Flying high
CRANBERRY TWP — Talk about climbing the ladder.
Cranberry Township resident Alex Fochler reached the top rung in gymnastics — the Level 10 National Invitation Tournament — this year. And she's got plenty of time to enjoy the view.
Fochler is only 13 years old and has been involved in gymnastics for eight years at the X-Cel facility in her hometown.
“We actually have one Level 10 who is younger than her,” coach Cara Jane Blumenschein said. “When a gymnast starts at a younger age, the process begins early.
“Still, it takes a special talent, along with incredible dedication and determination, to do what Alex has done.”
Fochler placed on the beam and on the bars in regional competition this year, qualifying for the Level 10 NIT in Hampton Beach, Va. She placed 10th on the beam and 12th on the bars at nationals.
“I love the competition, going out there and seeing what I can do,” Fochler said. “I have fun with it.”
During the school year, the Seneca Valley student trains at X-Cel four nights a week. Now that school's out, she trains from 7:30 to 10 a.m. and from 1 to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
“I work hard so I'm ready to compete,” she said.
Fochler competes in a tournament once every three weeks from December through March. She is one of eight Level 10 gymnasts among the 132 competitors at X-Cel.
“Alex is highly competitive,” Blumenschein said. “She is extremely focused when she's at a tournament.”
Fochler finished second in the Level 9 regional on bars last year and qualified for the national tourney in Boston. She tied for the Level 7 sectional title on the beam and won the Level 5 state title in all-around a few years ago.
Her long-range goals include competing as a gymnast in college. X-Cel has sent 24 gymnasts to collegiate scholarships since 1994.“The sooner you get to Level 10, the better chance you have,” Blumenschein said. “You have more opportunities to perform in front of college coaches.”Two other local gymnasts — Olivia Kisiday, 10, of Cranberry Township and Danielle Romanowski, 13, of Mars — have similar aspirations. Both were members of X-Cel's Level 7 state championship team this year.Kisiday won an individual state title on the beam while Romanowski did so on bars.“The team championship means a little more to me because all of the girls got to share in it,” Kisiday said. “But I'm proud of my individual accomplishments, too.“Gymnastics entertain my soul. I get to see my friends every day. I never get tired of this.”Level 7 coach Lindsey Stancil described the Level 7 team as “gym sisters.”“There's no doubt they bond together because they spend so much time practicing together,” Stancil said. “Gymnasts become best friends, they wind up in each other's weddings, at graduations, even become godparents to each other's children.”Romanowski takes pride in seeing the results from her efforts.“There's joy every time I move up to another skill level,” she said. “And when it comes to competitions in school like push-ups, back-flips or whatever, you always win.”Winning is something these girls have gotten used to doing.“Just go as far as I can,” Kisiday said of her goals in the sports. “I'd love to be in the Olympics someday. Just shoot for the moon.”“It's all about hard work and applying themselves,” Stancil said. “These girls can go as far as they want to go.”
