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TWU Home > Student Life > Athletics > Gymnastics > 5/2/08
PIONEER POST
from Courtney and Nicole |
Pioneer Post – May 2, 2008
 Hello Pioneer Fans!
What an exciting year it has been! It’s hard to believe that another season has come and gone! It seems like just yesterday when the team was gathered at Coach’s house together for the first time for the annual “Welcome Barbeque.” It’s hard to believe that nine months ago the returning members of the team were all strangers to the freshmen, and now it feels like we are as close as sisters. As seniors, we couldn’t have asked for a better finish to the season; however, the result was not surprising due to all of the hard work we put in and adversity we overcame.
The raised level of expectations that the coaches held the team to this year resulted in adjustments to our training regime, which proved to be beneficial. This season had its ups and downs, but the cohesiveness of the team combined with the trust in each other and the coaches provided the support we needed. There were many times this year when the team got off to a rocky start at a meet, but eventually learned how to quickly recover from the mistakes, get refocused for the next event, and finish the competition strong. “Let’s pick it up, ladies” and “We’re not going down without a fight!” were common phrases used throughout the season.
The team had a rough start on beam during prelims at Nationals and an uncharacteristic start on vault the next day at team finals, but on both occasions the team stayed calm, pulled together and finished the meets with determination and passion. This lesson learned was critical to our success. It was the reason the team was able to pull through and go on to win TWU’s ninth USAG National Championship title!
The last four years have truly flown by. It seems like just the other day we were freshmen, hearing horror stories about the mile and a half run test, the 5:00 a.m. runs, the UNT stadiums in the blistering heat, and of course the never-ending nine-mile run (which actually turned into a nine-mile scavenger hunt this year). Although it was difficult at times, and required a great deal of dedication, discipline and hard work, it was all worth it!
We learned so much more from this sport besides swinging around a bar or flipping on a four-inch wide beam. We’ve learned lessons that we will carry with us forever. We’ve made some incredible lifelong friends, and we have memories that we will cherish always.
We couldn’t have asked for a better finish to our gymnastics careers! We want to thank our families, friends, fans, supporters, and especially our teammates and coaches for making our experience here at TWU so unforgettable! Thank YOU!
Courtney Arno-Templet and Nicole Poling - TWU Gymnastics, Seniors 2008
(pictured above with senior Student Assistant Coach Brisa Fuentes)
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