It is an event that relies on the gymnast’s feet, a strong core and total focus in order to complete a successful routine. CMU coach Jerry Reighard said there are more crucial components to success on the balance beam in addition to balance.

“It really is a total body shaping that allows you to stay on,” he said. “Your core is the most important thing.”

With a width of 4 inches, success on the balance beam correlates with keen positioning, despite the proportional differences in the size of a gymnast, Reighard said.

“You’re probably 20 inches wide, and you have to center all of the time over that four inches,” he said.

The final area of concern on the beam is focus. Reighard said the apparatus requires a high degree of concentration and can challenge some of the younger gymnasts not used to the collegiate atmosphere. On an event that requires several flips, twists and spins, Reighard said focus is preached since the first day in the gym.

“I use the example, ‘If you hear a baby cry in the audience, than you’re not focused,’” he said.

Despite below-normal scores for CMU’s standard early in the season against Illinois State and Utah State, Reighard said progression occurs in a season, especially on an event as challenging as the balance beam. However, as the season evolves, he said he expects the scores to build up each meet.

The gymnasts are expected to perfect these skills during the weeks of practice. Reighard has instilled a “war games” aspect within his practices in order to push his team. He requires each gymnast to perform an event 10 times in a row without faltering.

“We think that simulates the same kind of pressure you will have in a competition,” he said. “It’s a mental training.”

Leading the beam

Senior Katie Simon and juniors Cheryl Conlin and Andrea de la Garza scored higher than 9.75 in the team’s win last weekend at the State of Michigan Classic in Kalamazoo. Sophomore Kristin Teubner (9.75) and freshman Britney Taylor (9.75) added .25 to their scores from the first meet at Illinois State.

Simon scored a 9.8 on the balance beam at the meet, winning the event and also the all-around.

Senior Jessica Suder has provided a lift on the beam for the Chippewas. Returning to the lineup against Eastern Michigan (9.625), Suder posted a 9.7 last weekend. Reighard said he was pleased with the effort by Suder as she rebounds from a broken foot.

The perfect fit

When recruiting gymnasts for an event, there are several factors to consider.

A majority of the education a gymnast goes through takes place at the private-club level. A routine’s difficulty also is taught there as a gymnast goes through two distinct levels of training before entering a college gym.

Compulsory routines begin around age 4 and last until age 12. This is where the basic foundation of skills is implemented. The second step they progress to is the optionals stage — where they begin to learn the high-level skills, such as flipping and twisting. Reighard said he focuses his recruiting on the total athlete but, in recent years, has felt he can develop more beam workers.

“For the last few years, we have recruited vaulting and bar workers,” he said. “We feel like we can train those athletes to be better beam workers.”