2008 Woodie Awards
Inconsistency plagues gymnastics
CMU scores season high, but falters Sunday with 191.950
By: Justin Berndt
Issue date: 3/12/08 Section: Sports
The gymnastics team still is searching for its identity with two meets left in the regular season.
Little more is known about the Chippewas than at the beginning of the season when a young team made it difficult to gauge the possibilities.
In the last two weeks the Chippewas scored a season-high 194.075, as well as a 191.950, their lowest score in more than a month. With less than a month until the Mid-American Conference Championship meet, the team is trying to figure out how to find the consistency it has displayed in prior years.
"It's really frustrating because most of us aren't used to losing and so we're just like, 'What are we doing wrong?'" said senior Jenna D'Alie. "I know it clicked two weeks ago, but it needs to click every meet and we feel like we're running out of ideas to help us."
On Sunday at the North Carolina State Quad, the Chippewas reverted to their previous form and finished with their lowest score since they posted the same score Feb. 2 at the State of Michigan Classic with a 191.950.
"We're really lacking the competitive experience that can lay down the foundation for our younger athletes to follow," said coach Jerry Reighard. "I think we've made some improvements, in particular (freshman) Cheryl Conlin has really made an impact the past two weeks. She's competing with a lot more confidence and improving her scores. That's going to be an advantage for her and us."
It seemed the team had solved its troubles by counting no falls against Northern Illinois en route to its only score of 194 or higher this season (194.075).
"It was nice to see the whole team collaborate at once, and it really helped our confidence; we just need to carry on that confidence," said sophomore Kyla Krygier. "We always talk about potential so is made us feel better."
One thing the Chippewas insist they will not do is change their routines. Reighard said with the exception of Conlin, the routines are essentially set.
"All of our athletes are performing 10.0 routines, so we're ready in that aspect," he said. "I don't see at this point that we're going to make any changes to the routine. At this point we're just going to refine the ones we have and that's where we're going to be."
D'Alie said the team can score higher without changing anything.
"We know the routines we hit (against NIU) weren't even our best ones so we know we can go 195," D'Alie said. "We know we can do way better than that."
sports@cm-life.com
Little more is known about the Chippewas than at the beginning of the season when a young team made it difficult to gauge the possibilities.
In the last two weeks the Chippewas scored a season-high 194.075, as well as a 191.950, their lowest score in more than a month. With less than a month until the Mid-American Conference Championship meet, the team is trying to figure out how to find the consistency it has displayed in prior years.
"It's really frustrating because most of us aren't used to losing and so we're just like, 'What are we doing wrong?'" said senior Jenna D'Alie. "I know it clicked two weeks ago, but it needs to click every meet and we feel like we're running out of ideas to help us."
On Sunday at the North Carolina State Quad, the Chippewas reverted to their previous form and finished with their lowest score since they posted the same score Feb. 2 at the State of Michigan Classic with a 191.950.
"We're really lacking the competitive experience that can lay down the foundation for our younger athletes to follow," said coach Jerry Reighard. "I think we've made some improvements, in particular (freshman) Cheryl Conlin has really made an impact the past two weeks. She's competing with a lot more confidence and improving her scores. That's going to be an advantage for her and us."
It seemed the team had solved its troubles by counting no falls against Northern Illinois en route to its only score of 194 or higher this season (194.075).
"It was nice to see the whole team collaborate at once, and it really helped our confidence; we just need to carry on that confidence," said sophomore Kyla Krygier. "We always talk about potential so is made us feel better."
One thing the Chippewas insist they will not do is change their routines. Reighard said with the exception of Conlin, the routines are essentially set.
"All of our athletes are performing 10.0 routines, so we're ready in that aspect," he said. "I don't see at this point that we're going to make any changes to the routine. At this point we're just going to refine the ones we have and that's where we're going to be."
D'Alie said the team can score higher without changing anything.
"We know the routines we hit (against NIU) weren't even our best ones so we know we can go 195," D'Alie said. "We know we can do way better than that."
sports@cm-life.com
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