From tumbling to vaulting to working on the uneven bars, Couture and her fellow gymnasts enjoy soaking up lessons during the camp, which features two University of Michigan gymnasts as teachers.

“I always get to learn new and different things from the U of M gymnasts. They always have something (new to teach),” Couture said. “You learn a skill, but you think that there’s nothing beyond that, but there’s always something beyond it that you learn.”

Couture,12, has participated in the camp for three of four years is one of nearly 40 advanced gymnasts taking part in the annual camp this week. Michigan gymnasts Cory Aurentz and Mitchell Gornto are leading the camp along with Alpena Gymnastics teachers.

Nearly 100 gymnasts are participating in the camp this week. The camp is split into a morning beginner group and an afternoon advanced group.

News Photo by James Andersen Alpena Gymnastics instructor Geri Samp helps Callie Brousseau execute a front flip on the vault. The camp, which is split into a beginners group and an advanced group, has nearly 100 gymnasts participating this year.

During the three-day camp, the two gymnasts will put campers through the paces at a variety of stations including tumbling, balance beam and uneven bars among others. Michigan gymnasts have been involved with Alpena’s gymnastics camp for several years and Michigan’s program has been influential helping Alpena’s program grow.

Couture favors the uneven bars and said Michigan’s gymnasts have helped her fine-tune her routine.

It used to be my least favorite event because I always was very scared of flying around and being upside down and around. Now it’s my favorite event because I’ve overcome the fear,” Couture said. “They taught me my kip connected to my squat on, which I’d never done before. I finally got it and it’s a skill I’ve needed for my bar routine to get less points off. The connection I believe is like three-tenths off from when you have it connected.”

Aurentz and Gornto are both members of the Wolverines’ men’s gymnastics program which is coached by Alpena alum Kurt Golder. Golder has led the Wolverines to four national championships since 1997 and five Big Ten titles.

The June camp is always popular among local gymnasts and that enthusiasm has rubbed off on Michigan’s gymnasts as well.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity that we have in Alpena to get the University of Michigan gymnasts to come to our town,” Alpena Gymnasts director Buffy Storey said. “This year (Golder) has so many gymnasts that want to come that he had to just pick the first two that signed up.”

Alpena’s gymnasts take a trip to a Michigan gymnastics clinic in Ann Arbor, so they have some familiarity with Golder’s athletes. The chance learn from them also helps reinforce messages and lessons the gymnasts have already been taught.

“I know in marketing, they always say you have to hear it from three sources to have it hit home and I’m sure that’s true with the gymnasts,” Storey said. “They’re so used to hearing us say the same thing over and over, so for them to hear it from someone that they have a lot of respect for and is excellent in their field, definitely drives it home for them.”

James Andersen can be reached via email at sports@thealpenanews.com or by phone at 358-5694. Follow James on Twitter @ja_alpenanews.