Having practiced since the beginning of December 2024, the gymnastics team finally earned a chance to showcase their hard work and efforts on January 14th during a meet at Wakefield High.
Since the start of the season, many new gymnasts have joined the team, including those who have “never competed ever in gymnastics,” said coach Katie Bowdridge. For the majority of the team, “this was their first meet ever,” and yet, “they all stepped up and they did a great job.”
Their first competition consisted of four events: floor, beam, vaults, and bars. About three to six people competed in each event with the opportunity to show off their skills and talents; the top four highest scores are counted as a part of the total score, and each person is scored out of ten.
Three experienced gymnasts did their routines to kick off the competition on a high-placed, uneven set of bars. Sophomore Gianna O’Neil went first and scored a 4.5, followed by sophomore Sofia Vargas who scored a 6.4, and then senior captain Ivana Marinkovic who finished off strong with a score of 7.15.
The idea of participating in a competition can be nerve-wracking, leaving some gymnasts feeling anxious and unsure. But when it comes down to the real deal, the gymnasts set those feelings aside and focus on what truly matters. “It’s very easy for doubt and fear to take over…I was a little bit uncertain, but as I got started, the events became second nature and I blocked out all of my negative thoughts,” Marinkovic proclaimed.
For the second event, four out of the 13 gymnasts displayed their routines on vaults. Doing vaults typically involves running on a soft runway to build up momentum, then jumping over a springboard while using just your hands to control how you get across it. Junior Julia Cardoso ran first and scored a 6.6, with O’Neil right behind her scoring a 6.7. All-rounder Vargas went third and scored a hefty 8.15 points, and Marinkovic went last, giving the total score an additional 7.8 points.
Floors acted as the third event for the meet. Floor is a routine in which gymnasts do several dances and a series of turns and leaps, as well as include at least three tumbling passes. “On floors, I really have to concentrate on breathing and find those areas in my routine where I can relax,” Vargas remarked. The top four highest scores out of the six came from junior Aaliyah Lopes, Cardoso, Marinkovic, and Vargas. Altogether, they added another 29.3 points to their final score.
“During the event, I was really nervous… I kept thinking I was going to mess up at any moment, but when it was over…I was really proud of myself,” freshman Alyssa Lynch commented.
The final event was beams, in which gymnasts display their skills on a high and narrow balancing beam. Freshman Phalangecia Jean Charles started with a score of 4.4, and O’Neil went second, scoring a 6.0. Vargas went third, adding another seven points, and Marinkovic concluded the event and competition with a high score of 8.2, leaving the final total score of the meet a mighty 102.8.
After performing on the beams for the first time at her first-ever competition, freshman Ayanna Mesidor claimed, “I was nervous…I think the stress of competing can also affect my overall performance, and learning to deal with it can improve how I perform overall.”
Even though they “scored above a 100 as a team” with “fewer gymnasts competing on some of the events,” Marinkovic noted, they still faced defeat against Wakefield. However, they most definitely have not lost their optimism and determination to improve. She added, “I’m very proud of my team… those who competed were very successful…we still have a lot to clean up but are ready to continue improving.”
“Although we didn’t win the meet…. It was amazing seeing everyone have fun and keep a positive attitude throughout the entire meet,” Lopes concluded.
