Kolboth Boehmer examines a table full of his gymnastics medals and trophies as he tries to decide which one is his favorite. Boehmer, 10, began gymnastics three years ago. (Photo by Jeremiah Tucker / Sauk Prairie Eagle)Wednesday, May 14, 2008
By Jeremiah Tucker
Sauk Prairie Eagle (Wisconsin, USA)
Kolboth Boehmer, 10, suspended himself between a long table and the tall back of the chair his mother currently occupied.
Absentmindedly, he began to swing his legs back and forth as if he were giving a particularly unenthusiastic routine on rings at a gymnastics meet.
"He used to climb all over the woodwork," his father, Alan Boehmer, said. "He'd do pull-ups off that door over there," said mother Sarah Boehmer, pointing to the other room where Kolboth's older sister, Lisa, was hanging out.
"The little band off the woodwork over the door, he'd do pull-ups with the tips of his fingers," she said.
Kolboth, seemingly bored hearing about himself, continued to swing. Legs together, toes pointed, he had more poise than the boy-monkey picture his parents painted of his toddler years, but it was clear he still possessed the same pent-up energy.
Both his energy and poise have served him well as a gymnast.
Last month, Kolboth took second place on high bar in the Region Four Championships of the United States Junior Olympics Gymnastics.
"That's a giant, giant thing for him," said Kolboth's coach Brian Struebin. "That's huge."
Kolboth and his teammates from the Junior Olympic Gymnastics program at the CSA (Creative School of Arts) gym in Janesville competed against other gymnastics teams from Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska.
In the boy's Junior Olympic program, gymnasts compete at skill levels from one to 10. Kolboth's level five team took second place overall at regionals, missing first place by one point, Struebin said.
Based on his performance at regionals, where he competed in high bar, floor, vault and pummel horse, Struebin promoted Kolboth to a level six gymnast, meaning next season he'll have to perform more difficult routines.
His mom almost can't believe how much he has changed physically since he began gymnastics three years ago.
She said he has more muscle and stronger abs, an observation that appeared to embarrass Kolboth, who was now fidgeting on the couch.
Kolboth refused to speculate if he was in better shape than his classmates in the fourth grade class at St. Aloysius Catholic School, but when pressed, he said he could do around 130 push-ups in one go.
Struebin said Kolboth may not realize it, but he's probably been doing closer to 300 push-ups in practice.
Even more remarkable is how far Kolboth has come from the state his parents found him in when they adopted him eight years ago from an orphanage in Cambodia, just before his second birthday.
"He had terribly crooked legs," Sarah Boehmer said. "They thought he may have permanent damage from rickets."
His parents said he was malnourished with bowed legs walking around pigeon-toed, his distended belly bulging outward.
His nickname at his orphanage was The Boy Who Never Smiled.
The first time his parents said they saw him smile was when they placed a heaping portion of fried rice with shrimp in front of him.
"He looked in the wok, looked up at us, looked in the wok again, then looked at us and he just smiled," Sarah said.
Kolboth said he doesn't remember anything about his life in Cambodia.
Sarah, who is a nurse at Dean Healthcare, and Alan, who runs his own interior design business out of their home, also adopted Kolboth's sister Lisa from southern China.
They drive Kolboth the two-hours round trip to and from Janesville four times a week for physicall demanding practices while Kolboth sits in the backseat either doing homework or playing his Nintendo DS because, they said, Kolboth has a strong desire to compete in gymnastics.
"The youngest you can be in the Olympics is 18," Kolboth said, indicating how far he hopes to advance int he sport.
"No, it's 16," his mom said.
"Oh yeah, I always get that mixed-up," Kolboth said.
When asked why he continues to want to make such a time commitment -- he also plays soccer -- when most kids his age are content playing sports on the Wii, Kolboth said, "I don't know."
Then he laughed. Pressed further about his love of gymnastics, he admitted, "I like spinning, jumping and running."
But the best thing about gymnastics?
"Medals," Kolboth said.
Absentmindedly, he began to swing his legs back and forth as if he were giving a particularly unenthusiastic routine on rings at a gymnastics meet.
"He used to climb all over the woodwork," his father, Alan Boehmer, said. "He'd do pull-ups off that door over there," said mother Sarah Boehmer, pointing to the other room where Kolboth's older sister, Lisa, was hanging out.
"The little band off the woodwork over the door, he'd do pull-ups with the tips of his fingers," she said.
Kolboth, seemingly bored hearing about himself, continued to swing. Legs together, toes pointed, he had more poise than the boy-monkey picture his parents painted of his toddler years, but it was clear he still possessed the same pent-up energy.
Both his energy and poise have served him well as a gymnast.
Last month, Kolboth took second place on high bar in the Region Four Championships of the United States Junior Olympics Gymnastics.
"That's a giant, giant thing for him," said Kolboth's coach Brian Struebin. "That's huge."
Kolboth and his teammates from the Junior Olympic Gymnastics program at the CSA (Creative School of Arts) gym in Janesville competed against other gymnastics teams from Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska.
In the boy's Junior Olympic program, gymnasts compete at skill levels from one to 10. Kolboth's level five team took second place overall at regionals, missing first place by one point, Struebin said.
Based on his performance at regionals, where he competed in high bar, floor, vault and pummel horse, Struebin promoted Kolboth to a level six gymnast, meaning next season he'll have to perform more difficult routines.
His mom almost can't believe how much he has changed physically since he began gymnastics three years ago.
She said he has more muscle and stronger abs, an observation that appeared to embarrass Kolboth, who was now fidgeting on the couch.
Kolboth refused to speculate if he was in better shape than his classmates in the fourth grade class at St. Aloysius Catholic School, but when pressed, he said he could do around 130 push-ups in one go.
Struebin said Kolboth may not realize it, but he's probably been doing closer to 300 push-ups in practice.
Even more remarkable is how far Kolboth has come from the state his parents found him in when they adopted him eight years ago from an orphanage in Cambodia, just before his second birthday.
"He had terribly crooked legs," Sarah Boehmer said. "They thought he may have permanent damage from rickets."
His parents said he was malnourished with bowed legs walking around pigeon-toed, his distended belly bulging outward.
His nickname at his orphanage was The Boy Who Never Smiled.
The first time his parents said they saw him smile was when they placed a heaping portion of fried rice with shrimp in front of him.
"He looked in the wok, looked up at us, looked in the wok again, then looked at us and he just smiled," Sarah said.
Kolboth said he doesn't remember anything about his life in Cambodia.
Sarah, who is a nurse at Dean Healthcare, and Alan, who runs his own interior design business out of their home, also adopted Kolboth's sister Lisa from southern China.
They drive Kolboth the two-hours round trip to and from Janesville four times a week for physicall demanding practices while Kolboth sits in the backseat either doing homework or playing his Nintendo DS because, they said, Kolboth has a strong desire to compete in gymnastics.
"The youngest you can be in the Olympics is 18," Kolboth said, indicating how far he hopes to advance int he sport.
"No, it's 16," his mom said.
"Oh yeah, I always get that mixed-up," Kolboth said.
When asked why he continues to want to make such a time commitment -- he also plays soccer -- when most kids his age are content playing sports on the Wii, Kolboth said, "I don't know."
Then he laughed. Pressed further about his love of gymnastics, he admitted, "I like spinning, jumping and running."
But the best thing about gymnastics?
"Medals," Kolboth said.
1 comment:
Good stuff Kolboth. Keep up the awesome work lil brother! I wish you all utmost best and rooting for ya all the way! ;)
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