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Published on 08/11/1999 All articles from this issue

No summer break for Sinclair

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Local 13-year-old spending her free time in the gym

Special to the Town Crier

Gymnast Courtney Sinclair is logging a lot of training hours this summer - 30 hours a week to be exact.

The 13-year-old from Los Altos is spending her summer vacation pursuing her goals in the sports she loves.

Sinclair played a variety of sports up until two years ago when she decided to dedicate herself to gymnastics.

"I was taking gymnastics, swimming, track, softball, soccer, tae kwon do, and dance until fifth grade," said Sinclair, who trains at Twisters Gym in Mountain View. "Then I realized that I wanted to be as good as my older teammates at Twisters and that I had to focus on gymnastics in order to reach my goals."

Courtney, who enters eighth grade at St. Simon School in Los Altos this September, took up gymnastics about seven years ago. She is now a Level 8 intermediate optional gymnast.

Sinclair is considered a relatively late starter in the world of competitive gymnastics, according to Twisters owner Nancy Kludt, and the gymnast understands the arena of international competition may be beyond her reach.

However, Sinclair's goals are still lofty ones.

"I want to compete as a Level 10 gymnast, on the varsity team at St. Francis High School, and for the Stanford University women's gymnastics team," Sinclair said.

Her coaches Kwame Torres and Kludt believe she has the talent to reach those goals. Kludt said Sinclair's greatest asset is her explosive strength.

"Courtney is very muscular, which makes her a great vaulter and tumbler," said Kludt, who coaches beam and floor. "She has a quick, jazzy style of dance and is willing to try new and interesting combinations."

Said Sinclair, "I like to tumble. I like the feeling of going really high and doing powerful things."

Of the four gymnastics events, Kludt said balance beam and uneven bars are the exercises Sinclair has to work the hardest at both physically and mentally.

She has a healthy fear of some of the skills on bar - and for good reason.

Last year, Sinclair slipped off the bars during practice and fractured her arm. Sinclair explained that she came into the gym with things on her mind that day and just wasn't concentrating.

"Ever since I fell and broke my arm, I've been kind of scared," Sinclair said. "I learned from the experience. It taught me to leave outside problems outside."

Sinclair admitted that spending so many hours in the gym causes her to miss social events once in awhile, but she says it will pay off.

"Twisters is like my home away from home," she said. "My closest friends are at the gym - we can talk about anything. If I'm having a bad day, I know I can come in here and relax."

Courtney's competitive season goes from February to June and includes state, regional and national championship meets. During the school year, she trains from 3 to 7 p.m. on weekdays, then goes home for dinner and homework. Besides being a talented gymnast, Sinclair is an excellent student.

"I'm an A student at St. Simon," she said. "Well, maybe a B now and then in science."

And as far as gymnastics go, her coaches give her an A for effort.

"Courtney's a thrill to coach because she has a great work ethic," said Kludt, who also coaches at St. Francis High. "She has a good feel for her abilities, what she likes and what she needs to do to achieve her goals. And, as a bonus, in two years we'll get her at St. Francis, too."