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Kelly Oberbillig brought home a dozen medals from a national unicycling competition earlier this month.

Milton student takes home 12 medals for unicycling

By Meghan Erkkinen

Unicycler and incoming Surprise Lake Middle School sixth grader Kelly Oberbillig brought home a dozen medals from a national unicycling competition earlier this month. Oberbillig competed in about 20 events at the North American Unicycle Convention and Championships (NAUCC) in Rapid City, S.D., July 6-12.

“We’re really proud of her,” said Kelly’s mom Karen Oberbillig, who also traveled out to the competition. “We were pleasantly surprised that she did so well.”

One of Kelly Oberbillig’s best events was the obstacle course, where she weaved through cones to complete the event on top of other competitors. Kelly Oberbillig admitted that weaving through cones comes easily for her, while it does not seem to for other unicyclers.

Oberbillig also placed first for her freestyle routine, which she did to a song by The Romantics called “Shake A Tail Feather.” For the routine, she wore a leotard with feathers stitched to it, feather cuffs and feathers in her hair.

“When I didn’t hear my name (announced) from fifth to second (place), I wasn’t sure whether I was going to get first or none,” she said. “It was really surprising.”

She traveled out to the competition with her teammates at a school in North Bend. About 20 teammates participated in total. Although she practices with the North Bend team twice a week during the school year, Oberbillig got her start – and continues to work with her teammates – at Endeavour Intermediate School, where she has practiced since second grade.

Even though she has graduated from Endeavour, Oberbillig said she plans to continue practicing with her teammates there and help out where she can.

Oberbillig opted out of going to the international competition this year, which is in Denmark. However, she said she would continue practicing for next year’s national competitions, which will be in Minnesota. Already, she has a list of what she plans to work on to increase her skill level for next year’s event. And although her North Bend team is taking a break for the summer, Oberbillig plans to keep up her skills before going back to work with the team in November.

“It was definitely fun,” Oberbillig said of the competition. “I’m going to go again,” she said, then looked at her mom before adding, “if she allows it.”

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