Taylor Stables, a gymnast from Arena Gym in Hamilton, has qualified to be evaluated at the U.S. Olympic training site in Texas on Oct. 7-8 in the hopes of making the TOPs National Team.
TOPs (Talent Opportunity Program), is a USA Gymnastics national talent search and educational program for female gymnasts ages 8-10 and their coaches. Taylor was chosen to participate in the TOPs Program at Arena in 2014 and has been doing TOPs training for the past two years in addition to her team training. She distinguished herself in the nine-year-old USA Gymnastics New Jersey State Championship Level Five Division by finishing second on both bars and beam and placing third in all-around.
This summer, Taylor traveled to Norfolk, Virginia, to be evaluated with East Coast gymnasts from 14 states during a four-day intensive training camp at USA Gymnastics National Team Training Center at Excaliber Gym where Olympic gold medalist Gabby Douglas once trained. During June and July, gymnasts in the TOPs Program nationwide are evaluated on physical abilities and skills at the state level.
The TOPs testing includes six tests of physical ability, including an eight-second rope climb in a V position, 10 press handstands, 10 L leg lifts hanging from a ladder bar, a 30-second handstand hold, and various flexibility leg kicks and hold tests. In addition to the physical abilities, gymnasts are also tested on advanced skills on beam, bars, and floor.
From more than 3,000 participants nationwide, 300 gymnasts are invited to participate in the National TOPs test that is conducted in October where they will be evaluated on the same physical abilities tests along with even harder national gymnastics skills.
Taylor was one of the 10-year-olds to qualify to travel to the USA Gymnastics Training Center at the Karolyi Ranch in Texas, a U.S. Olympic training site. She will be tested for two days and approximately 100 gymnasts will be chosen to make up the TOPs National Team. From there the 100 TOPs Team gymnasts will attend a weeklong training camp at the Karolyi Ranch in December and will be coached by the USA Gymnastics national team staff.
Former TOPs National Team members include 2004 Olympic all-around ahampion, Carly Patterson, and 2004 Silver Team member Courtney Kupets.
Taylor is a fifth-grader at the Ethel McKnight Elementary School in East Windsor has been an active participant in student council, chorus, dance, book club, and has held a schoolwide office. She is the daughter of Heather and Joseph Stables.
