Our History

GYMNASTICS TEAM HIGHLIGHTS

Founded in 1971

In 1971, The McKeon School was one of the first schools in Massachusetts to start a gymnastics program in their facility. It began as a recreational program but soon evolved into a competitive team as well. In the early 1970s, the team competed locally and soon made a name for itself winning numerous state and regional titles.

1977
Constanta, Romania

In 1977 the McKeon Team ventured out and was the first gymnastics club from the United States allowed to train in then Communist Romania for one week with their Junior National team, Club Fural, at the “Tomis Sport Complex” in Constanta. Martei Stanei and his wife Marta coached the McKeon Club and staff in the techniques they were using at that time which where dominating the international gymnastics arena. At the end of their training week the girls participated in a meet with the Romanian team. Besides training the girls and their coaches also had the opportunity to swim at the Black Sea, tour Bucharest and take some side trips to Bulgaria and Turkey.

1980
American Gold Tour of Champions

In 1980 the McKeon Fliers were invited to perform one of there unique group gymnastics performances with Grossfeld’s American Gold Tour of Champions Sponsored by “Bic”. Abbey and Muriel Grossfeld were coaching the U.S. Olympic Team at that time.

1983
International Sports Exchange

In 1983, and again in 1987, The Fliers traveled to Germany, Switzerland and Austria to participate in training camps setup by the International Sports Exchange. The girls work with German team members at the Landessportshule des Saarlandes and with two Swiss Teams in the Lake Geneva area. After the training sessions the students toured throughout the countries, visiting the Black Forest, Vienna, Salzburg, Zurich and Straussberg, France where they meet Jerry Lewis who was vacationing there. Pierre Mayer, coach of one of the Swiss teams visited the McKeon Gym in 1984, for several days while on route to the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.

1995
World Gymnaestrada, Berlin

In 1995 the McKeon Fliers were selected by the USA Gymnastics Federation to be one of only six U.S. gymnastics clubs to be in the first USA delegation to the "10th World Gymnaestrada" in Berlin Germany. Each club performed two fifteen-minute performances of their own specially choreographed routine. Fifty-nine students from the McKeon Club performed their routine to “Oklahoma”. These performances are conducted in 10 performance halls for six hours a day for six days. The McKeon club was also selected to perform the routine that qualified them to this event, an 8 minute group Gymnastics production of "Aladdin," at the English Speaking Countries National Evening. Selected members of the McKeon team were also asked to represent the U.S. in the F.I.G. Gala performance, a 33 nation production performance which is a major part of the week-long event.

Pictured below, left to right:
Berlin Olympic Stadium; the Olympics Opening Ceremony; The Fliers Outside ICC McKeon Dance and Gymnastic Center

Pictured below left to right:
Japanese National Evening; Oklahoma Performance; Japanese National Evening

Pictured below left to right:
F.I.G. Gala performance, Closing Ceremony

1997
Sea Coast Invitational, Bridgeport, CT

Pictured below: Amanda Borden hangs out with the kids in the Hotel Lobby; Amy Chow and Amanda sign autographs at the meet; The Fliers win team and individual awards.

1998
Go For It Classic, Las Vegas

In 1998 and 2000 the Fliers take off to Las Vegas for the “Go For It Classic” where they won numerous awards.

1996 – 2004
National Invitational Gymnastics Competitions

The Fliers have competed nationally in many gymnastics competitions. In 1996 and again in 1997, the gymnastics team competed at the East Coast Classic that was held at the Show Place Arena in Upper Marlborough, Maryland. The girls also had an opportunity to tour Washington D.C. on both trips.

The team traveled to Orlando, Florida to compete at the "Magical Classic" and while there they had a chance to visit Walt Disney World and other area attractions.

DANCE COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS

Dance Xplosion National Dance Champions 2009 "Jungle"

McKeon Dancers Perform at Half Time for the Boston Celtics

McKeon Dance and Gymnastics Center students performed their national championship acrobatic number "Jungle" during half-time of game 4 of the Boston Celtics NBA play-off series on Sunday May 9th at the TD Garden. The dancers and gymnasts are from Milford, Hopedale, Uxbridge, Mendon, Bellingham, Franklin and other surrounding communities.

2010
EXPO - Shanghai, China

Twenty-three members of the McKeon Dance & Gymnastics Center dance team participate in Shanghai, China at the 2010 EXPO and various cultural venues throughout the city of Shanghai. The McKeon Dancers were selected to represent the US when they were recognized as exceptional performers at the April regional On Stage America Dance Competition.

2011
Dance Xplosion

Out of 158 regional competitions AROUND THE WORLD and over 65,000 routines the McKeon National Dance Team held 1st place rankings to qualify to compete for the World Title in Seacaucus, NJ where they had outstanding performances and placed in the Novice, Intermediate and Advanced divisions! Congratulations!

Saturday Night Fish Fry
Petite Novice 11 & Under - 1st Place World Champions!

Lone Ranger
Intermediate Junior 11 & Under - 2nd Place World Champions!

Turn It Up - Nationals

Matrix
Matrix Competitive 12 & Over - National Champions!
Lone Ranger Competitive 11 & Under - National Champions!

Ellen Johnson represents the United States as part of the USA Tap Team in Reisa, Germany!

Chasing Dreams

Chasing Dreams is one of the goals at McKeon Dance & Gymnastics and boy did some dreams come true when they attended the
2022 Atlantis Crown Women’s Gymnastics Invitational International Gymnastics Meet in the Bahamas on December 16-18, 2022

With approximately 50 teams in attendance, the girls excelled in their field.
Level 5 gymnast, Sarah Abeltsai, age 10, earned a 4th place on Vault (8.875), 1st place on Bars (9.575), 1st place on Beam (9.225) and 2ndplace on Floor (9.325), landing her the 1st place All Around Champion with an All Around Score of 37.00.
Level 7 gymnasts Alyssa Burdzel earned herself a 4th place award on Beam (8.625) and Cayla Cavaliere earned herself a 4th place award on Bars (8.900).
Level 8 gymnasts Annabelle Samuelson earned herself a 3rd place on Vault (8.625) and 6th on Floor (9.000) and Mackenzie Jones, worked extremely hard at her first gymnastics meet in a year as she was out due to a soccer injury, and earned herself a 1st place on Vault (9.250) and 6th on Beam (8.100).

Dreams came true for our Xcel Diamond Team who came home with a 1st Place team award (110.375).
Leading the Xcel Diamonds on their Championship award was Avery Allcock with a 6th place on Vault 6th (9.100), 1st place on Bars (9.650), 1st place on Beam (9.400), and 1st place All Around (37.150).
Jayden Kudrikow followed Avery's lead by receiving 3rd place on Vault (9.425), 5th on Bars (9.400), 8th on Beam (8.675), 7th on Floor (9.425), and received 4thplace All Around (36.725).
Lauren Horrigan put on a fabulous performance and earned 5th on Vault (9.050), 2nd on Bars (9.550) and 8th All Around (35.825).
Senior, Anastasia Lynch received 6th on Bars (8.875) and 5th on Beam (8.575)

We are so proud of our gymnasts and coaches as both work very hard at developing talents and enhancing strong character traits and creating lifetime bonds. Gymnastics is more than just cartwheels and flips. It's a means of developing and strengthening a strong foundation for life.

Lauren, Jayden, Mackenzie, Avery, Cayla, Allie, Annabelle, Ana, Sarah