and was second on bars with a 9.3. Madeline won her age division with a 36.475. She won vault with a 9.4. She also placed second on beam and floor and third on bars. Great job girls!

The Intermediates did a great job...Hannah placed third on bars with a 9.0. Elizabeth won the floor title and was third on vault. Dana was third place on floor. Emme was second on bars with a 9.1. Sonja won the vault title with an impressive 9.6! Jackie was 2nd in the AA with a 36.0. She also placed second on bars with a 9.4 and on beam. Alex placed third on floor with a 9.0. Alison placed 2nd in the AA. She also won the beam title. Helen was third in the AA and second on beam. Kate was third on floor with a 9.15. Awesome job! The Intermediates were fourth as a team!

The Advanced girls also had a great meet. Allison placed 2nd in the AA and third place on floor. Emily won the floor title with a 9.0 and was third on vault. Karolina was second on floor with a 9.0 and third place on bars. Way to go! The Advanced won third as a team!

Congrats Girls Team - L5 Starlight Champions!

Great job to the Exxcel Girls' Teams at Starlight! The Level 5s took home 1st Place Team this past Sunday in the Starlight Invitational at MIT! Alexis and Sophia also won the 1st Place All-Around titles in their age groups, and many others placed well on all events. Way to go girls!

The Level 8s started the weekend off with Kaela placing 3rd AA with a 36.55. She placed second on vault with a 9.45 and 3rd on floor with a 9.45. In the level 9 competition, Christa took the bar title with a 9.225.

The level 7s were led by Victoria's 2nd place AA of 37.5. She won the bar title with a 9.6 and floor title with an impressive 9.65. Josie took her second AA title in a row winning her age group with a 36.875. She was second on vault with a 9.175 and bars with a 9.3. Amara was second on beam with a 9.3 and third on bars with a 9.25. Mary Kate won the vault title with a 9.4. The level 7s took 2nd place as a team at Starlight!

Congratulations to all our teams! Keep up the good work!

Congrats to Exxcel's Cheer Teams for an "All Star" Weekend!

On Saturday, March 7th and Sunday, March 8th, Exxcel Cheer's Youth 1 and Youth 2 All-star teams competed for the Spiritfest National title in their respective divisions. Youth 1 took home 1st Place winning a National title and Youth 2 battled in a tough division and placed 4th. Great job girls! Way to represent. BTW - Kendra and Jenna's mix won for best music!!

Spring has Sprung in Newton!

Welcome to the Spring Session at Exxcel Gymnastics & Climbing! We are currently accepting registration for all Spring classes. A full schedule and newsletter can be found on our Web site at http://www.exxcel.net/.

The Spring Session begins on Monday, March 16th and runs through Saturday, June 20th. We are looking forward to many exciting camps, classes and special events in the weeks ahead. Feel free to call the Exxcel office at (617)244-3300 for more information. See you in the gym!

LAST Kids' Night Out of the Year! Date Change

Exxcel Gymnastics & Climbing's last Kids' Night Out of the year will be Saturday, March 28th from 6:30-9:30PM. We have a special gift for the kids who have attended every KNO this year - not to be missed! Please note, this was originally scheduled for March 7th.

Enjoy a night out to yourself while the kids play on our zipline, climbing wall, foam pit and so much more! We will also have pizza, popcorn, and a movie. Ages 4+ are welcome. Sign up today in the Exxcel office or by calling (617)244-3300.

Congrats Girls Team! Big Finishes in NYC

Congrats to the all the Exxcel girls who competed this weekend in the Mannhattan Classic in NYC! The Level 5 & Level 7 Teams won 2nd place, and we had a bunch of top event and all-around finishers. All the girls did a great job and it was a lot of fun to spend a weekend in the big city. Look for the bright orange banners they won hanging high in the gym!

March's Skill of the Month - The Cartwheel!

The Cartwheel is a basic gymnastics element that involves transferring weight from feet to hands, to feet again, while executing a half turn.

Cartwheels start and finish in Lunge position (October’s Skill of the Month!) and also also pass through Handstand (February’s Skill of the Month!).

Students in our preschool program explore Cartwheels through introductory lateral motion and weight transfers on their hands. You’ll see a lot of jumping side to side and moving the body back and forth while upside down!

