2014 Women’s Gymnastics Events Coming this Weekend

The 2014 Women's Junior Olympic Level 9 Eastern and Western Championships begin May 2 and wrap up on May 4. The 2014 Women's Junior Olympic Level 9 Eastern Championships will be held at the Bradenton (Fla.) Area Convention Center, and the Level 9 Western Championships will be held at CenturyLink Arena in Boise, Idaho. Both events expect to have 388 gymnasts competing.  The Level 9 Eastern and Western Championships are the competitive season's culmination event and feature the best gymnasts in the country for Level 9.

For more information and the athlete field, which is listed alphabetically by state, for each of the events, please use these links:  Level 9 Eastern Championships and Level 9 Western Championships.

USA Gymnastics is the sole national governing body for the sport of gymnastics in the United States. This designation comes from the U.S. Olympic Committee, and the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG). USA Gymnastics sets the rules and policies that govern gymnastics in the United States. USA Gymnastics has many responsibilities, including selecting and training the U.S. Gymnastics Teams for Olympic Games and World Championships; promoting and developing gymnastics on a grassroots and national level; and serving as a resource center for member clubs, fans and gymnasts throughout the United States.  The organization has programs in men’s and women’s artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, trampoline and tumbling and acrobatic gymnastics.

The 501(c)(3), not-for-profit organization was established in Tucson, Ariz., in 1963. The first Board of Directors began the time-consuming task of creating a viable national program for gymnastics in the United States.  During the mid-1960s the United States had scarcely 7,000 athletes competing a limited schedule. The only major international events for gymnasts were the Olympic Games and the Pan American Games. Due to the hard work of U.S. gymnastics pioneers, such as Frank Bare, George Gulack, Dean McCoy, Gene Wettstone and Arthur Gander, the U.S. Gymnastics Federation, now doing business as USA Gymnastics, gained membership into the FIG in 1970, opening the door to numerous opportunities for U.S. gymnasts. In the last 30-plus years, the sport has grown by leaps and bounds. Most recently, USA Gymnastics welcomed acrobatic gymnastics as its newest discipline in 2002.

Today, more than 110,000 athletes and professionals are members of USA Gymnastics. USA Gymnastics has more than 90,000 athletes registered in competitive programs, as well as more than 20,000 professional, instructor and club members. Throughout the year, USA Gymnastics provides educational opportunities for coaches and judges, as well as gym club owners and administrators, through regional Congresses, the National Congress and Trade Show and USA Gymnastics University.  Approximately 3,500 competitions and events throughout the USA are sanctioned annually. USA Gymnastics is headquartered in Indianapolis, Ind., and has expanded very quickly in its 30-plus years. The original staff of three has now grown to more than 50 employees, handling member services, competition programs, marketing, communications, events, finance and administration.

USA Gymnastics logo and organizational slogan – “Begin Here.  Go Anywhere.” – were adopted in June 2003.