From STAFF REPORTS

AMERICUS – The Sumter County Gymnastics Academy is currently preparing for March 12, when they will host their fourth home gymnastics meet at the Columns at Boone Park in Americus. The Sumter Shamrock Invitational meet will begin at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday and last until 8:00 p.m. The event will feature four gymnastics sessions and performances by the Fusion Cheer Squads.
The Sumter County Gymnasts will welcome several out of town teams for this home meet, including “Dream It” from Tifton, “Dosta Dynamics” from Valdosta, “Elite” from Milledgeville, “Southern Gold” from Douglas, “The Gym Nest” from Macon, “No Limitz” from Leesburg, “Inbound” from Albany, “Elite Infinity” from Warner Robins, and “Southeast Gymnastics Academy” from Soperton.
Admission to the Sumter Shamrock Invitational is seven dollars for adults, five dollars for children ages 4-10, five dollars for seniors ages 60 and older, and free for children up to three years old.
Concessions will be sold at the event.
There will also be items that will be raffled off during the sessions from South Georgia Technical College, Sakari and Company, and The Glass Dragon Gallery, among others.
The first session will begin at 8:00 a.m. on March 12. The second session will begin at 11:30 a.m. and the third session will begin at 2:00 p.m. The fourth session is scheduled to begin at 5:00 p.m.
There will be performances from the Fusion Cheer Squad during the event as well.
In all, there will be 32 gymnasts from the Sumter County Gymnastics Academy competing along with over 190  girls from the other teams.
The competition will be officiated by eight professional judges who will decide the winners of the four events which consist of the vault, uneven bars, balance beam and floor exercise.
“We’re very excited to be hosting the Sumter Shamrock Invitational for the fourth year,” said SCPRD gymnastics director, Melissa Moore Singley. “The meet keeps growing every year with the number of gymnasts and teams competing from across the state of Georgia. We hope that it continues to see growth each year. We have over 200 girls competing this year. The way the parents work hard to make this a great meet keeps the gyms returning every year. We couldn’t do it without the help of the Sumter Gymnastics parents and also the help of the Fusion Cheer parents. We’re also very grateful to the sponsors of this event for their help in making it a success.”.
“We would like to recognize  some of our local sponsors,” she continued. “Austin Urethane, First Franklin Financial, Parker’s Heating and Air, Two Dukes BBQ, Regional Eye Center, Global Graphics, Citizens Bank of Americus, Austin Pit Cubes, South Georgia Technical College, Red Hills Outdoors, W. Howard Brown Farms, The Best Western Plus Windsor Hotel, and Friends of the Booster Club.”