A Star on the Bars

Rebecca Knutson is ready to move on.

The 11-year-old gymnast will skip Level 6 and jump up to Level 7 after two very successful seasons at Level 5.

The 4-foot-9, 70-pound dynamo completed the current campaign with the Flathead Gymnastics Academy by defending her title at the State Gymnastics Championships in Helena last weekend. She was undefeated for the 2010 season and improved her all-around scores in all seven outings.

“I feel confident,” she said of her next challenge.

“I will be able to get all my stuff down.”

The “stuff” she’s talking about are the new tricks she will have to master. Gymnasts in Level 5 and below all perform the same routines in the four disciplines — beam, bars, floor and vault. The exciting part about Level 7 is gymnasts create their own routines and choose their own music.

“Way harder tricks,” Knutson said.

“The routines are actually longer, too.”

In beam, she’s already learning how to do a backend spin.

On bars, she’s working on perfecting a giant with a handstand.

Floor will require the addition of a backhand spring and layout. In vault, she will have to round off a handspring.

Those are to name just a few.

“It’s been a challenge with home work and softball, but when I work hard at it, it will come easily,” she said.

“It’s hard when you are learning new skills. That’s when you really, really, really have to put all your effort into it.”

Knutson has been involved in gymnastics since she was 3 1/2 years old. She would often visit the academy with her close friend Abbie O’Brian. They were teammates until two years ago.

“She got involved in other sports,” Knutson said of why O’Brian left.

“I’m involved in other sports, but I just wanted to keep with it. I think it’s my passion. And, I really love it.”

So much so that when asked what sport she would give up — gymnastics or softball, where she is a standout pitcher and shortstop in KYSA and with the Glacier Emeralds — she belted out “softball.”

“Very determined,” Flathead Gymnastics Academy coach Steve Henneford said of Knutson.

“She’s a great competitor. She trains very hard, they all do.”

Henneford said the one thing that separates Knutson from others is “her work ethic. She’s pretty serious most of the time. If I leave her alone, she works very hard.”

Jeanine Henneford, who shares coaching duties with Steve, says Knutson’s future is very bright.

“She has a lot of potential. She’s very strong, mentally and physically. She’s a good listener. She always does extra, extra numbers, extra drills.”

Jeanine says as long as Knutson remains this focused she will have plenty of options down the road.

“If she wants to be,” Jeanine said of the Olympics.

“She’s young. We have a lot of time to work with her.”

Neal Knutson has been impressed with his daughter’s stick-to-itiveness all along.

“Oh my gosh, it’s a grueling little schedule they’ve got,” he said.

“Monday through Friday, 4 through 7 (p.m.). She just is all over it, never misses. She goes when she’s sick. She just likes it.”

But what he’s most proud of, however, is her ability to prioritize her daily schedule.

“I told her if you get behind in your school work, something will give and it will be sports,” he said.

“She’s been very disciplined. When she has free time, she does her home work.”

A fifth-grader at Peterson Elementary School, Knutson is a 4.0 student. She also holds a record at her school for most miles logged running for the year with the Peterson Pacers.

“She always kind of been like this,” Knutson said of his daughter’s drive to succeed.

“It doesn’t surprise me. I keep waiting for the day when she doesn’t get as big a charge out of gymnastics. So far, so good. She’ll do it as long as she can be competitive, and barring injury.”