December 15th 2008
The latest gymnast from the Sun Country Men’s Team to accept a college gymnastics scholarship, Harris Coleman started his gymnastics career at the age of four when the Sun Country gym bus came to his day care. He went on to take regular gym classes and began competing with the Sun Country Team in 1997.
Highlights of Harris’s career include an Academic All American Honorable Mention at the 2008 Junior Olympic (JO) Men’s Gymnastics Nationals. He also earned the Academic Excellence Award from Gainesville High School (GHS) in May 2008. Harris qualified for JO Nationals for five years in a row, competed in the Future Stars program, twice competed on the Florida state team, and was a member of the Region 8 team three times. While Harris is a strong all-around contender, he especially excels at Pommel Horse. He won first place on Pommels at several major competitions and second place at the 2008 JO finals.
It wasn’t an easy road however. During Harris’s sophomore year he began to lose weight and experienced intense abdominal pain and lack of energy. Doctors diagnosed him with Crohn’s Disease. After several episodes in the hospital, doctors decided to remove about 12 inches of his damaged small intestines. Harris quickly recovered however, and continues on daily medication and bi-monthly infusions to control the disease.
Harris joined the Diving Team at GHS as a junior so he could compete on a high school team. It was a tough year for him since he had intestinal surgery in the middle of the season, but he still finished 13th in the state, and dove for GHS in the state meet just five weeks following his surgery. His senior year he went undefeated until the State Championship, where he finished 3rd.
Harris was recruited intensively by several Universities, including the University of Michigan, Penn State, Temple University, University of Iowa, University of Minnesota and the University of Florida. He chose to visit the last three. Minnesota seemed the best fit for him; he liked all the team mates and the coaches. The Golden Gophers will need a new pommel horse man in 2010 so he will be able to help the team right away.
Congratulations Harris!
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June 13th 2008
Gymnast from Sun Country Sports Center takes 2nd Place at J.O. Nationals in Battle Creek, Michigan.
Harris Coleman, a 17 year old junior at Gainesville High School, took second (2nd) place at the Junior Olympic National meet during the week of May 8th – 11th.
Coleman has been training at Sun Country Gymnastics in Gainesville, Florida since the age of three and has persevered to successfully overcome several obstacles in his life including: Crohn’s Disease, Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis and a recent shoulder injury which kept him out of training for four months
As a result of his dedication and the coaching of Sun Country’s Mark Nelson,
Coleman is a three-time regional team member and has competed in five national meets. When asked what he likes most about gymnastics, Coleman said, “It’s the rush that I enjoy the most.†He also shared that the hardest part of gymnastics is the amount of time spent in the gym. On average, Coleman spends 24 hours per week training.
Not only has Harris excelled in his gymnastics career, but he also maintains a 3.7 GPA while enrolled in all honors courses. Coleman has also been a recipient of the academic All American Presidential Award. His plans for the future include trying to obtain an NCAA gymnastics scholarship to Penn State University or an NCAA dive scholarship to the University of Florida.
Click Here to See Harris and Coach Mark!
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November 4th 2007
Trick or Treat Invite at Port Charlotte – October 28th, 2007.
It was a great start to Sun Country’s competitive season. All competitors places extremely well and got most of the mobility scores they need to move up to the next level!
Congratulations! Scores and placements within each age group:
Amanda Hebert: Trampoline-24.0 (2nd Place!); Tumbling-56.2 (2nd Place!) Double Mini – 55.0 (2nd Place!)
Katie Raab: Trampoline – 22.8 (2nd Place!); Tumbling-54.3 (2nd Place!); Double Mini – 57.6 (1st Place!)
Jamie Stinson: Trampoline – 25.6 (1st Place!); Tumbling – 61.3 (1st Place!); Double Mini – 59.1 (1st Place!)
Team Sun Country’s Tramp and Tumble Team is Coached by two time Olympian Deyan Yordanov.
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