Helfrich, Idleman shining stars of YMCA gymnastics program

Hannah Helfrich gets unusual Christmas and birthday gifts from her parents every year, vacations to Oklahoma in the winter and the Houston area after the school year ends.

The trips aren't exactly for relaxation for Helfrich, who will be a freshman at El Dorado High School. The trip to Oklahoma is to train in gymnastics with former U.S. Olympian Bart Conner; and the one in Texas involves more intense gymnastics study under Bela Karolyi, the coach of Olympians Nadia Comaneci, Mary Lou Retton and Kerri Strug.

"It's pretty exciting," Helfrich said about her extensive training. "They're more hard and you get to work on stuff that you don't get to work on here. It's really nice."

Helfrich started working on gymnastics not long after the El Dorado YMCA opened and had the sport as one of their programs.

"I started in third grade and then I quit," Helfrich said. "Some of my friends encouraged me to come back."

When fellow YMCA gymnast Laura Idleman watched gymnast Natalia Liukin perform at the Beijing Olympics, she decided she wanted to try one of Liukin's routines.

Her mother, Pam, came up with a simple answer to her daughter's wish.

"My mom said 'You can do gymnastics at the Y,' and that's how I got started," Idleman said.

Idleman, a Flinthills Middle School student, joined the El Dorado YMCA gymnastics program in December and was already competing in regional competitions like the Missouri Valley Championships. She also said she has found a best friend and mentor in Helfrich.

And the two have become top performers for the gymnastics program.

Helfrich and Idleman spend part of their practice time at the El Dorado YMCA and some of their time carpooling together to the new Andover YMCA, where there is more practice apparatus.

Idleman said she isn't surprised how quickly she has grown into gymnastics as a sport. At the Missouri Valley Championships, Idleman got a 9.85 on the balance beam, and it got her thinking about performing 

"I work hard," Idleman said. "I really like it and even though it's going to interfere (with school) next year, I say 'Why, not continue.’

"Going into the (Missouri Valley) was fun. I don't get nervous at meets and it wasn't nerve wrecking or anything; and I did better there than I thought I would. I want to get as high as I can. I want to get into college (programs), but I'm not sure if I can."

Helfrich finished third in the all-around at state in the intermediate optional level, including a first place finish on the balance beam with a 9.25. She also will be competing in July at the AAU/Junior Olympics meet in Des Moines, Iowa.

Helfrich said the beam and floor exercise are her favorite events in gymnastics.

“I just like moving on the floor and just have fun,” Helfrich said. “With the beam, it’s four inches and you don’t see too many people doing things on just four inches, like getting two feet off the ground and do backflips and cartwheels and landing on that same four inches. It’s like a rush.”

Helfrich already knows she wants to compete in gymnastics above the high school level, but she just doesn’t know which direction she wants to take her craft – to the collegiate or the competition level.

“I want to go to the University of Oklahoma,” Helfrich said. “I go down there and I watch the Big 12 and regional championships. It looks like they have more fun and they’re more pumped and everything.

“Right now, I’m still a kid and I want to do what other kids do and not spend 35 hours a week doing something.”