If mentally and physically preparing for the Region 2 Gymnastics meet last month at the Greater Tacoma Convention and Trade Center in Tacoma, Washington, wasn’t challenging enough, Lucy Toelcke, a bright 13-year-old eighth grader at Whitefish Middle School, also had to contend with something far more problematic that was dumped in her lap at the last minute.

Toelcke became ill just before the event.

“I had a virus,” she said.

“I was throwing up.”

It was a horrible case of bad timing health wise for the talented Flathead Gymnastics Academy standout. The biggest question now was could the Montana state champion muster the courage, desire and energy to

participate in something she had trained for since last summer.

“Right before the meet, I was lying down,” she said.

“There was a question whether I would compete at all.”

But compete she did.

She was checked by an event medical professional first and then was given the green light to give it a go.

Now all she had to do was muster the strength and determination to perform.

Toelcke managed to do that and more as she finished in the top five individually for her age group in three events — floor (9.025), vault (9.125) and bars (8.75).

She scored an 8.225 in beam.

Those marks combined put her fourth for the all-around for Level 9. But more importantly, it meant that she could compete in Western National Championships in Salt Lake City this weekend. The top five advanced.

“I really wanted to qualify for Western,” she said.

“My floor routine was pretty fast-paced. When I got to the vault, I just did two (attempts). The beam, not so well. I was exhausted. I didn’t feel well.

“I was kinda surprised,” she said of her showing.

“Maybe I would have done better (if I wasn’t so sick).”

She is the first FGA athlete to compete at WNC in at least 10 years.

Toelcke started gymnastics six years ago.

“Some of the girls have been doing it since they were 2 and 3,” she said of getting a late start.

Toelcke opened at Level 3. She spent one competitive season there before moving up to Level 4 for a year.

She skipped Level 5, then spent one season each in Levels 6, 7 and 8.

This was her first year at Level 9.

“I’m hoping to hit all my routines (at Salt Lake City),” she said.

“At regionals, I came close. Fell twice on beam, that was my own fault.

“It’s really important to me,” she said of gymnastics.

“I’ve been doing this since I was seven. I do 4 ½ hours a day, four days a week year-round. In the summer I’m here five days.

“I love it and I keep coming back,” she continued.

“But it is really tiring (at times). I came really close to quitting when I was at Level 4. I was afraid of all the new and bigger skills.”

But she battled her way through all of that and is a much stronger gymnast because of it.

“I’m hoping to make DI (Division I),” she said of future goals.

“Not right now, I don’t have the skills. I’m hoping by the recruiting time I will have what it takes. I really want that.”

Also competing at Region 2 in Tacoma for FGA were Sienna LaChance and Shaydi Huston, both in Level 8.

LaChance finished 16th in the all-around with Huston 18th in their respective age groups.

LaChance’s best showing was 12th in floor. Huston’s highest marks were 10th in floor and 11th in vault.

This was the final event of the season for Level 8 gymnasts.

Huston and LaChance were also members of the Montana all-star team in Tacoma, which competed on the first day of the two-day event.

LaChance, 10, turned in scores of 9.85 on bars, 9.65 on beam and 9.8 on floor.

Huston had a near-perfect routine on floor with a 9.9 score and 9.825 on vault. The Montana team finished sixth.

LaChance, in her sixth year of gymnastics, started at Level 2 and has quickly moved up the ladder to 8.

“Level 8 was harder than all the other levels,” she said.

“You have more difficult skills.”

On her all-star performance …

“It went pretty well,” she said.

“They score you like they do college gymnasts, so I got really high scores. I did super well (on floor). I stuck all my passes. I felt super.”

LaChance, a 5th grader at Edgerton School, said she was “super nervous” before the Region 2 “because it was the biggest meet I had ever been to. I also knew it was suppose to be a fun meet.”

She said the “fun” part helped her relax.

“I enjoy coming to the gym every single day,” she said.

“It takes up a lot of time, but I’m serious about doing that.”

Her ultimate goal is being a college gymnast.

“I don’t know for sure,” she said of saying at her current level for next year, or moving up to 9.

“If I get the skills then I will move up. If I don’t get all the skills I need, I’ll stay at Level 8 for another year.”

Huston, a 15-year-old freshman at Flathead High School, has been involved in gymnastics for six years.

“When I lived in Alaska, I wanted to do something after school,” she said.

“My grandmother gave me some options — singing, piano lessons, ballet and a bunch of different ones. I wanted to do gymnastics.”

She took a few beginner classes in Alaska, but due to transportation difficulties, “I couldn’t get to the gym. So I ended up not doing it any more.”

When the family moved to Kalispell, she started again in fifth grade.

“My aunt had taught me a bunch of skills and (so did my) mom,” she said.

“So I started on the team as Level 4.”

She spent a season there, skipped Level 5, and competed in Level 6 and 7 before moving up to 8.

“It went very well,” she said of Level 8.

“I did really good (at Tacoma). I only competed in two events. The best floor routine I have ever done. Lot of people, lot of noise. That made me smile more and present myself more.”

Looking ahead to next year — Level 9 is her goal.

“I think I’m ready,” she said.

“I’m ready for the summer to come and get my skills and train them.

“With Level 9 after Regions you can qualify for Westerns. I want to see how far I can go.”