Sisters gymnast is a champion

Brooklyn Haken, 11, likes to do things a lot of other people cannot do. Things like backbends on a four-inch wide piece of wood, handstands on a set of uneven parallel bars and launching into a couple of back handsprings on the floor.

Haken is a gymnast and competes in floor exercise, vault, balance beam and uneven bars. A broken foot early in the season sidelined her for several weeks, but she came back into competition and recently brought home several trophies and medals attesting to her skill.

She was state champion on the bars, with a score of 9.475 (out of 10), at the state meet held in Medford. The regional meet, held at the end of April in Spokane, hosted competitors from Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Alaska and Hawaii. Haken won the balance beam event with a score of 9.323.

Prior to her injury, which occurred on a slide far away from the gym, Haken's strongest events were floor and vault. Those events require strong feet for the jumps and running involved. Haken's foot was injured just below the big toe, making those springing movements painful.

Through the careful coaching of Jamie Olson at Redmond Gymnastics Academy, Haken successfully refined her techniques on the beam and bars. She expects her foot to fully regain its strength and to be bouncing around in top form next season.

Haken has been a gymnast since she was five years old. Her father, Jeff Haken, said she started as a way to channel some childish energy but soon developed a talent for the sport. Gymnasts compete in levels from 1 through 10; some Level 10 gymnasts are offered college scholarships. Beyond level 10 are the elite Olympic and world-class gymnasts. Haken competed this year at Level 7.

Gymnasts practice their sport year-round in order to maintain their strength, flexibility and control. Haken said she enjoys practicing as much as competition because there is always something new to learn. And nailing that perfect move always feels great.