Ick’s Showing Stands Tall in Gymnastics Finals

Wendy Ick may be short on size and experience, just four-feet tall and 11-years old, but she performed like an old pro Sunday at San Diego State’s Peterson Gym during the finals of the Winter Holiday Gymnastics Classic.

With some of the country’s top young gymnasts competing against her, Ick compiled a career-best all-around score of 35.05, including a mark of 9.2 in the low bars.

Her all-around score was some two points behind gold medalist Elizabeth Crandall of the Desert Devils (Scottsdale, Ariz), but Darla Franz, Ick’s coach at the Aztec Gymnastic Club, was quite pleased with her young star’s showing.

“Wendy is a pretty good competitor at this level,” Franz said. “With all the other girls doing all their tricks in front of her, I think it really inspired Wendy to perform. Considering all the new things we tried this meet, Wendy performed beautifully.”

Ick said her 9.2 on the uneven bars was the highlight of the meet for her.

“I tried to concentrate on keeping my feet together,” Ick said. “And I think it worked. My coach seemed pretty happy.”

Franz was also pretty happy with Ick’s performance on the balance beam (8.65), but she probably would have been happier if Ick had not fallen during her routine.

“Except for the dismount, Wendy is doing everything that goes into an Olympic routine,” Franz said.

Ick’s next feat will be attempting to qualify as an “elite gymnast.” She is currently categorized as a “level 9” gymnast.

“The object is to get her to score two 36s (in the all-around), and then she is eligible to compete in the elite-qualifying meet.”

Kara Temple, the only other member of the Aztecs Gymnastics Club to qualify for the finals, scored a 33.7 while competing with a sore left heel.

The Desert Devils won the team competition with a score of 112.95 and Scats (Huntington Beach) took second with a total of 110.50 points.