SECTION: JOURNAL ARCHIVE

AN ARCHIVE OF MY JOURNAL ENTRIES FROM MAY 2000 - FEBRUARY 2005

Over the past five years Stephanie has maintained an shared her journey to the 2004 Olympic Games with her fans, friends and family through her online journal. We have collected as many of her journal entries as possible from the last five years and included them on this page. We hope you enjoy reading them again now. Stephanie will continue to update her website with messages from time to time. Click here to read her latest installments!

FEBRUARY 5, 2005
TO ALL MY FAMILY, FRIENDS AND FANS

I am writing this letter to tell you all that I have decided to retire from competing in elite Gymnastics.

Being part of a team that won a gold medal at the 2002 Commonwealth Games and a bronze medal at the 2003 World Championships, competing at a Grand Prix event, many overseas competitions and finally representing Australia at the Olympic Games is all that I could have dreamt of. So I feel that I have achieved all that I set out to achieve many years ago when I began Gymnastics at the age of 4, and I am extremely happy with where my 14 year career has taken me.

I will definitely be staying involved in the sport whether it’s coaching, being a mentor for gymnasts or just being there for people to talk to. I am not just going to leave this great sport and all of my experiences behind me, as it has been too much of my life to do that.

I am also looking forward to trying different sports and facing new challenges in my life. I am back at school this year doing a mix of secondary and University subjects to continue my studies.

At this time I would like to especially say thank you to all my coaches, and the support staff that I’ve had over my career as without them I would not have become the gymnast I am today.

To all my team mates, friends and fans, thank you so much for always being there for me through the tough days and the great days. Your encouragement and support is truly appreciated. The many letters, e-mails and messages I have received from my fans has been fantastic and have really put a smile on my face and kept me going through some of the tough times.

And to my family, I could not have done this and achieved so much without you. You have always supported me wherever I went or whatever I did, even if at times I came home grumpy after a training session, you always stuck by me. I love you very much.

Thank you to my web-master Harriet for putting together a great web-site and keeping it regularly updated for all my friends and fans to see. I appreciate all your hard work over the years.

As I said above, you will hopefully still see me around the gyms and being involved with the sport.

Best wishes to everyone,
Keep smiling,

Love Stephanie Moorhouse!

NOVEMBER 13, 2004
ATHENS OLYMPICS JOURNAL

What follows is an extract of an email that Stephanie sent to friends, family and supporters following her return from the Olympic Games. She thought that her visitors would enjoy reading about her Athens 2004 experience!

First of all we had camp for 6 weeks in Canberra which was pretty tough but enjoyable as well. We did about 47 hours a week, 3 sessions a day, first session starting at 6am and last one finishing at 8pm so they were long days. The weather in Canberra was freezing so that didn't help. We were walking to training from the A.I.S residents where we stayed when it was about -6 degrees some mornings. It was hard to say good-bye to the girls that didn't make the team but they suppourted us all the way through to the Games and I'm sure they have many more teams to make ahead of them.

We finally got to Athens which was a relief. We were so excited and tired at the same time. The Village was ok. When we got there, there was still construction going on and the last minute touches happening. You could definitely tell they were in a rush to get things finished, but I can't complain. It had what we needed and that's the main thing. Leading up to the competition we didn't do anything other than focus on the job we had to do and nothing else. We didn't go anywhere, didn't socialise much just stayed within our own group.

I got to meet a few famous people like, Mark Phillipposus, Andrew Gaze, Lauren Jackson, Ian Thorpe, Michael Klim and lots of the swimmers, Peter Brock and definitely the highlight was meeting Delta Goodrem. I am a big fan of hers and so when she sung the national anthem and a couple of her own songs at the flag raising ceremony (first function for the whole team before the games started) we were all so ecstatic. Then us lucky little gymnasts, who because we were so small and ‘cute’ (that’s what people said anyway) that we got to go backstage and meet her. She is just as lovely as she comes across if not nicer. It was a great function as most of the team was there and they showed clips from previous games and everyone was cheering. The atmosphere within the team that night was just amazing. Everyone was really pumped after that night.

We finally got to the competition day. That day we had been training for our whole life. The competitions went ok. For myself I was pretty pleased with how I went. As a team, we didn’t have as good of a result as planned but that’s as best we could do on the day. We only just scrapped into team finals which believe me was a nerve racking wait to see if we got in and a HUGE relief when we found out we had another chance to show our stuff. But unfortunately we had a couple of mistakes again in finals and finished in 8th position which obviously isn’t our best but on the other hand it’s not everyday you can say your team is ranked 8th in the world.

I was actually reserve in the team final for beam and floor and was not planning on competing. But unfortunately one our team members had to pull out due to a very painful stress fracture in her leg, so I was up at the last minute but I think I did a pretty good job.

Also in the AA competition I was reserve and didn’t know I was competing until about 15 minutes before the comp started. It was a very emotional rollercoaster for me and an amazing experience. I learnt a lot having to cope with all sorts of situations put upon me, but I handled it fine. I had one mistake in the AA competition but everything else went smoothly. I came 20th All Around which I improved from qualifications by 11 spots so can’t complain. There’s always room for improvement.

The standard of gymnastics done by the Americans and Romanians especially was outstanding. They really are the best gymnasts in the world and we learnt a lot from watching them compete.

After the comps were finished we got to relax and soak in the atmosphere. We used the village facilities such as the pool, outside cinema, games room, internet and shops. It was great fun walking around talking to other athletes and also swapping stuff with them. Swapping pins was a big craze.

We got to go sight seeing one day to the Acropolis which is a big tourist attraction of ancient ruins and stuff like that. It was pretty interesting. And of course we went shopping in the markets and got a few good bargains. We went to see other events as well, to cheer on our fellow Australians. We saw Trampolining, Rhythmic Gymnastics, Syncronise Swimming, Athletics and the gold medal mens Hockey match which was one of the highlights of the trip. We were sitting with about 250 other Australians cheering and chanting which was sooooo much fun.

Then the closing ceremony was also a highlight. Just letting our hair down and everyone was running around like crazy taking photos and just enjoying themselves. Then it was time to have the last few team BBQ’s before heading home. We flew home on two charter flights which just had the Australian team on the. That was pretty fun.

We’ve had quite a few functions and team parades since we’ve got back which is also what part of being an Olympian is all about. I’ve got to meet more of the athletes that were on the team and just have more fun with the girls. I did have a short break at the snow with my family which was nice to get away from all the hype and just think about something else. I am now back in training and taking it easy for the minute, letting my body recover from the last few months.

