There’s something pretty special about watching a team step onto the national stage.

This year, 11 Skylark acrobatic gymnastics groups travelled interstate to the Gold Coast, Queensland, to compete at the National Club Championships.

It was an exciting opportunity to represent Skylark alongside acrobatic gymnasts from across Australia. But for us, the weekend was about much more than results.

It was a celebration of grit, growth and grace.

Grit

Acrobatic gymnastics asks a lot of its athletes.

Unlike individual gymnastics, acro athletes train and compete in partnerships and groups. They learn to trust each other, communicate, take responsibility and keep working when things don’t quite go to plan.

At the National Club Championships, each of our groups performed two routines: balance and dynamic.

Balance routines showcase control, strength and stability, while dynamic routines bring throws, catches and exciting flight elements into the mix. Both demand teamwork, timing and plenty of trust.

Getting those routines onto a national competition floor represents countless hours of training, repetition and perseverance.

That’s grit.

Growth

Competition gives our athletes an opportunity to see just how far they’ve come.

For some, simply walking onto a competition floor is a huge milestone. For others, it might be performing a skill more confidently, recovering after a mistake or achieving a result they’ve worked towards all season.

At Skylark, we believe in progress, not perfection. Competition results matter, but they’re only one part of the story.

We’re equally proud of the athletes who challenged themselves, supported their teammates and came home a little more confident than when they left.

That growth will stay with them long after the scores are forgotten.

Grace

Acro is built on partnership.

You can’t control a lift, complete a throw or perform a routine without the people beside you. Our athletes rely on each other and learn what it means to have someone else relying on them, too.

We saw that spirit throughout the championships.

We saw teammates encouraging each other before stepping onto the floor. We saw athletes celebrating each other’s successes. We saw them handle nerves, excitement, disappointment and achievement together.

And, of course, we saw some pretty spectacular acrobatics along the way.

Our National Club Championships results

We’re incredibly proud of all 11 groups and what they achieved on the national stage.

Level 4

• Women’s Group – Romy, Valerie and Pippa: 3rd Overall, 6th balance, 2nd dynamic
• Women’s Pair – Gracie and Jennie: 5th Overall, 15th balance, 4th dynamic 
• Women’s Pair – Jasmine and Jean: 14th Overall, 13th balance, 14th dynamic

Level 5

• Women’s Pair – Ella and Amelia: 14th Overall, 10th balance, 16th dynamic
• Women’s Group – Charlize, Hannah and Elizabeth: 4th Overall, 6th balance, 4th dynamic
• Women’s Group – Scarlett, Hiyori and Jia: 11th Overall, 11th balance, 8th dynamic
• Women’s Group – Ishika, Ally and Matti: 12th Overall, 10th balance, 10th dynamic

Level 6

• Women’s Pair – Deanna and Erica: 8th Overall, 10th balance, 7th dynamic

Level 8

• Men’s Pair – Jack and Toby: 1st Overall, 1st balance, 1st dynamic

Level 9

• Mixed Pair – Alex and Jemima: 1st Overall, 1st balance, 1st dynamic
• Women’s Group – Peyton, Saoirse and Caitlin: 1st Overall, 1st balance, 1st dynamic

Proud to be Skylarkians!

Medals and placings give us something exciting to celebrate. But what makes us proudest is everything behind them.

The courage to try again. The patience to keep refining a skill. The trust between partners. The ability to celebrate a teammate. The confidence to walk onto a national floor and perform.

That’s what competitive sport can teach when it’s done well.

To our coaches, families and supporters who helped make the journey possible; thank you.

Congratulations to the 11 groups who represented Skylark on the national stage; we are so proud of the grit, growth and grace you showed.

Go Skylark!