Erie Gymnastics Center is the proud home of Team Lightning. Team Lightning represents EGC's Competitive Gymnastics Travel Teams. Team Lightning produces some of the best talent in the country. Team Lightning Athletes participate in and are governed by USA Gymnastics (USAG) our National Governing Body. USAG is our United States Representative Program for the World & US Olympic Teams.
The USA Gymnastics Junior Olympic Program consists of 10 Competitive Levels of Gymnastics. Think of these levels like grades of school or belts in Karate. Athletes must earn a minimum mobility score at USAG Sanctioned Competitions to advance to the next more difficult level. Levels 1 is the entry competitive level (the little league) of gymnastics. Erie Gymnastics Center does not at this time compete Level 1 athletes. Instead, we consider these levels Advanced Recreation & EGC Mini Team members, and compete them 'in house'.
Team Lightning Competitive Gymnastics starts at Levels 2. Level 2 is entry or 'little league' level of Competitive Gymnastics. Level 2's have basic compulsory skills & routines they must perfect on all the Olympic apparatus.
Level 3 thru 5 are State Recognized Compulsory Levels. Each gymnast must perform a set routine of skills on each apparatus at competitions. The Gymnasts & Teams enter 'Invitational' style Competitions in the Tri-State area and compete for Individual & Team medals & trophies. The Gymnasts can earn medals for individual events, the combined efforts of all of their apparatus scores - the prestigious All Around, and Team Awards. Throughout the season Gymnasts earning high scores can qualify to the PA State Gymnastics Championships. EGC is proud that nearly 90% of our Competitive Teams annually qualify to the State Championships.
Levels 6 thru 10 are known as 'Optional' Gymnasts. Optional Gymnastics is what most people are familiar with from watching gymnastics on TV. Optional Gymnasts have their own choreographed routines that they perform on the various apparatus. Each skill and combination earns points toward the gymnasts final score. Levels 6 is considered Beginner Optional Gymnastics and Level 7 is considered Intermediate Optional, however there is nothing Beginner or even Intermediate about their skill levels. They compete to earn qualifying scores to compete at the PA State Championships. Level 8 (Advanced Optional) Gymnasts move up significantly higher in skill level and compete at the USAG Regional Level (best of 7 States). PA is part of Region VII gymnastics and includes - Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, New York, and District of Columbia.
BIG GUNS - Level 9 & 10 are USA Gymnastics National Levels. These level of gymnastics are typically what you see when watching Gymnastics on Television. Level 9's & 10's are unrestricted in difficulty limitations, and perform the most difficult of gymnastics skills and combinations. Over the years, EGC has produced numerous National medalist and NCAA Collegiate Athletes.
The road to Level 10 is extremely difficult. It requires a commitment on an entirely different level than most other sports. Level 10 gymnasts spend grueling hours at the gym learning the most complex and dangerous skills and training to make them look easy. Less than 1% of students who enter gymnastics ever make these levels. To our 10's however, they "Love It, Eat It, Breath It!" Team Lightning Optionals are coached by "National Ranked" USAG Coach - Douglas Pershun. Doug has been at this for 30+ Years.
Top Row: Makenna McFarland / Gracie Kinnear (Senior) / Ananya Patanakul / Wendy Veit / Veronika Tischenko
Middle: Sarah Lathan / Addy Shoup / Mikaela "Bubbles" Gorniak / Kayleigh Kosko
Bottom - Grace Kantz / Sammie Serafini / Priya Schuller
Top Row: Juliet Skrbin / Sydney Betza / Lauren Wilke / Alex Rinderle / Brynn Mitchell
Middle Row: Alyssa Cieslak / Mallory Flowers / Anna Randolf / Jaydah Ratliff / Aubrey Swanson / Lily Bretz
Bottom Row: Maddie Kantz / Evelynn Shoup / Thayani Patanakul Tessa Mikovch
Missing: Trista Paternosh
Left to Right -
Top: Nicholas Hutchins / Giles Veit / Justin Fedorko-Stevens / Sam Pulliam / Liam Marshall / Yanet Patanakul
On Pommel: Maksym Ostapchuk / David Telesco / Lincoln Varos
Bottom: Reed Telesco / Travis Johnson
Top: Gage Hough / Phillip Thomas Jr. / Jacob DiVita
Middle: Samuel Telesco
Bottom: Alexander Issa / Braydon Lybrook /
Reese Radziszewski
Top Row: Sophia Brookhouser / Rio Malave / Liv Getty / Charlotte Spitzer / Taylor Brown
Middle: Alivia Joslin / Amarie Proper / Heidi Veit /
Kaylyn Still
Bottom - Piper Inman / Delaney Cook / Aurora Varos
Top Row: Isabele Barry / Nora Magorien / Henley Herron / Laina Wishnok / Addison Mifsud / Maria Carideo
Middle Row: Madeline Hotchkiss / Hannah Leonard / Dylan Faulkner / Lilly Austin / Gabby Gallenstein / Isabella Cubero / Joanna Schwartz / Shayla Haggerty
Bottom - Peyton Snyder / Emma Grabowski / Ella Graham / Tinsleigh Suscheck
Top Row: Marion Veit / Harper Bach / Delaney Epperson / Becca Smith / Jocelyn Poullott / Joclynn Arnold
Middle Row: Kayla Buetikofer / Ella Grabowski / Yuliia Ostapchuk / Raegan Roche / Danika Kraus / Whitney Bozich /
Bottom - Hyllis Troup / Alexa Zaccheo / Abigail Austin / Mya Friel / Vivian Timon / Gracelyn Hough
Top: Peyton Foster / Cora Feeney / Leah Matson / Kensley Marche / Emily Marz
Middle: Adelyn Allen / Sayra Sabic / Isla VanOrd
Bottom: Hadley Smith / Lillian Hayes
Top Row: Jalen Plaster / Elli Gruwell / Isabella Kinslow
Bottom Row: Kaylin Harrington / Lauren Ferrante / Alexa Sala /
Kinsley Larson
Sammie Mifsud / Kylie Byerly
Top Row: Emily Martucci / Alaina Martucci /
Alissa Czerwinski / Ella Storolis / Alexandra Lanagan /
Emma Bartlett
Middle Row: Mirabella Yegizaryan /
Kylie Ann Miller / Alexis Hansen
Bottom: Peyton Roward / Kenzie Marshall / Lillian Gutmiller / Vidalia Kelly
missing: Lexi Banko
Olivia Stanopiewicz / Avery Vitron / Bella Carideo / Cailyn Allen /
Soraya Hosford / Anabel Telesco / Alissandra Yegizaryan / / / Emma Ferrante /
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Team Parents, the following downloads are helpful in navigating the Gymnastics World of Competitive Gymnastics
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