Kambria Sanders may be a rookie, but she doesn’t perform like one. As a newbie to the local gymnastics center, Sanders has defied the odds by qualifying for sectionals and barely missing state by half a point.
Sanders, 10 years old, has definitely dropped her audience’s jaws with her talent in the realm of gymnastics.
“She’s got huge potential,” said coach Katey Eckenrod. “Usually competitors have to stay at a level for two years before they can qualify for state.”
Sanders isn’t a normal gymnast, though. She started gymnastics at age 8 in Rhode Island in lieu of ice skating—since there wasn’t an ice-skating program around.
Then, since military families move around a lot, she eventually arrived at KT’s All-Star Gymnastics Center, and joined the ranks of Level 5. Just recently, Sanders competed in the South Section Championships in Culver City.
“She really improved her scores,” her mother said. “And she felt strong in her favorite area: beams.”
Sanders also performs in bar, vault, and floor—basically all of the events.
Gymnastics hasn’t just decorated Sanders’ room with achievements; it’s also strengthened her discipline, a skill she uses in her schoolwork at Joe Nightingale elementary school where she has excellent grades.
This article appears in Oct 29 – Nov 4, 2009.