I just want to say thank you to everyone who supported me so much over the last few months. My family has been amazing and they traveled to Athens to watch me compete which was great to have them there. My coaches and support staff, they have put in unbelievable amounts of time to helping me get prepared for this trip and I am very greatful for that. And to all my friends, you have all been so understanding and supportive of me. Helping me get through some of the tough times. Thanks heaps, you guys are a part of this as well.

It really has been a whirlwind of a trip and something that I will never forget. I always said I wanted to represent Australia in gymnastics at the 2004 Olympic Games since I was a little girl; and I did it. It was a dream come true!

Best wishes,

Steph Moorhouse! xoxoxo

JULY 7, 2004
HAWAII, NATIONALS AND MORE ...

One week until the final Olympic trial! I can’t believe it. A few weeks ago my parents organised a Good Luck/Farewell party for me with my family and friends. It is so nice to know that I have so many people supporting and encouraging me on my way as I aim to reach my ultimate goal. A few of my ex team-mates were there and we were all talking about how when we were little we used to always say we wanted to go to the Olympics, and now I’m almost there. It has gone so quickly, but there is still a lot of hard work ahead.

The last couple of months have been very busy. First of all I went to Hawaii for the Pacific Alliance, which was a great trip. It was a lovely place to have a competition with warm beautiful weather every day. I competed in the All Around for our senior team and as I had not contributed all 4 scores to the team for a while I was pretty happy with how I went, especially as I was last up on beam. The whole competition had finished and everyone was watching so I was quite nervous, but did a great routine. We also had fun on the beach as the NBC TV crew took some film of us with a surfboard, and had a quick trip to the shops (what girls absolutely have to do) before jumping back on the plane straight back to Australia for our preparation for Nationals.

I also found a few days to go the football (AFL) with my family which was so much fun. It’s hard to get us four together now as we are all so busy, so it is good to be able to relax and do something different. It also helps when my team (Melbourne) wins, and even better when it’s against my brother’s team (West Coast), and my Mum’s team (Collingwood). Melbourne has started with a very good season so far, so I am hoping that they will reach the finals, and maybe even the Grand Final.

I always look forward to the Australian Nationals, as I enjoy being part of a big team representing our State, and training together. I didn’t have the best lead up to Nationals, but once I got there I just put it all behind me and gave it all I had. It was great that our Victorian team again won gold, and I helped contribute well to the team.

The second day of competition I knew I was in 2nd place, and I really wanted to hold my spot as this was one of the goals that I had set myself for Nationals. After having a hideous start on bars, I just had to put it behind me and move on. I knew that I could, and I did the best beam routine I’ve ever done in competition scoring a 9.75. I then picked up in my confidence, and did fine on floor and vault to finish in 2nd place AA behind Allana Slater.

Finals were the following day and I competed on beam and floor. I was quite nervous on beam as I knew that I had a chance of getting the gold. However, I just did what I had done every other day by being aggressive and confident, and ended up winning the gold medal. My coach Tracey had been putting a lot of hard work into helping me with my beam routine, so it was great to see that it paid off.

I had my parents, grandparents and some family friends, including Aimee and Caitlin who are just starting out in gymnastics, come up from Melbourne to watch me compete at the Nationals, so it was lovely to have their support. After the Nationals were finished, we went straight to the Australian Gymnastics after-function which was great (felt like I was at the Logies). It was very well put together and a great night. The Olympic training squad was also named which was an exciting, emotional and wonderful moment for all of us, especially having so many Victorians representing the squad.

So overall, I was happy with my performance at Nationals. There are definitely some things I want to fix in my routines, as there always are before the final trial, but just to keep doing what I’m doing, stay healthy and fingers crossed I will be part of the Olympic team.

Also recently, I had my team-mate Aleea’s belated birthday party. It was a “black and white” themed party, and one of the things that we did was a treasure hunt around the neighbourhood which was a lot of fun. It was great to let our hair down and spend some time together out of the gym.

Another exciting that happened lately was that I presented my Commonwealth Games leotard to the Melbourne Cricket Ground Museum, as they only had a hand-knitted woollen leotard from the Melbourne 1956 Olympics, and when the Melbourne Cricket Ground renovations are completed this year it will be on display for people to see, along with other items from the Manchester Commonwealth Games. As you can imagine I jumped at the opportunity to do this, especially as the 2005 Worlds and 2006 Commonwealth Games are in my own State of Melbourne.

So for me now after a lot of hard work in the gym, I’m going to put everything into this once in a lifetime opportunity, and hopefully my next diary entry will be after I return from the Olympics in Athens, which will be a special Olympic entry. Also, good luck to my team mates who are also trying out for positions in the Olympic team, and many thanks to my coaches that have helped me to get this far. I have had a few different coaches over the years, but they’ve all had a part in helping me get to this stage of my career, and especially to my current coaches Misha and Tracey. Hopefully, we can continue our great team-work to reach that final step.

Best wishes,

Steph Moorhouse

Since writing this entry for her diary, Stephanie has achieved her dream in qualifying to the 2004 Australian Olympic Team! Congratulations Steph!!!

DECEMBER 13, 2003
A YEAR IN REVIEW

Wow! Christmas is just around the corner and it’s time for another debrief on an amazing year I’ve had. The biggest highlight would obviously be qualifying for the Australian World’s gymnastics team, and then with the team finishing in 3rd place was an absolutely amazing experience. The training camp beforehand was intense and we all worked very hard, and obviously it all paid off.

To be standing on the podium at a World Championships has always been one of my dreams, and to have it come true was awesome. Our team, including the coaches, were overwhelmed as it was a historic event for Australia that will always have our names down in history as the first Australian Women’s gymnastics team to win a medal at a World Championships. After the World’s were over, I had a great holiday with Mum and Dad to Cancun in Mexico, as they were able to be at the World’s sharing the moment with all of us. My brother was not able to be there as he was enjoying life at home without any parents, and continuing with his University studies.

Cancun was a lot of fun. The highlight was getting to swim with the dolphins in the ocean, which I have always wanted to do, as I love dolphins. I also had my hair braided with 85 plaits, relaxed by the pool and beach, visited an old Mexican ruin called Chitzen Itza which was very interesting, as I am not really a history fan, and of course, shopping. It was very nice to spend some time with my parents just relaxing after a very hectic couple of months.

On our way home from Mexico via America we managed to spend a few hours also with the Deutsch family from WOGA Dallas, which we enjoyed very much. It was great to spend time with Neil and Iris, and Hannah and Jonathon at their home, although I wasn’t feeling very well that day. Iris organizes billets for our Aussie teams when we compete at WOGA and my family have become close friends with them also.

