Vail Gymnastics athlete qualifies for Level 9 Western Championships
Ava Knight, a freshman at Vail Ski and Snowboard Academy, is the first Vail Gymnastics athlete to qualify for the prestigious national-level event
Courtesy photo
Vail Ski and Snowboard Academy’s first gymnast is now Vail Gymnastics first athlete to qualify for the USA Gymnastics Women’s Development Program Level 9 Western Championships.
Ava Knight, a freshman at VSSA, notched a 9.1, 8.9, 9.3 and 9.125 on vault, bars, beam and floor, respectively at the Level 9 regional held in Denton, Texas, on April 12-14. Her all-around score of 36.425 was good for seventh-place in the senior 1 age group and qualified her for the three-day Western Championships held at Xtream Arena on May 2-5 in Coralville, Iowa.
“It was amazing to see my hard work pay off, especially after suffering a bad back injury during the preseason,” Knight said. “I was thrilled to find out my season wasn’t over yet. I am very proud of myself and excited to represent Colorado and Region 3.”
Knight fractured her back earlier this season. She said diligently showing up to practice every day, “no matter how hard it got,” has sharpened her mental game.
Head coach Sunny Hasebe said she “felt pure joy and pride” watching Knight “confidently take the stage” in Texas, “radiating calm focus.”
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“This year, we’ve dedicated ourselves to mastering “controlling our thoughts and mind” during crucial moments like competitions, alongside our daily gymnastics training,” Hasebe stated.
Knight started ballet when she was 2 and taught herself gymnastics on the side until she joined a club at 9. She said she realized her passion for the sport at her first competition, where she won a Level 4 all-around crown.
“Now, I’m lucky enough to attend VSSA, which has alternate school schedules throughout the competition season,” Knight said. “School and gymnastics are both important to me, which motivates me to dedicate my time to achieving my goals.”
“Being part of her journey has been incredible,” Hasebe added. “Drawing on wisdom passed down from the great coaches of my own youth.”
Knight has thrived in her second Level 9 season. . Hasebe calls Knight the ‘beam queen.’
“It’s fun to challenge myself by flipping on four inches of wood,” said Knight, who took victories in the discipline at the Pikes Peak Cup and the Colorado Sky Invitational. “Beam routines require a lot of precision and focus, which has challenged me and taught me great skills.”
The Level 9 Western Championships will feature the top-seven all-around finishers in each of the 16 age divisions from Regions 1, 2, 3 and 4. The Eastern Championships involve the same caliber finishers from Regions 5, 6, 7 and 8.
Knight said her goals for the event are “to be confident and have fun with the Region 3 team.”
“I want to end on a high note and feel ready for level 10,” the 15-year-old said, referring her graduation to the final rung on the USA Gymnastics ladder.
“Level 10 is the pinnacle,” Hasebe explained, adding that Knight has achieved the mobility score to advance.
“Yet, reaching Level 10 requires even greater commitment and training during the upcoming off-season this summer,” the coach continued. “I have no doubt she’ll tackle these challenges head-on.”
