Annaliise Howard (center) is the latest Christiansburg gymnast to commit to continue her athletic career at the next level. Also pictured are Techniques’ coaches, Cheryl Robinson (left) and Amanda James.
Marty Gordon
None of the area’s high schools field a gymnastics team, thus many individuals have turned to Christiansburg’s Virginia Techniques gym.
Over the past five years, the group has sent six athletes to the next level including Kentucky All-American Rayna Worley.
This past week, Annaliise Howard announced she will participate in acro and tumbling at Bluefield State.
Acrobatics & Tumbling includes student-athletes from a variety of gymnastic disciplines – artistic, acrobatic, trampoline, power tumbling – and those who participate in competitive cheerleading. The sport includes six events, all of which are competed on the floor.
Currently 48 schools host a A&T program. Bluefield State is a NCAA Division II school as a member of the United States Collegiate Athletic Association with an enrollment of 1,248 students on the West Virginia side of the border.
Howard is recovering from ACL surgery and had wondered what her gymnastics future might hold. She had reached Level 9, one of the highest in the state of Virginia before the injury and surgery.
“I would say my experience doing gymnastics has been both challenging at times and rewarding,” she said. “The long hours required to practice and being a full-time student has helped me learn to manage my time and help me achieve a strong work ethic.”
Howard hopes to be a positive addition to the Bluefield State, team contributing strong and clean tumbling skills and utilizing her strength in the acro portion of competition
She will join Virginia Techniques alum Karlee Williams at Bluefield State. Howard plans to major in Criminal Justice-Cyber Security Concentration.
