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Hard work paid off as Karli Woody, of Windsor Gymnastics Training Center, went to the 2023 XCEL Regionals meet in Pennsylvania on June 2-4 and produced her greatest achievement yet.

She earned the top all around score in her division of the XCEL Platinum level, a division that included 23 gymnasts.

“It’s my biggest achievement by far,” she said. “It feels great to have progressed and gotten to this point in my gymnastics career.”

Then she learned that her all around score was also No. 1 in the entire XCEL Platinum competition group, which included around 100 gymnasts in a region that covers six states.

“Yay!” she said as she heard the news. “When I first started competing my scores were not great. I worked hard to get where I am.”

Woody, who attends Southampton Academy, started competing in gymnastics in the 2018-19 season. 

She achieved her all around score at regionals by placing first in the floor event, first on the beam, second on the bars and second on the vault.

She already has her goals established for next season: “Do it all again!” she said.

Her Windsor Gymnastics teammate, Josie Griffin, also shined at regionals.

In a field of 25 gymnasts that comprised her division of the XCEL Gold level at the Pennsylvania-based meet, she recorded an all around score that put her in sixth. 

She achieved that high placement by finishing fourth on the vault, fourth on the bars, eighth in the floor event and 14th on the beam.

When asked how she felt about her accomplishments over the course of the season, including making it to regionals, she said she felt good and that she was proud of what she has achieved in gymnastics.

Griffin, who attends Georgie Tyler Middle School, started competing as a gymnast in the 2019-20 season.

Steve Woody, who coaches Karli and Griffin, said he was really proud of what they accomplished at regionals.

“They went against the best of the best in the region, and they killed it,” he said.

Windsor Gymnastics Training Center is part of Region 7, which covers Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, Maryland and West Virginia. 

Reflecting on the 2022-23 season for the entire WGTC team, which had seven members competing at the Virginia XCEL State Championships, Coach Woody said, “We had ups and downs, but I think ultimately everyone got better, which is what we try to do. I’m proud of them.”

WGTC gym owner Pat Tribby shared a similar sentiment.

“For a small gym in a small town, to have top-scoring gymnasts makes us so proud to support and offer gymnastics in a rural community,” she said. “We’re able to give children in Isle of Wight and the surrounding counties a place to grow and excel in the sport.”

Windsor Gymnastics Association President Alisha Graney highlighted the whole WGTC team when she said, “It has been so inspiring to watch these girls grow up over the past few years, ever since my own daughter joined the team.”

She noted that the COVID-19 pandemic changed a lot of things and was also a huge disruption to gymnastics training and competition. 

“The girls lost out on an entire season, but they came back strong,” she said. “I have watched them grow and evolve not only as gymnasts but as young women, and I cannot wait to see what next year brings. Whatever happens, I’m proud of each and every one.”

She said that a team goal for next season involves traveling to Nashville, Tennessee, for a meet at the Opryland Events Center. 

“We rarely get the opportunity to travel out of state due to the costs involved, but this is a great opportunity for the girls,” she said. 

The WGTC team is also getting new competition leotards this summer, she stated, which will be used for the next two seasons.

“We’ll be fundraising like crazy in an effort to help offset the costs involved with those and other events,” she said.

She explained that the team’s supporting parent group, the Windsor Gymnastics Association, is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, meaning it can accept tax-deductible donations from individuals and companies. 

“If anyone wants to sponsor/help the team reach Nashville, we would gratefully welcome the support,” she said.

For more information, send an email to wga.xcel@gmail.com.

The team can be followed on social media at www.facebook.com/wga.xcel.