9 Students Graduate From Phenom Gymnastics​, 5 With Scholarships

OSWEGO, IL — This year's graduating class at Oswego's Phenom Gymnastics was a special one, owner and coach Jessica Holtz told Patch. Nine students graduated from the gymnastics club, with five of them earning full-ride gymnastics scholarships to their universities.

In a typical year, Holtz said, there are an average of two to three graduating seniors at the club. This year's class significantly surpassed that, while five seniors graduating with scholarships is one of the highest numbers per club nationally, according to Holtz.

"It was the best year we ever had as a club with these kids, which is special for the seniors," Holtz said.

Phenom also competed in the Illinois USA Gymnastics State Championships this year, where the Level 10 team won. Holtz said that was the cherry on top this year.

"We're really proud of [the team], and it's been such a special group," Holtz said. "It seems that everything that could go right with these girls did. That's exactly how you want it to end as a coach."

Seven of the nine girls who graduated will continue gymnastics in college. Here is a list of the graduating class:

• Skyla Schulte — Full ride gymnastics scholarship to Michigan State University. She won the Level 10 National Championships this year, along with the floor exercise and balance beam national title.
• Abby Singh — Full ride gymnastics scholarship to Western Michigan University. She was a Level 10 National Qualifier this year.
• Gigi Singh — Abby’s twin sister. She will also be competing for Western Michigan University.
• Lia Kmieciak — Full ride gymnastics scholarship to Central Michigan University. She qualified for Level 10 Nationals 2 years ago and has been at Phenom since birth. Her three older sisters went to Phenom, and her sister, Keeley, helped Oklahoma University win their first NCAA Championship in gymnastics.
• Haley Tyson — Full ride gymnastics scholarship to the University of Minnesota. She was the National Floor Champ in 2018 and made the Level 10 National Junior Olympic team in 2017 and 2018.
• Riley Milbrandt — Competing for University of Georgia. Level 10 National Qualifier five times.
• Lucy Lehman — Competing for North Carolina State University. She’s been at Phenom since preschool and has been a Level 10 for 5 years.
• Lauren Denning — Level 9 gymnast who's been in the club since grade school. She'll be attending the University of Iowa.
• Alexa Bachara — Level 10 gymnast at the club. She'll be going to Northern Illinois University and is planning to study nursing.

Holtz said most of the girls who graduated this year grew up together on the team, some of them since they were 3 years old. She said she has already asked them to come back and train at the club during their breaks from school.

"They're more like sisters than teammates," Holtz said. "They've grown up throughout the years, kind of staying at the same level in the same group."

(For more news and information like this, subscribe to the Oswego Patch for free. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here. Don't forget to like us on Facebook!)