When we returned to Melbourne, there were quite a few functions to attend to congratulate our team’s success at the World’s which were very special. My family and I also went to the snow at Mt Buller to watch the World Cup Aerial skiing, in which quite a few ex-gymnasts competed that I have trained with, like Lydia Ierodiaconu, and Lizzie Gardner, and it was also Trudi McIntosh’s first major jump as well. They all did very well, and especially Lydia as she came 1st on the second day, and I was very excited for her. Aleea Newton came with me also, and we had a great time together!

Also we had a camera crew at my house for a kids program called ‘Creature Features’ which should be on ABC2 TV about March next year. It was a lot of fun, and was about gymnastics and my dog ‘Bonnie’. I was also invited to attend the National Clubs at Maffra to present some medals and sign some autographs, which I was very pleased to be able to do. Also Monette Russo and myself attended the fundraiser for Narelle Henderson, who is in a wheelchair after a gymnastics accident. There were a lot of different gymnasts participating, and they raised a lot of money to help Narelle, and it was a very good night.

I was then back at school and back into the routine again before heading off in October to the Glasgow Grand Prix with Allana Slater and her coach. This was my first Grand Prix and it was a great experience. It’s a very different atmosphere to any other competition I’ve been to and enjoyed it very much, placing 4th on bars which I was very happy with.

Not long after returning home, I again went to Canberra a week later for a another training camp, and off to the Masillia Cup with the Aussie team for France. I sure have clocked up my Frequent Flyer points this year. I stayed with a French family in Marseille at the start of the trip which was another experience in itself, learning to communicate in French as I have knew no French at all, so my French/English dictionary came in very handy. Fortunately, their mother knew some English, and I managed sign language with her three young daughters, who each gave me one of their favourite toys to take back home, and I exchanged with some Australian memorabilia. They all came and supported me at my competition, and were a very nice family. My competition went ok. I hit all my routines, however I would have liked to done a little bit better. The Australia 1 team came 3rd which was great, as it showed that we are the 3rd best team in the World at the moment.

In the last couple of weeks I’ve also sat for a few school exams which went very well. My major Year 12 exam I had the morning before I left for France in the afternoon. Last weekend my friends and I had a sleepover and went to the movies for my team-mates Karen Nguyen and Ruth Rughoobur’s birthdays, that were lots of fun.

I haven’t had any competitions in December, so have been able to concentrate on my training and building up my start scores and, of course, Christmas shopping and a few parties. I love Christmas time as I get to spend time catching up with friends I haven’t seen for ages, and giving and receiving gifts and relaxing at home with my family. We are having Christmas dinner at our house this year with my Dad’s side of the family, so there is a lot of organizing to be done.

So, until next time, I’ll be in the gym working hard and getting ready for what could be the biggest event of my gymnastics career, and let’s hope Australia does just as well in 2004 as we did this year, if not better!

I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and I hope you all have a safe, healthy and happy New Year, and thanks to everybody that have supported me throughout 2003. I look forward to speaking to you again in 2004!

Best wishes,

Stephanie Moorhouse

MAY 26, 2003
SWEET 16, ON THE MOVE AND LOTS OF TRAVEL!

So much has happened since my last diary entry. I have had Christmas, my 16th birthday, received my Learner's Driving Permit, competed in competitions in Taiwan, America, Sydney and the Netherlands, and am now preparing for next week's National Championships in Melbourne. I can't believe it as it doesn't seem that long since I was competing at the 2002 Nationals.

My 16th birthday was great. I was actually in America at the time competing at the WOGA Classic and Parkettes Invitational. I went with Danielle Kelly from Queensland, and my coach Mark Carlton, and we competed very well. I stayed with the Deutsch family in Texas, whom my family met up with when I was there last year with the MLC team. Hannah, their daughter, trains at WOGA and we always have a great time together.

When I returned home I was very excited to get my Learner's Permit, so now I can learn to drive, which is very exciting. Then in March I headed back to America with the Australian team to compete in the Pacific Challenge. It was against the USA and Canada, but unfortunately we didn't do as well as we wanted to, but it still was a great experience.

After this competition, I had a few weeks back home and at school until I headed to Sydney for a couple of trials for the 8 country meet in the Netherlands. I made the Australian team, so went on to the AIS in Canberra where we had a training camp for two weeks preparing for this competition. We worked really hard at the camp and after our last trial on the Easter weekend, our National Coach surprised us with cute little Easter bunnies. Also my parents came up to visit me as they were camping at our annual Easter camp with our friends at Porepunkah, so it wasn't too far to drive to Canberra.

As our Aussie team headed off to the Netherlands we felt that we were well prepared. We were determined to compete better as a team than our last competition, and we certainly did. We finished 2nd behind Romania. It was a great result for Australia and we were all very excited. I also qualified for Beam and Bars finals and finished 4th and 6th by a very close margin. My parents and brother came over to watch my competition in Gronigen, plus have a short holiday, and so it was great to have them there supporting Australia and me and to share the great result with us.

However, there's still more work to do and now I'm in the gym getting my routines more consistent ready for Nationals next week. I hope to finish with a good AA placing and qualify for the World Championships team, which are also the first trials for this year's World Championships. I am very excited and looking forward to the competition.

School is going really well and I've started looking for my formal dress as I have my Year 11 formal coming up at the end of June. I never thought trying to find a nice dress would be so hard. I can't wait until the night, it should be really fun!

Well, until next time, I'll keep on practicing my driving, looking for a formal dress, and of course, preparing for Nationals.

Best wishes to everyone,

Stephanie Moorhouse

OCTOBER 11, 2002
COMMONWEALTH GAMES CHAMPIONS

What an amazing and exciting three months it has been, three months that I don't think I'll ever forget. It has been a wonderful experience and I have learnt so much. Firstly, spending a month living at the Australian Institute of Sport for the training camp and then followed by Manchester for another ten days was a lot of fun, even though at times it was also hard work! I was also faced with some new experiences such as being drug tested, media interviews and being away from my family for over a month which I hadn't done before.

It was fantastic to be part of the Australian team at the Commonwealth Games and I'm proud to have been able to help our gymnastics team win "gold". There were over 500 Australians in the Games team which is the biggest Australian team other than Atlanta '96, so it was great to be surrounded by so many Australians.

Training at the A.I.S. and when we were in Manchester went really well, and we were all very supportive of each other, which I think showed and helped us in our competition. I was quite nervous being the first Australian gymnast to perform as I really wanted to get a good start for the team and so I was very happy with how I went. All the other girls had a great competition and everyone was extremely happy with their performance. When we knew we had won the gold medal, we were so excited. It was such an amazing feeling standing on the podium receiving the medal and having the National anthem played for us.

