INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., July 7, 2011 – Nine U.S. champions will compete with more than 2,000 other gymnasts at the 2011 Trampoline and Tumbling Elite Championships and Junior Olympic National Championships on July 9-15 at the Freeman Coliseum in San Antonio, Texas.

Returning champions competing in this event are: Trampoline – Steven Gluckstein of Atlantic Highlands, N.J./Head Over Heels/UltraTwisters (senior), Alaina Williams of Amarillo, Texas/Acrospirits (senior), and Alicia Powder of Ladera Ranch, Calif./World Elite Gymnastics (2010 junior champion/current senior); Tumbling – Yuliya Brown of Idaho Falls, Idaho/Team Revolution (senior) and Kalon Ludvigson of Pocatello, Idaho/Team Revolution (senior); Synchronized trampoline – Logan Dooley of Lake Forest, Calif./World Elite Gymnastics (senior) and Gluckstein, S.; Double mini-trampoline – Justin Hackett of Grand Rapids, Mich./Branch Gymnastics (senior), Ashleigh Thomas of Issaquah, Wash./Gymnastics East (senior), and Erin Jauch of Crystal Lake, Ill./Fox Valley Tumbling and Trampoline (junior).

Current National Team members competing are listed below by state, in alphabetical order.

    California
    Logan Dooley, Lake Forest, Calif./World Elite Gymnastics, Sr.
    Maggie Gallagher, Coto de Caza, Calif./World Elite Gymnastics, Jr.
    Neil Gulati, Irvine, Calif./World Elite Gymnastics, Sr.
    Ryan Roberts, Ramona, Calif./Artsports—Trampoline World, Sr.
    Austin White, Newport, Calif./World Elite Gymnastics, Sr.

    Colorado
    Sam Chiacchia, Colorado Springs, Colo./Artsports—Trampoline World, Jr.

    Hawaii
    Nani Vercruyssen, Honolulu, Hawaii/Hawaii Academy, Sr.

    Idaho
    Yuliya Brown, Idaho Falls, Idaho/Team Revolution, Sr.
    Kalon Ludvigson, Pocatello, Idaho/Team Revolution, Sr.

    Illinois
    Joshua Coles, Wonder Lake, Ill./5 Star Tumbling and Trampoline, Jr.
    Michael Devine, Winnebago, Ill./J&J Tumbling and Trampoline Team, Sr.
    Erin Jauch, Crystal Lake, Ill./Fox Valley Tumbling and Trampoline, Jr.
    Trey Katz, Charleston, Ill./Sun Elite Athletic Club, Sr.
    James Lichtenstein, Buffalo Grove, Ill./5 Star Tumbling and Trampoline, Jr.

    Indiana
    Hayley Butcher, Saint John, Ind./Midwest Training and Ice Center, Sr.

    Louisiana
    Hunter Brewster, Lafayette, La./Trampoline and Tumbling Express, Jr.
    Louis Prejean, Youngsville, La./Trampoline and Tumbling Express, Jr.
    Savannah Vinsant, Lafayette, La./Trampoline and Tumbling Express, Sr.

    Michigan
    Justin Hackett, Grand Rapids, Mich./Branch Gymnastics, Sr.
    Cassandra Skinner, Livonia, Mich./AGT Flipcity, Jr.
    Erynn Stier, Morley, Mich./Branch Gymnastics, Jr.

    Nevada
    Natalya Beneschott, Reno, Nev./Team Revolution, Sr.

    New Jersey
    Cody Gesuelli, Middletown, N.J./Head Over Heels/UltraTwisters, Jr.
    Audrey Ghanian, Holmdel, N.J./Head Over Heels/UltraTwisters, Jr.
    Jeffrey Gluckstein, Atlantic Highlands, N.J./Head Over Heels/UltraTwisters, Sr.
    Steven Gluckstein, Atlantic Highlands, N.J./Head Over Heels/UltraTwisters, Sr.
    Sean Kennedy, Middletown, N.J./Head Over Heels/UltraTwisters, Sr.
    Meghan O’Connell, Middletown, N.J./Head Over Heels/UltraTwisters, Jr.

    Ohio
    Sean Sargent, Mason, Ohio/Queen City T&T Gymnastics, Jr.

    Oklahoma
    Brittney Bernard, Bixby, Okla./Oklahoma Extreme Tumbling, Jr.
    Karly Judkins, Tulsa, Okla./T3: Tulsa’s Tumbling and Trampoline, Sr.
    Mackenzie Kulka, Tulsa, Okla./Oklahoma Extreme Tumbling, Jr.

    Oregon
    Casey Chandler, Springfield, Ore./Legacy Trampoline and Tumbling, Sr.

    Tennessee
    Kaylah Whaley, Knoxville, Tenn./Premier Athletics Knoxville North, Sr.

    Texas
    Shaylee Dunavin, Amarillo, Texas/All American Gymnastics, Jr.
    Dakota Earnest, Plains, Texas/Acrospirits, Sr.
    Alaina Williams, Amarillo, Texas/Acrospirits, Sr.

    Virginia
    Brandon Krzynefski, Centreville, Va./Capital Gymnastics National Center, Jr.

    Washington
    Zachary Moore, Woodinville, Wash./Gymnastics East, Jr.
    Ashleigh Thomas, Issaquah, Wash./Gymnastics East, Sr.

The U.S. Elite Championships, scheduled for July 9-10, determine the junior and senior national champions, and the Junior Olympic National Championships, slated for July 10-15, features competition for Levels 5-10. Both events have competition in trampoline, double mini-trampoline, synchronized trampoline and tumbling for both men and women.

The USA’s top trampoline and tumbling gymnasts will earn points toward making the junior and senior national teams. It is also the second of two qualifying events for the U.S. Teams for the 2011 Pan American Games, World Championships and World Age-Group Competition. The United States will have its first of two opportunities to qualify for trampoline at the 2012 Olympic Games at the 2011World Trampoline and Tumbling Championships.

To qualify for the Junior Olympic National Championships, athletes must meet the qualifying criteria and score requirements, which vary by category and event. Gymnasts in Levels 5-10 are ranked by their level of expertise, with 10 being the highest and just below elite.

The Regional All-Stars Competition features the Level 10 regional champions vying for the title of Grand Champion as the best overall Regional All-Star Team. The region accumulating the highest combined score is named the Grand Champion Team. This is part of the Grand March ceremony.

The competition schedule for the two events is listed below.

U.S. Elite Championships
July 9 – 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m. – Preliminary rounds
July 10 – 6-9 p.m. – Finals

Junior Olympic Championships
July 10 – 2-6 p.m. – Levels 9 and 10 synchronized trampoline
July 11 – 8 a.m.-8 p.m. – Levels 8-10 competition
July 12 – 8 a.m.-8 p.m. – Levels 8-10 competition, Levels 9 & 10 finals
July 13 – 2-5 p.m. – Levels 5-7 competition
July 14 – 8 a.m.-8 p.m. – Levels 5-7 competition
July 15 – 9 a.m.-6 p.m. – Levels 5-7 competition

The San Antonio Sports Commission is serving as the local host for the competition.

Trampoline events involve athletes using trampolines that can propel them up to 30 feet in the air, during which they can perform single, double and twisted somersaults. Tumbling utilizes elevated spring runways that enable athletes to jump at heights over 10 feet and execute a variety of acrobatic maneuvers. Double-mini competition involves the athlete making a short run and leaping onto a small two-level trampoline. The athlete will then perform an aerial maneuver and dismount onto a landing mat.