Gymnastics team reaches new heights
With a new facility and an increased number of team members, the Liberty University gymnastics team has raised the bar this season.
According to team captain Alyssa Frost, the gymnastics team is comprised of two women’s teams with a total of nine women and one men’s team composed of four men, but due to an injury, only three men are currently competing. This is the first year Liberty has had a full men’s team.
Frost, a senior exercise science major, said she thinks the team gets along well, and each member is very supportive of one another.
According to Frost, Liberty’s Christian community allows team members to share a common bond, something that brings them closer and allows them to perform better.
“It definitely has a huge benefit, not just doing it for ourselves, but doing it for God,” Frost said.
As the captain for the Liberty team for the second year in a row, Frost said she believes her role as captain is to maintain a positive attitude and encourage her teammates as they work hard inside and outside of practice.
The team practices Monday and Wednesday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., Thursday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Frost added that the team also started lifting weights at the LaHaye Student Union gym Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 6 a.m.
According to Frost, the team’s hard work paid off, allowing them to travel to the National Association of Intercollegiate Gymnastics Clubs (NAIGC) National Championships, April 8-11, held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia.
According to Frost, four girls competed at level eight and five girls competed at level nine.
Skill level nine is for those who perform skills with a higher level of difficulty and a higher start value. The new scoring system starts with a number based on the difficulty of the routine and then factors in deductions.
According to stickitmedia.com, the new rating system is based on two different scoring panels. The “A” panel judges the complexity of a routine, with scoring starting at zero and adding points accordingly. The “B” panel judges the execution of a routine, with scoring beginning at 10. Points are then deducted for poor execution and boundary or time limit violations. The two panels are then added together for the final score.
Frost noted that the new scoring system benefits those who have more difficult routines, and it rewards those who cleanly execute their routine.
Earlier this year, Liberty’s gymnastics team received new equipment and a renovated gym facility. The facility is located in The Plaza at 2323 Memorial Drive, Suite 19B in Lynchburg. The team was able to display its new facility at the Liberty Invite March 21, which was the gymnastics team’s first competition at home.
GLOSSNER is a feature reporter.