The Village was a lot of fun to stay in too. There were so many people from so many different countries full of great team spirit. It was an old University, and the rooms were quite small, but we had a common room which we shared where we could watch TV from Channel 7 and relax. I shared my room with Allana, which was a lot of fun. There was also plenty to do in the Village. There was a cinema, a room full of computers you could use whenever you wanted, shops, a casual eating place and a huge dining hall, which I couldn't believe how big it was.

I would have to say that one of the highlights for me, other than winning the gold medal, was meeting Queen Elizabeth. Quite a lot of the Royal family visited the Village, and we were lucky enough to get a photo and speak with her, so I was very excited.

After our competition finished and we didn't have to focus on our gymnastics, we were able to relax, use the facilities, and watch some of the other sports. We went to the cycling and it was great to be able to support some of the other Australians. I was also able to get a special pass for my parents to show them around the Village and we went into the City of Manchester to do some shopping and sightseeing.

Overall, Manchester was fantastic. I received about 230 hero faxes and about 150 letters which was great to know that I had so many people supporting me from all around Australia, so thank you to everyone who sent me one. It was an experience that I will never forget!

After I got back to Australia, we celebrated my brother Nathan's 18th birthday, and caught up with family and friends and they said that they were cheering so loud for our team, that it was a wonder we didn't hear them in Manchester! Unfortunately, my coach Mark Carlton was knocked off his bicycle by a car after we got back, and was very lucky that he had his helmet on, otherwise it might have been a different outcome, so he was able to return to coaching after a week's recovery.

I am now back at training upgrading my routines to get ready for my next competition. I just finished my school holidays last week unfortunately. It's been fun to only have gym in the holidays, and be able to relax more and go out with my friends.

Two weeks ago I went to Mt Buller with my parents for the weekend. We went up to watch the World Cup Aerials as there are a few ex gymnasts such as Lydia Ierodiaconnou who I trained with at MLC competing. Lydia came second on the first day of competition which was fantastic! Afterwards, we got together with Lydia and her family, and I also met Jacqui Cooper, who has won a gold medal for Australia at one of the World Cup meets, but is currently recovering from injury and was doing some TV commentary.

So as you can see it has definitely been quite a few hectic months, so it is great to settle down to a routine again. Thanks you so much to everyone who has supported me, especially my parents who also came to Manchester, and my brother Nathan who was home concentrating on his last year at Secondary School. I appreciate it all very much!

So until next time,

Stephanie Moorhouse

JUNE 25, 2002
JUNIOR NATIONAL CHAMPION

Well it’s been a very busy and exciting last couple of months for me. Before I knew it, it was Easter then straight back for Pacific Alliance trials and then onto Nationals.

I managed to get a couple of days off at Easter where I went away with my family and my usual Easter Clan to the country town of Porepunkah. It was very relaxing and enjoyable sitting around the camp fire talking and toasting marshmallows. I went shopping at the Bright market and also close by saw one of our friends Erin paraglide down from the top of a mountain for her eighteenth birthday present. It was nice to get a little break before all the competitions started for the year.

As soon as I came back from Easter we only had a week of training until we left for Pacific Alliance Trials. The trials went really well and it was a great experience competing over four days. I was very happy to qualify for the team to travel to Vancouver Canada and be accompanied by Aleea and Monette my other two team mates from Victoria. We were all very excited and couldn’t wait to get there.

So off we went to our training camp at the AIS which was a new learning experience for me. We stayed in a hotel for the first week and then moved into the residence for the second week. I shared my flat with Allana and we managed to get a day off to go shopping and to get organised for our trip to Canada.

Then we were off to Vancouver and were very excited and eager to get there. It was a very long day of travelling and we were quite exhausted when we arrived. However we managed to recover ready for the week that was ahead of us. We trained together for a few days and then it was time for the competition at the Bill Copeland Stadium, which normally is an ice hockey rink.

The first day of competition I did very well on Vault and Bars and was quite happy with how they went. However I would have liked to performed my beam and floor routines a little better, so that was my goal that I set for Nationals which I achieved, so I was much happier with that. Unfortunately on floor at the Pacific Alliance they had the wrong music before I went on. They actually had my team mates Monette’s instead of mine. This was a little bit stressful as I didn’t really know what to do. However it was soon sorted it out and I was underway. Our Junior team came second, which our Seniors did also. We were very happy and we all qualified for an apparatus final as well.

I was in the Vault and Bars finals and managed to get a bronze on each of them. I was very excited and happy with this result. After the competition we had a banquet where it was great to meet some of the other girls from the other countries. We swapped things like pins, knick-knacks, t-shirts and took lots of photos.

I learnt a lot from this trip, just watching the other teams training and competing was a great experience. Unfortunately we didn’t get to do any sightseeing as we had to return straightaway for nationals in a week. The plane trip on the way back was quite boring as they didn’t have any movies that I liked, or hadn’t seen, so most of us managed to catch up on our sleep except for me, so I spent time playing cards.

Then we were straight back into the gym to get ready for our Nationals. This is also a new experience for me coming back from a competition and having to go straight back into routines. I hadn’t done this before, so this was something I learnt as well.

After a little more than a week at home, we moved into a City hotel as a team on the Sunday morning at 7:00am as we had podium training that morning. I found the Vodafone arena and gymnastic equipment used there excellent and a good crowd turned up for the competitions, Including cheerleading schools.

I went into Nationals just wanting to get a personal best score and hit my routines and do the very best that I could do, and to stay positive, confident, and focussed. It sure worked for me this time and I managed to come out with the National junior title. Also, our Victorian team was 1stAA; which we were very happy with, and in the Event Finals I was 1st Bars, 1st Beam and 2nd Floor. Four gold’s and one silver was an excellent achievement for me and I was over the moon with my results. My coaches and team mates were also very happy and supportive for me.

I have also made the Commonwealth Games Squad which was an achievement and goal that I had set myself for this competition. I knew that if I hit my routines and did well, then I could have a chance. However I have still got a lot of work to do before I head up to the AIS for the training camp and second trial. I am concentrating on consistency in my routines and hopefully this will give me a good chance of making the Australian team.

So for now it’s back to school and training hard getting ready for the second trial. I also have to get ready for my mid year school exams coming up and catching up with my friends that I haven’t seen for a while.

Thankyou very much to all the people that have shown me their support and encouragement, eg e-mails, guest book entries, cards and flowers, etc. I really do appreciate it very much!

That’s about all from me for now!

See you next time,

Stephanie Moorhouse

OCTOBER 30, 2001
A CHANGE IN DIRECTION...

Since returning from National Clubs, life has been very hectic.

