{"id":2970,"date":"2022-12-08T13:37:35","date_gmt":"2022-12-08T19:37:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rayson.us\/aehanson\/?page_id=2970"},"modified":"2026-02-08T09:26:02","modified_gmt":"2026-02-08T15:26:02","slug":"gymnastics","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.rayson.us\/aehanson\/gymnastics\/","title":{"rendered":"Gymnastics"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">High School<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I attended Hinsdale Central High School in Hinsdale, Illinois and was a member of the gymnastics team from my freshman year (1969\/1907) until I graduated in 1973. Hinsdale won the State championship each year.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"su-row\">\n  <div class=\"su-column su-column-size-1-2\"><div class=\"su-column-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\">\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-medium\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rayson.us\/aehanson\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Hanson_Horse_Hinsdale_500_625.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"240\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rayson.us\/aehanson\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Hanson_Horse_Hinsdale_500_625-240x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2984\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rayson.us\/aehanson\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Hanson_Horse_Hinsdale_500_625-240x300.jpg 240w, https:\/\/www.rayson.us\/aehanson\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Hanson_Horse_Hinsdale_500_625.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 240px) 100vw, 240px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n  <div class=\"su-column su-column-size-1-2\"><div class=\"su-column-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\">\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-medium is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rayson.us\/aehanson\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Hanson_Horse_Hinsdale_500_373.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"212\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rayson.us\/aehanson\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Hanson_Horse_Hinsdale_500_373-300x212.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2983\" style=\"width:425px;height:300px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rayson.us\/aehanson\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Hanson_Horse_Hinsdale_500_373-300x212.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.rayson.us\/aehanson\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Hanson_Horse_Hinsdale_500_373.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">College<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I attended Southern Illinois University on a full athletic scholarship from 1973 &#8211; 1977 and graduated in 1978.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rayson.us\/Gymnastics\/Scholarship_Offer_SIU.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Scholarship Offer &#8211; 1973<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rayson.us\/Gymnastics\/1973_April_Biesterfeldt_Letter.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Letter from Jack Biesterfeldt (Assistant Coach) &#8211; April 1973<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rayson.us\/Gymnastics\/1973_September_2_Meade_Letter.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Letter from Bell Meade (Head Coach) &#8211; September 1973<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rayson.us\/Gymnastics\/1974_February_Trip_Schedule.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Typical Trip Schedule &#8211; February 1975<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rayson.us\/Gymnastics\/Press_Release_1975.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Press\/Radio\/TV Press Release &#8211; 1975<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rayson.us\/aehanson\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/1977_Carbondale_Illinois_9.55_Score_1500_928-1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"634\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rayson.us\/aehanson\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/1977_Carbondale_Illinois_9.55_Score_1500_928-1-1024x634.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3789\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rayson.us\/aehanson\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/1977_Carbondale_Illinois_9.55_Score_1500_928-1-1024x634.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.rayson.us\/aehanson\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/1977_Carbondale_Illinois_9.55_Score_1500_928-1-300x186.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.rayson.us\/aehanson\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/1977_Carbondale_Illinois_9.55_Score_1500_928-1-768x476.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.rayson.us\/aehanson\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/1977_Carbondale_Illinois_9.55_Score_1500_928-1.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This picture was taken during a dual meet at the Arenda in Carbondale in 1977 (photographer unknown)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1975 NCAA Gymnastics Championships &#8211; Indiana State University, Terre Haute, Indiana<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I qualified for the 1975 championship by winning the Eastern Qualifying Meet (SIU was a member of the Missouri Valley conference which did not hold a conference championship for gymnastics).  I placed 7th overall: These videos show my performance in the Team finals and in the individual event finals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Si-En-MKGLU\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Team Finals<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/bnest8v_ALo\">My routine in the Team Finals<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/0TAgXfn5ZeM\">Individual Finals<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1977 NCAA Gymnastics Championships &#8211; Arizona State University, Tempe Arizona<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I qualified for the 1977 championship by winning the Western Qualifying Meet (SIU was a member of the Missouri Valley conference which did not hold a conference championship for gymnastics). I placed 7th overall again this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/reel\/1668369464536126\">Individual Final<\/a> (recording courtesy of Doug Kieso)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I was up last: apparently the the photographer ran out of film.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I was in first place going into the finals but had a break in the finals. My high-school teammate Chuck Walters was the champion.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>My full routine:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Jump into a back-Moore downhill<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Loop<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Hop<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Back-Moore-Uphill &#8211; Moore- Back travel &#8211; Durham &#8211; Loop &#8211; Flair<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Scissor travel , Leg cut, Three forward Scissors, leg cut, back scissors<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Circles, Baily (that was where I came off in the finals \ud83d\ude41 )<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Stockli out<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Hop<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Loop dismount<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Doug Kieso Video<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Doug created a nice tribute documenting the dominance of Illinois High-School pommel horse gymnasts in the 1960&#8217;s through the1980&#8217;s. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/groups\/158318444201153\/?hoisted_section_header_type=recently_seen&amp;multi_permalinks=7134621423237452\">View it on Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>High School I attended Hinsdale Central High School in Hinsdale, Illinois and was a member of the gymnastics team from my freshman year (1969\/1907) until I graduated in 1973. Hinsdale won the State championship each year. College I attended Southern<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2970","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rayson.us\/aehanson\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2970","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rayson.us\/aehanson\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rayson.us\/aehanson\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rayson.us\/aehanson\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rayson.us\/aehanson\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2970"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/www.rayson.us\/aehanson\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2970\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4545,"href":"https:\/\/www.rayson.us\/aehanson\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2970\/revisions\/4545"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rayson.us\/aehanson\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2970"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}