AUBURN - Rachel Jorgensen made the most of her first-ever Sock Hop competition.

Champions for Life hosted the fifth annual Sock Hop Gymnastics Invitational Saturday, and Jorgensen took first place in the Level 4 competition on the balance beam, scoring a 9.75 in only her first year competing in gymnastics.

“It's exciting,” she said.

And Jorgensen's development is one of the main reasons why brothers Mike and Walt Kurfis coach gymnastics at Champions for Life. Both enjoy getting local youth involved in the sport and challenging them to do things they normally wouldn't.

“Gymnastics helps you overcome some fears that not everyone could overcome,” Mike Kurfis said.

Mike has been coaching for more than 10 years, while Walt attended Syracuse University for gymnastics before the program was cut his junior season.

For the past three years, Mike has coached the Champions for Life team, which includes girls from Auburn, Skaneateles, Moravia, Camillus, Marcellus, Weedsport and Seneca Falls.

“I enjoy seeing the girls have fun and doing well,” Mike said. “It's special to see all of their hard work paying off.”

The Sock Hop is a free event that is sponsored by the Champions for Life booster club which is compiled of parents. Mike said this year's invitational was the most successful one yet.

“It's the best turnout I've seen in my three years as coach of the Champions for Life team,” he said. “(The booster club) works really hard to help the team out. It's a great support group for the team.”

The event is broken into four levels, depending on skills and ability. Level 4 is for the beginners, while Level 8 is for the most advanced. There is no Level 6.

During weekly practices, coaches determine what level to place the gymnasts.

“We look at flexibility and strength when considering the team,” Mike said. “We need to see where they are.”

Level 4 gymnasts practice five hours a week and after that it increases to 13 hours a week.

“We do whatever skills that level would work on,” Mike said. “We go over some routines and put them together. Then we work on what they are having difficulty with. When all of that is done, we then work on some higher level activities.”

Lauryn Husby is a Level 4 gymnast and has been competing since she was 2 years old. Her enjoyment from the sport comes through her time with friends.

“I also like having fun,” she said.

Her strength is the floor exercise and she was pleased with her performance at the Sock Hop.

“I have all of my skills for floor,” Husby said. “It's pretty fun.”

Unlike most Level 4 competitors, Husby practices nine hours a week.

“Sometimes I screw up on the bars and beams,” Lauryn said. “That's why I practice.”

Mike was pleased with his team's performance Saturday, but was even more pleased with the strides his gymnasts have made.

“Some are still working on form,” he said. “But it was a first that we all got our skills where we wanted for this meet.”

And nothing compares to the enjoyment he gets out of seeing his athletes having fun.

“It's nice getting to know the kids and their personalities,” Mike said. “I like to use whatever the coaches taught me since I got into gymnastics. It's nice to move it on to the next generation.”

Members of the Champions for Life gymnastics team are Kaitlyn Heath, Kaela Fiutak, Kasey Holbrook, Katie Porter, Danielle Lust, Kelsey Fenner, Rebecca Hutcheon, Mikayla Catherman, Jerica Bonvino, Maggie Kianka, Alexandra Peterman, Abby Rose Uczen, Bailey Crook, Husby, Claire Crook, Rose Campagnola, Anna Mancini, Savannah Cole, Samantha Dixon, Jorgensen, Mikaila Kurfis and Aubrey Ouderkirk.