Whiz Kids: Sports Club Gymnasts Reach New Heights

Every week, Patch spotlights young people in the West Bloomfield community who are successful, talented and just plain awesome. We're pleased to introduce this week's Whiz Kid:

Connor Rubin and Stacy Hanus

• Ages: Both are 16.
• School: Connor is a sophomore at Farmington Harrison High School and Stacy is a junior at Bloomfield Andover High School.
• Achievement: Connor reached the USA Gymnastics Junior Olympic Level 8 regional championships in Columbus, OH, and Stacy competed in the Level 9 national championships in Worchester, MA, on May 8. Stacy had qualified as an alternate to the national championships one year previously, but it was the first time she actually competed in nationals, and the first time in the known history of the gymnastics program at the of West Bloomfield that a gymnast had actually won a medal at nationals. Stacy finished fifth overall, despite an illness which she said kept her struggling to perform at her best level throughout the competition.
• Key to awesomeness: Stacy and Connor are fighters, and they do it together. "When it was all over, I could only think, It's about time,' " said Sports Club gymnastics coach Jeunae' Norwood. "We've been training Stacy for nine years and she's fought through concussions, sprained ankles, and of course, being sick at nationals. She works so hard and she's so due."
  
  Meanwhile, Connor couldn't compete in nationals due to a back injury. "He comes to every practice and tries to get things done," said Stacy of her teammate. "When he's hurt he gets frustrated because he has such a passion for it."
  
  The two have been "best friends" for five years, according to Connor, in part, thanks to the Sports Club. "The Sports Club is a family. I feel exceptionally close to everyone there. It’s a place that I know, at least, to be away from everything else ... we're best friends, so I'm just so happy for both of us," Connor said.

Do you know a special young person in the community who deserves a round of applause because he volunteers instead of playing video games after school? Or maybe your daughter's science club is trying to challenge the way we think about the energy crisis? Or maybe your son's lacrosse team won its first game in three years? Everyone deserves a little attention, and we want to tell these stories.

So email your Whiz Kid nominations to Editor Tim Rath at Tim.Rath@Patch.com. Please include the name, age, school, achievement and key to awesomeness, as well as a photo. Then come back every Wednesday for our Whiz Kid spotlight; you never know who will be up next.