Paige Thomas began her gymnastics career at the age of five and has worked hard ever since to progress into a premier all-around performer. Paige’s efforts recently paid dividends when she qualified to compete at the Region 6 Championships on behalf of the Flip-Flop Gymnastics Xcel Sliver team.

Competing among elite gymnasts from New England and New York, Paige, 13, finished 11th all-around with a score of 36.65 for her four events at Shrewsberry High School in Massachusetts on May 21. Paige’s top performance came on the bars as she went to the podium as the second-place finisher with an impressive score of 9.4. In her other events, Paige took 11th on the beam with a 9.075, was 13th on the vault by scoring a 9.1, and she was 18th in the floor routine with a total of 9.075.

“Going in, it was pretty nerve-wracking, having to compete against so many other gymnasts from the entire region, but it was an amazing experience,” says Paige, an Essex resident who goes to John Winthrop Middle School. “I was definitely surprised I finished so well in such a big meet because there was a lot of pressure, but I felt well going in and I’m proud of how I did at New Englands.”

In order to qualify for regionals, Paige had to perform well at the Connecticut State Championships that were held on May 1 in Windsor. Paige showed her skills by scoring 37.675 all-around for second place and was the only member of the XL Silver team to advance to the regional meet. Paige’s high score came on the beam, where she finished with a 9.7. Paige also scored a 9.55 on the floor, earned a 9.375 on the bars, and recorded a score of 9.05 on the vault.

“Paige is a great girl and has been a dedicated Flip-Flop gymnast for many years. Her hard work and dedication has really paid off this season,” says Flip-Flop Gymnastics owner Monica Bauer. “She competed well at the state meet, qualifying her to the regional meet. Paige is a well-rounded athlete, although her strength is the uneven bars. Paige is easy to coach and is a team player. We look forward to working new and next level skills with Paige this summer.”

Paige made states by posting an all-around score of more than 32.0 during her first meet with Flip-Flop this season. Paige had recently gone through a rough patch in her training, but found her way through it after she joined Flip-Flop’s Xcel program last year.

“I was having a hard time finding my place and didn’t really like where I was as a gymnast,” Paige says. “In the Junior Olympics, you have to stay within those routines and I really benefited from the freedom and creativity that Xcel offered me. I had skills that I wasn’t using and being able to create my own routines and choose more options helped me during the competing season.”

Paige finished this past school year with high honors at John Winthrop. She not only thrives in the classroom and on the gymnastics circuit, but Paige also plays volleyball, field hockey, and competes for the Nutmeg Swim Team in East Lyme.

“Paige is a talented gymnast, but she has also been a competitive swimmer for many years, so that tells you what kind of athlete she is,” Bauer says. “Paige has worked hard this season. She improved on balance beam tremendously. Last season, she had a hard time with her full turns, but she worked at it and does them well now.”

As she gets ready to enter the 8th grade, Paige is looking forward to continue working hard, so she can compete at an even higher level for Flip-Flop next season.

“I want to go up a level in competition and make the Xcel Gold team. I want to better myself as a person and as a gymnast and keep moving forward,” Paige says. “What’s great about gymnastics is that it’s a lot of fun, but it takes a lot of strength and focus, too. I like that it’s both a team sport and an individual sport, so I want to do well for myself, but I also respect my teammates and want to do well for them. So it teaches you not only to compete for you, but for others.”

Another thing Paige knows is that she never could have gotten to where she is now without the help of some very important people.

“I have to thank my coach Monica Bauer. She helped me throughout my gymnastics career and I had an amazing season,” says Paige. “And of course, my parents have always been three for me, so I have to say thank you to them, as well.”