A Cherry Hill youth gymnast has established herself as one of the top gymnasts at her level in New Jersey.
Now, she has her eyes set on climbing the national Junior Olympic ladder in hopes of one day representing the United States on the world stage.
Susannah Balderstone, a sixth grader from Rosa International Middle School, has been making her mark at state and regional gymnastics competitions. In the past few months, she broke two New Jersey level eight state records in the floor competition and all-around. Her performance has made her the No. 25 ranked gymnast for level eight junior Olympians.
Balderstone trains at Will Moor Gymnastics in Mt. Laurel under coach Kim Bonus. Bonus is the owner of the gym and has coached Balderstone since she first started gymnastics when she was 7 years old.
“It’s about the whole person,” Bonus said. “You need to excel and show us you not only have the skills.”
Balderstone certainly had the skills, according to Bonus, but she also had the will to compete. Balderstone was hooked on gymnastics from the first time she stepped into the gym.
“I did a class and I really liked it,” Balderstone said.
Even before going to Will Moor, Balderstone showed she had the skills to be a gymnast. Her mother, Susan, said her daughter was extremely active at an early age.
“I knew she had the skills when she was 2 or 3 when she was climbing all over the kitchen,” she said.
Prior to starting in gymnastics, Balderstone took some tumbling classes and really enjoyed them, leading her to take the next step into gymnastics.
Balderstone’s success has not come overnight. She practices 28 hours a week at the gym with Bonus, practicing her skills on the different apparatuses. To help give her time to train, Balderstone does not take physical education at Rosa, instead heading off to Will Moor Gymnastics for training right after school.
“We make sure to practice every event every day,” Bonus said.
Balderstone is very talented on all apparatuses, as evidenced in her competition results. During a regional competition in Doylestown, Pa., at the end of March, she finished sixth overall and won the uneven bars competition. The performance is a big reason for her No. 25 ranking.
Even though she is skilled in all events, Balderstone’s favorite is the floor exercise. She broke the level eight state record in that event this year.
“I like it because I can’t fall off of it,” she said. “But I also get to move around.”
Balderstone’s artistry sets her apart from some other gymnasts her age, according to Bonus. Her dancing and ability to add an extra flair complements her technical skills.
To help keep her dancing skills sharp, Balderstone also takes ballroom classes, something she enjoys in addition to gymnastics.
“She really excels in that area,” Bonus said.
Also helping Balderstone’s cause in competition is her ability to stay cool in big situations. She said there are rarely any nerves when she’s competing.
“I don’t really get nervous anymore,” she said.
“She’s totally in the zone,” Bonus said about Balderstone during competition. “She competes better than she trains.”
There is still a long way for Balderstone to go before she reaches a level to compete for a spot on the United States national team. She currently sits at level eight of 10 in the Junior Olympic program.
However, she is prepared to do whatever it takes to reach her goal.
“We all look at that as a goal,” Bonus said. “I think it’s something every child should dream.”
