Fresh Face Friday - Jasmine Vallejo

Property of Jasmine Vallejo

Quick Facts - 
Name: Jasmine Vallejo
D.O.B.: December 1, 2000 (Senior in 2016)
Gym: Precision Gymnastics
Coaches: Jill & Trent Spaulding








When I attended last year's US Challenge I was struck by one of my biggest pet peeves: cutesy floor routines. In my opinion, if your music sounds like it should be in a parade or carnival, it shouldn't be floor music. But anyway, one of the girls had a floor routine with the perfect amount of maturity and difficulty for a HOPES 11 year old: Jasmine Vallejo.

As the youngest girl in the entire meet, Jasmine's elegance on both floor and beam really stood out to me.

(Beam starts about a minute in)

Although she struggled a bit at this meet, her elegance and lines wowed me and I really anticipate this girl going far. Her long term goal, like many gymnasts, is to go to the Olympics. But for this season, she's looking "to mature as a competitor and have a strong performance at the US Classic in May." 

At only 10, Jasmine has been invited to "Developmental Camps" at the Ranch where she trained along with many other Elite hopefuls. 

Here are a few questions to help us learn a little bit more about Jasmine: 

What do you see as your biggest strengths and weaknesses? 

"I love to learn new skills and never give up no matter how difficult it may be at first. I would say that my biggest weakness is sometimes I want to move on too quickly and neglect the simpler elements in my routines."

What's your favorite competition you've competed in? 

"I don't think I've met my favorite yet. I love them all because I love to compete." 

Can you tell a funny/embarrassing story you've had in gymnastics? 

"Last year on the flight home from development camp, I was exhausted and I was dreaming. I woke up standing in front of my seat with my coach and some other passengers standing around me. My coach asked me what I was doing and I told him that I was dreaming and that in my dream he had asked me to do a stretch jump. He was laughing at me because as I dreamt it, I did it and scared him and everyone else on the plane." 

Fresh Face Friday : Shallon Olsen

Property of GymCan

Quick Facts: 

Name: Shallon Olsen 

DOB: July 10, 2000 (Senior in 2016) 

Gym: Omega Gymnastics Academy 

Coaches: Svetlana Lashina & Vladimir Lashin

With a Double Twisting Yurchenko, a Full In floor mount and a beautiful piked Jaeger, one would expect Shallon Olsen to be a seasoned veteran rather than a mere 11 year old from Canada. 

After starting at a YMCA at age 3, Shallon was a natural at the sport, reaching "novice elite" status by 8.  When she made her international debut in Belgium last fall, Shallon quietly seized the attention of fans all over the world for her fantastic Double Twisting Yurchenko. 

To my knowledge, the youngest girl in the USA to perform a Double Twisting Yurchenko on an Elite stage was Lexie Priessman in 2009 who had turned 12 the previous January. Shallon first competed the vault at age 10, in a field where she was one of the youngest. 

If her vault (for some bizarre reason) doesn't impress you, check out this floor routine that looks like GAGE choreography met CGA tumbling & music. 

Here are a few questions to help us get to know Shallon a little bit better...

What do you see as your biggest strengths and weaknesses? 

"My greatest strength is my ability to focus and be mentally tough. My greatest weakness is that I get very frustrated when I can't do something."

Who's a gymnast who you look up to?

"My favorite gymnasts are Jordyn Wieber and Aliya Mustafina and I admire both of them." 

Can you tell us about a funny/embarrassing moment you've had in gymnastics? 

"I pulled a wedgie in my beam routine [and got a] deduction. When I got off, my coach was imitating me in an exaggerated fashion. ... It got captured on film!" 

Fresh Face Friday - Texas Dreams Gymnast Macy Toronjo

(Property of the Hults)

Quick Facts :
Name - Macy Toronjo
D.O.B - July 1, 1997 (Senior in 2013)
Gym - Texas Dreams
Coaches - Kim Zmeskal, Chris Burdette and Tiffany Tolnay
High School Class - 2015





Macy Toronjo is one of the 7 juniors at Texas Dreams who qualified to Championships. With a seemingly relentless smile and a unique style on beam and floor, Macy is one to watch.

After spending most of her JO Career at WGA Texans (where LeDuc, Key and Guerra all came from), Macy moved to Texas Dreams in June 2010.

I first took notice of Macy at the 2010 US Challenge where she placed 2nd in the all around. While her difficulty wasn't the highest, there was just something about her that you couldn't help but like. When she qualified to Championships this year, I knew that fans would adore her magnificent technique and glowing attitude.

This girl is going to be one hell of a college gymnast! (Miss Val, Jay, Greg, Are you listening?!) She's hoping to compete in college and her parents are planning to take her to tour campuses in the near future. 

Here's a Q & A with Macy!

What do you see as your biggest strengths and weaknesses? 

"I feel my biggest strength is that I'm powerful but still flexible. Having confidence in myself is often my biggest weakness."

How would your coaches describe you?

