Country Gymnastics opens summer season at Carbon Valley meet

Country Gymnastics opened its summer season at the Carbon Valley meet on May 16, giving Sterling-area gymnasts their first chance to compete in the warm-weather circuit that stretches beyond the school-year calendar. The one-day event ran from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and brought together teams from Carbon Valley, Country, Excel, Foothills, Silverthorne and TNT.

Unlike a traditional team sport, the meet was built around individual progression. Coach Rick Kaiser said gymnasts competed in their own age groups and levels, with awards given from first through sixth place and no team scores recorded. That format puts the emphasis on personal improvement, consistency and technical execution, which is why the summer season matters so much for younger athletes still building toward higher levels of competition.

For families in Sterling and across Logan County, the program offers a local option that keeps children active after spring sports end and school schedules change. Country Gymnastics, which is based in Sterling and owned by Richard Kaiser, has long framed the sport as a foundation for other activities, noting that gymnastics helps build the athletic base needed for all sports. In practical terms, that means strength, balance, coordination and conditioning can carry over to everything from dance to track and field.

The Carbon Valley meet also underscored how regional the summer circuit has become. Country Gymnastics athletes have repeatedly competed at meets in nearby communities, including Frederick and Fort Morgan. In 2018, 17 Country Gymnastics competitors took part in the Carbon Valley Meet in Frederick and 22 competed at the High Plains Meet in Fort Morgan. In 2021, five Country gymnasts competed at the summer state tournament at Ponderosa High School, and two brought home first-place finishes.

Colorado USA Gymnastics maintains a women’s events calendar that helps organize the state schedule, keeping clubs and families aligned as meets move from one weekend to the next. For local gymnasts, that calendar marks more than dates on a page. It maps out a season of repetition, travel and small gains that can add up to stronger performances by the time summer ends.