I went to International Gymnastics Camp in June of this year for one week and Dominique Moceanu came on Friday to meet all of us.  It was sooo awesome!!! Her hands must've really hurt after giving everyone in camp got her autograph.  I have a few pictures of me and Dominique - she put her arm around me for the pictures. That was so neat.  Then my gym had the most people altogether at the camp, so we got to have a group picture with her.  My coach was invited to go to dinner with her!!!!!! But, she had dinner with Bill Roth instead.

I also went to the John Hancock U.S. National Championships in Denver.  So, I got to see her compete.  She got 9th place in the meet, but she was definitley the croud favorite - not to mention
my personal favorite.  Well, you wanted to hear of some experiences, so there you go.  I LOVE GYMNASTICS!

Level 6 GYMNAST,
Marissa  Kinney

First of all my name is Justin I live in Denver CO and im 14 well I almost had an experiance it happend when the John Hancock tour was here in Denver I had my tickets and was ready to go it was about a week away and when the gymnast got to town I checked every hotel but they wouldnt let me know if they were there so I asked my dad to help me because hes a cop and can pull
strings to let me know where they were. So he found out and I went down there but she was out shopping I did run into Amanda Borden and Jacie Phelps I waited 2 hours and she never showed so I went home and waited for the nationals to happen when they started I had front row seats I talked to her both shows she said she would talk after the show but never came back I got so fucking upset I was crying a month so now its my goal to atleast talk to her one more time and get an autograph. This is how I almost had an experience to meet her.

-justrael@hotmail.com

Well, I was at the JH tour, and I got front row seats, right by where the gymnasts walk in and out, and I had my professional camera, with a telephoto lens. The security was tight. They wouldn't let me use my camera, so I went to the 20th row to take pics, where it was dark. (You know, so they couldn't see me) I kept going down to try and talk to the gymnasts. I gave up with my camera efforts because they were using theatrical lighting, and there wasn't too much of it, so they would all come out blurry because the shutter wasn't fast enough. The head of security repedidly told me to go to my seat, and threatened to take my camera away, and kick me out, but in the long run, it was all worth it. I got yelled at   least 20 times. I first talked to Bela, and tried to get
him to give domi a picture I took of her in Feb to sigh. We talked for a minute, and he agreed, even though it was against the rules. He gave it to her, and she signed it. She gave it to Kerri. Kerri came looking for me, and we talked for a minute. She gave it to me, and I was happy. I also got to talk to Jaycie, Amanda, and some others while they were waiting to go on. Then, Domi came out, and was getting a backrub by John right bye me. I asked her to sign something else, and she said, (Right at me) "sorry they won't let me" I asked why, and she told me, and I wished her a happy birthday. I asked her something else, and right when she was responding, guess who showed up. MR. Hot shot security. He made me go to my seat, and said one more time, and he would kick me out. At least I got to talk to her, and that satisfied me. Thanks. Please respond with comments.

