Emma Cox performed several tembling passes Sunday for family and supporters gathered at the Joplin Boys and Girls Club to wish her good luck at Azerbaijan.

Emma Cox is almost on her way to compete with Team USA at Baku

Emma’s grandmother, Brenda Elliott, was one of Emma’s fans giving her a goodbye hug.

After the home football game Friday, one of the cheerleaders, Emma Cox, will be driven to Kansas City for a flight to New York and beyond.

Emma is bound for the Baku, Azerbaijan, where she will compete with Team USA Youth Elite Tumbling in the World Age Group Championships.

This will be her first international competition, but she has already been a gold medalist in state, regional and national events. She is a nine-year veteran of The Flip Shop, training under Teddy Johnson.

Two days of training with the USA team awaits Emma once she arrives in Baku for the championships, which will run Nov. 21 – 29. Emma will compete Nov. 28 on a team of four as well as individually. The time zone is 9 hours earlier, so television coverage is uncertain at this time.

Her parents, Ashley and Don Cox, will certainly be posting updates on Facebook.

Unfortunately, because of security and COVID-19 concerns, there will be no sightseeing for the team, but as her mom says, “she’ll be safe.”

Emma Cox (blue-white jacket) is surrounded Sunday by her fans.