Block · one region of the page, as the scanner read it. It may hold a whole story, part of one, several, or an advertisement; stitching blocks into articles is the next step. Text is supplied OCR.
Page 5 · column 1 of 9 · from the scan, no model involved
By THERESA REYNOLDS Rappahannock News Staff Writer
‘Today, everyone knows what gymnastic competition is like,” said John Kassel, “but years ago, it was a little-known Olympic and national event.” Kassel and his wife, Linda, are the directors of the Ponies, a gymnastics program in Fauquier County that includes boys’ and girls’ teams of all ages and skill levels. This summer John Kassel taught a gymnastics summer camp in Front Royal for children interested enough in the sport to enjoy a four-hour session each class day.
At the camp, held the last two weeks of June, Kassel worked with youngsters who had had some previous experience with the sport. At Ressie Jeffress school he had them tumbling, cartwheeling, working on bars, boxes and beams. At the end of each class there was a handstand contest, with Kassel offering the prize of an ice cream cone to anyone who could hold position longer than the teacher. Not surprisingly, the teacher always won, but by the end of the -session the students were able to pose a real challenge.
“This is a sport where little people can excel,” Kassel explained. “The average gymnast is a small person - that’s because so much of gymnastics is moving body weight around.” He went on to say that ages 12-15 were prime years for girl gymnasts and that most top male gymnastic athletes were older.
“A twenty-year-old girl is old for a gymnast, but 18 is young for a male to be at the top in the sport. There’s few high school boys but few college girls involved in the sport,” he said. At maturity, the female athlete finds her
95.9%