The Polarettes Gymnastics Club was on the road again this past weekend bringing two gymnasts to the 2019 Artistic Western Canadian Championships in Saskatoon on Saturday.

The two gymnasts competing were Maude Molgat, a JO (Junior Olympic) 8, and Hailey Sherman, a JO 9.

Coach Kimberly Jones said the level of gymnastics was the highest she has seen at that competition.

“It was the highest level of gymnastics I have ever seen at a Western Canadian Championships which was cool to see,” said Jones.

Molgat was competing in her third JO 8 competition and Jones said it was a feeling out process for her against really talented gymnasts.

“We went in with the mindset that Maude was a new JO 8 and the other provinces had huge trials with hundreds of JO 8s of their territory of all age categories try out for seven spots on the team,” said Jones. “So they send athletes that are about ready to phase out to JO 9.

“We are just entering so it was a great opportunity for Maude to see what a Westerns is like.”

Jones said Molgat got off to a slow start to the competition.

“She did submit to her nerves a little bit,” said Jones. “She made quite a costly mistake on bars and that sort of frazzled her to beam and then she brought it back to floor and vault.

Overall a not bad, a good learning experience for sure.”

The fact that she was able to get back to form is a positive learning experience, said Jones.

“She was disappointed with how her performance went,” said Jones. “We said it’s OK to be disappointed but don’t let it blow your whole day and that’s what she managed to do and overcome it and that’s a good lesson in itself.”

Jones said Westerns have a different feel to them compared to other competitions.

“They are a bit of a different vibe,” said Jones. “The other competitions are tough and large but they aren’t team province competitions and that brings a way different energy to the room.

“Usually gymnastics competitions are pretty quiet and when you go to Westerns it’s the first meet similar to Canada Games. It’s very loud, there is a lot of cheering and there is a lot of intimidating chants.”

Sherman was competing in her first competition since the Canada Winter Games in February.

“We weren’t at a peaking point for Westerns like we hoped to be,” said Jones. “With that said she did have a stronger meet than the CWG.”

For Sherman, said Jones, it is about learning to compete and working on her mental game.

“She has been working really hard on her mental game and her focus and being able to block out distractions,” said Jones. “It’s her learning how to compete, they are in that learning to compete phase of their long-term development. That was a lot better this meet.”

Sherman agreed with her coach’s assessment.

“It was pretty good, I learned to compete better and breath and not have so much anxiety,” said Sherman. “It’s definitely something I struggle with, it’s nice to get out. It’s just about putting it all together now.”

Jones said the level of gymnastics continues to grow as they watched the JO 10s compete.

She said the girls are coming home motivated to continue improving.

“They looked at it and went ‘we’ve got work to do,’” said Jones. “But I don’t think it was so overwhelming that it seemed unachievable which is a good place to be. We were able to go out and be proud of the gymnastics we showed and know developmentally we are on a pathway.

“Also it does light a bit of a fire, for lack of better words, to get to work and get training and get inspired.”