Spring Break
Gymnastics fall to Oshkosh on Friday
Team faces practicing challenges because of renovations to McPhee Center gyms
Breann Schossow
Issue date: 1/29/09 Section: Sports
Normally, the UW-Eau Claire gymnastics team would have started practice for this year's season in October. But between renovations, a wall collapse and lack of heat in their gym at McPhee, head coach Jean DeLisle said practice did not truly get going until November, putting the team three weeks behind in training compared to other teams.
"It's been a tough beginning to what we were hoping was going to be a great season," DeLisle said. "I still feel like it can be and it will be."
Despite these difficulties, DeLisle said the team maintained a good attitude and that she's grateful for her assistant teaching staff. One of the team's best characteristics would be its team unity and dynamic.
"Had we not had a strong, united team and a great bond, I think we would have fallen apart," she added.
This season is also an opportunity for senior Theresa Lynch to return to competition. In the previous season, Lynch suffered an injury and was unable to participate in any meets.
Since then, Lynch has returned to competition and has competed at the three meets held thus far, she said.
Concerning the difficulties at the beginning of the season, Lynch said the team knew that other teams had been practicing more than them. But Lynch said for the team, this helped them.
"I think, overall, it's made us stronger as a team because we've been able to rely on ourselves outside the gym," Lynch said.
The Div. III team kicked off their season at a Div. I meet at the Air Force Academy in Colorado. DeLisle said that while the meet was not great, some wonderful things did occur.
"It was just a good indication of where we were," DeLisle said.
After their trip to Colorado, the Lady 'Golds hosted an invite Jan. 16 at McPhee where they competed against the UW-LaCrosse Eagles and UW-Stout Blue Devils. While taking third in the event with a score of 171.725, nine points below the Eagles, DeLisle said they competed well on vault and uneven bars. But the other two events, beam and floor, did not go as well.
"Our lack of concentration, I think, is what got in our way in the last two events," DeLisle said.
DeLisle added that while the team needs to build upon all the events, vault seems to be furthest along. She also said that a personal goal for next week's meet is for the team to increase their start values by a tenth or two, and cut their falls in half.
Lynch agreed with DeLisle that vault stands out due to the number of great vaulters with a lot of potential.
A week later, the team traveled to UW-Oshkosh for a dual meet where they managed to secure three first-place event finishes in the uneven bars, beam and vault.
Despite these finishes, the team fell to Oshkosh with a score of 164.925 to 170.050.
The gymnastics team will travel to Menomonie tomorrow to compete against Oshkosh, Stout and Gustavus Adolphus (Minn.). The meet will begin at 6 p.m.
"It's been a tough beginning to what we were hoping was going to be a great season," DeLisle said. "I still feel like it can be and it will be."
Despite these difficulties, DeLisle said the team maintained a good attitude and that she's grateful for her assistant teaching staff. One of the team's best characteristics would be its team unity and dynamic.
"Had we not had a strong, united team and a great bond, I think we would have fallen apart," she added.
This season is also an opportunity for senior Theresa Lynch to return to competition. In the previous season, Lynch suffered an injury and was unable to participate in any meets.
Since then, Lynch has returned to competition and has competed at the three meets held thus far, she said.
Concerning the difficulties at the beginning of the season, Lynch said the team knew that other teams had been practicing more than them. But Lynch said for the team, this helped them.
"I think, overall, it's made us stronger as a team because we've been able to rely on ourselves outside the gym," Lynch said.
The Div. III team kicked off their season at a Div. I meet at the Air Force Academy in Colorado. DeLisle said that while the meet was not great, some wonderful things did occur.
"It was just a good indication of where we were," DeLisle said.
After their trip to Colorado, the Lady 'Golds hosted an invite Jan. 16 at McPhee where they competed against the UW-LaCrosse Eagles and UW-Stout Blue Devils. While taking third in the event with a score of 171.725, nine points below the Eagles, DeLisle said they competed well on vault and uneven bars. But the other two events, beam and floor, did not go as well.
"Our lack of concentration, I think, is what got in our way in the last two events," DeLisle said.
DeLisle added that while the team needs to build upon all the events, vault seems to be furthest along. She also said that a personal goal for next week's meet is for the team to increase their start values by a tenth or two, and cut their falls in half.
Lynch agreed with DeLisle that vault stands out due to the number of great vaulters with a lot of potential.
A week later, the team traveled to UW-Oshkosh for a dual meet where they managed to secure three first-place event finishes in the uneven bars, beam and vault.
Despite these finishes, the team fell to Oshkosh with a score of 164.925 to 170.050.
The gymnastics team will travel to Menomonie tomorrow to compete against Oshkosh, Stout and Gustavus Adolphus (Minn.). The meet will begin at 6 p.m.
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