Adjudicating – Featured Adjudicator
REBECCA BURTON
My love and passion for Calisthenics first began as a very young competitor at a southern club called Hackham. Under the careful guidance of Ina Laybourne I began to evolve and experience what was to be a fantastic journey. Through many various experiences as a competitor and later as a demonstrator competing at the CASA State Championships and travelling to other competitions in Glen Waverley, Frankston, Geelong and Mount Gambier my thirst for Calisthenics grew and grew.As a senior I represented South Australia in Ballarat in the Senior A Grade team with Josie McGrath in 1989. I than went on to tour and perform with the Promotion team for several years. From this I started to find my desire to be a coach and began my training.
I started teaching in 1992 at Hackham and later moved onto Reynella-Braeview, Carisbrook and finally Athelstone. In 1997 I assisted in the South Australian Junior A Grade team that competed in Ballarat. In 1998 I decided to take my own team to Glen Waverley “Bureen Composite Team”. However, there were so many girls that came to be selected in the team that I couldn’t turn them away. I ended up taking 32 Intermediates!! The following year I took a team of 18 Juniors and 16 Intermediates once again to Glen Waverley. I made the move to the Athelstone-Valley View Calisthenics Club where I assisted and coached with Adele Donaldson for over 6 years, taking over the running of the club in the last year. In 2000 and 2001 I was lucky enough to be selected by CASA to coach the Intermediate A Grade team and in 2002 I took the Senior National Team to Queensland where we came 3rd overall. In 2004 I took over the running of the Seaford Calisthenic Club.
At the end of 2002 I met my husband and we now have 2 beautiful girls – Sierra 5yrs and Alyssa 2.5 yrs. I work part-time as a year 3/4 school teacher in southern Adelaide and I continue to run the Seaford Club as well as co-coach the Del Sante Senior Team with my very good friend Kim Myles. Over my coaching time I have won over 10 aggregates, more than 18 second aggregates and many divisional solos.
I am grateful for the opportunity to be an ASCA S.A branch member. I enjoy the thrill of going to a competition and enjoy seeing the fantastic, creative choreography that our coaches are developing within their teams and solo girls. I know that my skills and knowledge will continue to be extended as I grow and learn from my experiences, peers, amazingly talented and inspiring colleagues and on going training. It truly is a unique sport filled with amazing life long friendships and possibilities.
