A search for gymnastics on the Oakland University website reveals no results. This is about to change as Oakland will soon have its first gymnastics club.

Madeline Mazzeo, a sophomore majoring in Spanish and history, and Tiffany Turner, a freshman elementary education major, are both former competitive gymnasts who miss the sport and want to give Oakland students an opportunity to participate in gymnastics.

“I took a year off and I really missed (the gymnastics),” Mazzeo said. “I’ve been coaching at the gym I used to compete at and I just basically missed it.”

Mazzeo has been a gymnast since she was 3, and competed up until her senior year of high school. She has earned platinum, the highest ranking level, of the pre-optional branch of competitive gymnastics.

“The sport is so different than so many other sports because of the physical ability of it and the strength,” Mazzeo said. “It is very unique and it has become a part of me because I grew up doing it.”

Turner, who has formally competed in gymnastics and cheerleading, joined with Mazzeo to start the club.

“I really wanted to start this club because I love gymnastics,” Turner said. “I love that I feel flexible and athletic every time I am done with practice, but the best part is the goals (I can set) for myself.

“I was very sad when I found out Oakland did not have anything I could participate in related to the sport.”

The club only has three members at the moment, but they are looking for more in order to expand the club.

“I think people should join because it is a lot of fun,” Mazzeo said.  “It’s a great experience, especially if you have a gymnastics or even a cheerleading background. It’s a good way to stay in shape, exercise and get involved with something.”

Turner said she enjoyed gymnastics because of the people she competed with.

“It’s very fun and all the girls are amazing people,” Turner said. “Gymnastics is just an exhilarating sport to participate in.”

Mazzeo said the club will not start out as a competitive team because members will likely have different backgrounds in

gymnastics.

“Right now it’s not competitive,” Mazzeo said. “We’re just looking to get more members and see where everybody is with their gymnastics. Hopefully in the next year or two we can become competitive.”

Practices will be held at the Stars and Stripes Gymnastics Academy in Clarkston on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1-3 p.m.

The club will spend their practices focusing on all aspects of the sport.

“We will work on all four (gymnastics) events: vault, bars, beam and floor,” Mazzeo said. “We will work on basic skills, new skills, flexibility and conditioning as well.”

Mazzeo said that while experience is not necessary for interested members, it is definitely helpful.

“They don’t have to have experience, but it is definitely beneficial to have that background,” Mazzeo said. “We have three members right now who have had experience, but experience isn’t necessary.”

Even though the club is in its developing stages right now, Mazzeo hopes to see it grow before she graduates.

“(In the next two years) I would like to see the membership grow, watch the club become competitive and hopefully be successful in competitions,” Mazzeo said.

To find out more about the club, interested students may e-mail Madeline Mazzeo at [email protected] or Tiffany Turner at [email protected].