Foley, Alabama, 40 miles southeast of Mobile, will be packed Dec. 1-3 with more than just the usual array of holiday shoppers as the Alabama Compulsory State Meet visits the Foley Event Center, bringing about 1,000 gymnasts and their families.
The Compulsory Meet features the best gymnasts in the state as every competitor has to have earned a certain score at invitational meets throughout the season. The gymnasts will range in age from 5 to 15, with levels one through five represented. Everyone will compete in vault, bars, beam, floor and all-around categories.
While this is the second gymnastics meet the Foley Event Center has hosted, it will be almost double the size of the previous event, the Bounders Beach Bash, which was held in September.
Compulsory Meet co-director Erin Holdefer-Kightlinger says she knew the area would be the perfect fit for the meet because of the success of the Bounders Beach Bash.
“Foley has an amazing facility and wonderful people to work with,” said Holdefer-Kightlinger. “The facility is huge and can fit the big meet comfortably. We are hoping that this meet will be exciting for the businesses of Foley since it will draw almost 1,000 gymnasts and their families.”
Foley Sports Tourism Complex Director David Thompson said the facility hopes to continue a strong relationship with the gymnastics community moving forward.
“Gymnastics will always have a special place at the Foley Event Center because our inaugural event was a gymnastics meet,” Thompson said. “While we are working closely on other sports like volleyball and basketball, we remain committed to making Foley a gymnastics destination.”
Spectators are welcome at the Alabama Compulsory State Meet. The event kicks off at noon December 1. Admission is $8 for adults, $3 for children, with weekend passes available for $18. For more information on this or any FSTC visit their website at www.FoleySportsTourism.com
The Foley Events Center is a 90,000-square foot, multi-use indoor facility that offers more than 50,000-square-feet of open floor space, providing plenty of room for six basketball courts, 12 volleyball courts and 12 pickleball courts along with its ability to host gymnastics, cheerleading and dance competitions.
