JOHN KOVACH | Colleges Ron Ferris earns All-American honors

COLUMBUS -- Ron Ferris of Austintown is competing with the big boys of collegiate gymnastics, and demonstrating that he is one of them.
Ferris, a sophomore on the Ohio State gymnastics team from Fitch High, placed fifth in the high bar at the recent NCAA Division I Championships to gain All-American honors, and help the Buckeyes to a fourth-place finish.
Earlier in the season, he won the high bar at the Big Ten Championships for his first league crown.
And this spring and summer, he is hoping to qualify for the USA Championships and the U.S. Olympic Trials.
So it has been a season of growth and promise for Ferris, a Fitch High graduate who learned the basic fundamentals of gymnastics from his mother, Cheryl, and father, Ron, at the Ohio Gymnastics Institute.
Valuable experience
"It was definitely a learning season and a good season to experience. It was a good opportunity to experience the [NCAA] finals and what it takes for me to win," Ferris said. "I know now what it takes to win and it will help me next year."
Ferris, who was in his second NCAA meet, compiled a score of 9.537 points in the high bar for his fifth place last Sunday at Assembly Hall on the University of Illinois campus in Champaign, Ill.
Ohio State placed fourth with 221.35 points, behind winner Penn State (223.35).
Last year, Ferris placed ninth on parallel bars in the NCAA meet with 8.45, to help Ohio State to a second-place finish.
Also last year at the Big Ten Championships, he was sixth on parallel bars with an 8.7.
All-American
Ferris was one of three Ohio State All-Americans this year -- and the highest finisher of the trio in individual events.
All-American honors went to the top six U.S.-born gymnasts competing in the individual championships.
"It wasn't my best high bar score this year. It was a good score, but I have done better," said Ferris of his 9.537 at the NCAA meet.
"Most of it is form, [and] bending knees and arms will lower your score, and also your landing without moving feet [is important]," said Ferris, who blamed his routine.
"It wasn't anything that I was lacking. It just was not my best routine. It was definitely sloppy form-wise," he said. "You can select your routine. I feel I can do better, but the guys that beat me are good on the high bars."
He said his best high bar score was 9.65 this year.
Training for USA qualifier
Ferris plans to stay in Columbus this spring and summer to train for the 2004 USA Gymnastics Championships June 2-5 in Nashville, and to get ready for next season. But first he will have to qualify on April 24 in Colorado Springs, Colo., at the Olympic Training Center.
Ron's father believes that his son has an excellent chance to make the USA Championships."
"He just invented a new move on the high bar that I saw during a recent visit to Columbus," said the elder Ferris. "He is going to unveil his new move at the qualifier for the USA Gymnastics championship."
He said the new move is impressive, and that introducing a new move can be pivotal. "This improves his chances. It's a huge edge," said the elder Ferris, noting that the USA Championships will serve as a qualifier for the U.S. Olympic Trials carded June 24-27 in Anaheim, for the 2004 Olympic Games.
Brother also standout
Ron's brother, David, a senior at Fitch, also is an outstanding gymnast who learned from his parents at the Ohio Gymnastics Institute.
David recently placed ninth in floor exercise at the USA Gymnastics Junior Olympic Region 5 Championships with 8.95 points, and had an all-around score of 45.3 to qualify for the USA Gymnastics Junior Olympic National Championships in San Diego May 6-9.
David will attend the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md.
"He was recruited strongly by the U.S. Naval Academy for gymnastics," said his father.
The elder Ron said both sons competed in USA Gymnastics age-group programs while growing up, and that Fitch was very supportive. Ron competed in the junior and senior divisions, Dave in the junior division.
The father said the brothers' mother, Cheryl, has been a big factor in their development.
"She got them started in gymnastics and put them on a good path with good basics and a love for the sport," said Ron.
kovach@vindy.com