2001 High School Nationals Madison, Wisconsin

Decorated with bean bag cows and helium balloons covered with cow pictures, the Princeton Club in Madison Wisconsin was the site of the 2001 High School Nationals meet. It might just as well have been decorated with University of Wisconsin at Madison memorabilia. With UW Madison having 41,000 students and an additional 19,000 staff members, Madison is often considered a college town.

Jamie Schell (1st AA) Gaithersburg High School, Gaithersburg Maryland

Massachusetts took the women's team title with a score of 111.850, a wide margin over second place Texas (110.200). Jamie Schell of Gaithersburg High School in Gaithersburg, Maryland took the women's all-around with 37.9. Jamie will continue at University of Arizona on a gymnastics scholarship in the fall, and plans to study science or math. For a spectacular ninth straight year, the Texas men took the team title, with a score of 168.475. They shared the spot of most vocal team spirit, however, with the Illinois men, who came in second with 167.950. Remarked one spectator, "You certainly know when either of those two teams is performing!" Matthew Michalek of Mundelein High School in Mundelein, Illinois took the men's all-around with 56.4. He will matriculate at University of Illinois at Urbana / Champaign to study liberal arts and business, and plans to continue his gymnastics career at the collegiate level.

Matthew Mickalek (1st AA) Mundelein High School, Mundelein Illinois

2001 was significant in that it marked the last year of John Brinkworth's 22 years as president of the National High School Gymnastics Coaches Association. When asked what has changed the most about high school nationals during his tenure as president, John Brinkworth responded, "The level of gymnastics has changed unbelievably." This could not have been more evident than in the ring routine of Chuckie Snider of Kingwood High School in Kingwood, Texas. He performed the stunning sequence: Victorian cross, to iron cross, to Maltese Cross, back to iron cross, pull out and press to hand-stand (take a breather); then forward bail to back up-rise and then to another Maltese cross - which brought the crowd to a deafening roar. One thing which hasn't changed is the team-oriented excitement of high school nationals. Both all-around winners separately remarked that they weren't focused so much on winning as individuals, as on performing their best routines and helping their teams. John Brinkworth asserted that his proudest accomplishment in office is this positive spirit, "At home, these gymnasts have been competitors. Here, they are team-mates and friends."

Sveta Shterenberg (2nd AA) Sharon High School, Sharon, Massachusettes

Clinton Mays (2nd AA, 1st Rings) Elkins High School, Missouri City Texas

Josh Fontenot (3rd AA) L.D. Bell High School, Bedford Texas

Tricia Chikuma (4th Beam), Newport High School, Bellevue Washington

Jessica Starbuck Wheaton Warrenville South High School, Warrenville Illinois

Keith Christian (1st HB) Elk Grove High School, Elk Grove Village Illinois

The Article from International Gymnast Magazine, August/September 2001