AMHERST - Since their last gymnastics meet two weeks ago in PEI, it's been steady-as-she-goes for the Aerials Gymnastics Club athletes.
Up next is the Taiso Atlantic Cup Friday and Saturday in Lower Sackville.
"They've calmed down and little bit and got over the stress of the first meet of the season and are starting to settle into things," said Aerials coach Michelle Landry. "Many of them are looking at developing new skills which they hope to have ready by the provincials (in Amherst), and the others are trying to make their routines more consistent."
Landry's two daughters, 18-year-old Krysten and 16-year-old Felicia, will both compete in the Open 3 category in Lower Sackville after Felicia decided to make the jump up from Open 2.
"It's nice to see her make that jump," said Michelle. "She held back for a number of years, so it's nice to see her push herself."
She said both sisters are working very hard to improve their skill set, but has mixed emotions about them competing against each other.
"It's hard to have more than one kid in a category, especially when they're sisters, and when I have to take them home afterwards," she said. "They're best friends but there's also one who will be disappointed in not doing as well as the other."
Felicia said she's making the move because it was time for a change.
"I've been in Open 2 a long time and I was at the top last year, and I don't want to be the girl who won last year and came back and won the same division," said Felicia.
Kyrsten says it will be a little scary competing against her younger sister but thinks Felicia will do great.
"She has really clean routines," said Kyrsten. "She doesn't get a lot of bonuses but she's really clean."
Felicia says competing against her big sister is a motivator.
"When I see her do something that's really difficult, it's like, ‘I don't know if I can do this,' but then I give it a try," she said.
The sisters then looked at each other and wished each other good luck, and then looked at the other girls at the club and said, "we wish everybody good luck."
dmathieson@amherstdaily.com
.jpg){kind=small}
