By Kim Doss
January 20, 2018
In their first three meets, the Arizona Gymcats have faced two nationally ranked teams and lost all three meets. With the #2-ranked Red Rocks from Utah coming to town next week, the competition doesn’t look to get easier. That’s not the concern of sophomore Maddi Leydin or interim head coach John Court, though. After the #17-ranked GymCats lost to the #4-ranked UCLA Bruins by a score of 197.30 to 195.75 Saturday evening, both Leydin and Court focused on how the ‘Cats are improving and what they need to do to continue their progress.
Saying that the team needs to focus on meeting their individual and group goals, Leydin downplayed the relevance of the tough schedule. Instead, the team sets targets each week, working to improve scores at each outing regardless of who the opponent is. As Coach Court mentioned, unlike other sports, he can’t develop a scheme to stop the other team. The focus must be on what the ‘Cats can produce, not on how to limit the opponent.
One of Leydin’s goals is to hit all four routines, and she did just that on Saturday. Competing in all around for the first time as a collegiate gymnast, the sophomore posted new season highs in three events and tied her season high in the fourth.
As far as team goals, Court mentioned intensity and consistency. While he characterized the warm-ups prior to the meet as “lackadaisical,” he was pleased with how the team responded once the lights were on.
The topic of improving scores each time out was revisited by Court, who noted that fourteen of the twenty-three routines performed Saturday night scored 9.8 or better.
Most important to Court was that the ‘Cats have not had to count a fall in any of their three meets this season. When one gymnast has struggled, her teammates have picked her up. When asked how she is able to hit her own routines after a teammate falls or struggles, senior all-arounder Madison Cindric said that she surrounds herself with a bubble during the meets, focusing on what she needs to do rather than what has happened in front of her.
Despite the three losses, Court is excited about what lies ahead this season. Next Friday’s meet against Utah will be televised on the PAC-12 Network, but the athletes and coaches urge fans to come in person. The large crowd that attended the UCLA meet was treated to exciting gymnastics by both teams, and can expect more of the same when the ‘Cats face the #2 team in the nation at 6 pm in McKale. Two weeks after that, the fans can see their GymCats face former UA coach Tabitha Yim and her Stanford Cardinal for the first time since she returned to coach her alma mater.
