- April 14, 2026
Anna Schwartz of Palm Coast Gymnastics has become the first gymnast in the local gym’s 20-year history to become a Level 10 national team qualifier.
Schwartz will compete with the Region 8 team at the USA Gymnastics Level 10 Development Program National Championships on May 6-10 in Oklahoma City. Level 10 is the highest level in USA Gymnastics’ Development program.
Schwartz, 17, an Ormond Beach resident and junior at Seabreeze High School, finished among the top eight at the Region 8 championships in Bradenton on April 10-12 to advance to nationals as a member of the region’s national team.
“The girls I was just competing with at regionals, the eight of us, are now a team and we want to win for our region,” Schwartz said.
Eight region teams will compete at nationals. Region 8 includes eight Southeastern states — Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, South Carolina, North Carolina and Tennessee.
“It’s pretty much every Level 10’s dream to be on the national team, so it’s very exciting for her,” said Kelly Flagler, Palm Coast Gymnastics owner and head coach. “To get to this level, it’s not for the weak. Getting there, staying there and doing well on top of it is a pretty amazing feat. We’re going to celebrate this.”
At the beginning of preseason, Schwartz hurt her calf and wasn’t sure if she would be fully healthy for the rigors of the competition season.
“I didn’t know what I could do fully until December, and the season began in January, so it was definitely about trusting the process this season,” she said. “I got better each meet, and everything came together at regionals. I made all my routines and felt more comfortable than I have at a meet all season.”
Schwartz advanced through six meets, including the state and Region 8 championships, to reach nationals.
“She hit all four events [at regional] and was sixth in vault and sixth in beam,” Flagler said.
Schwartz said she concentrated on her vault routine leading up to the season.
“I worked really hard on vault and this year I added a twist,” she said. “And that’s become one of my favorite events.”
Schwartz started gymnastics right after her fifth birthday, she said. She attended a birthday party for one of her classmates at an Ormond Beach gymnastics gym and asked her parents if they would sign her up.
“I did both gym and dance for a while until my mom said I had to pick one, and I immediatley picked gymnatics,” Schwartz said. “I just loved it from the time I started.”
Schwartz is in the AICE program at Seabreeze and is also a school ambassador. She said she would like to continue her gymnastics career in college. But her focus now is on nationals.
“I’m looking forward to competing in nationals and being in that environment, being with all the girls who are the best in the nation,” Schwartz said. “It’s really motivating and encouraging.”
