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2007, A Full Year!
Natasha is named to three meets back to back to back.
The Tyson American Cup - broadcasted live by NBC, where Natasha finishes 2nd in the all-around. She also turned in the top performance
on beam with a 16.250, earning the highest score of competition.
Houston International Invitational - Natasha competed for the first time in her home town in front of cheering friends and family,
and she did not disappoint anyone. She won four titles including the all-around, uneven bars, beam, floor, and was 2nd on vault.
She also recorded a 16.35 on beam.
USA vs. Great Britain - Natasha and the US contingent travel to England where the US Team finishes first. Natasha also finishes 4th
all-around, 2nd beam, 6th vault.
2007 Visa Championships - Natasha overcomes an ankle injury and places 10th all around. She is named to the US National Team for the
4th time. Following championships, Natasha focuses on making a decision on what college she will attend. She had many offers, but is
proud to announce that she has elected to join Oklahoma for a full scholarship after a recruiting trip filled with lots of information
and fun.
Natasha's final competition of the year is the 2007 Glasgow Grand Prix World Cup in Scotland. Natasha competed on uneven bars and beam.
On day 1 qualification, she had problems on uneven bars, missing her forward clear circle before re-kipping and sitting down her double
front dismount. However, she put in a solid effort on beam, finishing 6th. On event finals on day 2, Natasha had a near perfect beam
routine and tied for 5th place with Steliana
Nistor.
2006, 1st Year Senior!
In 2006, Natasha's first competition as a senior is in Moscow at the 2006 World Cup. She competes on floor, vault, and uneven bars
and finishes 3rd, 4th, and 6th on each. She gets a first hand look at Red Square.
Natasha returns home to compete in the US Classic in Kansas City in preparation for national championships. Natasha finishes in a
1st place tied in the all-around. She was also 1st on uneven bars, 2nd on vault, 4th on beam, and 3rd on floor.
At the 2006 National Championships, a very determined and consistent effort results in a 2nd Place finish in the all-around in her
first trip to senior nationals. Natasha also finishes 2nd on beam and uneven bars, and 4th on floor. Natasha is named to the US
National Team for the third year in a row. Later, she is named to the 2006 US World Team. Reaching World Championships fulfills
one of Natasha's goals set when she was a younger gymnasts. The competition was held in Aarhus, Denmark and the US World Team
earns a silver medal. Natasha also qualified for floor finals and finished 6th. It was a great experience!
In December, 2006, Natasha was honored at the ranch as 2006 National Tops Athlete of the Year. She gave a motivational speech to the
younger Tops athletes, staff, and coaches, and encouraging them to "never give up on your dreams."
2005,
Another Great Year!
Natasha begins 2005 with her first of three all-around championships at the North American International (tri-meet) at Long Island, NY.
Along with the all-around, Natasha was first on uneven bars and beam, and finished second on vault and floor. Then, the unexpected
happened when Natasha broke her hand. Natasha was in a cast from the end of April until June. She missed out on a competition in Europe.
Yet, Natasha had faith and determination. She stayed on her regular gym schedule and worked on conditioning and flexibility. When her
cast came off in June, it was a race against time to get her strength and timing back in time for national championships in August. She
really wanted to make the national team again. She did that and more. She won the US Junior National All-Around Championship in one of
the most exciting finishes in junior national competition in recent years. Her last event of the two-day competition was floor exercise
and she scored a 9.45 and won the all-around title by .101. She also earned balance beam and floor exercise national championships and
third place finishes on vault and uneven bars.
Next, she was sent to Japan to compete in the Japan Junior International Competition. Japan hosts this competition every other year and
invites the best junior international gymnasts in the world, including the likes of Romania, Russia, China, to name a few. Japan knows
how to put on a first class meet and this one was no exception. Natasha was solid in winning the all-around championship. At event finals
the next day, she won gold on balance beam, and silver medals on vault, uneven bars, and floor exercise. She brought home two huge plaques
for winning the all-around, and some cool looking medals for the other events. She was also on Japan TV. So just as 2004 was then her best
year as a gymnast, 2005 exceeded and became her best year as a gymnast. During those two years, Natasha's team and individual medal count
is now 27 in international competitions.
2004 - What a Year!
Consistent training yields consistent results. Her coaches are difference
makers. Nothing is left to chance. Natasha made it to her first National
Championships, a goal she set many years ago. She made the US Jr. National
Team as the result of her performance. She went on to win the AA in her first
international competition in Mexico, a meet she originally was listed as an
alternate, but got the call to compete and took advantage of opportunity. Read
on for a summary of 2004 highlights in Natasha's best year as a gymnast. 
2004
The new year begins like 2003 ended. Continued emphasis on strength,
flexibility, dance, and polishing-off of new skills. The results soon begin to
show. February is a very good month. Natasha places 2nd AA at the Kurt Thomas
Invitational in Dallas and in the process qualifies as International Elite.
Immediately following, she places 1st AA at the San Antonio River Walk
Classic. Then, she finishes February off by placing 3rd AA at the National
Podium Meet at Madison Square Garden, including a 1st place finish on Uneven
Bars. Forward March, and the very first weekend, Natasha places 6th AA at the
American Classic in Ontario, CA. As a result of her finish, Natasha qualifies
for her first trip to US National Championships, where she places 7th AA and
secures a spot on the National Team.
A Good Beginning in Mexico
The momentum from Nationals continues. Natasha was first alternate when she
got the call to be part of the team to go to the Olympiad Elite in Baja,
Mexico, her first international assignment. Her coaches have her well
prepared. Jana Beiger, Kassi Price, Bianca Flohr, and Natasha represent Team
USA and win the all-around in the team competition. Natasha wins the
individual all-around title, her best finish to date as an international
elite.
Team Work vs. Canada
Natasha's second international competition is following training camp at the
Karolyi Ranch in the USA vs. Canada competition. Team members Shayla Worley,
Bianca Flohr, Kassi Price, and Natasha have solid performances as Team USA
defeats Canada. Natasha places 3rd in the all-around and is selected to
compete at the Jr. Pan American Championships.
On To El Salvador
Natasha's third international assignment is a good one. Team USA soundly
defeats 14 other countries in claiming the team gold at the Pan American
Games. Kassi Price, Bianca Flohr, Morgan Evans, and Natasha, represent Team
USA. Natasha wins individual bronze by placing 3rd in the all-around and
qualifies for event finals on vault and beam. The next day at event finals,
Natasha earns two golds by winning the balance beam and vault titles. Natasha
leaves El Salvador with three golds, one bronze, and a great experience.
And Then Venezuela
They just keep getting better. Natasha's fourth international assignment is
another good one. Natasha joined three accomplished senior gymnasts to
represent the US at the Sr. Pan American Event Specialist Championships in
Maracaibo, Venezuela. Her teammates were Chellsie Memmel, Alicia Sacramone,
and Melanie Sinclair. The US dominated the competition. Natasha competed on
balance beam and placed 2nd at prelims and 2nd at the event final to bring
home a silver medal. Natasha made the cover of the Laverdad sports page in
Maracaibo. Cool trip!
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