COLUMN: CMU's best athletic team: Gymnastics, in action Saturday
OK Central Michigan students, pop quiz time. On the time that you’ve been on campus, which athletic program has been the best?
It’s not the football program that none of you have probably went to see.
It’s not the basketball team that is currently falling apart at the seams.
Women’s soccer comes close, and so does wrestling.
But they all fall a little short when it comes to CMU’s best athletic program: Gymnastics.
Gymnastics has won two Mid-American Conference titles in a row, and have a third clinched, going for the outright title Saturday. The last time the gymnastics team lost to a MAC opponent was more than two years ago.
Saturday, CMU hosts Western Michigan, our biggest rival in a championship meet. The atmosphere for any other sporting event featuring these two schools for a championship would be wild.
Support your team while you’re still on campus, because this could be your last opportunity to watch CMU beat WMU in a championship meeting.
The meet is on Saturday at 1 p.m., yes, St. Patrick’s Day, but it fits in perfectly. You can start your St. Patrick’s Day festivities early, whatever they include, and take a two-hour break at McGuirk Arena to cheer and go nuts for CMU.
After CMU beats WMU for the championship, (yes CMU is that good where I can say that with ease) you can cap the rest of your day celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with a Chippewas Championship over the arch-rival.
In case you didn’t know, the gymnastics team has one of the best athletes in the country in senior Kristin Teubner. She won MAC Gymnast of the Year last year and is well on her way to win it again this year.
I was hesitant to cover gymnastics at the beginning of the year, but it has easily turned into one of my favorite sports to watch in person. The routines and events that these girls do are close to dare-devil stunts. One wrong move and their back, neck or leg could easily be broken, but they have no sense of fear. It’s truly something to witness, and you can witness it at the top level of collegiate competition.
Come to McGuirk Arena at 1 pm on St. Patrick’s Day and witness the birth of another CMU championship team. Then go out and celebrate the victory with some refreshments.
