Catching up down the "Roe-d" to JO Nationals

So Miss Haylee Roe has been up to quite a lot since we last talked to her. Let's take a look meet by meet and see how things went!


Alamo Classic - January 27 & 28th - San Antonio, TX
Successes: Qualifying to Event Finals & Winning both Beam & Floor!

Challenges: Falling on her first vault in All Around Finals, although she did land her second one well.

Interesting Moment: "I was a little cold when I competed (beam in event finals) so I was more tight. I had a wobble on my series and a step on the dismount but other than that it was a good routine. I scored a 9.7. In the middle of my routine the crowd went wild because Mack Brannan scored a 10.0 on her bar routine before I went. They actually went crazy when I was on my switch leap and I was like 'why are they cheering, it's just a switch leap?' But then I realized she went before me and did a great routine."


Event Final Results: (Out of 51 Total Jr. Level 10 Gymnasts)
BB: 9.7 (1st Tie)
FX: 9.75 (1st)


All Around Results: 
VT: 9.525 (2nd)
UB: 9.425 (1st)
BB: 9.75 (1st)
FX: 9.7 (1st) 
AA: 38.4 (1st)



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Manhattan Classic - February 4th & 5th - New York, NY

Property of Kelsey Aucoin

Successes: "Beam was great. I love to compete beam. I get a little nervous but I definitely love it. I had a great routine."


Challenges: "My competition vaults weren't very good. I fell on my full, so I did a layout for my second vault and took a
 couple steps back.'


Interesting Moment: "After the meet I hung out with most of my team and had a blast. We went to a pizza place and after we went to Serendipity for frozen hot chocolate. It was one of the best things I ever had. On Sunday we were up early to go to Carlos Bakery. It was quite the experience. We took the subway to get there and stood in line for about an hour. The desserts were so yummy. Afterwards we took the subway back to New York and stopped at the World Trade Center. It was an awesome experience."


All Around Results:
VT: 9.0 (6th)
UB: 9.1 (3rd)
BB: 9.575 (2nd)
FX: 9.6 (1st)
AA: 37.275 (2nd)

Metroplex Challenge - February 18th & 19th - Fort Worth, TX
"Metroplex Challenge didn't go quite like how I planned. I rolled my ankle the Thursday before the meet. I ended up having a sprain and a old fracture I never knew about. I was disappointed I couldn't compete but loved supporting my team. The whole weekend was a blast though I hung out with my team and old teammates. It was awesome."


Zenith Spring Invitational - March 10th & 11th - McKinney, TX

Successes: Although she didn't compete her hardest routines, Hayley hit AA!


Challenges: "This was my first meet back since I injured my ankle, so I was a little nervous."


Interesting Moment: "The level 8s, 9s & 10s were all in the were all in the session so there was so much excitement & fun."


All Around Results: 
VT: 9.525 (2nd)
UB: 9.6 (1st)
BB: 9.65 (1st)
FX: 9.5 (1st)
AA: 38.275 (1st)

So that brings us to today, where Haylee is currently preparing for the State meet and hopefully beyond! Things are looking good for her so far. She's won the Beam, Floor & All Around Titles in all of her meets but one a piece.

Here she is talking with Gymnastike about goals, upgrades, college & more at the Alamo Classic

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Dark Horses for London - McKenzie Wofford

At the 2011 Covergirl Classic, I was in awe after two rotations when first year senior McKenzie Wofford was the leader. I thought to myself, "Wow, how cool would it be if this fairly unknown girl won this competition on national television!" After Wofford competed her two weaker events, she ended up in fourth. Unfortunately, a last minute foot injury kept Wofford out of Championships.

McKenzie's weakest event is vault. At the US Classics, she only competed a Yurchenko full, though she demonstrated last year that she's capable of a 1.5.

In 2009, I remember thinking that bars could be Wofford's ticket onto an international team. Although she hasn't made as huge of an impact as I expected, she still has exceptionally strong bars. She's got a 5.9 Start Value, but her execution is regularly in the high 8s. She placed second last year at Visas behind Katelyn Ohashi. With a few upgrades she has the potential to be amongst the best in the world on this event.

(Property of USAG)

Believe it or not at Classics, McKenzie had the highest senior beam start value in the country. Yes, you read that correctly. McKenzie had a 6.3 start value on Beam at the US Classic, .1 higher than Jordyn Wieber and Aly Raisman had at that meet. When she hits, she is one of the strongest beam workers in the country. She placed 4th at Championships behind Raisman, Wieber & Sacramone, all of whom have made Worlds Beam Finals.

On floor, McKenzie lacks power on her tumbling passes, but dances well. I don't see her really factoring in much on this event, as she only has a 5.1 start value. She placed 10th at Classics out of the 15 girls who competed.

McKenzie's only competed internationally at the Bumpo Cup in South Africa where she won the Bars Title.  After suffering an injury in August, she was an alternate for the Pan American Games. After leaving WOGA in 2010, some have assumed that Marta may be biased against her. But at the end of the day, Marta's got to put politics aside if someone can truly help the team win an Olympic gold.

As I've said with the other "Dark Horses", it would take an unexpected hole or amazing upgrades for McKenzie to be one of the five girls to make it to London. She could, however, make a phenomenal alternate.