Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2009

Gymnasts find strength in sport

William Jeffreys uses gravity-defying brute strength as he hangs from two rings. His arms are straight out, supporting his entire body as he slowly lifts his legs in front of him, knees locked, toes pointed. And he holds it.

A spectator can feel the seconds tick away as slow as molasses on a cold day.

Finally, with his face screwed into a grimace, Jeffreys drops to a mat below him.

Then he's up and ready to go again.

For Jeffreys, 18, learning to conquer those rings and other gymnastic feats of strength and power is a labor of love.

"Overall, my favorite event is the high bar," Jeffreys said, although he's performing very well in the floor exercise right now.

Jeffreys is one of 26 gymnasts who make up the North Raleigh Boys' Gymnastics team.

In the Boudreaux Classic Men's Gymnastics Meet at North Raleigh Gymnastics Nov. 20-21, Jeffreys finished second in the top level, just behind Cameron Rogers of Charlotte, who is nationally ranked.

It was a huge accomplishment for a young man who says that gymnastics has had such a positive influence on his life, he worries he might have gotten into trouble without it.

"I started in gymnastics when I was about 12 years old," he said. "My mom saw me doing flips outside and got me into the North Raleigh program. I fell in love with it, and realized there are so many good people involved in the sport."

The thought of gymnastics usually conjures images of tiny girls in shiny costumes, flipping and flying through the air, executing moves that seem impossible to those who have their feet planted on good old terra firma.

Men's gymnastics is different. Yes, there are the high-flying moves. Jeffreys gets a rush out of the high bar. But strength and power holds are what set men's gymnastics apart.

Mitchell Andrews, 13, is in his first year at level six.

Gymnastics levels start with four, where kids begin competing. Athletes work their way up, aspiring to reach the top tier of competitive gymnastics: level 10.

Andrews can do a modified Iron Cross, called an "L Hold," supporting himself on the rings with his arms straight down and his legs straight out.

This move, and others, earned him a first place finish at the Boudreaux.

"I feel great doing gymnastics," he said.

Andrews is an eighth-grader at Magellan Charter School and lives in North Raleigh. He started taking gymnastics at age 5, when his mother enrolled him.

"I was really little, and I was too young do decide for myself," he said.

But he has decided to stick with it, and it is paying off.

"I never felt like I was good at all. I just kept going at it," he said.

Grayson Gayle, 11, of Youngsville, is a defending state champion.

He started tumbling when he was 7, and has been competing for just two years.

"It is very surprising," Gayle's mom, Amanda said. "We had no education in boys' gymnastics. We had no expectations. But he has done so well, and it's exciting for our whole family."

Gayle, who is home schooled, finished second at level five at the Boudreaux meet. He manages to keep his cool during meets by not focusing on the scores in his individual events.

"I don't watch my scores so I won't get over-excited," he said. "If I over-react, it all goes down the drain."

Jeffreys graduated from Wakefield High School last summer. He's enrolled at Wake Community College while weighing his options for four-year college.

"I love gymnastics," he said. "It's really unique and ties into a lot of sports. It helps your coordination and self-respect. It teaches goal setting and good sportsmanship. It helps you grow as a person, and it's fun."