Thursday, October 1, 2026
Three young gymnasts from Sea Cliff are preparing to take the mat in Utica at the 2025 Level 6-7-8 Regional Championships for USA Gymnastics Region 6. Sofia Bonelli, 12, Stella Schneidermesser, 12, and Sophia Krivinsky, 11, have earned their spots on New York’s team, a testament to years of training, dedication, and perseverance in a highly competitive sport.
The three athletes train at Mid Island Gymnastics and Infiniti Elite Gymnastics, and their performances at the New York State Championships in Utica secured their places at the regional competition, 24 to 27. There they will face top gymnasts from New York, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts.
“The girls are super excited. It’s an honor to be actually on the team and be able to represent New York because it’s not an easy task,” said Tammy Marshall, owner of Infiniti Elite and coach for Bonelli and Schneidermesser. “There were over 250 athletes for those 150 spots. It really shows how hard they’ve worked and what they put in for the season.”
Bonelli and Schneidermesser, both students at North Shore Middle School, have been involved in gymnastics for several years. Schneidermesser started competitively four years ago, while Bonelli began three years ago.
Both gymnasts described a journey filled with challenges and growth.
“I struggled in the first year,” Bonelli said, “but then during the summer, I got better because we spent a lot of time [training].”
Schneidermesser agreed, noting that the summer months can be particularly demanding.
“During the competitive season, I love competing, but during the summer, it’s kind of difficult because it’s so many hours. But it’s definitely gotten better because of the competition.”
For both gymnasts, qualifying for regionals was a major milestone.
“I was very excited because I was close to making it last year, but I didn’t,” Bonelli said. “So, this year was really exciting.”
Schneidermesser shared similar sentiments. “I got my highest all-around, and it was really exciting because I didn’t think I was going to do that.”
Krivinsky, a student at Sea Cliff Elementary School who trains at Mid Island, started gymnastics at age four and has been competing for four years. Last year, she became the first Level 6 gymnast from her program to qualify for regionals, following a rule change that allowed gymnasts at that level to compete.
Now at Level 7, Krivinsky is confident as she prepares for her second regional appearance. She credited her coaches Sasha Baybakov and Nelli Safronova with helping her reach this pinnacle.
“I’m really excited, and I feel confident,” she said. “I’ve been practicing a lot, and I feel good about myself.”
The gymnasts spend more than 20 hours per week training with increased intensity in the summer.
“They train six hours a day, four days a week, and four hours on the fifth day,” Marshall said. “They’ve really come into themselves this year, and it’s exciting to see them shine.”
Their routines for regionals remain the same as those they’ve performed throughout the season, but now the focus is on refining them. “We’re just going to try and polish them,” Marshall said.
Each gymnast has events they favor. Bonelli enjoys the floor exercise. “I like it because I get to show my personality through my routine,” she said.
Schneidermesser prefers the beam. “I just really like it,” she said.
Krivinsky enjoys multiple events. “I really like bars,” she said. “And I also like floor and beam.”
While their focus is on the upcoming competition, all three gymnasts have long-term aspirations in the sport.
“After regionals, we’re going to work on getting skills for Level 8,” Schneidermesser said. “I’m hoping to get all my skills so I can start working on Level 9.”
Krivinsky also has her sights set on continued success, after getting first place all around in two New York State Championships, in 2022 and 2023.
Both Bonelli and Schneidermesser hope to continue gymnastics into college.
“I’m trying to maybe get a scholarship to go to a really good college,” Schneidermesser said, “and be on the team.”
For now, all three Sea Cliff gymnasts continue to train, push themselves, and prepare for the moment they take the floor—representing their state, their gyms, and their hometown.
