Gymnasts Ready for Approaching Season

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Team poses after final match of the 2018-2019 season at districts (via @KHSgymnasts on Twitter)

Joseph Bauer, Staff Writer

The girls varsity gymnastics team kicks off their second season January 13th, and this year they’re focused on setting a foundation of hard work and togetherness.

 

Sydney Mader, a senior, will be a returning member of the team. Regarding this season, she is most excited about seeing the progress the team has made in their off season.

 

“We practiced over the summer, so it’s really cool to see how the girls improved into this year,” Mader said.

 

Mader has been in gymnastics since she was two years old, and she prefers the school’s team over club teams and their strict rules. Head coach Emily Chapman is able to take a more relaxed approach to bettering her gymnasts, and emphasizes the importance of connectedness on the team.

 

“We hope to build a stronger team, not only physically, but also in our relationships with each other and our commitment to the sport,” said Chapman. “Sportsmanship and responsibility are top priorities for us as we are learning to work together as a team, even though gymnastics is an individual sport.”

 

Chapman is grateful to be coaching the new team; gymnastics is the sport she’s always loved, and she’s “so blessed to be able to remain involved and coach these wonderful athletes.” 

 

Mader’s favorite part of the previous season was getting to know the other girls on the team, and that’ll be one of the things she misses next year.

The girls took a team trip to a pumpkin patch

“I’m going to miss doing gymnastics the most, but then just having a team that’s like a family, because they’re like a second family to me,” Mader said. 

 

For their first match, the team will face off against multiple other schools for the CCDS Indian Cup. Mader is confident that, due to the team’s over-the-summer improvements, this will be a much better season than the last.