National Clubs in Sydney went really well and I had a great time. Our MLC team stayed at the IBIS Hotel, which was very handy as we could just walk everyday to the State Sports Centre at Homebush for our training and competitions. I was quite happy with how I went. I would have liked to put a few more skills into my routines, but unfortunately they were just not quite ready. However, I was happy with coming 8th AA combined with the seniors.

After National Clubs I stayed in Sydney and went with my family to Manly Beach, north of Sydney. It was absolutely beautiful. We stayed in an apartment right opposite the beach. We were on the sixth floor, so we had a magnificent view. My gym friend, Lynn Silcock, was also staying close by but was returning to Melbourne the next day, so we managed to get a quick swim in the surf before she went home.

It was a very relaxing time as we did lots of shopping, playing tennis and swimming in the pool at our apartment. We went into many surf shops which was really good because they had a great selection and if they didn't have my size in one shop (which was most of the time), I would be able to get it from another shop. We stayed there for four days and on our way back to the airport, we stopped at the Heads (which is the entrance to Sydney Harbour). We took lots of photos from the cliffs, even though it was extremely windy. Then we flew home to Melbourne and I was back at school the next day.

At the start of Term 4 I began training at the VIG. It was a very tough decision to make and I was very sad to leave MLC gymnastics club, as my coaches, Qu Derui and Michelle de Highden, have been very supportive with my gymnastics and have done so much for me, and I want them to know how much I appreciate it! However, after quite a few discussions with my coaches, I felt this move was going to give me the best chance of getting to the top in gymnastics. So even though I am not training at MLC, I still compete as VIS/MLC. My new coaches are Mark Carlton and Tracey Penaluna.

Also Qu Derui decided that he and his wife Yuen, who also coached at MLC, wanted to move back to Canberra where they originally came from as a lot of their close friends live there. MLC was very sad to see them go as they have done so much to get the program to where it is today. Now former AIS and VIG coach Sasha has taken Derui's spot and I hope he continues to keep the MLC program going strong.

Training lately has been going really well. I'm learning lots of new skills such as Arabian double front on floor, Yuchenko vault, upgraded my start scores to 9.6 on bars and my beam to 9.7. I've connected my front aerial to flip layout and I will hopefully have my round-off layout step out mount by my next competition in Canberra in December. I'm also doing ¾ Shushunova and tuck-full which I haven't yet added to my routines.

School has been going well lately. The other day we had Andrew McKay from the Oarsome Foursome (Dual Olympic Gold Medallist) and Jim Wilson (Channel 7 Sports Commentator) talk to us about public speaking and our dreams for the future. It was very interesting and enjoyable.

This weekend I am going to visit Marshmead, which is where MLC school Year 9's go for a term. As I am unable to go because of my gymnastics training, my Principal has allowed me to go and see what it is like for a weekend. I'm so excited because my two of my best friends who have just recently retired from gymnastics, Alex Lawson and Jacqui Furnell, are there are the moment, so I can't wait to see them.

To end my diary entry, I would just like to wish the Australian Gymnastics team who are competing at the World Championships this week all the best, and hope that they can do the best they can for Australia!

That's about all for now, see you all next time,

Love always,

Stephanie Moorhouse

AUGUST 29, 2001
DIFFICULT TIMES

Wow! It's been a while since I last wrote my diary entry but for the past few months, really since Nationals in June, life has been very busy, not only at gym but also school. School has been busier than usual as at MLC in Year 9, we live away for a term from the school in the country at a place called Marshmead, and so have to fit in a whole semester's work into one term which is very tiring and hectic. However, I will not be going to Marshmead, as it is not possible to miss a whole term of gym, but I don't really mind as I would rather stay and do gymnastics, and for the students that stay at school in Melbourne we get to do some special things.

Nationals was all the way back in June, however, I will still talk a little about them. I finished 6th-AA which I was a little happy with but not satisfied. I believe that I could have done better as my routines were not up to scratch and were a bit messy and untidy. However I was very pleased to be selected for the Australian team to compete in Canberra against Russia and China.

After Nationals a few things changed in the gym. My close friends Jacqui Furnell and Alexandra Lawson decided that they didn't want to do gymnastics anymore and have now moved to athletics and a more normal teenage life. At the same time, one of my other friend's who began gym at Jets in Eltham with me when I was four, but continued only for a very short time, was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes. This was a very hard thing for her to face, but her family has been very supportive, and she is coping very well.

So the last few months were difficult for me, however I was determined to focus on my gymnastics trying to fix my quality and skills so I could improve my scores for my upcoming ACGA competition in Canberra. After a selection test in Canberra, I was picked for the Aussie 'A' team with Danielle Kelly, Sarah Lauren and Nicole Alexander. (Photo Left: Danielle Kelly, Me and Sarah Lauren relaxing at the AIS) I was very excited but quite nervous. I had never had that pressure on me before, but it was a great experience. Fortunately, I improved my score by two whole marks from my competition at Nationals and was extremely happy. I also enjoyed meeting the other gymnasts from Russia and China and had a fun time getting to know better the girls in the Australian team.

Since I have returned from Canberra training has been going well. I am learning lots of new skills and am trying to get them ready to put into my routines as we're now starting routine training leading up to National Clubs in Sydney in October.

Last weekend we had a fundraiser for current and ex MLC gymnasts at Galactic Circus at the Crown Casino in the City. This is a games arcade which also has ten-pin bowling. It was a very good day to get and do something fun and different with the girls we train with, used to train with, and all their families.

Last weekend my Mum and I had a great girl's weekend as my Dad and brother went to the snow at Mt Buller as Nathan was skiing for his school in the Inter-schools skiing competition. So after gym we went out for lunch and then went to see 'Cyberworld' at the IMAX theatre in the City which is part of the new Melbourne Museum complex. It was a 3D movie so we had to wear these funny glasses to be able to watch the movie properly. It was very interesting and a fun day.

That's about all for now. I'm looking forward to watching the Goodwill Games starting this week, and I would just like to wish Danielle Kelly, Alison Johnson, Allana Slater and Jacqui Dunn, the best of luck and hope they do the best they can for Australia.

Catch you next time,

Stephanie Moorhouse

APRIL 25, 2001
CATCHING UP ...

It's now the day after the Victorian Championships and I've finally found some time to sit down and write my next diary entry.

The last couple of weeks have been very hectic as training has been very intense; 1. because we had the Vics coming up, and 2. because we are working so hard on upgrading our skills and start values for the new code.

I have found that the new code has been very tough. My beam routine that used to start out of 10 has suddenly gone down to a 9.0. This was a big shock but I just have to work hard on it and try and build it up again.

However, I do think that it's a good idea to change the COP every 4 or 8 years because otherwise everyone would be doing a Nadia Comenchi and getting 10's and there would be no challenge. So even though it's tough, I find it more interesting as more people are trying different and new skills.

