Justus goes to Flip Fest in Tennessee

Justus took his first airplane trip by himself to Nashville for a week-long gymnastics camp called Flip Fest. Flip Fest is owned and operated by Olympians John Macready and John Roethlisberger. Lisa escorted him to the gate in Hobby airport, but could only watch as he walked down the jetway by himself. He was fine – Mom was not.

Justus’ friend’s family, the Gualy’s, picked him up from the Nashville airport and drove to Flip Fest in Crossville, TN. (John Gauly is a team member of Justus’ gym here in Katy.) Their family was in Tennessee that week for a family reunion. Is that awesome coordination or what? When the boys got to camp that afternoon, they performed a skills evaluation and were placed in groups for the week.

Justus enjoyed his coaches, Coach Heath and Coach BJ, Olympic Trials Qualifier Jay Thornton and 2008 Olympian Jonathan Horton (wahoo!). Justus won two t-shirts, one for a dancing contest (huh?), and handstand contest! He enjoyed extracurricular activities such as lake tubing while being towed behind a jet-ski, awesome ropes courses and sand volleyball courts. There was a lot of laughter and joking around inside the cabin and at campfires, too.

Justus learned new skills like a double-back off (rings dismount), a Tsukahara (vault skill), handstand pirouettes (on parallel bars) and nine circles on pommel (this week, he increased this skill to eleven in-a-row).

Coming home involved a major road-trip, riding home with the Gauly’s and spending a day in New Orleans taking in the sites and food.

Thanks to everyone who supported him, a special thanks to the Gualy’s for their care and transportation and those who offered up prayers for his safety.

-D

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