"Nice, Hard Worker. Kim has said I am a fighter."

What's your favorite competition you've competed in? 

"Legendz Classic as a Level 9 with WGA Texans. I got to be on the Nastia Liukin Team (2009). It was so fun!" 

Is there a gymnast who you look up to?

"Chelsea Davis."

Can you tell us about a funny or embarrassing gymnastics moment?

"There are a lot of funny moments in the gym with Chris Burdette as a coach!"

Fresh Face Friday - Germany's Janine Berger

Quick Facts : 
Name - Janine Berger
D.O.B. - April 21, 1996 (Senior in 2012)
Gym/Club - Iz-Ulm, SSV-Ulm 1846
Coaches - Gabor Szücs and Krisztina Prémuz




Janine Berger is a rising senior who trains in Ulm, Germany, which is about halfway between Augsburg and Stuttgart. She trains with 6 other girls for a little over 30 hours a week.

At this summer's European Olympic Youth Festival, Janine helped her team to win the Bronze medal. She's the 15 year old champion of Germany, and her AA Score places 5th amongst all age eligible German Gymnasts.

Janine really shines on her favorite event, Vault. She won the event at the European Youth Olympic Festival with a Tsukahara Full and a Handspring Rudi. Her 14.25 score would have qualified her in 6th to the Vault Finals at this year's World Championships and just may earn her a spot on the Olympic Team!

Here's a Q&A with Janine - 

How did you begin Gymnastics?
I began gymnastics when I was 4 because I was in a dance group and I wanted to do some special things like a back handspring. Because of this my parents enrolled me in gymnastics.


What do you see as your biggest strengths and weaknesses? 
My strengths are my springiness and my ability to stay calm. My biggest weakness is beam but I'm working on it so I can be strong on all events. 


How would your coaches describe you? 
My coaches would describe me as very eager, a little bit stubborn and sometimes very funny. 


What gymnasts do you look up to? 
My favorite gymnast at the moment is Jordyn Wieber, but my idol is Shawn Johnson. 


Can you tell a funny or embarrassing gymnastics story?
Once, I tried to start my beam routine and I fell during the mount. I didn't want to continue the routine, so I left! 

All Photos are property of Janine Berger. Some answers were rephrased without changing the meaning to better handle the language difference.

Fresh Face Friday - Nica Hults

(Property of the Hults Family)

Quick Facts: 
Name- Veronica "Nica" Hults 
D.O.B. - June 16, 1998 (Senior in 2014) 
Gym - Texas Dreams Gymnastics 
Former Gym- AOGC 
High School Class of - 2016


Nica Hults started grabbing the attention of gymnastics fans way back in 2007, when mom Emer began posting videos of her compulsory routines. In a TOPS Testing Video, we witnessed Nica receive perfect scores on 6/7 events that perfection is attainable and nearly reach the national best on the 20 meter sprint. Thus, I highly doubt anyone was surprised when she made the Tops A Team. After Nica won the Level 9 Regionals and the Westerns Floor title in 2010, a job opportunity moved the family to Allen, TX where she joined the Texas Dreams "Dream Team". 


In 2011, Nica's elite career began to take off. After winning beam at the WOGA & Orlando qualifiers, Nica prepared for the US Classics and hoped to make it to the Visa Championships. Nica went out and surprised the world by winning beamwith a score of 15.05, only a tenth and a half behind reigning World Champion Jordyn Wieber at that same competition! 

(Property of Jessica Frankl)

Unfortunately, a minor injury prohibited Hults from competing All Around at Championships. While she didn't have a "big break" at championships this year, she did finish 5th on beam with a significantly watered down routine. 

This girl is one to watch. Not only does she have fantastic style and grace, but she's also an incredibly sweet and well spoken individual. Marta's taken notice too, as Nica was at last week's Developmental Training Camp. Keep your eyes open for Nica next season and for many seasons to come. 

Here's a fun little Q&A with Nica: 

What is your favorite competition you've competed in? 
"2011 US Covergirl Classic. It was my first podium meet and I won 1st place on beam!"

What do you think your biggest weakness as a gymnast is? 
"My biggest weakness is vault, it always has been. But I'm working on it so that all my events will be strong. "

What are your ultimate goals in gymnastics? 

"To take it as far as I can, hopefully that means making it to the Olympics."

Do you think you'll compete in college?

"Education is very important to our family. Yes, I hope to compete in college." 

(Property of USA Gymnastics)

Who is a gymnast who you really look up to? 

"Nastia Liukin. But I [also] have to say Kim Zmeskal-Burdette, she's the one making a big difference in my gymnastics career by coaching me and helping me to be mentally strong. She's awesome!"

Can you tell us about a funny/ embarrassing moment you’ve had? 

"During my very first competition ever, as a level 5, I jumped off the beam in the middle of my routine when the timer yelled out warning because I thought I wasn't allowed to finish my beam. My coach told me to go back up on the beam and I went through the rest of my routine crying. After that disaster, I competed floor and won first place!"