Recreational students will work the full Cartwheel as well as its many variations, from 1-handed Cartwheels to Round-offs. They’ll even attempt them on the Balance Beam!

Spring Registration Underway

Spring Registration is underway at Exxcel. There is still space available in many of the classes, so call the office today to reserve your preferred class and time. Spring Session begins on March 16th and runs through June 20th. Spring Session students will have the opportunity to perform in the Year End Show on May 30th and 31st. The theme this year is "Exxcel's Got Talent." Schedules for the show weekend will be available in the office soon.

All our students have been working so hard, and the show is a great time for them to show off their skills...especially the new Warm Up Dance! If you've been in the lobby at 3:30 you've definitely seen the girls shaking their stuff! Keep up the great work!

February is Red Hot at Exxcel Gymnastics!

February is filled with exciting events at Exxcel Gymnastics & Climbing! This weekend we have our Summer Camp Open House on Saturday, Feb. 7th from 2-4PM. Come see what all the Exxcel Camp excitement is about and save 10% off Summer Camp if you register at the Open House.

Come in from the cold of winter and warm up with Exxcel's Kids' Night Out on February 14th. February Vacation Camp is also coming up on February 16th-20th. Call the office today to register, as space is limited. Activities include gymnastics, climbing, bungee, zipline, arts & crafts, open gym and more! (617) 244-3300.

Now Enrolling for Summer Camp 09! Open House Feb. 7th!

Exxcel is now accepting registrations for Summer Camp 09! We run Full Day Camp programs for ages 5+ and Half or Full Day Camp for ages 3-5. Camp lasts 10 weeks from June 22nd - August 24th!

Exxcel Camp is full of fun activities including gymnastics, climbing, swimming, waterslides, field trips, outdoor ropes course, dance, circus arts, arts & crafts, bungee, zipline and more!

Call the office for more details or come to the Summer Camp Open House on Saturday Feb. 7th from 2-4pm to see what all the excitement is about! Click here to see our full brochure on the Exxcel Web site.

Summer Starts Here!

Spend Your Days Off School with Exxcel!

Exxcel's Martin Luther King One Day Camp is right around the corner! Full (9AM-3PM) and Half (9AM-12PM) Day options are available on Monday, January 19th. We also offer extended day from 8-9AM and 3-5PM. Pack a lunch - snacks are provided. Please note, a signed waiver is required for each child. Waivers are available at the office or can be downloaded from http://www.exxcel.net/ under the Camp tab.

Camp activities include:

• gymnastics
• rock climbing
• games
• bungee
• zip line
• arts & crafts
• circus arts
• and so much more!

Spaces are filling up fast, so call the office today to enroll - (617) 244-3300.

We are also currently enrolling for February Vacation Camp (Feb. 16th-20th), April One Day Camp (Apr. 10th) and April Vacation Camp (Apr. 20th-24th).

January's Skill of the Month - The Bridge

The Bridge is a basic gymnastics body position that requires strong arms, and a high level of flexibility in the shoulders and back. When done correctly, the shoulders are positioned directly over the hands and the knees are straight. Gymnasts use the Bridge position to increase the range of motion in the shoulders and back, and to warm up the body for more advanced gymnastics skills on all apparatus.

To achieve a Bridge position, a gymnast begins by lying on his or her back with the knees bent and feet planted close to the body. The hands are placed on the ground directly behind the shoulders with the elbows pointing straight up. The gymnast then presses into the ground with his/her feet and hands to rise up off the floor. Once off the floor, the legs press while the arms remain strong to achieve a stretch in the upper back and shoulders. To come down from a Bridge, a gymnast should tuck his or her chin into the body to protect the neck. It is recommended that students younger than 5 years old do not practice the Bridge position because of the emphasis on the spine. An appropriate progression for younger gymnasts is the Table position.

Other common ways to get into Bridge are from standing or from handstand.

Next Month:
The Handstand

Happy New Year from Exxcel Gymnastics!

Hope all of your holidays were flip-tastic! We are excited about 2009 and can't wait to see all of your faces back in the gym as many students return from vacation. Thursday classes, don't forget to sign up for the special makeup this Sunday, January 11th. Call the office for details or to enroll.