Bridgewater Teen Takes 3rd At NJ Level 10 State Championship

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — Bridgewater 15-year-old Stella Fischer was among the North Stars Gymnastics Academy gymnasts to earn a medal at the Level 10 New Jersey State Championship recently held at Precision Gymnastics in Bayville.

Fischer, a home-schooled sophomore, placed third place in the floor exercise with a score of 9.200.

"Stella is an amazing athlete with such an interior drive. She knows her goals and what she needs to do to achieve them," said North Stars Gymnastics Academy head team coach Ashley Umberger. "It is so much fun to push and coach an athlete of her stature! I look forward to her future and all she can accomplish!"

Now, Fischer and 10 other athletes will advance to Regionals in about two weeks.

Sponsored by the USA Gymnastics New Jersey chapter of the national USA Gymnastics Women‘s
Development Program, the Level 10 State meet included a junior division up to age 16 and a senior
division up to age 18. Level 10 is the highest competitive level under USAG, except for elite.

Led by Umberger and also coached by Faith Baranowski, Heather Moroz, Shenice Martin, Melissa Jones and Brielle Benoski, the Level 10s took second place in the state team award, while its Level 9s won first.

"Our athletes are tough and can compete against the best in the state, region and nation and hold their own," said Umberger, a former two-time U.S. National Women‘s Gymnastics Team member. "Their work ethic, intense focus and talent drives them to reach their potential and most times, exceed it with admirable control and grace."

Gymnasts can score up to a perfect 10 for each of the four events: uneven bars, balance beam, floor
exercise and vault, achieving a maximum all-around score of 40.

Each had to earn a 34 all-around score (cumulative score from all four events) at the state championship, a 35.00 pre-qualifying score from the existing season, or a 9.0 or higher at the state meet in an individual event (IES) to receive a bid to Regionals, according to USAG-NJ.

USAG Gymnastics is comprised of eight regions throughout the nation. North Stars had 11 Level 10
gymnasts (ages 12 to 17) qualify for the Region 7 Gymnastics competition, which represents the top
qualifying state championship gymnasts from six states including Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey,
Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.

Regionals is scheduled for April 10 to 13 in Virginia Beach, Va. The top score getters at Regionals will advance to the U.S. Women‘s Gymnastics Development Program Level 10 Nationals from May 9 to 11 in Salt Lake City, Utah.