From Practice to Podium: YMCA Striver Gymnasts Earn National Recognitio
From the local gym to the national stage, the Door County YMCA Strivers Gymnastic Team proved that hard work and resilience pay off. Over June 27 – July 1st, the Strivers traveled to Greensboro, North Carolina, to face the best YMCA gymnasts in the country at the 2026 YMCA National Gymnastics Championships.
Chasing Excellence: Amira Anschutz leads the charge by setting the tone for the entire tournament. Level 8 gymnast Amira Anschutz kicked off the competition with a spectacular performance in the preliminaries. Out of a large field of elite Level 8 gymnasts, Amira fought her way into 21st place overall, securing a coveted spot in the top 25 and securing her spot in the Level 8 National Finals. Competing against the top Level 8 Junior gymnasts in the nation over two days, Amira showed incredible consistency and poise under pressure. When the routines subsided, her combined scores placed her: 12th on Vault, 16th on Balance Beam, 17th on Floor Exercise, and 18th in the All-Around National Standings.
A Silver Banner on the National Stage: The four-time reigning State Champion Excel Silver Team arrived in Greensboro to compete against 20 YMCA teams representing 10 different states across the country. The six competing Strivers exhibited precision and poise. Scoring a phenomenal 110.025 points, they climbed the national podium to claim the Second-Place Team Banner.
Their individual podium finishes and top-10 medals lit up the arena: Leela Lama (Junior Bracket): Put on a breathtaking performance to capture 2nd on Floor, 5th on Beam, 5th on Bars, and 7th in the All-Around. Charlotte Hubing (Child B): Demonstrated incredible form, placing 4th on Floor and Bars, 6th All-Around, and 8th on Beam. Brielynn LaPolla (Child A): Displayed pure determination, taking 7th on Bars and securing 10th-place medals on Vault, Floor, and the All-Around. Piper Delarwelle (Child A): swung her way to a 4th-place finish on Bars and tied for 10th on Beam. Lulu Grenfell (Child A): Kept her composure and balance and tied for a 10th-place medal on Beam. Maisie Kelnhofer (Child B): Powered through being the first competitor of the round on bars to secure an 8th-place medal on Bars.
Gold Team Grit: The momentum didn't stop there. The Excel Gold Team left everything on the floor, tumbling their way to an impressive 6th-place team standing with a score of 106.850.
Leading the Child A division was Jessa Varney, who achieved the ultimate gymnast dream by winning a medal in every single event, including 4th on Vault, 5th on Beam, Bars, and the All-Around, and 8th on Floor. Genevieve Gigstead brought the energy to place 5th on Floor and 10th on Beam, while Ellie Kelsey delivered an expressive routine to place 8th on Floor. In the Junior B bracket, Evelynn Kelsey showed remarkable resilience, fighting her way to the podium with 5th on Beam, 7th on Floor, and 8th in both Beam and the All-Around.
The Door County Strivers officially closed out the 2025–2026 season in Greensboro, NC. They return home with a 2nd place National Silver Team Banner, a top 25 Level 8 finalist, 28 individual top ten national medals, and the irreplaceable. Head Coach Nikki Pollman made the trip with the Team.