Gym Blog: Instrasquad, Beaches Excite Deal
December 17, 2014 04:38 PM | General
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Preseason intrasquad meets are crucial to a collegiate gymnastics team’s success. After four long months of training endless hours in a gym with their teammates and coaches, this is generally a squad’s one opportunity to compete routines in front of judges and receive feedback before the scores count.
Add white beaches, blue skies and the hint of salt in the air, and well – you just described the West Virginia University gymnastics team’s ultimate preseason intrasquad.
Less than one month removed from their official 2015 season opener, the Mountaineers will travel to the Atlantis Resort in Paradise Island, Bahamas, this weekend for the Atlantis Crown Invitational. The perfect exclamation point to a tiring week of finals and a strenuous four months of preseason training, Saturday’s competition will be the squad’s biggest warm-up before its 2015 opener at Maryland on January 9.
“We’ve been working a lot on consistency in the gym, so this weekend in the Bahamas, we’re going to try to hit all our routines, have fun with it and show off WVU gymnastics,” senior Beth Deal explained. “Beside (November’s) Fall Classic, this is the team’s first time around judges. Getting scores not in season yet, it will be cool to see where we’re at and still have time to improve before the season starts.”
With seven newcomers on this year’s squad, Deal believes this weekend’s intrasquad is most crucial for their future success.
“I’m so excited – the seven girls that came in are really strong,” she enthused. “We’ve all meshed really well. I’m excited to see the freshmen compete and see our two transfers (Brittney Harris and Audrey Tolbert) with WVU (gear) on.”
Deal knows a thing or two about finding success early in her career, as the Parkersburg, West Virginia, native won the 2012 East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) balance beam crown as a freshman with a 9.9 score. Since then, she has staked her claim as the team’s beam anchor, pulling through with big scores, like her winning, career-best 9.95 mark at last season’s The Perfect 10 Challenge.
“My routine has changed a little bit this year like it has in past years, but I’m really excited about it and I’m really confident,” she said.
Deal, along with her teammates, will travel to the Bahamas this Friday and compete in front of judges on Saturday. The Mountaineers will return to Morgantown for a four-day holiday break on Tuesday, Dec. 23.
Pictures from the team’s trip will be posted daily on Twitter and Facebook. Also, look for a blog post from senior Lia Salzano near the end of the month recapping the Mountaineers’ adventure in the Bahamas.
****
The 2015 GymInfo Preseason Coaches’ Poll was released late last week, and six of the Mountaineers’ opponents are ranked within the Top 25, including No. 2 Oklahoma, the defending NCAA National Champion, and No. 8 Michigan. Other opponents earning a preseason ranking are: No. 16 Penn State, No. 18 Ohio State, No. 20 Denver and No. 25 Iowa State. WVU will face the Cyclones, the Pioneers and the Nittany Lions at the WVU Coliseum this season.
Though not ranked, the Mountaineers did receive votes in the coaches’ poll.
****
It’s never too early for fans to begin planning their trips to Morgantown for one of the Mountaineers’ five regular-season home meets. Following two season-opening road trips, WVU opens its home schedule and Big 12 slate on Sunday, Jan. 25, against ISU and George Washington, at 2 p.m.
The Mountaineer Ticket Office is now offering a Varsity Sports Flex Plan, a bargain for families who plan on attending a WVU varsity sporting event. Flex plan packages are available for just $20. A package provides 10 vouchers redeemable for single-game tickets at any of these WVU sporting events: baseball, gymnastics and wrestling.
Flex plan packages can be purchased online at WVUGAME.com, by calling 1-800-WVU-GAME or by stopping by the Mountaineer Ticket Office in the WVU Coliseum.
2006 Sugar Bowl Team Reunion
Saturday, November 08
TV Highlights: WVU 73, Campbell 65
Friday, November 07
Honor Huff, Treysen Eaglestaff & Brenen Lorient | Campbell Postgame
Friday, November 07
Ross Hodge | Campbell Postgame
Friday, November 07
