Mackenzie’s turn at the top

By Jarrod Potter
MACKENZIE Moreland is dancing her way to the top in callisthenics, after gaining selection in the Victorian team to compete in the national championships in July.
Mackenzie, from Narre Warren South, is approaching a decade in the sport, which is a great effort for someone who is only 11.
Her passion for the sport could be classified as genetic, being the fourth generation of girls in her family to compete.
“I’ve been doing it for, next year will be my 10th year, so this year is my ninth,” Mackenzie said. “It’s fun to do. I was basically born into it because my mum did it, my gran did it and my great-gran did it.”
Mackenzie competes for St Mark’s Callistenics Club, which is located in Reservoir.
It means a lot of driving back and forth to the club, at least twice a week for three-hour practice sessions, and also to competitions which are spread across Victoria.
Mackenzie’s team, the 10-12 year old juniors section, won the state championships this year and came runner-up in a competition in Ballarat.
After her success at state championships, Mackenzie auditioned for a spot in the Victorian team and was selected to compete in Darwin, Northern Territory.
“The audition went for four hours,” Mackenzie said. “There were two auditions. I got a call back and went to the second audition and went well at that audition. Then I got a letter saying I was selected for Victoria.”
Mackenzie’s favourite item (a routine in callisthenics) is a free arm, which is a physically active performance.
“My favourite item in callisthenics is probably free arm,” Mackenzie said. “It’s like a physical kind of strong performance that you do and has flexible stuff in it.”
She’s not too sure how Victoria will go in the championships, but thinks they will be competitive and should finish in the top few spots.
“Not really sure (on Victoria’s chances to win) because we don’t know what the other teams are like cause there’s only one competition instead of five or six,” Mackenzie said.
Mackenzie’s St Mark’s team has been elevated to the championship division of her age bracket – the highest section for competition.
The cost to travel to Darwin is significant for the Morelands, so if anyone would like to sponsor Mackenzie to help her get to the championships, you can contact her mother Kerry on 0407 826 256.