MILTON — Four local gymnasts, competing for the All Star Academy gymnastics team in Brewton, Alabama, recently had a strong showing at competition held in Foley.
Harper Lee Fountain, Amelia Bridges, Lexie Smith and Charlie Evangeline Reese live in Milton and Jay and all placed at their competitions Sept. 7, according to Mandi Reese, Charlie Evangeline Reese's mother.
"Charlie got her interest in gymnastics from going to a birthday party that had bounce houses," Reese said about her daughter.
Charlie Reese kept asking her mom to find a place where she could learn and train.
"That was about four years ago and we couldn't find anything in our area," Mandi said. They expanded the search and found the All Star Academy in Brewton, Alabama.
Mandi said all the gymnastic programs found were about the same distance and both mother and daughter felt at home with the team in Brewton and their coaches, Scot Perry and Josh Williamson.
In Reese's case, she and her mother have made the drive from Milton to Brewton four days a week for the last four years. This year it paid off for Reese. The 12-year-old came in third on the balance beam in a field of 150 competitors.
The Bounders Beach Bash competition was held at OWA amusement park. Hundreds of gymnasts from Florida and Alabama were competing for the prestigious first place position on the podium. Fountain from the All Star Academy had high marks on all four gymnastic events to lock in a second place all-around finish. Bridges placed first on vault and fought a tough battle to secure a fourth place all-around spot on the podium. Lexie Smith walked away with a fifth place all-around finish.
Charlie Reese said she wants to continue competing in gymnastics through college and then she will re-evaluate what she wants to do.
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This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Locals perform well at Alabama meet