Running through her routine, junior Makayla Fox endures yet another daily practice, hoping to achieve her gymnastics goals for the season. “I want to improve my personal records. The team’s goal this year is to try and make it to Regionals,” she said.  Photo contributed by: Cassi Quissell

By Pauline Dagaas

The Plymouth High School girls’ gymnastics team continues training for the upcoming season, using their dedication and love for the sport as motivation.

Last season, the girls’ gymnastics team considered their season successful, having advanced to Regional for the first time in several years.  Whether or not this season’s team will surpass the previous year’s accomplishments remains unknown. However, the girls carry a hopeful attitude, practicing daily to achieve the best.

Though a few of the team’s key gymnasts have graduated, their legacy continues through the underclassmen. Many are confident in their capabilities and the potential of their team, despite the loss of last year’s seniors. Sophomore Cassi Quissell said, “This year’s team is going to rock!” If anything, the majority of the members believe that the team’s skills have only increased. Senior Traci Longanecker stated, “I think that this year we are going to have bigger skills.”

However, several gymnasts agreed that honing these “skills” requires commitment. “You have to be willing to test yourself,” said junior Kaylee Vendola. She explains the typical practice and the physical challenges stating, “We start by stretching, then complete our lines which involves doing front and back walk-overs, front and back handsprings, round-offs, cartwheels, handstands, et cetera. Our coach then puts us on an event (beam, bars, vault, or floor) and tells us guidelines of what we need to work on.” Additionally, the risk involved in this sport can potentially add stress, calling for an even deeper commitment. Letting go of fears, for instance, tends to be a difficult task for beginning gymnasts. “So many things that we do can end our life or severely injure us in a moment,” said Longanecker.

However, the majority of the team has experience, making the sport an easier commitment. Quissell and Longanecker for example, became involved in gymnastics at a young age, Quissell at eight years old and Longanecker since age five. Both loved it and were encouraged to pursue it in high school.

In spite of this, dedicating one’s time to gymnastics still upholds its challenges, whether it be the physical trials or even academic and social ones. The desire to maintain substantial grades, have time to spend with friends and family, and succeed in gymnastics often leaves the scale of life unbalanced. “I’m involved in a lot of activities and it’s hard to juggle everything!” said junior Makayla Fox.

Considering the potentially chaotic schedule, it may be difficult to comprehend why these students continue competing. In Quissell’s case, her desire to compete stems from pure passion. “I’ve grown up doing it and I love the thrill of knowing that I’m risking my life everyday doing what I love,” she said. Others continue gymnastics because of the life skills one develops. Fox said, “You make new friends. You learn things not just about the sport, but also about life.” Vendola agrees, stating that because of gymnastics she now understands the value of hard work. “Nothing feels better than when you’ve been working on something for a very long time and you finally nail it. It makes you 110 percent stronger than before,” she said.

Keeping such lessons in mind, PHS gymnasts practice daily to achieve their goals both as a team and individually. In terms of the team’s goals, they are working to once again advance to Regionals and break the PHS team points record. Individually, the goals vary among each gymnast. Longanecker, for example, hopes to eventually pull a front tuck mount on the beam and Quissell hopes to advance to State, having missed it by a tenth of a point her freshman year.

So far, their efforts have proven to be successful, winning their first two meets at Elkhart Central and Lowell. The Pilgrim Perspective wishes everyone on the girls gymnastics team the best of luck as they head to the Merrillville Invitational this weekend.