About a month ago, I was fortunate enough to go with my family to see the Cirque du Soleil, here in Melbourne. It was absolutely amazing. The skill, strength and flexibility involved in the acts was just incredible.

I especially enjoyed the trampoline and the high bar acts the most (what a surprise!). They had two tumble tracks crossed over and people were tumbling, leaping and flipping all the way down at the same time. One man had a quadruple twist and one did a triple back.

With the high bar act there were three high bars at the top of the roof and one trapeze and they were doing giants, tkachtevs, layouts and all sorts of things off the bars to catch people swinging on the trapeze. I just couldn't believe what I was seeing. It was great!

Also something that I went to last month was the MLC trivia nights for kids. It was a lot of fun. We all got separated onto tables according to our age and had several rounds of different questions we had to answer, with games and prizes to be won. My table came second and I enjoyed it very much.

Next was Easter. For Easter I did the usual Easter thing that I do every year. Even though we had to train on Good Friday, Easter Saturday and Easter Monday, I managed to get away for about 1-1/2 days. My Dad drove me up after training to our usual camping spot at Porepunkah, in country Victoria, about 4 hours away. Mum and Nathan had left earlier, and then Mum brought me back for Monday afternoon training, and Dad and Nathan stayed a few more days, so that we all had a break.

We spend it with about 40 other adults and children ranging in ages from 3-52, that my family have known for a long time. It is really great fun with these people as they have a great sense of humour, friendliness and are enjoyable to be with. We always have an Easter Egg hunt, an Easter Hat Parade, and a new activity this year - the talent show.

This was the highlight of Easter as it was absolutely hilarious with so many funny acts. There were some littlelies singing and two girls Sarah and Sally who sang solos with amazing voices. Then there were some adults who definitely made it very interesting with their version of 'She Bangs' by Ricky Martin. But the best of the night was my big brother Nathan and his friend David. They did a very funny act which won them the talent show. Theirs was a comedy routine taking off some of the people in our group which was called 'The Music Men'.

At night we all sit around the camp fire cooking marshmallows and talking. I must also add that all my Easter group are very supportive of me. They are always encouraging me and wanting to know how I'm going with my gymnastics, so I just want to say a big thank you to them all and to let them know that I appreciate it very much!

Now finally, to the Victorian Championships, which were held over the past weekend. It was a two day competition which combined the scores for the AA results.

I was very happy with how I went as it was my first competition on the new code. I finished up placing 1st overall, 1st Vault, Bars and Beam, and 2nd Floor. The first day went ok feeling quite nervous but managing ok. I had a couple of falls, one on bars and beam. However, I came back the next day and stuck everything.

I still have to add a couple of new skills into my routines before Nationals and try to hit my start scores more consistently. For Nationals I will probably be adding a front aerial on beam, another half twist to my last tumbling pass on floor, and changing a few of my leaps.

Overall, MLC had a great day with Georgia White taking second place and Kim Garcia third. Also in the Level 10 division, Lynn Silcock was first overall and Alex Lawson was third, all from MLC.

Congratulations to everyone who competed at the Victorian Championships this year!

That is about all for this month's diary. Catch you next month!

Stephanie Moorhouse

JANUARY 03, 2001
A NEW YEAR

Merry Christmas to everyone and I hope you all had a great Christmas and a safe and happy New Year!

My Christmas was great. We spent the day with my relatives. I opened my presents in the morning and got a lot of nice stuff, such as: CD's (So Fresh and Pepsi Charts Hits), jewelery, make-up, nail polish, pyjamas etc.

For lunch, we then went to my Auntie and Uncle's house on my Mum's side of the family in the same suburb as ours. We had a lovely lunch with the usual turkey, ham and chicken and roast vegetables, and of course, Christmas pudding (although I tried not to eat too much of this!) We all had individual puddings, and they were so big, even my Dad couldn't finish his.

For dinner, we went to my Dad's side of the family at my Uncle's house a bit further away. We had lots of cold meats and salad, and an ice-cream plum pudding. Everyone had had so much to eat by this time, we couldn't fit any more in, and just wanted to sleep instead. However, it was very nice to be able to spend a day with my relatives and we all enjoyed ourselves very much.

Just before Christmas, MLC Gymnastics had a Presentation night. There were two special guests, Trudy McIntosh and Melinda Cleland who represented Australia at the Olympics. It was great to seem them there and I was lucky enough to have my photo taken with them see photo left. I was very happy to be awarded the Senior Gymnast of the Year, and it was a fun night with many presentations, and a fun disco at the end.

We also had another special function for sponsors of our trip to America and we were lucky to have Brooke Walker as a special guest who also represented Australia at the Olympics. She had just returned from a holiday with Zeena McLaughlin and Pauline Czarnecki. However, it was sad that Trudy, Melinda and Brooke have now retired from gymnastics, but I am sure they will be very happy in whatever they choose to do in the future.

Whilst I was competing in Canberra for the selection trial for the Sydney Olympic Youth Festival, I was not able to attend my Schools Speech Night, where I was awarded for the second year running, the Sports Achiever of the Year Medal for Junior Secondary School. In Canberra I was selected for the Australian team, but unfortunately I was unable to compete in this competition because it is being held one week before I leave for America.

I can't believe it is already 2001! Another New Year's celebration has past. For New Year's eve I went with my family to a party where there were a lot of our family friends. My gym friend Melissa Santo also came with us. We had a fun night dancing, playing and watching 'NYE' on TV. As soon as we had done the count down and celebrated the New Year in, we had to leave as we had training the next morning.

Lately with the hot weather having arrived, I have been spending a lot of time in our pool. It has been so nice to come home and cool off in the pool, and very relaxing, especially as we now have solar heating.

Well, America is almost here, with only a week until we leave. Everyone has started to get a little nervous, anxious and excited. In Texas we are being billeted with families in pairs, and I am being billeted with Jacqui Furnell (who I've done an interview with, so be sure to check it out), so I am looking forward to meeting a new family.

In Pennsylvannia, we are staying altogether in a hotel, so that will be good as well. After our competitions we are going to Disneyland and Universal Studios, which will be really great. Then I am meeting up with my family for another week, who are going snow skiing for a few days beforehand, as we are going to visit some friends in Kansas City where my Dad was an exchange student when he was at High School, and visit a few other places as well.

It is going to be great and I'll tell you all about it in my next diary entry which will be after I get back in February.

Until then,

Stephanie Moorhouse

OCTOBER 12, 2000
A TASTE OF THINGS TO COME!

I don't know what better way to start this month's journal entry than to talk about the Olympics.

