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Young performers from North Apex Gymnastics Club (NAGC) took to the stage of Wick Assembly Rooms for their first public show on Thursday evening (June 1).
The athletes undertook a variety of physical exercises requiring balance, strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and endurance – all in front of a full house of delighted spectators.
“It’s really good to get back to gymnastics after Covid as we struggled to get a hall space and there wasn’t any place in Wick where we could store our equipment as well,” said NAGC head coach Lauren Mackay during a break at the event.
The gymnasts usually work out at a dance hall space in Wick High School and Thursday evening provided a chance for family, friends and followers of the group to see how all their hard work had paid off with the first public display. “It’s planned to be an annual show. It’s a great opportunity for parents, any family members and anyone from the public to come along and see what we are doing in the gym and see how hard the gymnasts are working to showcase their talent.”
Lauren says there are around 160 members and 150 of them were performing at the event – a mix of boys and girls aged from 4 to 16. The gymnasts hail from across the county and some travel from as far afield as Sutherland to join NAGC at its weekly classes in the high school.
“People just love the sport and we have a club in Thurso as well, Caithness Gymnastics Club, which is totally maxed out with members. It’s such a popular sport and people will travel from anywhere for it.”
Lauren says that the sport ties in really well with dancing, which is very popular in Caithness with various well-established dance schools. “You’ll see a lot of dancing in our show tonight and if you go to dancing competitions they’ll do gymnastics as well – they tie in very well together. There are a lot of gymnasts who go to The Edge, Rise or NRG.”
There were around 400 tickets sold on the night and, along with the 150 gymnasts performing together with their coaches and helpers, the Assembly Rooms was filled to the gunwales and the atmosphere electric. The stage curtains opened and closed to allow different grades of performers to show off their abilities with set pieces that had the audience enthralled. “Our theme is summer, which is very appropriate as it’s the first of June,” added Lauren.
“They’re doing routines to summer themed music. You’ll see them doing gymnastics, dancing, balances, trampette work and our coaches are in supporting as well. It’s everything they’ve been working on in the gym.”
Lauren, who is 26-years-old, said she has been coaching gymnastics for 10 years now and feels “amazing” when her pupils achieve a good level of expertise with the sport. “It’s just amazing to see them get the skill they want after all their classes and then performing on the stage. It’s a really warm feeling you get seeing them all and it puts you in the best mood ever.”
For more information on NAGC visit the group’s Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/p/North-Apex-Gymnastics-Club-Public-100063438443964/