COLUMN: Goals still in front of gymnastics team
Five-time Mid-American Conference Champions is a formidable title to live up to.
The Central Michigan University gymnastics team started slow but are off to the races early on in the season.
Yet, Head Coach Jerry Reighard’s squad has improved every meet despite an early defeat at the hands of No. 11 Illinois.
In gymnastics gaining an entire point higher in each meet is a night and day difference.
CMU fell to Illinois 193.475- 195.175, six days after the Chippewas scored 195.875 to win a tri meet. That score would have beat any of the teams they have faced this season and a score that Reighard said he was a little disappointed with.
The very next meet, the Chippewas hit their goal and more with a 196.175 win over Ball State.
CMU now sits well with their latest score posted against the rest of its divisional matchups.
In the team’s last meet, the Chippewas were very consistent. Each gymnast posted scores Reighard has expected and knew what they are capable of. With such a high score early on in the season, the national title dreams are more real than ever.
Heading into the heart of the season, facing MAC rivals and finishing the season with nationally ranked opponents, CMU needs to stay consistent.
Reighard’s standards are set to score 196 or better every meet. 196 can win the Mid-American Conference for the sixth consecutive time easily.
Season highs have been set in all categories, but with the intentions and goals the team has for itself, they need a 49 in each event, something they have yet to accomplish.
For a team loaded with veterans and MAC champions, the 196 mark needs to be consistently reached. If their consistency and overall trend of bettering their last scores continues, national dreams will become reality.