My experience at the Olympics was absolutely fantastic. My family and I flew to Sydney on the Monday, and stayed in a Motel about 15 mins from Homebush. On the Tuesday, I went to see the Women's Team Final at the Superdome, basketball at the Dome and we had a ground pass to the tennis. Although we didn't see many Australians in these events, it was great to see spectators and competitors from other countries. It was amazing to see the Olympic flame on top of Stadium Australia, especially after seeing it on TV so many times.

At the basketball we saw China vs New Zealand and Angola vs Canada. My family were just cheering for anyone. Then we went to the tennis where we saw Australia's Nicole Pratt. She was played really well and the whole crowd was behind her. The day was quite hot, and I wish that I had had my shorts on.

At night we saw the gymnastics. It was so exciting. I couldn't believe I was actually sitting there watching the world's top gymnasts live. It was a shame that the Australians didn't make the Team Final as I also had made a sign saying 'Go Aussies' in gold glitter, and unfortunately had to leave it at home. Never mind, they tried their best but it just wasn't enough to get them through to the top six. However, all the gymnasts I saw compete were fantastic.

My friend Jacqui was so lucky because she stayed after the competition and waited for ages and got a photo with Svetlana Khorkina and also her autograph. She said that she was really nice.

We took lots of photos, some of which I have added to my site, so I hope you like them. Unfortunately, some of the good photos that I had taken of the Russian team didn't turn out very well, so I was disappointed with that.

We also got the train into Circular Quay in the city, and after walking around the Opera House, and seeing where the triathalon started, my family and I did a lunchtime cruise on Sydney Harbour, where we also passed some of the Olympic sailing events. After this we returned to Darling Harbour, where we decided to go the IMAX theatre, and watch a new movie on Michael Jordan, which my brother wanted to see, and it was quite good. Anyway, I had a great time at the Olympics, everybody was so friendly, the weather was great, and I found it a fantastic experience and lots of fun.

Unfortunately, after my week off training we got back home and I became sick. I had a mouth full of cold sores which were very painful. I hope I never get it again. Because of this, it caused me to have two weeks off training which is a long time for me. It's now four weeks later and I am almost back to where I was before my break, and feeling better within myself.

I have been to a few of my friend's parties lately. Last week my friend had her Bat Mitzvah and the theme of the party was to dress up in something fluro, so my Mum made me a fluro top to wear, which was very bright.

Training is going fine, like I said I'm just trying to get my full strength back. I'm learning a few new skills, like Jaegar and blind 1-1/2 on bars, triple twist on floor, and front aerial on beam, although this skill I won't be adding for a while. There won't be any Victorian Championships this year for the Juniors and Seniors, so I am currently working towards the Canberra trials in December.

The MLC Gymnastics Club, as part of the MLC International Sports Ambassadors program, are planning a trip to the USA in January next year, which will be very exciting. There will be about 12 gymnasts, from the National and Elite streams, 2 coaches and 1 chaperone going. We are hoping to compete in two competitions, one in Texas and one in Pennsylvania, so we are doing lots of fundraising and trying to get lots of sponsors to help us with achieving this goal. It will certainly be a great experience

Anyway, that's about all for the moment, 'til next time,

Stephanie Moorhouse

AUGUST 22, 2000
OLYMPIC FEVER ...

Well, at last I found some spare time to write my journal entry. Last month I was very lucky to be able to go to the Superdome at Homebush in Sydney to watch the first day of competition for the Australian seniors at the Olympic trials, and also the juniors in the Commonwealth Youth Games trials. I was only able to stay for the first day as I had to go back to Melbourne for my training.

There were not a lot of juniors competing in the Commonwealth Youth Games trials as quite a few girls were either injured, or not competing for different reasons (just like me). I think that the girls were a little nervous on the first day as there were quite a few falls on beam. However most of the other apparatus were looking really good.

As you probably already know, the two girls that finished 1st and 2nd and qualified for the Australian team were Danielle Kelly and Jessica White. These girls did extremely well and congratulations to both of them. The Olympic trials were very exciting to watch. All of the Australian girls were looking so neat and tidy. With the team that Australia has selected I think that they are going to be fantastic at the Olympic Games.

On the 28th of July I got my new floor routine made up by Irena Milogradva, who has also choreographed quite a few of our Aussie Olympic team routines. I enjoy doing my new routine even if it is very tiring until I get used to it. It is quite a different style to my old floor routine, as I have to move my body quite a lot more. I will be competing it at my next competition, so I hope that you will like it.

It was good that I was able to compete all four apparatus at National Clubs at Springers in Melbourne, as my ankle had improved a lot, although it was still slightly swollen. The competition combined the Junior Internationals with the Seniors, as quite a lot of the Seniors were up at the AIS in Canberra. I was extremely happy with how I went as my main goal at the competition was to do my double back dismount on beam and my blind full with Tkatchev on bars. I did both of these skills and hit them as well. I placed 2nd AA, 4th Vault, 3rd Bars, 1st Beam and 4th on Floor.

After Nationals Clubs I went up to the snow at Mt Buller with my gym friends Jacqui and Alex, and their parents, and my Dad. It was nice to get away and do something that I rarely get a chance to do. It was fun skiing around for two days, especially as the sun was shining and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. At night we went tobogganing, and then came back and had a spa. It was a very enjoyable weekend.

Yes! We have our tickets to the Olympics. We are going to basketball in the morning, tennis in the afternoon and the gymnastics team finals at night. So we will be flying up the day before, and coming home the day after, and staying about 10 minutes away from Homebush. I was at the snow when the tickets came to our house by courier, and my Mum was home to collect them.

It is so exciting knowing we are really going to be there. We are sitting in the 'B' Section, so I am hoping we won't be too far back. I am looking forward to seeing the Australian girls competing in the team final so I have my fingers crossed that they will finish in the top six. I am sure they will, as they are looking so good!!

Tomorrow morning I am competing at the MLC Club Championships, so another early start. I am only doing basic skills as this is just a fun competition for everyone in the Club. No matter what anyone does their scores are marked out of 10, as we will be only judged on execution.

Hope you enjoy some of the photos I took at the trials in Sydney; I am just getting used to our new camera,

'Til next time,

Stephanie Moorhouse

JULY 10, 2000
TRIVIA, AWARDS, AN INJURY AND A NEW FLOOR ROUTINE ...

I hope everyone had a good school holidays! I was really looking forward to a break, even though my gymnastics training continued. Besides going to a few movies, and shopping, I at last found some time to sit down and write my June Journal entry.

In the last few weeks of June I was very happy to receive two awards. One was called the MLC Award of Excellence for Gymnastics, which also went to Kate Bender, Level 9, and Kim Garcia, Junior National. This will go towards paying for part of my gymnastics fees, and was based on last years results.

