Jan. 10, 2016
By Mandy Bell, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. ââ'¬" The Penn State women's gymnastics team kicked off its 2016 season in front of a whiteout crowd Saturday afternoon in Rec Hall. A close-knit Nittany Lion team came up just short, 194.700-194.125, against North Carolina State in the season-opener.
"We will have meets like this where we have the fall bug," head coach Jeff Thompson said. "But we are going to have meets maybe like next weekend where we upset a Nebraska or somebody that we are not supposed to beat."
The falls came during the third rotation as the Nittany Lions took on the balance beam. Penn State came up short on the event, 49.075-47.950. It was the only event that the Nittany Lions did not win on the afternoon.
"To have three falls on the beam at the first meet of the year is disappointing, but it is also something we can learn from," Thompson said. "Until you have those teachable moments, you can't really advance."
Inexperience calls for teachable moments and the Nittany Lions have just that. Of the 14 gymnasts on the roster, seven are freshmen and one is a junior transfer.
"Having a lot of freshmen is not a challenge, it's more of an opportunity," Thompson said. "There's eight new people and they will all be back next year."
Besides the seven freshmen, the other half of the Nittany Lion's team is made up of three sophomores and four juniors. Without having senior guidance on the team, Coach Thompson turns to his quartet of juniors to lead his young team.
"I'm making sure I am being a good leader as a junior," Brown said. "But because our chemistry is so close-knit, it doesn't make it as hard."
Brown is not the only person who believes this team is close. Coach Thompson believes that this is the only team he has ever coached that has gotten so close so quickly.
"This is the closest team that we have ever had at the beginning of the season," Thompson said. "Normally, it takes until mid February after they have shared a hotel room together and got to know each other, that's when you see the team come together. But, it's already happened and that's the coolest thing."
"Competing at college is different [from high school] because it's not just for yourself anymore," freshman Sabrina Garcia said. "It's all for your team."
Having the close-knit bond and the "team first" mentality is something that the gymnasts and coaches believe will carry this team throughout the season.
"We know there are great things in store for this team," Thompson said. "But it's going to be a roller coaster."