Kelowna’s Jordyn Yendley will be springing to her highest heights in October. Testing her skills against some of the world’s best at the 2016 Indo Pacific championships Oct. 21-25 in New Zealand, the young trampolinist and Active Care Athlete of the Month will compete for Canada against rivals from countries in the Indo Pacific region of the International Federation of Gymnastics.

She’ll jump in the age 13-14 category of individual trampoline, double mini trampoline, and synchronized trampoline with Okanagan Gymnastics Centre teammate, Emily Welsh. Yendley earned a berth at the Indos by way of gold medals in the individual tramp and double mini disciplines at the Canadian Gymnastics championships in Edmonton earlier this summer, besting competitors in some cases three or four years her senior.

Because this year’s Rio Olympics cancel out trampoline’s world championships, the “Indos” is the most prestigious event of the year for Canadian athletes in the sport.

“It’s really exciting,” said Yendley. “I went into nationals hoping to qualify, and then when I did it was probably more exciting than winning. It’s the biggest competition of the year and it’ll be the best of the best competing, so hopefully I can do Canada proud.”

New Zealand will be one of the farther geographical distances trampoline has taken Yendley in her competitive travels, rivaled only by her appearance at the 2015 Trampoline Gymnastics world age group competition in Denmark, where she first struck gold in the double mini event. The sport has taken her across Canada as well, touring cities throughout B.C., Alberta, and Ontario for various competitions.

But despite the escalating miles, Active Care Athlete of the Month Yendley – entering Grade 9 this fall at OKM – still finds a way to keep her report card comprised of As and Bs.

“It’s difficult sometimes, but it hasn’t affected my grades yet,” Yendley said. “I don’t always have time to do my homework on the road. Sometimes I have to cram it in when I get home instead. I expect it will only get tougher in higher grades.”

Yendley hasn’t decided on a firm academic direction yet, but what she does know for sure is that she’ll be sticking with the sport of trampoline for years to come.

“Trampoline will definitely be my sport for the long haul,” said Yendley, who spent time in dance and artistic gymnastics before settling into tramp.

If her recent results are an indication of her future trends, the 14-year-old may even find herself fulfilling her dream of one day suiting up for Canada at a future Olympiad.

Jamie Gardner, Yendley’s Okanagan Gymnastics Centre coach for the past several years, sees limitless potential in the young athlete – high praise, considering Gardner has seen the likes of former Canadian Olympic team alternates Sam Smith and Trevor Stirling come through OGC during her 11 years as a coach at the local club.

“Anything’s possible with that kid,” said Gardner. “She’s got drive and motivation. She’s a phenomenal athlete and she always works hard. She’s really passionate about the sport, and she loves what she does. Jordyn has a lot of potential.”

Coaches like Gardner and Rusty Pearce from Flip City Gymnastics Club in Vancouver are among the models from which Yendley draws inspiration — along with OGC teammates like Stirling, and also Dani Gruber.

“I definitely look up to my older teammates, but also my coaches who have gotten me here,” Yendley said.

Possibly the glitch for Active Care Athlete of the Month Yendley going forward will be deciding which event to focus on if she aspires to earn an Olympic berth – Yendley favors the double mini event, but currently only individual trampoline is featured as an Olympic sport.

With no further competitions until October, Yendley will spend remainder of her summer training in Kelowna at OGC until her departure for New Zealand.

Honourable Mention: Pierson Piche

Pierson Piche swam to eight medals to lead the newly-formed Kelowna West Kelowna Integrated Club to an outstanding performance at the B.C. triple-A long course swimming championships in Victoria in July.

Competing in the 11-and-under boys division, Piche posted personal-best times in every swim while claiming gold in the 100 backstroke with a PB time of 1:10.97.

He added provincial silver medals in the 100-, 200- and 400-metre freestyle events, the latter second-place finish seeing Piche knock 17 seconds off his previous best time.

Other silver-medal efforts came in the 200 backstroke and 200 individual medley while he added bronze in the 800 free and 400 individual medley (14 seconds better than his previous PB).

Earlier in the year, Piche earned three silver medals and set eight Liquid Lightning Swim Club records at the Swim BC short course AAA championships in Victoria.

Honourable Mention: Brock Hoel

Brock Hoel of West Kelowna highlighted the individual medal haul by Central Okanagan athletes at the B.C. Summer Games in Abbotsford with three gold-medal finishes.

The 15-year-old kicked off the Zone 2 (Thompson-Okanagan) medal march by leading from start to finish en route to gold in the boys triathlon event (500-metre swim, 10 km bike and 3 km run).

It wasn’t anything new for the 15-year-old. He also won the B.C. Games qualifying meet in Kamloops, the Kal-Rats Tri in Vernon and the NorthShore Triathlon leading up to the Games.

“When I realized I had a big lead coming out of the water (Albert Dyck Lake), I settled in and just paced myself knowing that I had the duathlon (run and bike) and aquathlon coming up,” said Hoel, who will also compete in the upcoming Kelowna Pushor Mitchell Apple Triathlon (Aug. 21-23) and the Canadian junior championships in Edmonton in September.

Hoel obviously saved enough after the triathlon, going on to take B.C. Games gold in both the duathlon and the aquathlon.