Saturday, March 11 the BHSS gymnastics team flipped their way to state. Taking place at Ball State University in Muncie, this was the 3rd time the BHSS team made it to state and took 7th place overall. At a typical meet you can expect to see events go in order of vault, bars, beam, then floor. Four girls compete in each event per meet. This year, Kelsey Schermer and Catherine McGibbon competed in all four, Kaylee Eurton was on vault, Emma DiLavore on beam, and Abbey Kawanishi and Ashlyn Demoss filled the remaining spots.
Senior Kelsey Schermer explained some pre-meet rituals the team has, “[before a meet] we all huddle together and talk about positive things.” Like many of the girls, Schermer has been doing gymnastics for most of her life; 15 years to be exact. This meet was particularly bittersweet for Schermer because it was the last one she will have competed in, as she does not plan to pursue gymnastics at a collegiate level.
During the team sendoff at BHSS, the love between the team members was evident. They held on to each other as they descended the stairs and passed the many faces of students, faculty, and parents cheering for them. Senior Catherine McGibbon says her favorite thing about part of the team is the motivation it gives you to do your best: “It’s awesome going out to hit your routines for your teammates and doing a good job for them, rather than yourself.”
The recent resignation of the team’s coach was another motivation for the girls to do their best. According to Schermer, “it was sad to see her go, but it gave us more motivation to make it to state. We wanted to make it for her.”
McGibbon says that although the girls did not do as well as they had hoped, it is “still something [they] are proud of.”