                        Jason
                        Gymnast@hargray.com

It all happened when my mom called me out in 2 the living room saying "Alan! Look!" and pointing at the TV. The John Hancock Tour was coming 2 MY TOWN! (Madison, WI). I was soooooooo hyped up! I bragged 2 everyone at school all the time about my autographed pictures of 'Nique and
letters! When I showed them 2 the girlz at my school, they freaked! I had been a fan of Dominique's 4 a LONG time! Finally the day came and it was time 2 go. I took off school that day 'cuz my mom is cool and she let me skip. I went 2 the store and bought 2 dozen "Sweetheart" roses 4 'Nique. Along w/ a card and a little stuffed elephant. Then we were ready 2 go. On the ride there I kept telling my mom "I'm gonna' faint, I swear I'm gonna' faint!" And she just kept saying "She is just human." Not 2 me she isn't! Then we finally got there (We were the first ones in the place) I saw Dominique Dawes stretching on the floor. I said "Look mom, there is Dominique Dawes!" and she said "Look over there." I did and I was shocked. 5 feet away from me was DOMINIQUE MOCEANU! I couldn't
move. I sat down in my front row seat and just stared. Then I thought "I better talk 2 her or at least try 2 before anyone else comes in here!" So I slowly walked up 2 the blue floor exercise mat and said a soft "Dominique." She turned around and looked at me. Then she smiled a HUGE smile! I was almost frozen it seem like. I said "Can I get a picture?" and she was walking towards me!! Then she stopped about 4 feet from me and posed, smiled and waved! I took the picture and said "Thank you so
much!" She said "I got 2 get back 2 practice. You keep writing." I said "I will." Then she smiled at me and said "Bye." I sat down and somepeople had came in by then. A couple of them tried 2 talk 2 her but she ignored them. And everytime I said something 2 her she would answer me! My mom told me that Dominique seemed 2 have a little crush on me. That made me happy! Even hearing it come from my mother! Well, if you have seen the JH tour show on TV then you will notice one part in the act
Dominique sits down on the balance beam until it is her turn again. Well, I was watching the show. And my mom tapped my shoulder and I said "What mom? Wait." and then she said "No. Look at the beam." I looked over at the beam and Dominique was staring at me! I looked back at her and smiled then she smiled and turned 2 watch the show. Every once in a while I would catch her looking at me. Then when the show was over I went up 2 her and tryed 2 give her the gifts, and a guard grabbed me and pulled me back. Dominique angrily said "It's okay!" The guards let me go, but proceeded 2 watch me like a hawk. I handed her the flowers and elephant. She said "Thank you very much." I said "You are so welcome Dominique." Then she gave me a small but memorable hug. And said "Good
bye. Keep writing." Stunned by what happened, I said "Okay bye 'Nique." She walked off and some people in the crowds were stunned at what I had accomplished! I walked away w/ a huge smile on my face. That night I cried A LOT! I think half of it was because, I met her. I actually met her. And the other half was, she had 2 leave. No one at my school believed me until I showed them the pictures. They felt mighty stupid then! Dominique is going 2 be on tour in my town again next year. Trust
me, I WILL be there! I know she'll remember me. Well, that is my experience. Thanx 4 listening.

                                   Alan Johnson
                                theman@mailbag.com or  bigballer@mindless.com

        Well, I had already seen the John Hancock tour in September, but I thought it was coming again on January 24.  But when my mom was driving me there that morning, I looked at the tickets and saw it was the Reese's Cup.  I was actually very happy that I was seeing that instead of the tour again.
       The show itself was great.  All of the gymnasts did sparkling routines, with scores ranging from 9.6 to 10.0.  The judges were Brooke Bennet, an olympic swimmer who goes to my brother's highschool :), Brandy Johnson, Bela Karolyi, and some other gymnast I can't remember.
       After the show, the athletes flew flowers out into the crowd.  I was so close to catching Dominique's because I was down there snapping pictures, but some lady grabbed them.  Then my mom and I decided we would wait by the doors to the banquet and hope they would come down.  Chris Wallers did, and he was sooooo nice!!!  Then I decided no one else was coming down and stepped away to take a sip of my soda.  Just then, everyone began to scream, "Dominique!" I looked over and nearly choked on my drink!  She peeked out the door, waved, smiled, but said she couldn't sign anything.  I tried to run over there really fast so I could shake her hand, but she had already left.
        The Hilton they were staying at was less than a minute away, and my mom and I walked down there.  We sat in the lobby waiting with other die-hard fans for a glimpse of our favorite gymnasts. Dominique Dawes came down to get a cup of coffee, but she left reallly quickly.  Later, Kim Zmeskal and Kristy Phillips came down and wree really great with the fans.  All of the guys came down: and so did Bela Karolyi.  I told him that he probably had some influence over Domi, and could he please ask her to come down?  He just laughed.
        Then I decided to take the final plunge.  I had noticed that all of the athletes had gone or come from the 4th floor, so I took the elevator up there.  I swear I heard girl's giggles, but I lost my nerve when I saw the security guard coming down the hall with an evil glare.  My mom said either I try again, or we were leaving.  So I took the elevator to eighth floor, and was going to take the stairs back to the fourth floor.  But that stupid security guy said if i didn't stop carousing the halls he would call management.  So I took the elvator back down to the lower level.  I was
sooooo depressed.  Then, the elvator stopped on the sixth floor and guess who walked in?  (drumroll).  Dominique!  I asked for an autograph and a picture and she said, "sure!"  She smiled and thew guard with her took one of both of us for me.  The elvator stopped on the fourth floor and I asked her what she was going to do. I was desperately trying to prolong my time with her.  She said, "Whatever's on!" I asked her if they were planning to come down because there were a lot of fans hoping they would.  She shook her head and smiled sort of sadly. "We probably will go to bed in fifteen minutes."  Then we said good-bye and she left.  I was sooo happy!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                -Alicia