The other award was a Victorian Institute of Sport (VIS) scholarship which covers things like physio, nutrition, etc and other benefits. I will still train at MLC but will also train with the other VIS team members at the VIG in Cheltenham, which at the end of the year will be moving to Prahran, which is closer to MLC and the City – how often is yet to be decided, as this is the first time that this has happened outside of the VIG.

The VIS have Budget, Commonwealth Bank and Poppy King as three of their main sponsors. Poppy King is well known for her comestics range throughout Australia and overseas and the VIS girls are now known as the "Tall Poppies". All the VIS girls have been presented with their own make up to use at competitions etc., so I am very excited to be part of this.

About two weeks ago I was doing a new leap on floor and as I landed I unfortunately rolled my ankle. The physio said it was nothing too serious and that I had pulled a tendon. This put me out of training for a couple of weeks, so I have been doing lots of strength work and basics. It has been about three weeks now and I am slowly getting back into things. I have just started Vault and twists again on floor, some beam and full bars. Hopefully, I will be competing at National Clubs and will be back then to my full routines.

A couple of weekends ago the MLC Gym had a Gymnastics Kids Trivia Night. I enjoyed it very much. We were all put on different tables so the ages of the kids would be spread evenly around. You had a captain on each table and I was the captain on my table. There were 5 rounds of 10 questions and in between each round, there were games such as the limbo, bubble gum blowing, pin the medal on the gymnast, and lots of prizes. My table did well, and although we did not win on the night, we all had a lot of fun.

One last thing, my coach Michelle and I have decided that it’s time to change my floor routine, so we have chosen some new music which is called "Keys to Imagination" by Yanni. I like their music very much, and my current music is also by them. I’m also very excited as Irena Milogradova, the Russian choreographer who has made up quite a few of Australia’s top seniors, like Trudy and Allana, and juniors floor routines, is coming to MLC in July to help me with my choreography. As it will be close to National Clubs though, it will be too soon to compete it at this competition, but I hope that it will be ready for my following competitions.

I have also had a couple of interviews with some local newspapers and there was also an article in the Melbourne ‘Age’ newspaper. So as you can see June has been a fairly hectic month.

Also I wish good luck to all the senior girls who are trialling in Sydney in July aiming to represent Australia at the Olympic Games, the juniors trying out for the Commonwealth Youth Games, and to the Levels girls who are competing at Nationals in Adelaide!

Hope to see you all at National Clubs in Melbourne in August!

Stephanie Moorhouse

JUNE 9, 2000
CATCHING UP

Firstly I’d just like to say thank you to everyone who has supported my page. Since it was launched there has been much positive feed back on it and I appreciate it very much.

One of the most exciting things I have done in the last month was going to the "FIVE" concert at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne. Five are my favorite band and they were touring Australia in May. A few of my friends (Jacqui, Alex, Melissa and Sam) and I went together to see them. The atmosphere was amazing and I couldn’t believe that I was really there.

Another great thing happened this month. Our family got tickets to the Olympics. We only applied for the tickets to the Team Final and we got them. We had applied in the first round but didn’t get any so second time we were lucky. It’s going to be so exciting seeing the top gymnasts from all round the world and I’m looking forward to it. I hope the Australians make it in. I’m sure they will. We have also applied for Basketball tickets, as my brother likes Basketball so we’re hoping to get those as well.

There is going to be a Commonwealth Youth Games trial in July in Sydney combined with the Olympic trials. Any junior gymnasts can trial for the Commonwealth Youth Games but only the top 2 go. Unfortunately I will not be going to try out for them as my coaches and I have spoken about it and agreed we have made the right decision for me not to go. The reason is that at the moment there is a long period of training time in-between National championships and National Clubs.

Although there may be a few little comps in between there are no major ones. During this time I have been learning a lot of new skills such as Handspring layout Vault, connections on bars, eagle giants, Geinger, Double back dismount on beam, Chen flic, triple twist on floor, 2 ½ punch front and Arabian double front. Only some of these skills will be ready for my next competition. However as you can see I am trying to upgrade my skills and start values. As I am learning all of these skills at the moment, they wouldn’t be ready to compete.

My main goal is to upgrade my start values and to make the Australian Team for the Canberra Cup. I hope everyone understands and if not, feel free to ask me a question about it.

Thanks again,

Stephanie Moorhouse

MAY 13, 2000
MY FIRST JOURNAL ENTRY

The last month has been so busy for me. First Nationals then Leader Newspaper Sports Star of the Year awards and then school camp.

Well first on the 20th to the 27th of February was the Australian Championships in Sydney. It was hard training working up to this meet but I think it paid off. Our team ‘Victoria’ placed 1st. I finished 4th All Around, 3rd Vault, 8th Bars, 5th Beam and 8th Floor. This was only my second competition at Junior International so I was pretty happy with how I went. My coaches were also happy.

We stayed in a nice Hotel about half an hour away from the competition venue, which was the Superdome, where the Olympics are going to be held. They had nice rooms and nice food.

On the Friday night we watched the Test Event. This competition had seniors come from all around the world. It was a good test for the venue.

After I had finished competing I went and spent two days with my parents.

On the 1st day we went to see the apparatus finals for the Test Event competition. At night we went out for dinner to a restaurant which was right at the top of a really tall tower. We celebrated my parent’s 20th anniversary. The restaurant was so cool as it turned around really slowly as you ate. You could see all of Sydney. It was so nice especially how all the lights were turned on in the city.

The next day we went to Fox Studios. It was so good. I went on the Titanic ride and it almost felt like you were on the real thing. I had pictures taken with so many characters.

That Monday night we flew back to Melbourne. I had the next week off gym, which was good to have a rest.

On Tuesday night I went to the Leader Newspaper sports Star of the Year awards. I was invited to this night as I was nominated through the year. There were lots of gymnast there and also lots of them were nominated for the award, which was good to see. There were also a lot of top athletes there from all sorts of sports. It was a good night and I had fun.

On the Wednesday Morning I was off to Camp. There were so many fun things to do e.g. a rope course, rafting, absailing, cycling and swimming. My favorite thing was the Ropes Course, as I love climbing over, under and through things.

One of the nights we spent there we had to camp out. I had only ever slept in a tent once before for half a night when I was only 3 months old, so I didn’t really know what it was like. I didn’t like it and I don’t think I ever will. I don’t like all the bugs that are around. It was so uncomfortable. We even had to cook our own meals. Which mine didn’t turn out to good. Back home on Friday.

So as you can see I have been busy in the last month. However it’s been fun.

Stephanie Moorhouse

BACK TO TOP  HOMEPAGE