My name's Bryan, I'm 16 yrs. old and in a band called Toxic Toast. It's a Mighty Mighty Bosstones cover band, and we do a few of our own songs. My brother Mike did advertising for Hill,Holliday, and advertising company in Boston. During my school vacation one day I got a call and it was Mike, "Hey, I'm going with these John Hancock reps and woundered if you wanted to go to Bertuchis (a pizza place that is VERY GOOD.) It was free food so I said sure.   So I got into Boston and I got to the Hill,Holliday place and Mike introduced me to the reps, "John, Tim, Amy, Bill, and Dominique is
here some where." Now saying to myself, "Hey I've heard that name before." And then she walked out and she just said "Hi." And then BOOM, I knew who she was, she was in the Olympics, and she was cute. So all I could say was "Hey, name's Bryan." So we got to the pizza place and we sat and talked for a bit about stuff, likes and dislikes, and why she was in Boston (The answer is that she was training in Massachusetts). After lunch I said, "I know your busy and all but, I'm in a band, called Toxic Toast, and we're doing a gig on Thursday, (it was tuesday at the time) at my friends fathers resturant kinda club thingy  and I was just woundering if you wanted to come to the show?"
She asked her bodyguard guy and he said it was okay and she said she would come. So I wrote down where it was, slipped in my phone number in just in case and asked her, "Have you heard any of the Bosstones songs?" She said she had heard the newest one, The Impression That I Get, so I asked her, "Do you know the words?', she said nope. I said "Okay, I think it would be cool to have you come on up to the stage and sing a little of the song, because you did say you liked to sing a bit and I could write down the words for you." She was shy about the idea at first but after a little reasuring and some beleif in her abilities she was all up for it.  So we talked a bit more about my band and life and we had to leave. Now I'm thinking, I'll see her on Thursday night. Nope, On Wensday I get a call from a girl who at first I thought was just one of my friends, and after this person telling me some stuff I heard the day before, and it hit me, this is Dominique. We talked even more about stuff, double checked the directions and the lyrics and said good night and a see ya tommorrow. And then Thursday night came. It was teen night at my freinds fathers club thingy and we usually do something that night and like usual we did. Plenty of friends, people I know, people I don't know, and then Dominique. I showed her where she could sit for the show.  I showed her the band and my other friends, most of them were psyced about meeting her and I was glad because everyone who knows me knows that I like to make people happy. So we started our gig and it was a blast. It was one of my bands best shows ever. So we came down to our last song and I called up Dominique and introduced her to the crowd, the crowd being of mostly made up of teens SCREEAMED, I mean a loud scream. I asked her if she had practiced what we went over and she said "ya." So I started the song and everything just clicked. She helped out with the second verse and the refrains, even got her to
dance a bit. I gotta say, she was awasome. It was a great time meeting her. She was funny and just cool to hang-out with. So the night ended with the only bad thing was that she had to have this bodyguard guy all night. We said goodbye but kept in tuch and when she come to Boston for the John Hancock Tour thing or anything else we always get to talk somehow.

                -Bryan

Well just yesterday, <may 8th, 1998> i was over my friend's house, whose little sister is a great gymnast. Little did i know that her and Dominique are good friends! Icant beleive me my friend never told me of this, but every summer domi practices at a gym in th next town over frome here! i wont say where, as to not upset dominique.Anyway, And maybe a couple times every week in the summer domi  goes over to that friends house!! i couldnt belive domi was in the same ouse i was in..domi has been in my little town a lot be4!!! So my friend who doesnt even care domi was in his house, told me what they do when she comes over. They everything normal kids do.They watch TV, play on the computer play soccer in the back yard.It sounds real fun.! Then a my friends house yesterday, he told me to lie on his bed, and i was like why? he said just do it. so i did, and then he said youre liing on the same bed domimique moceanu has had a nap in!! i was going nuts! then he showed me his sisters pictures and then he showed me the best thing ive ever seen in my life.... his sister has the leotard dominique moceanu wore in the 96 olympic trials!!!! and i got to hold it!!!!!!!   i was so excited!!! his sister also has domis number which i have!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! sorry i cant give it out!! i cant use it yet myself i still have to get the ok from domi

            -tim curtin